I have been looking at the Yamaha for at least Six months now, I have taken the test ride, and talked with a few different dealer representitives. I have also been following the forum to see what different opinions on this machine are. There is no substitute for owner opinions, and I would like to get as many as possible. If you own a Wolverine I would appreciate a reply and just give me the straight truth, good or bad!! The reason I am so hesitant is because I have yet to venture out of the Honda market, but I am very intrigued by the Wolverine. My riding style is about a broad as possible, from jumps to MX to mud runs to river riding. I even do a fair amount of riding in snow during the winter. So let me know what you think about your machine because for all of my test ride time, it will never compare to the amount of time most owners have spent on their machines...

timrek11
'95 Honda 300 4x4

 

i would have to say the wolverine would be perfect for you its fast you can go through deep water crossings with it and its a good jumper

 

I have a '00 Wolverine. Best of all worlds. Very fun atv to play on. It jumps great for a 4x4 and it handles really well for trail riding. In the mud, it does just as good as any of the Honda or Polaris atvs I ride with. And if you need it for work...it can do that too. The only major drawbacks I see are: it needs selectable 4x4, true 4x4, and more low-end torque for bigger tires. Other than that, it's a fast versitile atv.

 

Well all I have to say about the bike is positive things.....My brother and I both own a Wolverine. He has a '98 and I have a '99. I have participated in a Utility Quad race on a Moto Cross track and it did more than I ever expected it to. It boggled me how that machine took those jumps. We mud run ALOT and have never been stuck. We love to just tear around trails and these machines are very surprising for a 4X4! They have the sporty feel and speed which is a major plus. If you ask me this quad covers about any kind of riding or area of riding you could want without going to a all out utility or a 2 wheel drive pure race quad. I love mine. Will never get rid of it. And TRUST me with performance parts on this thing the ride ONLY gets way way more fun! I ride with Honda's and Polaris's and all I have to say is they are fine machines......if you dont mind being left in the dust! Id go with the Wolverine! I have kept stock tires on with my mods and it has some REAL attitude. Power is great!

'99 Wolverine UFO handguards, SuperTrapp pipe, jetting, Skid Plate, UNI filter

'00 Warrior Skid plates

 

I bought a new wolverine a few weeks ago and I love it.
It suits my needs of 80% sport / 20% utility just fine.
I was considering going with a kodiak or magnum 500 because I thought it would be nice to have selectable 2/4wd and in the case of the polaris "true 4wd".
After test riding them I kept going back to the wolverine because of it's light weight and "sportiness", which to me translates into an easier bike to throw around on the trails. If I planned on doing more utility I would have probably gone with the kodiak.
While my wolverine may not have the 2wd option, I can still kick the back end out, I just can't hang it out that long like you could probably do on a 2wd.
As far as the limited slip front end goes, I have yet to get stuck (I'm still new to this and I am absolutley awed at what these things will go through) I'm sure I will get stuck sooner or later but for the kind of riding I do most of the time here in Wisconsin I would rather take my chances with a mechanically sound limited slip 4wd system than a system that relys on a servo motor or some magnetic hall effect type sensor. (It sounds like honda is bridging the gap between limited slip and "true 4wd" with there new rancher, which is supposed to put power to the front tire with the most traction instead of the least) I did consider the rancher but it just wasn't sporty enough for me.
Back to the wolverine, Keeping in mind that I've only had mine a few weeks I highly recommend it if you are looking for a true sport/utility.

BTW I paid $5650.00 out the door with a trailer hitch.

 

You won't find a better, Sport utility anywhere.

It does everything and does it well. It could use another gear, and selectable 4x4, but I really can't see where th full time 4x4 is a hinderence. Very fun, buy one, you'll be pleased.

Watch the rear axle, weakest part of the whole machine. Don't even think of buying the YES plan, waste of cash. Spend the money on aftermarket goodies like K&N, Dynojet, and a pipe.

 

I would agree with all the other opinions. I rode one the other day and have to admit this quad is very fun to ride. Great throttle response and lightness contributes to a fun ride. I will say a few things I didn't like about this quad was that you got absolutely soaked with mud because the fender protection is poor. Secondly, since the machine is geared toward the top end it doesn't have some of the low end grunt of other machines. But that is the trade off for the ripping top end. And lastly this machine got swamped because of Yamaha's poor snorkel intake, when water runs down the gas tank it flows directly into the airbox - this design could be improved upon. I will also note that the Big Bear has the same problems also, not sure about other Yammy's however. Anyway, it's a great hybrid quad despite some of my points.

 

if you want a sport utility then you have no other credible choice. the wolverine is KING!!!! the atv rags are trying to compare the rancher to the wolverine. i just don't see how these bikes compare that well?!?!? the rancher is primarily a utility. the wolverine is primarily a sport.

one of my riding buddies had a wolverine. he sold it and bought a scrambler 500. he is not happy with the scrambler. the scrambler is much faster than the wolverine but the damn thing is so heavy he is plannin on trading for another wolverine. this speaks volumes about the sportiness of the wolverine.

the wolverine will suit your needs just fine. i took the rancher because i am more interested in just trail riding. the sprot riding is not my cup of tea. but the wolverine was a close candidate for my dollars
my two cents
cart

 

If you have to have 4x4, but you want to squeeze as much sport in there as possible then the Wolverine is the way to go. I love mine!

95 Wolverine

 

The Wolverine is a great machine and I'm sure you'll be happy with your purchase. I've done quite a few modifications to mine. Supertrapp racing series pipe with 12 discs installed. Dynojet kit and uni filter. Big wheel kit on Alum rims. That was a waste of money as far as I'm concerned. Keep to the stock tire size to retain the sportiness. If you're trying to build a monster mudder machine out of the Wolverine I think there are better choices. The Wolverine is a great all around 4x4!

Bruce
2000 Banshee
99' 400EX
99' Wolverine

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