San Diego, CA - In 2004 Yamaha released
a revolutionary side by side that soon became
the latest must have item for all off-road enthusiasts.
The Yamaha Rhino was a completely new spin on
the once defined Utility Terrain Vehicle segment,
not only accommodating the traditional farming
and working market, but now offering performance
and handling worthy of the recreational buyers,
which spawned a new off-road trend.
Yamaha’s Rhino 660cc offers an abundance
of features that has put it at the top of the
UTV ranks. From its first in class independent
double wish bone rear suspension offering 7.3
inches of wheel travel allowing for the occupants
to stay out on the trail longer with out fatigue
to its incredible 400 pound bed and 1212 pound
towing capacity making the Yamaha Rhino a true
utility brute, but if you think the Rhino 660cc
is a little too much for your needs, then Yamaha
still has the right UTV for you.
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| Yamaha
Rhino 450 |
Since 2006, Yamaha has offered the same great
vehicle, but with a smaller 450cc liquid cooled
engine that can get the job done. Yamaha is
constantly on top of consumer’s needs
and wants, and years ahead of their competition.
Looking through history, they were the only
company offering a high performance sport quad,
the legendary Banshee, for years while others
had nothing in their line up to compete. Yamaha
was also first in motocross four strokes as
they offered the YZF 400 back in 1998 long before
anyone else. Again, Yamaha was the first large
corporation to offer a true high performance
liquid cooled four stroke ATV incorporating
their premium performance motocross technology
in the YFZ450. So why would you expect anything
less than top quality products from the industry
leader? It doesn’t disappoint. The Yamaha
Rhino 660cc has left the competition scrabbling
to release their own performance driven UTV.
So, just what is it that has allowed the Yamaha
Rhino to excel? Versatility. It was engineered
with everyone in mind as a potential consumer.
As mentioned previously, the Rhino has great
cargo capabilities as well as performance driven
suspension, but that is just the beginning.
Going out on an all day excursion is not an
issue with the Rhino. Inside the cab there is
definitely some leg room, and at 6’3”,
I am not at all uncomfortable in the driver’s
seat for hours on end, although there are some
other UTV’s with a slightly increased
amount of leg room.
Sitting side by side in a vehicle as narrow
as the 54.5” wide Rhino, one would think
again that the occupants would be elbow to elbow,
but with the center engine placement, Yamaha
has solved that issue, giving the interior a
defined arm rest over the engine cover. But
the passenger compartment does have its draw
backs. Definitely the biggest problematic area
for the Rhino is the flat floor where your feet
can tend to slide around unless they are firmly
planted. In many cases this can prove dangerous
as unsafe operators and passengers have rolled
their Rhino’s (most likely due to operator
negligence) causing their legs to tumble outside
the vehicle which has led to injury and in some
cases caused some broken bones.
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| Aftermarket
solid leg minder, which is bolted to the
frame, so the passenger must step over
the lower fender, but the advantage is
that it produces no riding noise |
Yamaha's
new door panel, which can be installed
on any Rhino free of charge from Yamaha,
which open and closes, and it is highly
recommeneded for all Rhino owners to install |
However, there has been a quick
and cheap cure for this problem. Many aftermarket
companies have been offering “leg minders”
to help enclose the cab and keep everyone safely
inside the vehicle, and just recently, Yamaha
has announced that all new Rhinos will now come
with doors, which they will also install on
previously owned Rhino for free, so existing
Rhino owners should contact your local dealership
for more information.
