Home Forums Gear Horses and ATV's Belt Drive ATV? Am I going to regret it?

The 'girls' in the family have successfully destroyed the last two ATVs we gotten over the past five years or so. While I'm working on getting them going again my wife decided to buy a new one. So we're going to get a carbureted Yamaha Grizzly. I was thinking about getting the 550 since it is fuel injected, but it apparently doesn't do well if the battery isn't kept up and I already know what happens to ATV batteries in winter. Besides, it doesn't have the option of a pull start. So we're going with the 450 instead. The dealers I've talked to say the belt works out okay and typically lasts several thousand miles. So, you guys that might run Yamaha autos (or other brand autos), how true is this? After running many, many thousands and thousands of miles on standard gear shifting transmissions, am I going to be disappointed?

Never had a single problem with the belts on two Suzuki Eiger's ('03 and '05), '07 King Quad, or my '06 Yamaha Rhino.

I have no advice specific to an ATV, but Yamaha (and many other companies) have been making belt drives for motorcycle engines that stand up to WAY MORE power than we are talking about in an ATV. It really is quite mature and reliable technology in motorcycles, and I can't see why it would not be so in an ATV.

Nobody I know of has had any belt problems in any Yamaha. I know of one bent tie rod in a Raptor -- but the owner was jumping it a lot, and I think that was the good Lord sending a sign for him to stop that nonsense!

John

For slow going pulling a trailer belt drives can be a issue heavy machines need a little momentum. Tough to do in our big mud. I have a Polaris 6 X 6 and find I need to ride it like a
snowmachine try to keep it rolling all the time. Going down hill much prefer a manual tranny. I reduced the sprocket on my
rear wheels and clutched it to engage sooner, seems to help but
I am the primary rider.

The only belt issues I've seen were on Polaris Rangers, usually when high range was used when low would be called for. Water entry in the belt case is a potential problem, though.

www.atvconnection.com

They just did a write up on the belt system.Yammy came out on top.

Interesting site -- I will pass it along to my ATV crazy friends.

Thanks for posting the link.

John

Regarding battery problems - are you able to put a trickle charger type system on them and keep them plugged in all winter? I use them for my Miata and motorcycle with no battery issues after a long and ugly MN winter.

Mark

Your a snowmobile guy..You should no all about belts and machines out and about.

I have a belt driven UTV..I am not to worried about it using snowmobiling as an example..We both know what can happen and go prepared,right...

Jayco

Ron, You're right about the snowmachines and I tend to get lots of miles on any belt I run on them even though it takes all of two minutes to change one if you work really slow. Then again, I also know it is possible to smoke a snow-mo belt in less than 10 miles if something isn't right in set-up or operation. And since even the dealers tell me a belt change isn't a simple ten minute deal on a Yamaha ATV, I am curious what people who run them have experienced.

Mine has never broke so I can't tell you on my Yamaha belt driven UTV but I doubt it is not something I can't fix in the field with an extra belt and some common sense.

Jayco

Belts have come a long way with some of the newer synthetics. How many new cars or trucks still use timing chains? Darn few.

Yamaha probably has the best belt system there is. I'd not worry about it. The Griz 450 is also one of, if not the most reliable machine made. You didn't make a bad choice, you made a great one!

I've run the older Yamaha snowmachines and an old 350 four-wheeler that went many, many years, changing hands several times. Recently we took apart one of the last models of two stroke snowmachines they built (other than the Bravo which still exists in their line-up, at least in Alaska.) As ever I was, that snowmachine quite impressed me in a number of ways in terms of quality engineering. I don't expect less of the new wheeler when the big Cessna drops it off in the next week or two. I guess part of the reason I am looking for the anonymous reassurance is that I also made the decision and purchase sight unseen. I am no rubber burning belt twister when it comes to the snow vehicles so the ATV should work out well it sounds like. You guys have given me what I was hoping to hear. I let it you know what I think after I've had a chance to give it a workout.

The only issue I have seen with belt drives are when they get water inside the the belt cover. The machine is basically dead in the water until you drain out the water and let it dry, that would be my only concern about a belt drive. I know the 450's were prone to breaking front axles but maybe they got that issue cleared up by now.

Get a Honda. No belts.

I have a 9 year old Polaris 700 sportsman that's on its original belt. Never had a single issue with it, even when I have submerged the machine in mud/water.

The 450 has a drain in the belt case for water.Just like the 700 Griz

A quick question for those in the know, does the belt case have a breather tube like the Hondas have for their diffs and carb?

yes. they have an intake (mine is in the air box) and an exhaust (also routed high on the machine). the primary has fins cast into it so the clutch housing has air going through it to cool stuff.