Well, just a few short weeks until the Yamaha Dealer meeting. I wonder :

A) What will replace the Banshee?
B) What will replace the Blaster?
C) What will change on the Griz? maybe a 700cc FI motor?
D) What will change on the YFZ450? wider and lower?
E) Will the YFZ get a little brother? maybe a YFZ250?
F) Will the Grizzly also come in a 2-up model?
H) Will the Rhino recieve any drastic changes/upgrades?
I) Will yamaha continue to drag behind in the total cc war or will they offer us a really big bore ( ?? maybe a 850cc Rhino or Griz?)

 

A. Nothing will ever truly replace the unique banshee; i think its market was split between the YFZ and Raptor crowds anyway. Plus, if a new banshee comes along, it MUST be a twin and such that made the banshee what it is. THey just need to make it handle better and powervalve it (if 2stroke TDI), but i dont see it happening with the success of the other bikes i mentioned. it would be cool to see a re-desined one, but i think yamaha has made it clear that it is over for the banshee...end of an era. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif[/img]

B/ E. Yamaha always has a trick up their sleeve so a blaster replacement is coming. however i dont think the YZF/WR 250 engine will make it into the mix - it would wind up being too expensive. It would be one cool bike, though, and revive an old favorite battle of the classes: the 250s! They probly will take the TT-R250 engine and stick in a quad frame.
I hope they DONT call it a raptor250! I can take YFZ250 (even though it wont truly be one) but im getting tired of the raptor thing. I like the Blaster, Banshee, Warrior, etc monikers...

D. I thought i heard something about a trail version of the YFZ450??? with suzuki's 450 out now and it is wider and 'track ready', perhaps 2 versions will be now offered? FI isnt too far behind either. If not this year, then the 2008 model will def get it.

F-H. I dont know since i really dont keep up too much with the utility world. I know some things, but i can see perhaps them adding FI and bumping up displacement (to match hondas move with the rincon - even though the grizz could whip its @ss) on the Grizz- but anyone can analyze the market and tell you that. I really dont see an them with a 850cc b/c some regulations- anything over 800cc is not considered an atv anymore.

We will find out soon of what they do. Isn't the meeting next month? I really wish they would make a High performance, LIGHTWEIGHT 4x4 250/450 that just rips and is nimble. No, sorry the wolverine 450 doesnt count.

 

I cannot wait to see the 07 offerings from Yamaha, I hope they are more groundbreaking than the 06 ones.

I am actually most interested in seeing what will replace the Blaster, especially since I've been considering downsizing to a small sport quad. Right now, Suzuki's Z250 stands head and shoulders above the rest. I hope at the very least they match its performance and suspension travel.

I don't think they will roll out any replacement for the Banshee. I agree the market is split already considering there is now a fuel injected Raptor, and the YFZ450 received a host of improvements last year.

I'll bet the Grizzly will get fuel injection at the very least. As for a 2-up quad, it's overdue. Before I bought my Outlander Max, I held off to see if Yamaha would release a 2 rider quad because I had been a loyal Yamaha owner for years. They did not, and lost a big sale because of it.

At any rate, I hope they shake things up a little. I think they really thought the Wolverine 450 would be a huge release last year, and all it did was alienate fans of the original.

 

straight from the horses mouth. no new grizzly, no new rhino, not this year. that saddens me as i expected a 700 efi grizz also. however the kodiac 450 is getting some changes

 

Mr. Know-it-all, what makes you think this? No one has any idea what Yamaha plans to change, just like every year. So I can guarantee you have no idea what your talking about. So why do you think you "heard it from the horses mouth" and please don't say "I own a dealership" (or something along those lines) cause that means jack crap. Yamaha doesn't release anything to the public including the dealerships. You can't just say that and expect everyone to believe you without significant proof of your claim.

 

STRAIGHT FROM THE MOUTHS OF YAMAHA PERSONEL..... I DONT CLAIM TO KNOW IT ALL JUST WHAT IM TOLD .. IF YOU DONT DELIEVE WELL JUST WAIT AND SEE... YOU CAN APOLOGIZE LATER THATS OK AND IF IM WRONG ILL SAY IM WRONG.... dont mean to start a war i want changes just like everyone else but i was told what i was told nothing more nothing less. just didnt want every one to have high hopes and not get it...