2012 Polaris RZR-4 XP 900 – Coast To Coast
- Updated: October 7, 2011
Polaris spares no expense in their model introductions. This was the view from inside of the presentation tent.
The wait is finally over! The machine everyone has been asking for is finally alive, and probably on your local dealer’s showroom floor right now. In one quick sentence, the 2012 Polaris RZR-4 XP 900 might possibly be the best all around vehicle, not just UTV, on the planet.
Almost as soon as the 2011 RZR-XP 900 was announced in early January, 2011, rumors began to surface about a similar vehicle being offered in a four-seat model. Several aftermarket builders even entered the market to meet the demand and crafted high horsepower four-seat, sport side by side based on a combination of the RZR-XP 900 and the RZR-4 800, so it was obvious that there was an instant position for this vehicle as soon as it was released.
The 2012 Polaris RZR-4 XP 900 is exactly what we expected it to be, and it is exactly what it should be. When this vehicle was announced there didn’t seem to be very many overwhelming surprises. It wasn’t until I was finally able to get behind the wheel when the surprises really became evident. I am very familiar with the performance characteristics of the two-seat XP, so I was expecting to be immediately under-impressed with the power efficiency and performance of the longer, heavier four-seat XP as compared to the two-seat model. That couldn’t have been further from the truth. The extra weight is not noticeable in the least bit and the extra length was actually a performance benefit in the rough, choppy desert terrain of Parker, AZ, where we were first introduced to the new king of the UTV market. The longer wheelbase allows the vehicle to maintain its trajectory while skimming the tops of the whoops at high speed. Shorter wheelbase vehicles are less able to span multiple whoops at once, forcing them down into the valleys between the whoops. Right out of the box, the RZR-4 XP 900 is perfectly capable of being a competitive desert racer, as evidenced by the vehicle entered into the 2012 Parker 250 by Jagged X Racing. The Jagged X vehicle was equipped with a few modifications, but none of which were performance-enhancing. The list of modifications included: two-seat specific roll cage, larger fuel cell, seats, harnesses, GPS, race radio, and safety lights.
This may be what Heaven looks like.
One of the standout features of the new RZR-4 XP 900 is the addition of Walker Evans Racing shocks on all four corners. The rear shocks have a diameter increase of 2.5 inches while the front shocks retain a 2.0” diameter. The rear 2.5” shocks are the largest diameter shocks found on any OEM side by side. Not only do these shocks carry the Walker Evans Racing name, they are in fact the exact same shocks Walker Evans Racing sells to their customers. That means that you get top of the line, race-grade shocks on a stock vehicle. The Fox shocks found on the RZR-XP are great shocks, but the WER shocks take this to a whole new level. These are probably the best shocks (in terms of quality, engineering, and performance) ever installed by an OEM on a UTV or SXS. If you were to purchase these shocks directly from WER, you would be looking at a bill somewhere between $2000 and $3000.
The standard performance traits of the XP 900 are still evident in the RZR-4 XP 900. Power is delivered very efficiently from the ProStar 900 powerplant and gets to the ground well through the precisely tuned CVT clutch. If you are familiar with the two-seat XP, you will be instantly at home with the four-seat version.
The only modification needed for extreme duning – paddle tires.
Versatility
Desert Terrain
Our first drive in the new RZR-4 XP 900 was in the rough, damaging desert terrain of Parker, AZ. The XP4 handled the terrain with ease, much like a race-tuned vehicle would. The addition of the Maxxis Bighorn tires found on the Liquid Silver Limited Edition model was also a huge plus in this terrain. Parker, AZ is known for destroying race cars and play cars alike, but the RZR-4 XP 900 had no issues with durability.
Glamis Sand Dunes
Immediately after the model introduction, I took the vehicle to the Glamis sand dunes in southern California. The new XP4 was a standout performer here as well. We rode for hours through the extreme dunes near Oldsmobile Hill and the XP powered up even the gnarliest of dune approaches. It also soaked up the most extreme transitions like a purpose-built dune machine. The extra power and length of the XP over other UTVs will make it an instant hit in the sand, even while carrying four passengers. There isn’t another UTV on the market that can pull that off.
Our sand duning group was led by an XP 2-seater, but trust us the 4-seaters were just as fast througout the ride.
The only race prep was installing a Parker Pumper, a 5-point harness, and removing the extra seats.
Race: 2012 Soboba Grand Prix
The purpose of me being so far from home (Alabama) was to bring our 2012 Polaris RZR-XP 900 (two seater) out to the West Coast to hit up some WORCS races and the King of the Hammers UTV race. It wasn’t until after I felt the level of performance of the RZR-4 XP 900 that I had the idea of racing it in the 2012 Soboba Grand Prix, held at the Soboba Casino in San Jacinto, CA. This event draws a larger and larger number of UTVs each year. The challenging terrain of the course and the large cash purse are the main draws to the event. This year, there was $10,000 offered to the UTV class, which contained top drivers such as Beau Baron (winner of 2011 Soboba Grand Prix), R.J. Anderson and Doug Mittag. There were 33 UTV pilots on the course this year, all reaching for their share of the $10k.
Aside from one crucial modification, Pro Armor doors, the RZR-4 XP 900 was absolutely bone stock, and I mean it’s stock just as it rolled off of the showroom floor. We didn’t even have time to adjust the shocks. Seeing that I registered late for the event, they put me in the back of the pack. 32nd out of 33 riders is where I would begin the two-hour event. As luck would have it, I was behind most of them after the first corner. The power and stability of the four-seater allowed me to make short work of the end to mid-pack field, reaching the top tier drivers within three laps or so. I found my way into fourth place and battling with a 2-seat XP. After a few laps of following him and eating a large amount of roost, the radiator was covered and I was forced to pull over to the side of the track when it went into ignition protection mode (267 degrees). The ignition protection mode, used to prevent damage to the engine in overheating situations is one of my favorite features of the XPs. After allowing the vehicle to cool down, I resumed the race after losing a handful of positions. In the next couple of laps, I was able to overtake the drivers who passed me by, all except for the now fourth place driver whom I battled with for so long earlier in the race. I ended the day in 5th place position, very satisfied with the event and in love with the new four-seater XP. It was just a few days before when this machine was hauling me around the Glamis dunes with a huge smile on my face. It had now done the same during a very brutal UTV race, something I think few other UTVs have ever been able to do, and something I doubt any other stock UTV could handle.
Two of the top 5 at Soboba were stock XP4’s.
KOH Pre-Running and Utility
This same desert, sand, race machine was now carted to Johnson Valley, CA, home of the infamous King of the Hammers event. We continually used this vehicle as a desert taxi, capable of hauling four full size guys, parts, tools, and spare tires around the desert at high speeds. This vehicle was absolutely essential in keeping our remote pits manned and stocked during pre-running and race time. It was also a blast to hammer the XP4 through the Johnson Valley whoops and feel the extra length stabilize the vehicle at high speed. It seems that the XP4 shines even brighter when it is pushed to extremes.
Family Time
Now that I have finally made it back to the East Coast, the real transformation for this vehicle begins. I relate it to a retired racehorse. In their younger days, racehorses are trained and pruned to be solely focused race winning machines. After retirement, they are often pampered and shown the “good life”. The RZR-4 XP 900 is now at home in my stable where it will undergo a transformation into a highly capable family adventure machine. I have a wife and two kids who are on the edge of their seats waiting to get into this vehicle and out on the trails. We will soon begin our adventure build and add the necessary parts and accessories to make the entire crew feel at home and happy on the trail.
Stay tuned as our ultra-versatile RZR-4 XP 900 is transformed into the ultimate family trail machine.
