Hi. I will be purchasing a new machine this fall. I do some hunting and fishing. I have narrowed my choices to these two machines. As far as reliability do you think the outlander would be as reliable as the Yamaha 550. I hear that the Yamaha's are very reliable and the outlanders can be spotty. Also I hear the the outlanders belts will slip more easily then the Yamaha's. I will be riding in muddy terrain and am not necessarily looking for a speed demon of a machine. I just need something that is tough and comfortable and reliable. What do you guys think?

 

I think you're hearing gossip that has no facts with it.

Both are good, reliable bikes. For hunting, either one will do. The Outlander should cost more, but will be much more bike than the 550. No question that the Outy is more of a speed demon. As for reliability impressions, the Outy 650 has been around for a few years and is a proven design. The Yamaha 550 is a new for this year model and is unproven, even though it's gotten good reviews.

 

Both great bikes with different approaches to accomplish the same goal! The 550 is a new engine but not a new design. The 550 has the same block as the 700 with a shorter stroke and a different head design, to improve upper RPM range! Is the 550 going to run with the 650 NO! But the Grizz is a very solid machine that will most likely outlast the ergonomics (build quality) of the Can-Am! Just be sure to take a real test ride on a Grizz with power steering before making you decision!



I will get knocked for having a opinion but test ride both and make your own! Good luck see you on the trail!
Why not a 700?

 

Once again Hemi is right IMO. If you are considering a 550 Griz vs a 650 Outlander, I would go with the 700 Griz. They will be competitively priced and I know that the 700 is a great machine. You can't beat Yamaha reliability and durability.

 

Just finished pulling maintenance on my wifes Grizzly 700 and my Outlander 800. It may just me, but I don't see how anyone can compare the two as being in the same class, no more than a Mercedes is like a Hyundia. The Can Am's are just superbly engineered and built. From small touches like grease zerks on the control arms to other more obvious things like bigger racks and ease of pulling the plastics it is just better thought out and built. I have over 5000 miles on my 06 Outlander 800 and it has been flawless. I just got back from 2 weeks at Moab and I was surprized at how many Can Ams there were. We put over 600 miles on all the great trails and what a blast. Believe it or not, my wife is trying to get me to trade her Grizzly in on a new Outlander Max. Go figure. Anyway, ride them both, look them over well and be happy with whichever you choose. Good luck.

 

I did not think the outlanders are that much better built than the Yamaha's. I have always been told the Yamaha's were very well built and reliable. Hyundai is actually building a great product now. Hype and price does not always relate to quality. I will try and make an informed decision but it is hard.

 

Cardiac's answer is about as good as it can get. He's got both of the brands you are looking at - pretty hard to call him biased to one brand or the other. Odds are that there are others here that have both Yamaha and Can-Am's - some may prefer the Yamaha.

That's why it's best to not only get some opinions here but to take a look for yourself as much as you can. Most dealerships will only let you ride around in a parking lot, some will have an on-site dirt set up but hardly any will let you demo a bike out in the real world. If you are riding with friends, maybe you can swap rides for a little to see how their ATV feels. Anybody you run into on the trails will be more than happy to tell you how they feel about their brand of ATV - just ask.

The quality issue is almost a moot point these days. Years back, Honda was always touted as the standard bearer for high quality. Honda quality is still very good, but so are all the major manufacturers. Between myself and my brother, we have owned Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki, Can-Am, Suzuki and Artic Cat. 15 years of riding and nothing other than basic maintenance or rollover type repairs needed. Even some of the "off-brand" quads are now of decent quality. In short, unless you go for the cheapest price, most of what you'll find are good quality ATV's.

A final place to get information is from the mags. True, they are often biased towards the latest and greatest but you can sift through the BS and get some good comparison information.

Above all else, go with what you really want. It seems from your posts that you are looking for some validation to buy the Yamaha by labeling the Outy as lower in quality. Forget all that - both of them are good ATV's. See which one fits your needs best, which one fits your budget and which one has the best dealer locaton and service record. That's the important stuff to base buying your ATV on.

 

Actually I am leaning towards the Can-Am 650. I love the two seater version. My dlemma is I will be using it more for a utility quad and when I go look at them at the dealership the Can-Am looks more like a race machine. If I work this bike would it hold up. The Yamaha looks more like a utility quad and I have heard good things about them. I personally don't know anybody that owns an Outlander but I am really impressed with BRP. I have been following this company from when the Traxter came out and have been impressed with the innovation that BRP has put into their products. If the Traxter wasn't so big and heavy I probably would be interested in finding a used one. I think parts may be hard to get though. Anyway, to me it is a lot of money to spend and I am trying to get the quad that will be best for me. I am sure once I buy I would not be dissapointed with either but for me it is a hard decision.

 

If you get a chance to ride the Outlander 650, do so. I am a huge fan of Yamaha but am getting close to making a new purchase and have been looking at the Outlander 650 myself. The Grizzly's size is some what larger for me then the Outlander. I'm not a big man and the Outlander just felt more comfortable. I really liked the TTI rear suspension. No roll! And it's hard to beat the 3 year factory warrenty that Can-Am is offering compared to the 6 month on the Yamaha.

 

I was in the same dilemma when I was looking to buy (could not decide between the Grizz 700 or a can-Am 650XT) so after my purchase here are my two biggest gripes on the Grizz I have found 1st the seat is very short for riding real hard for a 6'2 person or the occasional 2up. 2nd is the engine at idle speed is very rough compared too a twin or v twin. What did sell me on the Grizz over the Can-Am was the 4x4 system though not a big deal to some for me and the terrain I like to ride is all the difference in the world and 2nd the Power steering what amazed me more than the fact that it is a power steering system is the anti kick back at speed. Ya a steering stabilizer might solve this on the Can-Am but now I have the best of both worlds! 3rd having sepperate braking systems is a great feature in my book.

To me Rotax engines are a big sell but take that away and what do you have VS the Grizz?

Neither of these machines are going to leave you stranded and both will be fun to ride. To me the Grizz would be the workhorse/alarounder while the Can-Am is the built for the congregationalist who can only have one bike!