By Jon Crowley
The 2017 Polaris RZR XP 1000 Gold Matte Metallic Limited Edition caught my attention at the 2017 Polaris model-year introduction. While the turbo models drew most of the horsepower talk, this special edition offered something I had wanted for rock crawling: substantially lower gearing in low range. I called it the #CrowleyEdition, then took a nearly stock demo unit to the Rubicon Trail to find out whether it lived up to the name.
What Made This RZR XP 1000 Different?
The rock-focused package combined 55% lower gearing in low range with a low-speed throttle map, a strengthened reverse gear and front half shafts, and a gated shifter. It also included high-clearance lower A-arms and rear radius rods, Walker Evans Racing needle shocks, 30-inch Pro Armor Crawler XG tires on beadlock wheels, a 4,500-pound winch, a full HMW skid plate, aluminum rock sliders, a front bumper and Click-6 harnesses. Polaris listed 14 inches of ground clearance. These details made it more than a cosmetic special edition.
Rubicon Trail Test
My demo unit arrived at Placerville Polaris in late September 2016. Apart from a Polaris spare-tire carrier (part 2879464), it was stock. I first tried the lower gearing near home, then joined three other RZRs for a run on the Rubicon Trail, including Little Sluice.
Watch the RZR run Little Sluice on the Rubicon Trail.
The new RZR felt tight, and its Walker Evans shocks gave us a comfortable ride over the rough trail. More telling was how easily I could place it on the rocks. I usually use one foot on the brake and one on the throttle for precise control. With this low range and throttle calibration, I often drove with just my right foot: the car moved more predictably and rolled less abruptly on and off obstacles.
Lower Gearing Still Had Useful Trail Speed
At the Wentworth Springs junction, I opened it up in low range. The RZR held about 25 mph easily and reached roughly 30 mph. That was plenty for my riding. I wanted low-speed control in the rocks while keeping enough range to cover the faster sections between obstacles, and this gearing delivered both.
Tires, Clearance and Protection
The 30-inch Pro Armor Crawler XG tires worked well on the rocky terrain and added clearance. Their beadlock wheels kept the machine close to its stock 64-inch width. I liked that for steering geometry, though several exposed lug nuts picked up scrapes. I did not damage a stud on this trip; the risk from a harder strike was only a concern, not a failure we experienced.
The high-clearance A-arms and radius rods were a meaningful improvement over the conventional straight components. I had seen how easily a standard radius rod could bend in my earlier RZR XP 1000 rock-crawling review. The special edition’s extra clearance helped keep these parts away from rocks.
The full HMW skid covered the underside and appeared about a quarter to three-eighths of an inch thick. It was a welcome stock feature for repeated contact with rocks. The aluminum rock sliders looked good and suited lighter use, but I would have preferred a more forgiving material for harder hits.
Winch, Shifter and Harnesses
A friend bent a tie rod on his XP 900 during the trip. We used the RZR’s 4,500-pound Polaris winch to lift one side for the trail repair, and it worked as expected. I also liked the bumper loop that held the hook when it was stored.
The gated shifter made the move between reverse and high easier without accidentally landing in park. For competition crawling, I would still prefer a different gear order, but this was a practical improvement. The Click-6 harnesses took some getting used to. Their retractable upper section allowed me to move and look around while crawling, then locked during sudden movement.
Verdict and What Happened Next
The low range was the standout. It gave me the controlled crawl I had asked for without sacrificing useful speed between obstacles. The suspension, high-clearance parts, tires, skid, winch and harnesses made this one of the most capable showroom-stock rock crawlers I had tested at the time. I would have changed the aluminum sliders and added a roof.
I enjoyed this RZR enough to prepare it for the 2017 King of the Hammers. Read the race build and preparation for the next chapter. For context, see my earlier RZR XP Turbo rock-crawling review, the XP 1000 first ride, and the RZR XP 1000 model overview.
Pre-running Outer Limits in Johnson Valley in our RZR XP 1000.
