HI,

Looking into the grizzly 550 for my next machine and trading the limited edition sportsman 500. Was wondering from people who own them:

1. The plastics are held on by plastic tabs/screws, does this vibrate when riding or break when removing in the cold? Is it an issue for taking on and off many times?

2. What oil should be used in it, with the Polaris it is a no brainer, they only sell one kind. With Yamaha they sell many grades/types. Would full synthetic 0-40 work, that is not listed in the owner manual though, want full synthetic just not as heavy weight as they sell (15-50).

3. I know it is only FI and not EFI so I assume it does not compensate for cold weather just altitude changes?

4. How easy is the maintenance on the machine?

5. Do they vibrate and are they loud as a Polaris for the exhaust note?

6. More or less comparing it to my Polaris 500 / 700 in build quality better/worse????

Thanks in advance for the questions I have not found answers to!

 

Well where to start? To make a long story short Plastic retainers work fine and are cheap to replace. You use a good 10w40 like Valvoline or a approved synthetic will work just fine. All 550 and 700 Grizz are EFI and work great at altitude I ride anywhere here in Co from 9000feet to 14000 and IMHO the Yamaha EFI is one of the best EFI units available. You do have to adjust the valves on any Grizz but its easy and it help you get to know your machine. Might be a little rougher at idle than a POPO but nothing to complain about. IMHO the Grizz is a much more fun and better all around machine than a POPO!!!!! Hope that help but you have a lot of questions. If you need more info just visit this site. http://grizzlyriders.com. Good luck happy trails!

 

Thanks dodge57hemi, I appreciate your response coming from a Polaris yourself! So the plastic does not vibrate on the machine at all? I really dont like that.
I guess I have only heard of the 550 being FI and not EFI. When I was looking into the 700 it sounded like that one was EFI and the 550 was just FI. I would like it to adjust for temps as we go from -33 to 100 deg in the summer. I dont change any altitude with it. Just seems the Polaris has a heavier build to it than the Yamaha does? Do you have a repair manual on pdf for your 700? Thanks for the link.

 

Fi= fuel injection efi= electronic fuel injection, its the same thing just fi doesnt place the e in front of it.

My buddy's 07 700 just turned over a 1100miles on our past trip. no major issues. just had to replace rear bearings i believe, but he isnt easy on it.

id say the build quality is better on the grizz than the previous generation sportsman's. both my 700 and 800ho both had the damn heat shield rattle of doom and some plastic rattling which annoyed the hell out of me.

my xp has been flawless so far (knock on wood) and is a much more refined machine than either my 05 or 08 machines.

 

Here is a link to a service manual for a 700 and JFYI a 550 is basically the exact same motor with a shorter stroke and a different head. The 550 will darn near run with the 700 tho the 700 just has that low end punch advantage over the 550! I would be riding a 550 if I didn not need all the CC's I can get to ride at altitude that I do. As far as cold goes I have started my Grizz at -40deg without a issue!
http://www.moddedraptor.com/library/...vicemanual.pdf

 

Wow, Thanks for the service manual dodge57hemi !!!! Looks like a lot of info in there....Thanks for both of you guys for writing your opinions.

 

I don't have a Grizzly, but in my Wolverine, I use Amsoil powersport 0W-40. Works great.