hound, thank's for the report, I have 650 Pra. with holeshot radial's, and no it doesn't ride as well as the grizz but still rides good to me, enough to trade for a 700, I just checked the other forum's and the problem's are still there, some don't do it but it seem's the majority does, i can't chance it..... With my luck I'll get one that does for sure...LOL

 

I have had my Grizzly 660 for 9 months with out a single problem so far, "knock on wood". I ride 1 to 2 times a week and average at least 30 miles a ride. I live in Las Vegas NV where the temp reaches 117 degrees in the summer and I have not experienced any of the problems of over heating or gas boiling in the tank. As I said, I haven't had a single problem yet. I love this machine, and really feel for all those who have had problems.

Prior to buying my Grizzly 660, I had a Prairie 650. Before I had 10 hours on it, the rear differential started leaking and had to be repaired. It was covered under warranty though. Then, prior to reaching 400 miles on it, the belt started to squeal. There is a definite problem with the belts squealing on the Prairie's, and needing regular adjustments, and or modifications. I believe that the belt/clutch system is a weak link on the prairie 650's.

I have been told that you need to adjust them on a regular basis and that you need to install a black secondary spring to help with this problem. I was also told that you need to ride it in low range as much as you can unless you are going fast. I tried this with my Prairie 650 and it became a real pain in the a$$. Anytime I came to a slower section of the trail I would have to come to a complete stop and put it in low range, while my riding partners on SP700's would continue and I would fall behind. Then when the trail opened up, I would have to stop again and place it in high range, then again try to catch up with my riding buddy's. As soon as I would catch up,...you guessed it, the trail would get more technical and I would have to stop again. This would happen all day long and really gets old fast.

I got tired of it and bought the Grizzly 660, primarily do to its transmission design. The Grizzly's belt never slips do to the clutch design and as I said earlier, I have not had one single problem with it. I like the Prairie very much except for the clutch and belt problems, and the way that it is designed. Other people may be more tolerant of the transmission set up, but I do not want to have to drive around in low range all the time in order to keep the belt from squealing. I believe that the Prairie would be a great quad if it had a different clutch and belt design.

So you will have reports of problems with all quads, Prairie 650's as well as Grizzly 660's, but that doesn't mean that all of them are having these problems. There are probably Prairie's out there that have not had any belt problems, although maybe they are willing to ride around in low range all the time, I don't know. I love my Grizzly, and I know for a fact that I have not had any problems with it, although I did have problems with my Prairie 650. So not all Grizzly's are having this problem, some are I’m sure or else you wouldn't be hearing about it, but it definitely isn't all of them.

The Prairie 650/700 is a good machine, maybe you will have better luck with it than I did, but don't think that it is problem free, it has it's problems to, so just decide which "POTINTIAL" problems bother you more and then by the quad that you want the most!

Good luck!

 

Hey, don't blame you a bit Stakk. The prairie's are awesome bikes. We have two that ride in our group. One thing I'll say for them. There is NO, and I mean NO bike that can go as <u>deep</u> as a prairie. I have seen them go in water OVER the racks and get no water in the airbox or elsewhere. One of my friends has a lift kit, 28" Mud Sharks, and dual winches on his with an R4 pipe, K&N, and rejet. That is the meanest utility on the river!!! Happy Riding. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

~HoundDog

 

Well here's my thought on that, I solved my belt problem by putting it on the tight end of the spec, Kaw send's them out too loose, I agree, but since the belt was put as tight as the spec would allow, no more adjustment's have been needed, I have 2900 miles on mine with nothing but routine maintanance, the belt problem's crop up out of lack of knowledge about how to properly adjust them, The Grizz does have a better clutch, but the belt housing fill's with water to easy, My friend's does it all the time.......My point was to Find out if ANY of the 04 model's still vapor-lock and stutter, They do, not all, but they do, just like the 02-03 model's this tell's me they ARE NOT completely fixed, I asked about the Grizz, and I get comment's putting down the pra. and other bike's, I know the prairie's shortcoming's. I do, but after 3000 miles in 2 year's and riding with about 5 other grizz'z, the Grizz'z have given more trouble, that's all I'm saying..... My service manager told me they have worked on alot more grizz'z than the prairie"s and thought it would be the other way around, the vapor-lock being the problem they can't fix, also cv joint's breaking, 4x4 servo's going out, and the CONSTANT valve adjustment's get old, I can live with adjusting my belt every 1500 miles before I have to adjust my grizz valve's 2-3 times in that many miles.........The thing is, the Grizz is a better looking bike and ride's better, that's why I concidered it, but around here in Tn, they do not hold up as well as the prairie's do, I can't risk starting up a hill and the grizz cut out, I've seen it TOO many times on 5 bike's the same time, on the same day, My luck I would roll it and break my neck......I've done the math, and the grizz comes up short... At least it does here, 3 of my friend's have already went from Grizz to prairie and are finally satisfied, and 2 more are getting ready to go that route also........These are just the fact's and what is happening here whre I live, Thank's for the comment's though, it was really valuble.........

 

Yamaha needs to get their head out of their *#@!+ and fix the problems. The 2004 Grizzly's are no better!

All of us with problems, need to get together and start pounding on Yamaha with letters, phone calls, etc.

The Grizzly 660 is UNSAFE to ride in the heat!!!!!!!

 

hey i got a 03 grizzley how should i take care of the problem of gas boiling , vapor locking, sputtering what all do i have to do?? please email me at derrickd192002@yahoo.com thanks

 

I don't have clue....One of my friend's has an 02 and they have done EVERYTHING, heat shields/jetting/different valve specs/and extra fan/different gas/header wrap/engine ice in the radiator/ NOTHING has fixed it.......That's why i have a pra. 700 ordered.

 

I have an '02, never had the vapor lock problem though a buddy did, while climbing a hill. I am seriously considering trading mine, not sure what for as of yet.

 

I sure as hell hope this all doesn't transfer into the new Rhino.

The first thing you might have to teach your passenger is to keep their left hand on the seat belt buckle and their 'right' ready to fling the strap aside and 'bail' before it starts rolling backwards............it's getting kind of hard for me to justify spending $10,000 on this thing if somebody doesn't start fessing up 'quick' with some technical explanations on this "phantom" problem. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif[/img]

 

I used highlifter heat wrap on the header pipe and put some aluminum tape stuff on the bottom of the gas tank. Never had any other problem at all since then. It was like 100 degrees yesterday and I rode for 3 hours with no problems. You guys are either driving in hell's kitchen or you have some crappy bikes. Either way, I hope you get it fixed. I would damn sure get rid of mine if it started giving me that kind of headache.