True, but they aren't trying to sell what's convenient, per se. EFI has the argument it is convenient if you change altitudes frequently.

But that flashing wrench may be just the thing for them to make a sale to new rider.

The radio in the new truck will tell me the station and song I'm listening to. Seeing that I only listen to 2 stations around here, and one is talk the other is classic rock. If they aren't singing, I know which station it's on. If they are singing, odds are I already know the song and artist. But they'll show that to someone else and it could be just enough bling to make them a sale.

 

When our 97 SP500 rolled over and smashed its pod and $150 analog speedo off we rode the ATV for weeks until we fixed it. NOW if that happens to a Sportsman you have no AWD until you replace that $300+ speedo like it or not.

Even the new carbed SP500 H.O requires a healthy battery to run and has a EMC even though it has no EFI whats so ever.

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: klier

Point taken on the power vs. economy debate. With first generation EFI systems in quads, are we seeing either at this point? (compared to carbuerated motors)?</end quote></div>

Well it really depends on how the manu' tuned the engine. For example, the King Quad 700EFI generally gets great fuel mileage for a big bore, due to the EFI keeping the engine running as lean as possible without actually adversely affecting performance/reliability. The Outlander's also seem to get great mileage, albeit when you keep your thumb out of it too much. An owner of an Outlander 800EFI & Grizzly 660(carb) said the Outlander 800 gets much better fuel mileage than his Grizzly 660 when cruising. Another owner of an Outlander 650EFI & Grizzly 700EFI said the Outlander 650 gets better mileage than his Grizzly 700. The Outtie 650 makes much more power than the Grizz 700, both have EFI and yet the Grizz gets worse mileage.

Another owner of several year Brute Force 750i's said his 2008 Brute EFI gets better fuel mileage than his old ones used to get.

Take all that for what its worth, just something to think about I guess.



<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: TLC

I was a person who though power steering was a useless add on,but on a slow trail ride my front wheels caught on some object and jerks the bars right out of my hands and they swung around and hit me in the ribs so hard I could not breathe for a few seconds. LOL



I wounder if power steering would of prevented that?</end quote></div>



I would bet a steering damper/stabilizer would help prevent that from happening.

-Krait

 

I totally agree with what everyone has said and also totally that the same "lastest and greatest tech" to sell has expanded outside of ATVs to cars or almost everything now a days. This is how I see it in comparision. Why would they brag about putting FI on a quad justifing better fuel encomomy when the minimal fuel savings you would get certianly would not justify the fixed cost of adding the system? Not even taking into account increased replacement part cost. When I look at a quad that has an auto tranny without even a recoil backup starter it just seems like a complete stupid cost save to pay for the lastest tech improvement. Not to mention will most likey cost more in the long run over the life of the quad.

Or our trucks for that matter: it took 20+ years of consumer reviews just to get one with a decent cup holder...............over having a fancy expensive radio that tells you what song is playing? To me if I walked into a dealer were the lastest tech marketing ploy was somthing like a new space-age plastic fenders that is more flexable so that it wouldn't crack in a roll over........then they would have my attention. Sorry, but marketing a motor to the average Joe (me) 5 titanium valves that cost 10X more than a standard stainless valve to gain 1hp just makes me want keep walking to get what simple part I need for my older machine.

I don't know if I am not the average consumer or wining too much (probably both). I honestly thing that the major atv mfgs could quite a bit better sales if they had a group of atv's that kept it simple but still had decent power.

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: BEER SEASON

I totally agree with what everyone has said and also totally that the same "lastest and greatest tech" to sell has expanded outside of ATVs to cars or almost everything now a days. This is how I see it in comparision. Why would they brag about putting FI on a quad justifing better fuel encomomy when the minimal fuel savings you would get certianly would not justify the fixed cost of adding the system? Not even taking into account increased replacement part cost. When I look at a quad that has an auto tranny without even a recoil backup starter it just seems like a complete stupid cost save to pay for the lastest tech improvement. Not to mention will most likey cost more in the long run over the life of the quad.



Or our trucks for that matter: it took 20+ years of consumer reviews just to get one with a decent cup holder...............over having a fancy expensive radio that tells you what song is playing? To me if I walked into a dealer were the lastest tech marketing ploy was somthing like a new space-age plastic fenders that is more flexable so that it wouldn't crack in a roll over........then they would have my attention. Sorry, but marketing a motor to the average Joe (me) 5 titanium valves that cost 10X more than a standard stainless valve to gain 1hp just makes me want keep walking to get what simple part I need for my older machine.



I don't know if I am not the average consumer or wining too much (probably both). I honestly thing that the major atv mfgs could quite a bit better sales if they had a group of atv's that kept it simple but still had decent power.</end quote></div>

I think that the this mfgr would be Honda! LOL

 

Hemi,

Thats true, personally I am not much of Honda fan but there has to be some sort of following since they keep bringing back the 400EX. Hopefully someone from Yamaha marketing is reading this!

 

I know what you mean tho, and there still are a few quads out there that keep things simple. However big bores are generally not, simply because they are the flagship quad and need to have the tech to back it up accordingly to reflect the price tag & status...also big bore buyers generally want the latest and greatest, with exceptions of course.

Oh, and Yamaha still has the Raptor 350...pretty basic as far as quads go.

-Krait

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: Krait

I know what you mean tho, and there still are a few quads out there that keep things simple. However big bores are generally not, simply because they are the flagship quad and need to have the tech to back it up accordingly to reflect the price tag & status...also big bore buyers generally want the latest and greatest, with exceptions of course.



Oh, and Yamaha still has the Raptor 350...pretty basic as far as quads go.



-Krait</end quote></div>


LOL, In some cases there are the machines that you wish that mfgs would just quite making or give a much needed updadte as in the Raptor 350 just let the machine die after a nice long life!

 

Ha, I know what you mean, I was just showing an example of a Yamaha sport quad that was pretty basic...its not always a good thing.

-Krait

 

To me the Raptor 350 (tech and features wise) would be perfect if they just made a 500+cc model. Also, use a raptor 700 frame dimensions so my 240lb fat **** would be able to fit on it.