Yamaha

-- Testing out the many new changes & improvements --  By the staff of Dirt Wheels Yamaha is world famous as an innovative performance company, and it was critical that its first performance UTV have what the company calls “pure sport character.” Part of the pure sport concept is having an immediate, direct connection to the drivetrain and chassis. For Yamaha, a belt-drive machine would not meet its pure sport requirements. Even though Yamaha has very high standards for belt longevity and endurance, they knew…

-- Building a pro level WORCS race quad -- By the staff of Dirt Wheels, Photos by Pat Carrigan Logan Huff has dominated his Pro-Am ATV class competition in the World Off-Road Championship Series (WORCS) for the last two years. He landed his second Pro-Am championship in 2018 and made his Pro class debut at the first round of WORCS in Primm, Nevada. Huff decided to make his first WORCS Pro showing on a fresh Yamaha YFZ450R build. We got to catch up with him and cover this build the day before he shifted his YFZ into…

-- What happened to it? -- By Karel Kramer We all have triggers, something that gnaws at you like a scrappy, yappy little dog gnawing at your ankle. An event that just bugs the heck out of you when you encounter it. It might be loud neighbors, rude or aggressive drivers, or some motorized scum in a luxury car too self-important to wait for traffic to clear. You know, when traffic slows, they pretend they are turning right at a light, then jump the line of traffic. It is satisfying when you see the flashing lights go…

-- Boss McKannick solves the problem -- Dear Boss, I just bought a 2000 Yamaha Grizzly 600. It has a fuel line or something hanging down at the rear and sometimes gas pours out of it. Is this a problem? What should I do? Stewart McTaggart Austin, TX That hose sounds like it is the carburetor float-bowl overflow hose. It should not dump gasoline out unless there is either something holding the float valve open (dirt/rust) and the float bowl continues to fill until the internal gasoline level reaches the…

-- Drifting from the dirt onto the pavement --     Jeremy Othelet is a Dirt Wheels reader who lives in Margut, France. In his country ATVs can be made street legal with the proper equipment. As you can see here Jeremy has turn signals, mirrors and a license plate on his quad.     His Yamaha Raptor 700 is a good quad to make street legal, because it has enough power to cruise along at speeds above 70 mph. To improve the power Jeremy added a performance exhaust and intake system, fuel controller and hotter cam shaft.…

-- How do these machines compare out on the trail? -- Can a big 4x4 quad hang with a fast sport quad through the woods? Can a fast sport quad run with a big 4x4 quad through mud and water? The Dirt Wheels crew set out to answer those questions in this sport versus 4x4 comparison. Although the shootout took place in our June 2011 issue, the information and results still holds true today. GET YOUR $25 GIFT CARD HERE> https://hi-torque.com/product/dirt-wheels-holiday/ . . .

-- YAMAHA'S UTV LINE UP FOR 2019 -- YAMAHA YXZ1000R/YXZ1000R SPECIAL EDITION The YXZ1000R line gained a wealth of upgrades for 2019. Lower transmission gearing helps propel larger 29-inch Maxxis Bighorn tires. The radiator was relocated to the rear of the vehicle to keep clear of mud and debris while reducing in-cab heat. The front rotors on the SE were enlarged for better stopping power. The frame was updated as well. Engine type DOHC triple Displacement 998cc Suspension: Front Dual A-arm/16.2” Rear Dual…

-- What each year model looked like -- So, what year Banshee do you own? Perhaps you can get an idea by its colors and this chart shows them all. Which year model Banshee looked the best? Was it the classic red and white of the very first year in 1987? Or perhaps the bold Team Yamaha blue colors of 2006? That was the last year you could buy a new Banshee in the USA, but as you can see, it was offered in other countries for a few years after that. But, no matter what year, you can't beat the beauty of Yamaha's classic…

-- A cool mini rally car/ATV kit -- How would you like to convert your Yamaha Raptor 700 into a UTV? Well, use these photos as a guide and you can build it yourself. This was actually a kit that you could buy, but as far as we know it's no longer available. It was the brainchild of Rhys Millen. He, along with his brother and dad, are part of the famous Millen racing family. They have been winning at rally racing, drifting, Pikes Peak, off-road and road-racing for years. They've also been known as innovative car…

-- Best 2-stroke for the money -- Ben Shaffer in Ohio has a fondness for 2-strokes and he decided he should take an old 2-stroke quad and build it back up to be even better than when it was new. He found this 1996 Yamaha Blaster 200 in a friend of a friend's barn. Blasters were known for being the best bang for the buck. They didn't cost much, the air-cooled 2-stroke motors were simple and easy to work on and they were pretty peppy for 200ccs. Ben's Blaster looked to be in sad shape when he first picked it up, so he…

-- BVC Trikes has the right kits for your Yamaha -- Back in the 1980s Yamaha had a 250cc, 2-stroke 3-wheeler known as the Tri-Z 250. Today, BVC Trikes provides you with a way to build a modern Tri-Z 250. Their kits pictured here are for 2005 or newer YZ250 dirt bikes. BVC Trikes also has kits to turn YZ450Fs into Tri-Zs. The ones here are the newer version 450s with the backwards head design. They have the BVC machined triple clamps, custom swing arm to correct chain alignment and their custom under seat fuel tank to…

-- The amazing 550-horsepower Packard Performance YXZ -- By the staff of Dirt Wheels No matter what generation you are from, the older generation is always complaining that the next generation is being contrary. Some youth follow in their father’s footsteps, while others want to do exactly the opposite of what the family expects of them. Famed turbocharger and supercharger hop-up specialists Packard Performance did both at the same time. The Packard brothers Jace and Jedd (we sense a pattern here) are the muscle…