<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Sometimes bigger is not necessarily better. At what point will the 450 not do what the 660 can do (for me). </end quote></div>

I Fish with a large fishing group with all types of ATVs and we trade rides all the time.

The 660 is a rougher riding quad even with IRS just because it has stiffer heavy duty springs,compared to mine or a AC, its softest spring setting is our stiffest settings. The 450 I rode was small and nimble like my like my 350 Big Bear but with all the power you want or need + good speed, but I felt cramped on it like my old 350. It rides nicer but if it or any other IRS ATV had Yamaha's stiffer 660 springs it would also not fair well also.

Most people opp for Heavy duty springs but the 660 just comes with it and would ride nicer with standard springs. Large frame size does not beat you up, its just that the suspension has to work right.

Just sit on one even on a show room floor and see if you would be happy in that position for a long day.

Any 350cc or up ATV with a 4wd and a low range can pull or push anything a larger motored ATV can.

If I Had a tug of war with even a 350 in 4x4 while in low range it would only lose due to lack of weight it,s tire would NEVER stop turning.

Here is the 450 in a comparison. It does better than most but some taller riders do have a problem with it,and remeber all these ATV are in the same price range, so if you opp for larger frame (NOT Motor) it will still be in the same price range.

 

The quad should feel like it fits you properly. The way it rides, the features it has, etc. are all important.

Everybody will make you believe that you need the biggest and baddest quad around. That's not really as important with utility style ATV's as it is for instance with sleds, since on a sled you want to go fast. Even they have gone a bit too far for the average rider since many of them are packing over 150HP

Sit on or better yet ride both a 450 and a 660/700 and decide from there. You may be able to justify the added cost. I was not able to justify it so I bought the 450, in an SE package for added bling.

 

Once you get use to riding a larger quad, jumping on a smaller one is of course going to make it feel more compact. I know it sounds simple, but people don't really look at it like, "it's cause I'm use to a larger quad" They look at it like, "I'm just too big for this quad". I've owned my yfz since Feb 04... I thought it was a very comfortable fit. (not too big, definitely not too small.) Now that I ride my grizzlies 95% of the time, my yfz feels like a little 90cc quad. It really feels that small to me.

When I say the 660 use to wear out my old man... it wasn't because of the suspension. It was because it took more to muscle the quad in 4wd (esp. when in diff-lock) and tight turn trails. The 450 is only like 5-10lbs lighter than the 660... but it feels MUCH lighter.

You will be totally satisfied with the 450...

(unless you're planning on riding with a bunch of guys that have bigger quads, and they make you feel inadequate... lol)

 

No inadequacies, just want to make sure I am 100% satisfied. I don't want to wish 3-4 years down the road....if I had only spent the extra $900 for the 660....

 

Well, 3 or 4 years down the road... you might be ready for a new quad anyways... [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

If you're this on the fence about it, and you're worried that you'll wish you had the bigger quad... Get it. It's better to have and not need, then need and not have... For that matter... you might as well go with the 700 WITH the power steering... (not worth getting a 700 I think unless you get the EPS...) Try and find an 07... you should save some $ on it... The 450 will be fine for everyday stuff... It's when you want to have fun, that you might be longing for just a lil extra...

 

Its the old story, "Fast cars can go slow but slow car can't go fast".[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

 

The 450 has all the pwer you might need really. I am pretty much the same size as you and I fit perfectly on my wolvy 450(almost the same dimensions as the grizz 450.

 

I am about your same size and just bought the 450 Griz and Big Bear 400.
Went with these instead of a bigger quad because I like to do alot of woods riding.
Both have PLENTY of power.
You can't go wrong with either.

 

Yamaha knows the 421cc motor can move much larger frames,they put that motor in there 1,000 lb 450 Rhino.

I was just saying most Manufacturers 450-500 class Utilities use there full size ATV frames from there 700 and 800s, while Yamaha chose to use the mid size frames from there 350-400 class Utilities instead.

 

I'm 6' and 200#'s and have a 99 350 4x4 big bear, and do fine, and go more places than the bigger atvs. the only time it seems alittle small is when i put the wife on the back, its not made for 2.