I guarantee when everyone here first clicked on the link to the 06 Yamaha debut link, they creamed their jeans when they saw "Wolverine 450", thinking it was a 4x4 version of the YFZ450. Instead, they got a different version of a Kodiak 450 at best. I'm trying to figure it out for sure, but it looks a lot like they recycled the old straight axle Kodiak chassis and threw new plastic on it. I loved my old Wolverine and it's so disappointing to see it discontinued in favor of this. They're calling 516 pounds "light weight" and a belt drive auto a "sport model".

How was the first Wolverine conceived? They took a successful 2wd sport quad, and made it a 4x4. The Warrior is long in the tooth now, and it seems to me the natural progression would've been to make a sport 4x4 based on the powerplant of the YFZ450. Take that engine, make it auto-clutch, retune it for more bottom end, put it in the original Wolverine chassis and add pushbutton 2wd. You would've had a quad that would have been lining people up around the block.

I know I should test drive the 450 and give it a chance. Maybe I've got it all wrong and will absolutely love it after one test drive. But maybe it would be a better idea to start a new poll; Who's wolverine 450 concept is better - mine or Yamaha's?

 

i dont much care for the new wolverine. it was the only light weight 4x4 and one of the few left that had a semi-auto. i know 3 people that bought it for just that reason. yamaha has taken the pure essence of the old wolverine out of the new one. now whats the point of buying one? ill just get a kodiak for the independant rear suspension.

i hope yamaha see's the error of there ways

 

Mr Liver,

I do believe your concept is much better. EXACTLY what I was thinking.

 

im gunna have to agree with moldycheese

 

i was looking at it too and and have to give it a thumbs down, i personally liked yhe wolverine, new plastics were an ok feature but why make it into a raptor! god where are too many of those now, its like the people at yamaha got lazy! same with the 2005 400ex put some effort and make something orriginal!

 

You can add me to the list that thinks this new Wolveine is WRONG!!!!! I bought my 1999 new BECAUSE it was 4x4, with a manual shift tranny, and powerful. Plus it looked a little different from the rest of the line-up. I don't want a bike that looks like most of the others and I sure a H**L don't want one with an Auto Tranny! I can't believe that yamaha screwed up so bad on the Wolverine when there are so many other bikes that are now similiar to the newer Wolverine. Luckily my bike is still in terrific shape and won't need replaced any time soon. Otherwise, I would probably look at a different brand.

 

I like your concept much better than yamaha's, but I think I would like that new FI 700 in it with a six speed(autoclutch stock with accessory manual clutch). I know I could never use the "new" Wolverine the way I do my 96, I'd end up with a burnt belt. I think the only thing I really like is the YFZ style headlights and the LCD display.