I have been out of the ATV market for 12 years and Im finnally getting a chance to rejoin. I was looking into the new Wolverine. The reviews i have read are good except for the people who don't own one and talk crap about what they think it may or should be. Im looking for something not bigger than my truck has good low end decent speed and something that can be near impossible to get stuck. Real owner opinions will be appreciated.

 

I've had mine for about 5 months now and the only complain I have is that I have a little rear brake squeal. I've had it in the sand dunes and mud, it has gotten me everywhere I need to go.

 

A lot of people have their opinions on the '06 Wolverine 450 4X4 and I'm going to try and give an honest unbiased opinion on mine. I've owned 3 prior atv's and my most recent was a '99 400 polaris scrambler. To be honest, I wouldn't have a new Wolverine if my scrambler hadn't blown something in the lower end of the engine. But, due to quality issues, lack of good serverice at my polaris dealer I decided a brand change was due. Just so you know, I thought the Scrambler 400 was the best ATV ever made. It was perfect for me. Fast, good suspension and 4X4 too! I was really worried that the Wolverine wouldn't hold water to the Scrambler. The 06 Wolverine was a close match to what I had with my scrambler. It even has features that the scrambler doesn't such as shaft drive, digital speedo, larger front tires and many more features. So, with my choice made I switched to Yamaha.

I'm still in the later stages of the break-in period but I have put the Wolverine through some personal tests. With just over 50 miles on it, I'm just now getting into harder riding with it. Before the tests I was a little worried the Wolverine wouldn't hold water to the scrambler and in some ways, it can't. If you want a flat track quad that just kicks butt, the scrambler is the way to go. They are very very fast. My 400 would go 60-65 no problem. There is no way the Wolverine can do that, 50-52 max (stock).

Woods riding; Here is something the critics don't talk about much. This is no Kodiak. It's "NIMBLE". I mean, very easy to handle in almost any scenario I put it in. I rode this weekend with a friend who has a scrambler 400 who could always beat me up in the woods on my 400. This time I stuck him and if the trail had been wider would have passed him. The Wolverine doesn't feel like a 500 pound tank but more like a 350 pound sport ATV. It sits lower to the ground than the scrambler and to my surprise, really out handles them.

Low end power; This was never an issue. I crossed a few ravines and was in a scenario where a running start was not possible. The Wolverine had no problems at all. This quad makes you feel like you can take it anywhere anytime. Not quite enough to get a wheelie so there is definately room for improvement but it isn't bad at all.

Tires; The stock tires are a good all-around trail tire but gave some problems when it came to mud. For example, on one mucky muddy trail the quad felt like it was on ice. I would say if you plan to ride a lot in mud you consider a different tire. I would say the stock is good for most dry soft or hard packed trails.

Top end; Has anybody adjusted their screw on their throttle on this ATV? Since I was still breaking mine in, I didn't check the clearance yet but there is a chance that there is more throttle left. I would like to see a few options on pipe kits and some feedback on clutch kits. I think this would wake the Wolverine up enough for most people. I don't expect to win races with a 4X4. This is probably the biggest issue with the Wolverine. Most trails have some type of straight-aways and this is where other large cc quads will dust a wolverine. For myself this really isn't an issue but for most on this forum it is everything. If you are looking for the fastest 4X4 this is not the ATV for you.

Handling/Suspension; The first day of riding my Wolverine the suspension felt stiff. I actually made the mistake of setting the preload to the softest setting. The next day I ended up putting it back. Comparing the Wolverine suspension to my previous ATV (Scrambler) is difficult. The Scramblers have very long struts that give a nice ride when they are new. After a while the ride because pretty clunkly. On the Wolverine, the shocks are shorter, yet with its lower stance appears to actually handle much better in the tight corners. The quick low-end throttle response allows you to pitch the rear end around a curve with ease. There is almost no tippy fealing to the Wolverine. What I thought would be a weakness in the ATV is actually one of its best features. I would say to anybody who bashes this quad to spend a day with an open mind and give it a try, you WILL change your mind.

Breaking; From what I'm hearing most of the Yamaha's suffer from that annoying break noise. I thought I heard it once or twice but it didn't last long. My Scrambler had horrible breaks. One hand leaver for "All-wheel" breaking, what a joke. Not only that, but the scrambler doesn't have engine breaking! I hated going downhill on my Scrambler. It was a free-rolling nightmare. Thus, the Wolverine is a huge difference in breaking than the Scrambler. The engine breaking is perfect, almost like having a manual tranny. The breaks are typical front rear control and got the job done.

Ergonomics; I think my scrambler had a better fit for me. I'm 6'1 and 210. The handle bars sit a little lower than my old scrambler and so this was an adjustment for me. Once I rode the Wolverine for a little while, everything appeared to fit good and it was easy to shift my weight around. One major complaint is that I put my key on my keychain with several keys already on it (my truck key, house key, a few other keys, not many). Once, while making a tight turn and pitching the rear end of the Wolverine around, the ATV died!!! Before panic set in I noticed the keys hit the gas cap and turned the key off! Beware of this issue. I now ride with just the one key installed.

Jumping; I'm no mx racer but I did a lot of mx riding on 2 wheels years ago. Since the Wolverine is considered a sport quad, it should be able to jump so I thought I would give it a try. I tested the ATV on a couple of smaller jumps to feel the suspension and how it felt in the air. I didn't expect much but it did surprise me a little. The jumps felt very balanced and controlled. If I was going to jump any higher I would have set the pre-load for a more agressive ride but it wasn't necessary for what I was doing. I didn't take it more than a couple feet off the ground but the landings were smooth and overall good. Only being able to compare the scrambler to this test I would give the Wolverine the win in this test. The only adjustment on the Scrambler is the rear preload and the ATV always felt front light on jumps. So I would say the Wolverine is good, not great on jumps. The travel of the suspension is not as long as it could be in a sport quad.

Stream crossing; Not a problem. The low-end power is perfect for stream crossing and wet rock crossing. Never skipped a beat with the stream I crossed which had a slight technical skill required to cross.

Deep water; I haven't taken the Wolverine in deep water yet but since it sits a little lower than most utility ATV's I'm not so sure this is a good idea. I'll leave this open to try when it is necessary. I doubt with the tires on the Wolverine that it would do great but I don't know for sure.

Running boards and fenders; Well, my friend stayed pretty dry on his Polaris sportsman 500 and I got muddy. When you have a sport quad you usually don't get running boards but there are small ones on the Wolverine. They do "ok" but not good enough. I would like to see some aftermarket fender extensions but with the raptor style plastic that may never happen. Also, the running boards are mostly plastic and not very strong. I would rather add a couple pounds for some aluminum ones than stay with stock.

Overall fun factor; Ever get done on a ride and just stop and go "Man, that was fun!"? The Wolverine gives you that feeling that you can go anywhere anytime. By the end of the weekend I felt confident this ATV will take you anywhere most any other quad will go. And when you are done for the day you will have a smile. This to me is the most important factor of all. I can ride most ATV's and have fun but not all ATV's give you that feeling like you just had the best ride ever. I let my friends have a crack at riding it and there wasn't one complaint and all of them would agree with my comments here. I've never ridden an '05 or older Wolverine and I know that many have compained about things like a dog engine, it's just a Kodiak ATV with sport plastic, and things like that. Sorry you feel that way but you couldn't be farther from the truth. I suggest you really take one out for a day before you complain about it. The auto tranny to me is a nice feature. I'd rather focus on other things like the terrain rather than spend half of my time shifting. This is my opinion and you may prefer the manual tranny. That's fine, there's always the Raptor. The Wolverine won't win ATV of the year but as an owner I'm 100% happy. Now, if there were just more aftermarket things for it.

 

I'll bet you havn't ate dust by a utility quad yet..... the wolvy sucks IMO it is the lamest atv yammy has put out since the breeze

 

That made no sense at all. Have you ever ridden one? I have to agree with xsmoker, it isn't the best at anything but it does everything well. I enjoy mine, it isn't the fastest flatout atv but I get everywhere I need to go.

 

I just got an 06 wolverine two weeks ago and agree with everything xsmoker said. The bottom line is that it is fun to ride. It is a lot bumpier than any utility ATV, but handles a lot better speeding around turns. Compared to utility ATV's, it is lighter and easier to adjust your weight on. I generally ride with utility ATVs (2 arctic cats, 1 polaris, 1 kodiak) and I generally get stuck less than they do, I am very impressed with the places the wolverine can go. Now that I have gotten used to the wolverine, I don't really even like riding a kodiak or similar because of how bulky it is compared to the wolverine.

 

Very good write-up xsmoker, and I guess some people don't read the whole story before they post. I have riden mine through all kinds of terrain and have to say I am very impressed with what Yamaha did. Yes It is not like the old Wolvy in any means, and no it is not the fastest sport 4x4 out there but it is fun.

 

Since this is a new model completely different than the older wolverine I don't know if anybody has the answer to this question but do you have to be stopped when switching between 2 and 4wd modes? The manual says to come to a stop first but then it says because of the risk of a handling change not possible damage to the ATV. Is this feature on other quads like the Kodiak that can answer this question?

 

I have to compliment Yamaha for building this quad, if for no other reason than I hope it makes the other manufacturers wake up and put some R&D into developing this class of machines.

I am disapointed in the fact that it is so heavy. Only 9 pounds lighter than my Rancher.

The atuomatic transmission makes the quad very broad in the middle, so you have to ride it with your legs spread apart, like riding a bull (something common to CVT transmissions). And a sport quad needs a manual transmission anyway!

I'm in the market for another 4X4. Still, I can't see that this is a monumental improvement over my Rancher, which has a failry sporty ride for a utility. Hopefully, we will see something from the other manufacturers, maybe this fall????????

 

What makes this quad half sport......The auto trans or the 18hp 450 engine? or is it the fact it couldn't wheelie over an ant?