Missoula, MT - In 1998, Yamaha redefined
big-bore Utility ATVs with the release of its Grizzly
600, which was the largest in the ATV industry, and
it was an instance success as it became the number one
selling Utility ATV on the market. This top seller remained
virtually unchanged till 2002 when it received a large
displacement 660cc engine from the newly released Yamaha
Raptor 660, and just five years later, the 2007 Yamaha
Grizzly 700 has been completely redesigned from the
tires up to incorporated some of the latest advancements
in Utility ATV technology.
For starters, the new Grizzly received a modified
version of the 686cc engine from the Yamaha Raptor
700, which comes paired with the highly anticipated
Yamaha fuel injection system (YFI), and if this wasn’t
exciting enough, an Industry first, Electronic Power
Steering (EPS), has also been added to the Grizzly,
which redefines ease of steering on a 4x4 utility
ATV. To further assist with handling and steering,
the Yamaha engineers also focused on increasing ground
clearance, reducing weight, and lowering the center
of gravity of the new Grizzly. Finally they focused
on maintaining the Grizzly’s sporty appearance
without sacrificing rider comfort and ease of use,
so the new Grizzly will remain at the top of the food
chain in Utility ATV sales.
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| The
Grizzly 700 has a very appealing apperance and
it is available in Hunter Green, Steel Blue,
Red and Realtree Hardwoods High Definition Camo |
Yamaha's
Electronic Power Steering (EPS) system is an
industry first, and it worked beyond my expecations
by lightening the steering and absorbing rocks
and stumps |
Yamaha was so excited about their new proclaimed
“King of the Forest” they invited out
virtually every ATV media outlet to the Paws Up resort
in Missoula, Montana to spend a day riding their all
new Grizzly 700, so we could decide whether or not,
the Grizzly actually lived up to its hype, and the
Paws Up resort provided the perfect stomping ground
for testing the Grizzly as it had it all with its
several thousand acres of riding trails, which incorporated
fields, stream crossings, mud, rocks, logs, hill climbs,
and dramatic elevation changes from the valley to
the mountain tops nearly 9000 feet in elevation. After
riding the Grizzly from sunrise to sunset and covering
over 80 miles of terrain according the odometer, there
was ample time to draw a conclusion about whether
the new Yamaha Grizzly was a success.
At a Glance
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As demonstrated in this photo, the
new fender design provides excellent protection
from water and mud encountered on the trails |
We arrived at the riding spot early in the morning,
and a row of Grizzlies were just itching to hit the
trails, so we geared up and picked our machine. Before
hitting the trails, I did a quick look over of the
Grizzly, and I found that the Grizzly’s new
fender design to be very appealing with its curves
and body contours, and more importantly the fenders
paired with the heal guards and floorboards provided
excellent protection from the mud and water that you
are bound to find on any trail ride. The floorboards
also incorporated large drain holes. The body work
also includes some new larger dual 35 watt headlights,
which will surely provide for better night vision
than its predecessor, and a conveniently located waterproof
storage compartment is located on the right front
fender for easy access without leaving the seat and
another larger storage compartment is located in the
rear fender. As for the front and rear rack system,
they provide plenty of room for cargo and allow for
easy mounting of accessories with Yamaha’s new
secure rack mount system, which utilizes minimum bolts
and hardware to mount accessories with confidence,
and for a sportier look, the racks can easily be removed
with a simple four bolt mounting system. The thicker
and wider seat provided for a very comfortable feel,
and all the controls were easily reachable and visible
while sitting on the seat, and the handlebar mounted
On Command switch for 2WD, 4WD, and differential lock
was within a thumbs reach for quick engagement, and
the front left fender mounted gear selector has been
updated to a gate style shifter for simplified gear
selection, which made for quick identification of
the selected gear, but the brake engagement safety
feature became a bit cumbersome at times when trying
to quickly maneuver the Grizzly. Finally, the dash
mounted digital dashboard was well placed with very
easy to read full gauge, speed odometer, trip meter,
gear indicator, and clock, and it also doubles as
an electrical system diagnostics tool, which was a
nice addition.
Ride Test
Once we hit the trails, the Grizzly’s new 686cc
powerplant was very obvious as it provided plenty
of power, but it wasn’t by any means arm jerking.
It was a smooth yet continuous power from the low
end to the top end. This was in part due to its head
porting and heavier crank than it cousin the Raptor
700, and the Raptor’s manual transmission was
replaced with an ultramatic transmission system. The
electronic fuel injection provided instant throttle
response and was also easy on the thumb unlike other
carbureted models, which is an important feature for
someone utilizing the Grizzly for extended rides or
working on the farm. The other huge benefit of YFI
is its ability to instantly adjust the fuel/air mixture,
which allows for cold starts without the use of a
manual choke and the ability to automatically adjust
to changes in temperature and elevation, which isn’t
possible with a standard carburetor that would require
manual re-jetting.
On our extensive trail ride, we had the opportunity
to test YFI system to its fullest by winding our way
up mountains and above the clouds to nearly 9,000
feet in elevation, and on the way to the top, there
wasn’t any obvious changes in the performance
of the Grizzly as the throttle remained responsive
without any dead spots throughout the throttle range,
which is why the use of carburetors on ATVs will surely
become a thing of the past over the next few years.
The ride to the “Top of the World” also
provided the perfect performance test for the handling
and suspension of the Grizzly as there was an endless
amount of switchback turns to test its cornering ability,
and it performed as expected with minimum body roll
for a 600lb Utility ATV and very predictable steering.
The electronic power steering provided almost effortless
steering through the turns and it helped absorb the
many ruts, tree stumps, and rocks encountered along
the way to the top, which could have otherwise yanked
the handlebars out of my hands as the EPS unit also
provides steering dampening.
The lower center of gravity contributed to the under
the seat mounted gas tank made a noticeable difference
in the handling especially at higher speeds especially
when a little body english was required. By the time
we reached the summit, I was railing the 180 degree
turns at nearly 30 mph with confidence as it handle
more like a sport ATV than a Utility ATV, and the
confidence that I could stop on a dime with the all
new 4 wheel hydraulic disc braking system, which performed
incredibly well in bringing the 600lb Grizzly to a
halt.
As already mentioned, there were also numerous water
run-off ditches, ruts, tree stumps, and rocks along
rugged trails through the mountains, which provided
the ability to see how well the suspension actually
performed under harsh riding conditions, and it performed
extremely well as it soaked up the terrain with ease,
but I did find the front end tended to dive and become
sluggish to rebound at higher trail riding speeds,
so I stopped and adjusted the front preload to the
stiffest setting, which solved the problem and provided
a much more responsive front suspension, but for a
normal trail riding and farm use, the factory setting
would be adequate without any front cargo, but stiffer
aftermarket front shocks may be a wise investment
for those intending to ride aggressively or carry
front cargo on rough terrain. Finally, the Grizzly’s
new gull wing design front A-arms did a wonderful
job in providing useable ground clearance that made
negotiating the obstacles on the trails effortless
with minimum impacts to undercarriage or A-arms because
of the expanded width of useable ground clearance.
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| Logs
in the trails was not a problem for the Grizzly
700 as the front end is plenty light enough
to launch over obstacles |
The added ground clearance from the gull wing
design A-arms were a welcome treat through some
of the rockier trail sections |
Conclusion
After spending an entire day riding over 80 miles
and enjoying some breath taking views along the way,
the sun finally began to disappear behind the mountains
and it was time to head back to camp for a relaxing
evening before flying home early the next morning.
I left the Paws Up resort wanting yet another day
to ride the Yamaha Grizzly 700 as it was an extremely
fun to rider utility ATV, and I would be happy to
have one hibernate in my garage anytime. I give Yamaha
a big thumbs-up on newly redesigned Grizzly, and I
feel it will maintain its top sales figures priced
at slightly higher yet competitive MSRP of $7,999.
www.yamaha-motor.com
