The Yamaha Grizzly is a large utility all-terrain vehicle. It started in 1998 with a 595 cc engine and developed through 660 and 700 cc generations, adding independent rear suspension, fuel injection and electric power steering.
Yamaha Grizzly at a glance
| Maker | Yamaha Motor Company |
|---|---|
| Class | Utility all-terrain vehicle |
| Grizzly 600 | 595 cc four-stroke from the XT600, US 1998–2001 |
| Grizzly 660 | 660 cc five-valve engine from the Raptor 660, from 2002 |
| Rear suspension 600 | rigid axle with a single shock |
| Rear suspension 660 | independent with dual shocks |
| Drive | push-button four-wheel drive with diff lock |
| Grizzly 700 | from 2007, fuel injection and optional EPS |
| 700 rear axle | “gull wing” bent axle for a shorter frame |
| 2016 facelift | 708 cc single developed with Subaru |
| 2019 | return to the 686 cc engine |
Based on one source (English Wikipedia).
History of the Yamaha Grizzly
The first Grizzly appeared in the United States in 1998 with a 595 cc four-stroke engine taken from the XT600. It was a large utility quad with a rigid rear axle and a single shock, and it came with push-button four-wheel drive and a differential lock.
In 2002 Yamaha replaced the 600 with the Grizzly 660. The new engine displaced 660 cc and came from the Raptor 660, with a five-valve cylinder head. The biggest chassis change was at the rear, where a rigid axle gave way to independent suspension with two shocks, a layout reported to improve handling considerably.
The Grizzly 700 arrived in 2007 with fuel injection and optional electric power steering. It used a “gull wing” bent rear axle that allowed a shorter frame and reduced weight. The model stayed largely the same until a 2016 facelift brought a new 708 cc single-cylinder four-stroke developed with Subaru. That engine proved troublesome, with oil burning and poorly designed top ends early in its life, and after the 2016, 2017 and 2018 model years Yamaha returned in 2019 to the 686 cc engine used since 2007.
Design and features
- Utility layout: four-wheel drive with a differential lock and a large, stable body.
- Independent rear suspension: introduced with the 660 in 2002.
- Fuel injection and EPS: the 700 brought both, with electric power steering optional.
- Engine changes: a 708 cc Subaru-developed unit in 2016, replaced by the 686 cc engine in 2019.
Yamaha Grizzly versions
- Grizzly 600 (1998–2001): 595 cc XT600 engine with a rigid rear axle.
- Grizzly 660 (2002–2006): 660 cc five-valve engine and independent rear suspension.
- Grizzly 700 (2007–2015): fuel injection, optional EPS and the gull-wing axle.
- Grizzly 708 (2016–2018): facelifted model with the Subaru-developed engine.
- Grizzly 686 (2019–): return to the previous engine capacity.
Other Yamaha off-road machines include the Raptor 700R and the Rhino. More models are in the Yamaha collection.
Sources
- Yamaha Grizzly, English Wikipedia: generations, engines, suspension, 2016 and 2019 changes
