Hey,

I purchased a 450 Wolverine back in the summer of '08, I've had it for about 9 mos so I decided to do a review.

I would just like to write about the hugely over-looked Yamaha Wolverine 450 Sport 4x4. The Wolverine is one impressive machine, I have never in my life seen a stock 4x4 quad that can climb steep grades as well as this thing can, Yamaha really hit the nail on the head with the tires, the Wolverine has an extremely aggressive tread design that has virtually no sidewall movement even when really hammering the 500lb machine into turns. The tires offer tremendous traction on everything we have out here in Western Alaska – Swamp/mud, Sand, Tundra, and Snow. If you're are going to use a Wolverine for mudding frequently, I suggest a set of Mudlites.

The Wolverine while not a bred racer is peppy, the 421cc mill delivers excellent low-mid range power, but I would like to see a little more top end on these rigs (50mph stock), but they are extremely quick in terms of acceleration, and handling. This combination of acceleration and handling adds up to one vicious Technical-Trail mount. Railing the 500lb machine through the woods, and around trees is quite easy and even more fun because of it’s reassuring handling and perfectly mated transmission. Never did the Wolverine feel like it was out-of-control even when slamming hard over roughed out sections. In 2x4 mode the Wolverine with its awesome tire and suspension setup drifts much like a full-on sport quad, but when the time calls the intelligent On-Command 4x4 system can get you in or out of just about any situation. When compared to other 450 4x4s the Wolvy won’t be winning many drag races, simply because in stock form it doesn’t have the top-end a lot of other 4x4 450’s have. Yamaha has been limiting their 4x4 vehicles as well as all their UTVs top speeds (Because of ATV/UTV rollover lawsuits) and instead focusing more on their low-mid range delivery, which is where you need the power on the trail. The twisty-tight-trails, is where the Wolverine takes its victims, give the little beast a jab of throttle around a corner and watch the roosts fly! And with it’s healthy acceleration the Wolverine won’t leave you starving upon exiting the turn. The Wolverine’s greatest asset is its other-worldly handling and smooth low-mid range power delivery, seriously, ride one you’ll see what I mean. I will admit though, if you want a speedy/HO(High Output) sport 4x4 opt for a Polaris Scrambler 500 or Can-Am Renegade500/800. If you want a near indestructible easy to maintain, fun and user friendly mount then go with the Wolvy 450. If you want to jump 10+ft into the air the Wolverine 450 is not for you, nor is the Renegade, or Scambler - If this is what you think you can do simply because they are sport 4x4s - think again, although all three jump very well for 500lb+ machines don't expect any to make the Big Air records. However, outfitted with the proper aftermarket suspension the Wolverine has the potential to be an awesome jumper. Don’t think because the Wolverine isn’t as fast or as ridiculously powerful as a Renegade 500 that it won’t perform or be a blast to ride. Yamaha built the Wolverine to near tank like standards, making a compact, super-durable, and worry free machine. The Wolverine 450 is also the lightest of the bunch at a slim 516lbs. You can get that weight down to 500lbs buy installing the GYTR gear. As soon as the weather breaks stay tuned for a shoot-out. Yamaha’s Wolverine 450/421 vs Honda’s Rancher 420!

Thanks, and ride hard!

Shawn aka Tundrahog.
Saint Mary’s Alaska, 99658

It would be nice if Yamaha made a 550 or even a 660 version of its Wolverine.

 

what they need to do is take the 550 grizzlys powerplant and stuff it into the wolverine ive ben thinking that for a while now, ive rode a wolvy and there power is pretty dull. and 53 mph is rather low i think it should be able to 60 at least, the renegade 500 can do like 72 lol, so you can see the difference, one thing i loved about the wolvys was being able to fly through trails real fast they have a pretty good feel and nice braking and such.

 

Yeah, I agree the Wolverine 450s have good Low-Mid power, but the top-end isn't there, but if you think about it most STOCK 450 sport bikes like the YFZ450 do like 70-75. So the wolverine at 54mph isn't too slow considering that its nearly 200lbs heavier than a full sport bike. But I definately agree, the Wolverine looks the fastest but certainly is not out of the only 3 Sport 4x4s. The Scrambler 500 tops out at about 60ish, The Renegade HO 500 faster at 66mph (This was pulled from a refutable site http://www.passionperformance.ca/ATV/articles/1271/), and The Wolverine tops out at 54mph, a Honda Foreman 500 tops out at 57mph, Honda Rancher 420 AT at 56mph. You have to give it to the Wolverine 450 though...It makes due for what it has, It does everything pretty good (it can climb, drive in deep water, mud to an extent, and it beats the other two quads hands down when it comes to handling oh and it power-slides like a ****...lol) to be the underdog of the sport 4x4's. I've ridden the Can-Am and even after riding it I still wouldn't take it over my Wolverine, I just love the way it handles. And I don't really trust the Polaris Scrambler, I've never heard of a Half-Shaft-Half-Chain-Drive 4x4 before - I know Polaris use to do that system in the early days of ATVs. Apparently it works... but IDK. The Wolverine 450 is actually a 420cc, but yeah... The Renegade and Polaris have nearly 90cc's more engine, and nearly 20% more engine displacement respectively. So, basically the Wolverine 450 needs a bigger engine... If it were to use the completely revamped 2008+ Grizz 550 powerplant, then I think the Wolverine would blow the wheels off the Can-Am if not it would be damn close. I think if the Wolverine had that extra 130cc's it would easily make 60+ mph.

Anyways, just my two-cents, lol I still love my Wolvy! Wouldn't get rid of it for anything!

 

Not the ones I rode and ride with they dont. 50 mph tops by the way I fly by them at 55. The foreman and Rancher both only make 27hp.

The 40hp 500 Can Am twin stiill make more power than the Grizzly 550's 36hp.

A person trading a 660 grizzly for the new 550 would be downgrading power wise.

Polaris 850______69.06 hp
Can Am 800 R____67.05 hp (updated 2/13 to 70.5 hp)
AC 1000_________65.84 hp
Can Am 800______61.7 hp
Can Am 650______55.4 hp
Brute 750 Carb____50.1 hp
Brute 750 EFI_____49.8 hp
King Quad 750____49.6 hp
AC Mud Pro_______49.06 hp
King 700_________48.5 hp
Polaris 800_______48.3 hp
Brute 650 I________46.3 hp
Grizzly 700________45.6 hp
Polaris 700_______44.3 hp
AC 700 H1_______41.4 hp
AC 700__________41.4 hp
Brute 650 ________41.4 hp (solid axle)
Grizzly 660_______40.9 hp
Can Am 500______40.4 hp
AC 650 H1_______39.3 hp
Rincon 680_______38.5 hp
Grizzly 550________36.9 hp
Sportsman 500_____36 hp
500 Foreman (fm and fe)_____26.9 hp
450 Kodiak_______ 26 Hp

 

I love mine it's a blast! With a little work it will smoke a Scrambler 500 or almost any utility bike and hang with lots of sport biked on the trails.

 

For the places that I ride top speed means nothing at all. Tight trails, steep hills, mud, rocks and rough. I have a 700 Griz, a 450 Griz and the 450 with it's smaller physique is a great quad. I ride the 700 and my gf rides the 450 and she keeps up with me when most people that ride with us cannot keep up. One person that was able to ride with us and enjoy the "spirited" way we ride was riding a Wolverine and they are a great quad for sure. Dependable and durable is what I want.

 

The wolfy is a fun bike. Not exactly a sport quad, but a sporty 4x4. People who talk about how fast their ride can go - they don't get it. This wouldn't be the bike for them. Top speed is not what a 4x4 is all about. (I laughed out loud when I saw the comment about the YFZ and stock 450's... those are race bikes, not based on UTEs like the Wolfy).

That said, the wolfy does have some serious short comings. #1 is the suspension. The rear shock bottoms out (even if just getting a little air for a whoop) and the front end nose dives really bad if you don't slow down enough for turns. They have no ressies and no real adjustments (just preload). $1500 later and the Elkas I put on it turned it into a managable ride.

 

why would you laugh out loud about that comment? i think he knows what type of quad it is, all he was doing was saying that the speed the wolvy hits isnt to bad compared to a sportbike with the same size engine, even though the wovly is heavier and such he was just giving props to the bike, and no top speed isnt what 4x4s are all about, but why not have a fast 4x4 also? most people i know like to go fast, if you got a good 4x4 quad and its also able to beat some sport bikes if you were to race them then thats more fun added into it.

 

"That said, the wolfy does have some serious short comings. #1 is the suspension. The rear shock bottoms out (even if just getting a little air for a whoop) and the front end nose dives really bad if you don't slow down enough for turns. They have no ressies and no real adjustments (just preload). $1500 later and the Elkas I put on it turned it into a managable ride."[/QUOTE]

Maybe you should look at your riding style and try to work with the bikes handling characteristics. I never had any of the shocks bottom out badly or the front end nose dive in a turn and I have pushed this quad to it's limits before changing anything on it and since.

 

Yeah, the Wolvy 450 has decent shocks by Yamaha standards, to me Yamaha's suspension has always been a tad on the stiff side but the Wolverine's suspension complements it pretty well, have you tried adjusting the preload? - I know on my wolvy I had to soften the rear up a bit because I'm a lightwieght and with the factory settings the rear end would buck like a rabid bronco when I hit bumps at speed - but after adjusting the preload problem solved. I've jumped my Wolvy 3-4ft in the air and the stock shocks didn't bottom, granted I'm only 140lbs, so it might bottom with someone if they're 200+
I'm not too sure on the nose diving comment though, lol I wasn't aware that the Wolvy nose dives into turns, The quad hardly dips at all it stays pretty level in turns even when doing 35-40mph drifts... I mean it's only got 7.1 inches of play in the front and 8.1 in the rear, so that dosen't leave a whole lotta room for the front to get crazy. However if you are standing up when going into a very sharp turn at highspeeds then yeah the front will dip and one of the rear tires will actually raise off the ground, but this happening never concerned me to the point that I thought the quad would roll over. I think wheel spacers would solve that, but I kinda like it when that happens makes for a very unique drift. The Rancher 420 also does the same thing, its just a tad harder to do 'cause the Rancher rear is wider than the Wolvy.