2014 Can Am Commander
2014 Can Am Commander
The machine itself:
I have a Honda Rubicon 4 wheeler and was going to get the wife one for herself. After we found out last year side by sides could be made street legal here in Michigan, The wife and I were dead set on buying one. We plan on buying a RV and using the street legal SxS to run around town after setting up camp, and that made much more sense to us than getting another 4 wheeler.
We were going to buy a Polaris RZR 900 and almost did the morning we just happened to roll into a Can-Am dealer. That's when we first heard about the Commander. We were sold on the spot as the Commander had so much more to offer then the RZR 900. The interior is far superior, the seats much more comfortable, a lot more storage, it has engine braking (which my Rubicon does and comes in handy going down steep hills), and having a dump box plus the wench standard made it more versatile and gave us more bang for the buck.
I have the need for speed as I raced KX250's & Ninja's back in the day and the power of the Commander 1000 is more than satisfactory. We got to ride the trails for the first time over Memorial weekend and after hitting the corners at 30mph, then stomping on the gas coming out sideways while listening to the V-twin roar was a blast to say the least. It put a smile on my face every time 
One of the few downsides is, I think it's geared to low… even in high range. We live in the country and drive it everywhere we can and the motor hits 6500rpm's doing 55mph which I think is high. Come to think of it, I haven't found the need to shift into low range at all except just to try it out. However, I'm sure that will change when I get a snow plow and winter rolls in.
The other downside is the dust situation. Having a full DOT approved windshield cuts the flow of air which creates a vacuum in the cab and the dust from the trails / dirt roads just pours in from the back. Thanks to mrycar and his dust battle thread, were hoping to get that taken care of soon.
The buying experience:
We bought our Commander from Grace Performance here in Michigan. After calling dealer after dealer during our search for a street legal side by side, they were by far the most knowledgeable on what it took to do that. They were also one of the lowest price to. We did have a couple issues after we took delivery of the Commander but Mike, the General manager of Grace Performance, did more than enough to make us happy. For me, price and customer service is what it is all about to get my return business and recommendation. If you're looking for a side by side or any other toy, I highly recommend Grace Performance for price, customer service, knowledge, and they have a huge selection to choose from.
So that's it, overall I am happy. If you're looking to get a side by side and are searching the net for info like I was, I hope this helps you out.
Source: https://www.commanderforums.org/threads/my-2014-can-am-commander-1000-xt-review.17134/
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