| |
|
To
the left of the steering wheel are the
knobs for the headlights & the 4wd,
2wd, Diff lock
|
The Yamaha Viking features a knob operated
On-Command System with Diff Lock, which is conveniently
located to the left of the steering wheel. It
is easy to switch between, 2wd, 4wd, and Diff
lock with the turn of the knob, but you must
be completely stopped to engage the diff lock,
and the diff lock on the Yamaha Viking works
amazing. You would expect the steering to be
very heavy and stiff with all four wheels locked
into drive mode, but not with the Yamaha Viking,
it was barely noticeable on the EPS equipped
Yamaha Viking we drove, which allows you drive
over 30 mph while in diff lock.
The Yamaha Viking is available with or without
EPS, but we highly suggest spending the extra
thousand dollars because it really makes a difference
is the handling. Yamaha’s electronic power steering
works extremely well as it monitors your driving
style to provide the optimum amount of assist,
and after driving for nearly 40 miles through
the mountains over downed trees, rocks, and
ruts, we didn’t experience any hand fatigue,
which is important for someone that plans on
spending an extended period of time in the Yamaha
Viking for work or play.
| |
|
We drove the Yamaha Viking SxS over several
downed trees, which really put the power
steering, suspension, and ground clearance
to the test & they all performed great |
| |
|
The
Yamaha Viking SxS features hydraulic
disc brakes on all four wheels, which
provides excellent braking power
|
While performance and handling are important,
the brake system is just as important, and the
Yamaha Viking features dual hydraulic disc brakes
on all four wheels, which provide exceptional
stopping power. Also, when you slam on the brakes,
the Viking comes to a fast and controllable stop,
which is important. With exposed disk brakes,
owners will need to replace there brake pads with
time, and the brake pad life expectancy depends
greatly on the driving style and conditions, but
most users shouldn’t have to worry about changing
their brake pads for several years.
The Yamaha Viking also has good ground clearance
at 11.8 inches. We went over big rocks and downed
trees and never scraped the bottom of our test
unit. In case you do find yourself in some more
unforgiving terrain, Yamaha has made a unique
under carriage that has an upsweep at the frame
edges, to help reduce dragging the frame. Also,
the entire belly of the Yamaha Viking is protected
by a steel skid plate for added protection,
which is a great feature especially for driving
in the rough conditions.
| |
|
The
Yamaha Viking SxS is equipped with preload
adjustable only suspension that offers
8.1" of wheel travel
|
The independent double wishbone suspension of
the Viking EPS gives 8.1 inches of travel in both
front and rear. The shocks are preload adjustable,
but they are not high performance shocks. With
just one person driving the Viking, the suspension
was stiff and didn’t offer as smooth of a ride
as expected, but once you load up the Yamaha Viking
with three people and add a load, the suspension
peformed much better and provided a smoother ride.
It was obvious to us, Yamaha designed the suspension
on the stiff side to provide for better performance
when loaded with passengers or cargo, which they
achieved, but it would be nice to see an adjustable
suspension upgrade option available in the future
on a Special Edition model.
