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Yamaha Rallies Behind
The Rhino 700 FI Sport Edition
::Continued::
I drove the red model and found
it to be both comfortable and one of the most
attractive side-by-sides on the market. The piggyback
shocks worked well for the SBNF trails, which
were littered with rocks, ruts, whoops and off-camber
trails. And speaking of rocks, the Rhino excelled
in the rocky terrain.
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| The
piggyback shocks worked well through
the rocks, ruts, whoops, and off-camber
trails |
I especially appreciated the Yamaha’s
accelerator pedal control and low-end muscle
for climbing Deep Creek’s stone staircase.
The Rhino has a consistent and predictable foot
pedal and was easy to inch up the face of some
of the boulders, unlike some competitive models
I’ve driven. I was also pleased with the
fuel injection. Riding in higher elevation (5,000
plus feet), the 686cc seemed strong, although
a slight dip in power can result, according
to Yamaha. I was pleased with the engine’s
power and couldn’t tell much of difference
from California’s SBNF and the "flat-lander"
trails back home in Minnesota.
The Sport Edition’s cast aluminum wheels
are more resistant to dings and dents than the
stock steel wheels found on the normal Rhino
700 FI. The stock Maxxis tires produced impressive
traction in both the hard pack and on the rocky
slopes. The 25-inch tires held up for us and
our entire riding party only had one flat during
the entire day. I was also rather impressed
with the Rhino’s CV-boot guards and underbelly
skid plate. I smashed several rocks against
my test vehicle’s skid plate, but it never
tore or got hung up. However, one fellow journalist
tore the front portion of the skid. For those
who plan to do only serious rock crawling or
racing with their machine, I suggest Yamaha’s
line of GYTR parts or searching for beefier
accessories online.
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| Warning
labels are give warnings to passengers
and drivers |
My only issues with the Rhino were the seat
belt and center console. At higher speeds
(its speed controlled to around 40 mph) in
the chop, the seat belt tightened and dug
into my left shoulder. While I understand
this means the seat belt is working properly,
adding a pad to the shoulder strap, at the
very least, or upgrading to a double-shoulder
harness system is a must. Banging the outer
portion of my right knee against the center
console was my other small discomfort. Again,
that seemed to only happen in rugged terrain
at higher speeds. Otherwise, the comfort and
control was spot on for such long ride.
It’s also reassuring to have the side
doors on the Rhino’s cab. I’ve
driven side-by-sides both with and without
this feature and absolutely love doors. Even
if a driver or passenger had a brain lapse
and tried to stick a leg out in the event
of a tip over, the doors should prevent it.
Plus, warning labels inside the cab, in the
owner’s manual and online tell the user
to keep his or her arms in the vehicle at
all times.
Sport Edition I/II Additional Accessories
• Fully adjustable piggyback shocks
• Water-dipped plastic with unique color
and graphics
• One-piece cast aluminum wheels
• Injection-molded sun top
• Baja-inspired front carry bar (bumper)
• Over fenders (Midnight Armor only)
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