Why are there so many Yamaha Rhino To Polaris Ranger Converts?

[Slacker]

I don't know about every few hundred miles on the Polaris belt. I'll top 11,000 miles on our Ranger this year. If it goes through one between now and then, according to the previous owner, that will be 4 in that many miles. Yes the Polaris clutch is hard on belts but it's incredibly rider dependent. It seems that low speed riding with lots of starts and stops would also be hard on it. The Yamaha and Arctic Cat clutch systems rarely see belt slip so they last almost forever under normal use, including the same low speed conditions. I'd really like to see Polaris wise up to the way of the wet clutch.

[KillerRC]

Yamaha needs to update the Rhino bad! Needs more cab space and more cargo, and bigger engine.

[wildbill23c]

Originally Posted by KillerRC

Yamaha needs to update the Rhino bad! Needs more cab space and more cargo, and bigger engine.

I agree, however; apparently some people can't handle the little engine they have in them now so going larger probably won't happen anytime soon, which is part of the reason I am leaving the Yamaha brand. I've heard the Rhino belts lasting between 3-5k depending on the conditions its used in, larger tires/wheels, etc. Maybe 4 belts in 11k isn't so bad, just seems like a lot.

Yes, Polaris needs to revamp their drive-train a bit to accept a centrifugal clutch system to keep the belt tight all the time.

[Slacker]

After the big lawsuit I'd be really surprised to see Yamaha take it to the next level. Yamaha kind of walks around with a target on it's head. Kind of a bummer for the Yamaha fans if thats the way it plays out.

[wildbill23c]

Originally Posted by Slacker

After the big lawsuit I'd be really surprised to see Yamaha take it to the next level. Yamaha kind of walks around with a target on it's head. Kind of a bummer for the Yamaha fans if thats the way it plays out.

I agree, and for some reason people chose Yamaha as a target to take their rage out on when one of their stupid friends or family members kills or injures themselves on an ATV/UTV because they don't have enough brains to know how to operate one.

[Slacker]

It really is too bad. Yamaha has the R&D and funds to turn out something that would make the Wild Cat and Razor look like Sunday riders. Maybe they will someday, it'll be the machine that everyone thought the Commander would be. Which by the way IMO was a bit of a let down. It really came out below expectations.

[wildbill23c]

I had a 2008 Yamaha Grizzly 450 ATV, it was great when it ran right, always had issues with the idle control adjusting itself, it would never stay set at any idle speed, after a couple hours it was back to idling high, dealer didn't even try to do anything about it. Then got the 2011 Yamaha Rhino 700 UTV, great machine, just not really working out the way that Yamaha claims. It tears up my lawn, doesn't haul or tow much without bogging down, fuel gauge is about 1/4 of a tank off all the time. Seems there are a lot more accessories for the polaris ranger lineup than the rhino. The cabs for the rangers definitely are better, and so is the snow plow system. I'd use my plow more, but trying to hook it up and unhook it just to load and unload the machine from the trailer is a pain since you have to crawl under the machine to pull the pins or insert them. Dealer claimed the plow could be left attached when loading and unloading, not even close. The quick attach plow on the ranger is a better solution, which the yamaha dealer also claimed wasn't available for the rhino haha he was wrong, but oh well. This year will be the last of owning a yamaha. Looking towards owning a ranger xp 800 this fall.