Yup, the new Wolverine will be slower than the old one. And if you think there is a difference in straight line drags, wait till you get them out on the trail where handling will be needed, the difference will be even more. The new Wolverine is a dud! Yamaha could have done so much with it, but they took the cheap route, and put a dog of a 421cc motor in their bigger heavier old Kodiak 400 chassis, slapped some Raptor wannabe plastic on it, and called it the all new Wolverine. This is such a cheap attempt to sell left over parts that is is pathetic. New Wolverine = big Yawn!

DV

 

yeah the 450 motor is a dog. The one we have you can punch it and it will take a long time to get up to 53 or whatever the top speed is. I agree with desert viper yamaha did go the cheap route and IMO it looks like on of the cheap chinese mini 90cc quads. But yamaha is coming out with new stuff so i guess I cant complain too much about it then.

 

I already made a detailed explination of my utter discust and loss of respect for yamaha in brandishing this piece of crap with the name Wolverine. Its a disgrace and if somebody gave me one I would sell it without riding it. it should be grounds for treason and crimes against humanity in the court of the UN. It defies everything the wolverine stood for. Its not sporty, small, nimble, or sport utility. ITS AUTOMATIC. Theres nothing wrong with automatic quads, I own one. there is somthing very wrong with an automatic wolverine. Its just another utility quad with sporty raptoresk fenders that look like crap in my opinion. Not saying its a bad quad for the right people but its taking a big fat dump on what the yamaha wolverine is all about. They shouldnt have used that name. should have left the wolvy alone or put a YFZ450 modified engine in it or even a raptor 660 engine modified. the wolverine 350 was a modified warrior engine. thats why most of the engine components and even exaust pipes, pistons, camshafts, airboxes are all interchangeable. Utter discust. Yamaha I fart in your general direction I hope it fails miserably in the profit margin. Once again im not attacking the quad for being a quad, but for it being a "wolverine" its not!


By the way, My Quadzilla is for sale check out my pics if you want

 

So, if I buy one, I am an idiot? Am I not aloud to enjoy it? Am I not aloud to do some clutch work and intake/exhaust work and make it smoke the old wolverine? You guys are mad because it isn't perfect. What is?
Grow up! I am not in the market to buy one right now, but it is an ugly platform that can be made to perform.

 

If you can't see what's wrong with the 06 Wolverine, then it only shows that you have no clue of the original concept of what the Wolverine was all about. Who cares if after clutch and motor mods an 06 can take an 05 Wolverine, out of the box it's going to be the 06 that gets smoked. You can mod an 05 just as easily if not easier, and there will be no rubber band to put the power to the wheels either...

 

if your to lazty to shift you shouldnt be on a wolverine, wolverines were made to combine sport and utility, not to make it easy for people to put around to there hunting spots, in my opinion if you want something slow to get you to your hunting spot and back buy a honda

 

Yah, whats up with that? Why do people think a manufacturer needs to tone down their performance model ATV so they can ride it comfortably, and not have to go through the bother of shifting gears, when all they have to do is purchase one of the six other models of ATV that manufacturer already makes that are mellow as h e l l to begin with. Lets just make them all mellow gutless wonders with auto transmissions while we're at it. Anyone up for an auto trans YFZ 450? Or how about an auto trans YZ 250 dirt bike while we're on a roll? Chad Reed aughta love that.

DV

 

Wow this is kind of interesting to me. I was really interested in getting one of the new wolverines but now I am kinda skeptical. I dont mine the auto tranny because I have one myself, but the motor being a dog kinda sucks. Ive never ridden one, but could the gutlessness of the the 450 Kodiak be gearing and a poor transmission? Perhaps the Wolverine would different gearing and would seem like such a dog? I dont know and maybe I will wait to see if someone else gets one before I do and see what they think.

 

I don't think the new Wolv will be a bad quad------ it's just that it could have been SOOOO much more.

Most of its' components are proven, but that is part of the problem. They played it safe (and cheap) instead of going for a new platform and drivetrain.

The new Wolv will be OK, but not enough of an upgrade for me to part with the old nail. That is what really disappoints me.

 

The CVT transmission is highly tuneable. Ripping it as a "rubber band" is plain stupid. CVT trannies are used to transmit over 100 hp. on snowmobiles without major problems. Are any of your quads putting out 100+ hp? Then grow up.
The Kodiak transmission is made to work in low and cruise in high. The wolverines tranny will be set up for more aggressive riding. If the power band isn't exactly the way you want it, you can change it easily. Ripping the new wolverine because the Kodiak isn't a sport quad is also stupid.
You have no idea how it will perform. It may smoke a modded old one hands down. If it doesn't stock, it can be made to do it with ease. My griz stock wasn't that exciting, but it will wheelie with only my thumb to work the throttle and my 300 lbs. butt squarely on the middle of the seat. It uses a "rubber band" for the transmission. It also does 0 to 60 in 8 seconds. If the CVT, intake and exhaust on my griz can be modded to put out massive torque in high gear for under $600, then I can guarantee that it will be as easy to tune up.
Also, calling the 450 motor a dog doesn't hold water either. The gearing of the stock Kodiak creates the gear reduction to do work, not go fast like a sport bike.
I should get one in the next 6 months or so and mod it up and see what it will really do.