When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I have a 06 wolverine 450 4x4 and love it.
It does not have low...high only.
It does have the cvt trans.
I bought mine for my wife to ride and follow me around on my yz.
I quickly began to really like it for a good overall 4x4.
It is very fast pretty nimble for a 4x4 , has push button 4x4...
It doesn't have a rack but they make an aftermarket one for it.
I have had it since 2010 and it is just now going to need a little work ..i.e. carb cleand and rebiult and tie rod ends. And new tires.
I had a 450 Wolverine myself once. Its a good trail quad though the lack of low range and limited carrying and towing capacity doesn't exactly make it much of a utility machine. If you want a machine for work, the Kodiak 450 would be a better choice. Its fun to ride though. The lighter weight compared to other 4x4 quads of similar displacement makes it quite nimble. Its a pretty quick machine but not a lot of top end speed, about 50 mph stock. Mine had an aftermarket pipe and k&n air filter along with different jetting in the carb and that bumped it up to about 55 mph top speed along with being a little quicker too. I eventually put the stock exhaust back on as the hmf pipe was so loud it was annoying and honestly it didn't slow it down much. I think they are a great quad for a beginner or wife or gf. The cvt makes them easy to ride and the smaller size makes it easier for smaller riders to handle. If the going gets tough, you have 4x4 at the push of a button as well. No diff-lock but the limited slip 4x4 does a pretty good job of getting through most anything you would want to attempt in a machine like this. I really wish Yamaha had kept making it. If they had simply given it more power, like perhaps the 550cc Grizzly efi engine and perhaps power steering, those upgrades would have kept people buying it. I wouldn't have even given it irs, I liked the sporty feel of the solid rear axle and it had decent enough ground clearance with the shaft drive.
I had a 450 Wolverine myself once. Its a good trail quad though the lack of low range and limited carrying and towing capacity doesn't exactly make it much of a utility machine. If you want a machine for work, the Kodiak 450 would be a better choice. Its fun to ride though. The lighter weight compared to other 4x4 quads of similar displacement makes it quite nimble. Its a pretty quick machine but not a lot of top end speed, about 50 mph stock. Mine had an aftermarket pipe and k&n air filter along with different jetting in the carb and that bumped it up to about 55 mph top speed along with being a little quicker too. I eventually put the stock exhaust back on as the hmf pipe was so loud it was annoying and honestly it didn't slow it down much. I think they are a great quad for a beginner or wife or gf. The cvt makes them easy to ride and the smaller size makes it easier for smaller riders to handle. If the going gets tough, you have 4x4 at the push of a button as well. No diff-lock but the limited slip 4x4 does a pretty good job of getting through most anything you would want to attempt in a machine like this. I really wish Yamaha had kept making it. If they had simply given it more power, like perhaps the 550cc Grizzly efi engine and perhaps power steering, those upgrades would have kept people buying it. I wouldn't have even given it irs, I liked the sporty feel of the solid rear axle and it had decent enough ground clearance with the shaft drive.
I don't think lack of power was a real concern or power steering my only complaint really was the suspension.
It isn't terrible but could be a little better... As for racks , I would have liked a factory rear rack .
It also has a hitch and can pull pretty well. Also the same engine as the Kidiack 450 just lack the low gear.
I actually almost bought another Wolverine earlier this year before I bought my 2nd Grizzly. The Grizzly was only a few hundred dollars more and it has a lot more power. The Wolverine is easier to manuver in tight trails but the better ride and power of the Grizzly along with nice big steel racks made it hard not to spend the extra money on the Grizzly. Still there are times when I kinda wish I had something smaller though.
Extreme Pro Rider God forbid he lets the polishing secret out!
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 11,807
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I had a 450 Wolverine myself once. Its a good trail quad though the lack of low range and limited carrying and towing capacity doesn't exactly make it much of a utility machine.
I thought Yamaha clutches a ATV without low range to compensate. My 350 Grizzly sure towed some good trailer loads and would break traction before a lose of power or slips a belt. The manual rates it's tow capacity at 1,100lbs , that's only 150lbs less than my 500 with low range.
I towed a 14" boat, trailer with a 15hp outboard up a steep hill with my 350 CVT and only diff lock got me up, 4wd did not quite have enough traction.
If the guy puts some racks on the wolverine and a bottom end clutch kit like mudders used when they switch to over sized tires he should be fine. His top end will come down atleast 5 mph but you get nothing for free.
The Wolverine 450 does seem to be geared a bit lower than the Kodiak 450 in high range. I think a Kodiak 450 will top out at about 55 mph, the Wolverine at about 50 even though it weighs about 75 lbs less than a solid rear axle Kodiak 450. I had stock tires on mine so I don't know how bigger tires would affect performance. I think the Wolverine was only rated to tow about 800 lbs. I never towed anything with it anyway. We did fabricate a rear rack for it out of a bent Grizzly front rack off my friend's wrecked 660 by cutting and welding it on and and it worked well. The Wolverine doesn't even come stock with a trailer hitch, that's an aftermarket add on. It also cuts into your ground clearance a bit too at the rear axle. I'm sure a clutch kit would help too but yes your top end will most likely suffer a bit. It was a unique quad that I'm puzzled that Yamaha pulled the plug on. The 450 was only built for 5 years, 2006-2010. I kept thinking they would re-introduce it with irs and power steering and perhaps the 550 or 700 efi engine to go toe to toe with the Scrambler and Renegade but I guess that was not a priority for Yamaha.
12-20-2015, 02:37 PM
