New quad upgrade. From Honda. To a Yammi ! ..?

[fat tire]

It’s time to upgrade been on a Honda most all my previous machines were..... still gonna keep the old rubicon’s for back up.... or a god ole friends and family machine.
i was thinking about going to a Grizz 700 (686) the new 19s didn’t get an engine upgrade but the old power plants were a good set up.
plus the Grizz le has everything....... what’s your thoughts.
anyone got a guy who has the best O.T.D. $ on a new 19 Grizz. Le.
Feed back please ,!

 

[HOTLAP]

Yamaha would be my second choice, I like how their belt is always under tension and rotating and there is a clutch to engage the drive but a Honda would still be my first choice with the dual clutch transmission, I love being able to change the gears with a push of a button rather than the belt system, also in my opinion Honda is still the most reliable which to me is more important than having huge horsepower.
My wish list for a new machine are:
1- reliability
2- ground clearance
3- a real transmission with electric shift
4- power steering
5- locking front diff
6- independent rear suspension

 

[LBZ]

Yamaha. Power to weight they are better, price is fairly close as is weight, and they are pretty solid machines. Lots of parts availability and built smart with things like having all 4 wheel bearings the exact same.

 

[Ronaha]

Yamaha would be my second choice, I like how their belt is always under tension and rotating and there is a clutch to engage the drive but a Honda would still be my first choice with the dual clutch transmission, I love being able to change the gears with a push of a button rather than the belt system, also in my opinion Honda is still the most reliable which to me is more important than having huge horsepower.
My wish list for a new machine are:
1- reliability
2- ground clearance
3- a real transmission with electric shift
4- power steering
5- locking front diff
6- independent rear suspension

You totally described a Yamaha,accept for transmission.We switched from Hondas to Yamahas,our Hondas were great good shape used only $3000 each but the ride was so stiff,they do run really hot with oil cooled and need Pistons every now and then, bearings,bad breaks,no power steering, hard seat,especially in winter,carbs not so instant like fuel injection.our Yamahas were definitely an upgrade almost twice the price, we really missed shifting at first,but we got used to our hi/low pretty quick, belts last forever if your a good rider.

 

[Stg2Suby]

Been kinda researching Grizzly's myself.

Seems the tried and proven 686 engine was used through 2015, then 2016 through 2018 they used a Subaru designed or assembled slightly larger engine that had questionable reliability (at least for '16). Now for 2019 they're back to the 686 configuration.

Does anyone know if the 2019 engine is identical to the older 686? Similar to fat tire I'll be steering clear of the 2016-2018 and either buying new or used 2015 or older.

 

[whoDEANie]

Been kinda researching Grizzly's myself.

Seems the tried and proven 686 engine was used through 2015, then 2016 through 2018 they used a Subaru designed or assembled slightly larger engine that had questionable reliability (at least for '16). Now for 2019 they're back to the 686 configuration.

Does anyone know if the 2019 engine is identical to the older 686? Similar to fat tire I'll be steering clear of the 2016-2018 and either buying new or used 2015 or older.

Yamaha is calling the 686 in the 2019 "new" but it looks nearly identical from what I can see. They have the identical bore and stroke. The only difference I can discern is the compression ratio - the old 686's were 9:1 and the new ones are 10:1. To date, I have not been able to find how much power it delivers.

 

[Ronaha]

That's good to know about that engine, I'm not really a fan of the direction they took after 2013 I think? They gave the suspension more travel,but made quad wider which I don't like....thought that was year they started messing with engine too?

Even in 2013 they started using superwinch and all the break reservoirs were brown for some reason......one thing forsure I'm never a new model kinda guy, rather see what happens with other people's money first.

 

[MK4TDI]

You can also get a kodiak with the 700cc in it, front locking diff, independant suspension, frame is a bit smaller than the grizz.

 

[Ronaha]

You can also get a kodiak with the 700cc in it, front locking diff, independant suspension, frame is a bit smaller than the grizz.

The kodiak 700 has a rear brake cable that goes to the brakes inside the rear diff, if you ride it in freezing temperatures you will cook your diff when the cable sticks and your old lady pounds er 70 km down the creek lol, worst idea ever!

 

[LBZ]

Seat is harder on the Kodiak 700 compared to the Grizz. Not sure why. I’d be swapping those around and you lose a little ground clearance also but other than that they are a solid choice too.

 

[whoDEANie]

You can also get a kodiak with the 700cc in it, front locking diff, independant suspension, frame is a bit smaller than the grizz.

I believe this is the old Grizzly chassis.

 

[whoDEANie]

The kodiak 700 has a rear brake cable that goes to the brakes inside the rear diff, if you ride it in freezing temperatures you will cook your diff when the cable sticks and your old lady pounds er 70 km down the creek lol, worst idea ever!

Same as on the King Quad isn't it? ...never heard of KQ owners complaining about that.

 

[Ronaha]

Same as on the King Quad isn't it? ...never heard of KQ owners complaining about that.

I checked that out,that's garbage! I used to have the same problem with my old trikes and Honda quads I'd soak the cable in oil and have heavy return springs, it's one thing burning up shoes, but when it's inside your diff it's way worse, I just avoid cable breaks on quads if I can.

 

[fat tire]

So what’s the best price out there guys..... you know everyone wants to feel like they are getting a good deal...... right?

 

[LBZ]

If you have a Costco card I think you get some sort of a discount. At least maybe around Calgary as I see them at the Costco’s there occasionally.

 

[j335]

I checked that out,that's garbage! I used to have the same problem with my old trikes and Honda quads I'd soak the cable in oil and have heavy return springs, it's one thing burning up shoes, but when it's inside your diff it's way worse, I just avoid cable breaks on quads if I can.

I’ve had 2 Kingquads and it was never an issue, unlike my old Honda’s

 

[Frosty19]

I’ve had 2 Kingquads and it was never an issue, unlike my old Honda’s

We have 2 KQs (had a third I sold) an none of them ever had an issue either. Been very reliable machines

 

[Ronaha]

It's when we creek ride in the winter, the top water on the ice splashes up,even in -25 degrees there is still top water, I'll never buy another kodiak with those rear brakes.

 

[LBZ]

It's when we creek ride in the winter, the top water on the ice splashes up,even in -25 degrees there is still top water, I'll never buy another kodiak with those rear brakes.

So this is a first hand experience thing then?

 

[Ronaha]

So this is a first hand experience thing then?

Yes, wife didn't know the brakes were stuck, even the hand lever was in normal position, when we stopped you could've fried a egg on dif, I threw snow on it and it sizzled like a Chinese wok.