I've been looking at the Rhinos real hard lately.I love the looks of them.Has anyone tried the 450 model yet?I don't need the 660 power as I mostly trail ride,and the 660 is $2700 more than the 450 here.

Thanks...Sandpit

 

Sandpit,
I just got home from a 52 mile ride in the southwest desert near the Utah/Arizona border. The ride included a mile of graded gravel roads, lots of ATV width trails, fast sand washes, sand dunes, slickrock, rockcrawling, and an old desert race trail with miles and miles and miles of huge sand whoops. We had a 2005 Kodiak 450, a 2006 Rhino 660, and a 2005 Banshee on the ride with us. The Banshee rider spent a lot of time waiting on the faster sections, but needed help lifting and carrying his quad over a few rock ledges on the technical sections. The Kodiak and the Rhino were a closer match, but the Rhino was a lot smoother riding, cornered flatter, and was quite a bit faster (until it hits its speed governer). On the rough whooped out desert race course I could not stay with the Rhino if I stayed seated. If I stood up on the floorboards, and started really hammering the Kodiak to the point where it was swapping back and forth, and on the edge of being entirely out of control, I could catch back up to the Rhino, but I really had to push it. The Kodiak did better than the Rhino in the deep soft sand, but just by a little bit, ... every place else the Rhino kicked the Kodiak's butt, all day long. We spent the whole day switching back and forth between the Rhino and the Kodiak (and I even rode the Banshee for a few miles). At the end of the day it was glaringly obvious that the ATV beat you up more, and took more energy to ride, while not being any more capable than the Rhino. If I were to choose between these two it would be the Rhino hands down. That Rhino impressed the hell out of me. And if I were in the market for a Rhino the only reason I would even consider the 450 would be if I simply could not afford the 660. The 660cc engine in the Rhino is just a better engine than the 421cc engine in the Kodiak 450. The 421cc Yamaha engine is a real dog, even compared to other brands 450cc engines. I have been underwhelmed with ours from day one, and today was just more of the same. I wouldn't buy another one. Just my .02.

DV

 

Thanks for the reply.

A 660 Rhino is $15,000 here.A 660 Grizzly is $11,000.I think I'd be more happy with the Rhino.I drove a buddy's Rhino this past weekend and loved it.All kinds of pep to it.

I'll be looking hard at the Rhinos now for sure.

 

You must be in canda because the price is 10600 for the exploring editio with a load of options... I just bought the 06 with itp mud lites and the digital speedo and I was out the door for 10300 with tax, title and licensing... I would have no other since I have a family and my wife wants to tear it up too. I plan to accesorize th eheck out of it. You will be able to see my progress at www.onebadrhino.com and will be putting all the places I bought the accessoies from, so this wil make it easier for folks to find the aftermarket parts they want.

 

if you pay $11,000 bucks for a Grizzly,,,it had better come with gold plated "Gangsta" spinner rims

 

Hey Sandpit,
since my previous post, in September, I have gone out and bought a Rhino 660. I bought the Exploring Edition simply because that was the only one I could get before January (there is a long waiting list for Rhino's around here). The Exploring Edition is a waste of money, because the options that come with it are seriously lame, ... but sometimes you just have to take what you can get.

Anyway, I love the Rhino, and I really think it may be the best vehicle ever made for backcountry exploring. It is smooth, comfortable, small enough that you can get back into the tough stuff easily, yet big enough for two people to sit side by side, and it has plenty of storage space for your gear. I installed a Wiseco 11:1 piston and a HotCam Mudbuster cam in my Rhino, and that made a healthy boost in power/torque for very little money. The piston cost $87, the cam cost $110, and the gasket set cost $22. I installed them myself, so for less than the cost of a slip on exhaust I gained alot more performance than the exhaust would have. And my Rhino is still quiet with the stock exhaust on there.

I mention the piston and cam mods because that may be an option for the 450 Rhino. I have heard that the 450 is geared lower than the 660, so with the gearing advantage and about $200 worth of go fast parts you might have a real performer. It might be worth going for.

DV