I'm in the market for a mid-sized quad. We have a 1988 Honda 300 that we bought new, and it still runs great, but would like new machine with a bit more power as we've been working the Honda hard the last few years. Like many others in this forum, I feel the Yamaha Grizzly 450 is the right size for me, and is packed full of features. Everything I'm looking for! (well FI might be nice too)

I first test drove the 350 grizzly, and could not beleieve the amount of vibration feedback in the handle-bars & seat. I also fired up a 450, and just rev'n the engine slightly I could also feel a fair amount of vibration... is this typical of Yamahas? I did not have a chance to take the 450 for a ride and get it up to spped, so perhaps it smooths out. Still, I can't beleive that a 20 year old Honda runs that much smoother than the new machines... has anyone else noticed this? Is there a way to damp'n the vibration? I think my hands would go numb after a few hour ride on one of these... its like running a chainsaw. Is there much differance if I move up to a 660?

Any feedback would be appreshiated! Thanks!

 

jump on the griz 700 and see if it vibrates too much... [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

I don't notice the vibration much on the 450 or my 660... Drive them around a bit and see if they do it...

 

i have a 04 grizzly 660 and at an idel it has a lot of vibration. it goes away as soon as you give it some gas. i ride with a few other freinds that have grizzlys also and they all do the same.

 

Yamaha's 421cc engine is a vibrating one... I was really concerned when I bought my Grizzly 450 and heard the vibration the first ride out... I was like WTF! this thing is Brand new~~~!!!! Well guess what it is normal! I know.. not something I would call "Normal" buy hey... I have 512 miles on my grizzly.. engine runs just fine... vibration and all!

Remember too.. Honda had a counter-vibration setup in their engines. I don't believe Yamaha ever adapted to something like that... Considering that Yamaha's 421 engine has been around for years... it is reliable... just have to deal with the vibrations.. trust me you will get used to it... it really only happens under throttle... hardly at idle...

 

Yamaha's 421cc engine is a vibrating one... I was really concerned when I bought my Grizzly 450 and heard the vibration the first ride out... I was like WTF! this thing is Brand new~~~!!!! Well guess what it is normal! I know.. not something I would call "Normal" buy hey... I have 512 miles on my grizzly.. engine runs just fine... vibration and all!

Remember too.. Honda had a counter-vibration setup in their engines. I don't believe Yamaha ever adapted to something like that... Considering that Yamaha's 421 engine has been around for years... it is reliable... just have to deal with the vibrations.. trust me you will get used to it... it really only happens under throttle... hardly at idle...

 

We've owned two Kodiak 450's (same engine as the Grizzly 450), three Grizzly 660s, and two Grizzly 700s. The 450 engine vibrates the most if you ask me, followed by the Grizzly 660, with the Grizzly 700 being by far the smoothest running. Yamaha added dual counterbalancers on the 700 engine, and that was the first thing I noticed when I test drove our first 700 over a year ago. I could tell the difference at idle, and really noticed the difference before I had even loaded it in the truck at the dealership. The new 700 engine is a major improvement for Yamaha.

 

Hey Viper,

I am hoping that in the next few Years Yamaha will introduce a Grizzly 500 EFI / Power streering [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

That would be a great ATV. Personally I wish they would put the 700 EFI engine in the chassis of the 450 Grizzly. I like the smaller size of the Grizzly 450, but don't like that 421cc engine at all.

And speaking of smaller more nimble utility ATVs, anyone notice that the 2008 Brute Force 750 is smaller this year? Seriously, Kawasaki says on their web page that it is almost an inch narrower and lower body than last year's model. I think thats fantastic. It seems like each new utility ATV that comes out is bigger and faster than the last one. The Grizzly 660 was bigger than the Grizzly 600, and the Grizzly 700 is bigger than the Grizzly 660. Same thing with Kawasaki, the Brute Force 750 was bigger than the Prairie 700. And look at Arctic Cats new 950 Thinder Cat, that thing is freakin huge. Thats dumb! We don't need bigger, but can always use something faster. Kawasaki did the right thing by making the Brute Force smaller for 2008.

 

Thanks guys... glad to see that it isn't just me. I don't think its enough reason to NOT buy a yamaha, but it is very noticable, and irriatating. The technology has been avalible for decades, why not incorporate it in every engine design? Maybe I'll hold out for a mid-sized, balanced, EFI from Yamaha.

Is Honda the only manufacturer that puts balancer on thier engines? I don't recall Suzuki's vibrating...

 

Dude, don't let the vibration stop you from buying it... .my "Dream" of the EFI in a mid-sized ATV probably won't come too soon from Yamaha.. maybe 2010 at the earliest... The engine is still very reliable!

Just buy it! Enjoy it! you won't regret it! and trust me.. coming from an Engineer.. I was quite disappointed in the vibratation... and I am quite OK with it being Normal...