Yamaha 700 or Honda 500

[Al R]

I've swapped a Honda 500 for a Yam 700 this time.
I was initially comparing between a Honda 520, which is the new model and the Yam 450. Very similar bikes.

A thing then happened left me needing to swap at short notice.
Honda had a massive lead time for any bike.
Yamaha had a fair lead as well but the dealer put the effort in and found me a 700.

The 700 is a big bike obviously . Fuel wise I'm probably getting 15ish clock hours out of a Jerry can.
It's my first auto bike, auto is excellent. Hi-Lo range covers all your bases.
It is fast.
Suspension and therefore ride is better.
As is braking.
Reliability is unknown as I'm only about 60hrs in.
Spec wise I always take the wide tyre option on bikes, stability improves so much. Again better than the Honda I think.

That's all I can think of off the top of me head.

Doing 60mile to a tank-Ish with my kodiak 450, Honda 420 in ES does around 75-80km, far less in DCT mode. Yam is on 12k mile and 4500hrs, had 3 services, a set of tyres and all new brakes but the brakes were no surprise with the way I drive it.

 

[Nithsdale]

Yes bought new , 2 year old 7k miles. Has a habit of showing the reverse light when in forward gear which kicks in the Rev limiter so no power, dealer been at it numerous times and fitted numerous parts that often help for a week or so then it reverts back to the fault. Tried another yam dealer last week and he adjusted gear linkage etc, again was better for a few days then back to normal. Strange thing is it only does it when hot and when going down a hill!!!!!
very strange but I don’t like trading anything in not right but as soon as we fix it I will get rid of it ( if I can find a dealer with a quad to sell).

Yamaha have shat the bed with their electrics. Very good bikes but the numbers of bikes under warranty having unsolvable problems is getting alarming.

Don't know anyone who has bought a new Yammy in the last 2 years who hasn't had warranty work on electrics - most common is the fuel pump (know 1 bike which is on its 3rd fuel pump change and 2nd wire harness change and they still can't sort the problem).

Everyone says great bike then if I say I've heard there's issues they say yeah dealers been out to look at that...

 

[hagar]

Yamaha have shat the bed with their electrics. Very good bikes but the numbers of bikes under warranty having unsolvable problems is getting alarming.

Don't know anyone who has bought a new Yammy in the last 2 years who hasn't had warranty work on electrics - most common is the fuel pump (know 1 bike which is on its 3rd fuel pump change and 2nd wire harness change and they still can't sort the problem).

Everyone says great bike then if I say I've heard there's issues they say yeah dealers been out to look at that...

Bought a 700 Grizzly 18 months ago and only things it's had are servicing and brake pads in 3800 miles.
Do like it and planning to keep it a while, especially as was talking to dealer couple o weeks ago and he told me an identical replacement would now be £10500. A jump o 2 grand in 18 months

 

[Al R]

Yamaha have shat the bed with their electrics. Very good bikes but the numbers of bikes under warranty having unsolvable problems is getting alarming.

Don't know anyone who has bought a new Yammy in the last 2 years who hasn't had warranty work on electrics - most common is the fuel pump (know 1 bike which is on its 3rd fuel pump change and 2nd wire harness change and they still can't sort the problem).

Everyone says great bike then if I say I've heard there's issues they say yeah dealers been out to look at that...

Not heard of any down here

 

[Nithsdale]

Not heard of any down here

I'd be very surprised. What I've heard from mechanics isn't good - and Yamaha know fine well there's problems.

But, it is luck of the draw and there are - like yours - bikes which have no bother.

Bought a 700 Grizzly 18 months ago and only things it's had are servicing and brake pads in 3800 miles.
Do like it and planning to keep it a while, especially as was talking to dealer couple o weeks ago and he told me an identical replacement would now be £10500. A jump o 2 grand in 18 months

When a Honda 420 is over £6k you know bikes are taking the pee expensive... but that makes a yammy 700 look cheap

 

[michael N123]

Honda 420 4x4 pulls just the same if not better than the old 500 and isn’t numb as feck like the new 500

 

[Al R]

I'd be very surprised. What I've heard from mechanics isn't good - and Yamaha know fine well there's problems.

But, it is luck of the draw and there are - like yours - bikes which have no bother.



When a Honda 420 is over £6k you know bikes are taking the pee expensive... but that makes a yammy 700 look cheap

Honda knew in 2015 and still know that the DCT gearboxes are horrendous in the black wheeled bikes yet still havnt altered them apparently?

 

[Nithsdale]

Honda knew in 2015 and still know that the DCT gearboxes are horrendous in the black wheeled bikes yet still havnt altered them apparently?

As far as I'm aware they are still the same.

The new 520 did appeal to me. But a look round them and no, I'll not buy one unless they think through some of their stupid designs

 

[Pistonbroke]

Honda knew in 2015 and still know that the DCT gearboxes are horrendous in the black wheeled bikes yet still havnt altered them apparently?

According to our dealer they've changed the software side to improve it but we have a manual so can't comment on any success

 

[Pistonbroke]

I am having a good bit of bother with my yam 700 and no one seems to find a solution so will probably be going back to Honda next time.

My neighbour has been round all the makes and models except Honda because he's fallen out with the dealer. He had two good yamahas,a 450 then a 550 and then a crap 550 followed by a shocking 700 that was running so hot the plastic was melting. Dealer claimed they ran like that for emissions reasons and wouldn't look at it. Then it seized,so they replaced just the top end ( you'd think new engine ) under warranty. Nothing but trouble since so he swallowed his pride and bought a Honda 520 manual before lambing. Early days but he says it's definitely the best quad he's ever had and using 2/3 the fuel

 

[Y Fan Wen]

Bought a new 250 2wd Honda in 1985 which lasted for 10 years.
Moved on to a new 300 2wd which lasted 18 years.
Then a s/h 420 2wd which is 12.
Finally a s/h 420 4wd which is 10 and is the most heavily used, at least every other day.
There is also a 300 here which doesn't belong to me but I keep it serviced and maintained for the owner and is 22 years old.
I have no experience of electric shifting and am quite happy changing gear.
I've only spent on wearing parts and servicing so far.
I think the 300 will need a top overhaul before too long tho'.

 

[Pistonbroke]

Bought a new 250 2wd Honda in 1985 which lasted for 10 years.
Moved on to a new 300 2wd which lasted 18 years.
Then a s/h 420 2wd which is 12.
Finally a s/h 420 4wd which is 10 and is the most heavily used, at least every other day.
There is also a 300 here which doesn't belong to me but I keep it serviced and maintained for the owner and is 22 years old.
I have no experience of electric shifting and am quite happy changing gear.
I've only spent on wearing parts and servicing so far.
I think the 300 will need a top overhaul before too long tho'.

Started with a 250 trike,300 quad,two 350 quads and then a 500 which was the first with a mileage clock. It was on 58000 when I rolled it gathering the hill. 420 manual replaced it.

 

[cowmop]

Dare I ask about Polaris????

 

[JamesM]

What about CanAm? I've been very happy with my 570.

 

[Gibbybox]

Down here there's only about $2,000 difference between the 700 and the EPS 450. Not much in it, you're right.

The 350 on the other hand is almost half the price of the 700 and will do everying the 700 will do....just saying.

I know which one I'd rather have.

+1 for getting a demo on farm though. It's the least they could do.

I was in the same boat last back-end deciding between 450 and 700, both EPS. Quotes worked out £7500 for the 450 or £8000 for 700 SE, so it was a no brainier for me to take the step up. Also spec’d it with 27” Innova Mud Gears all round and after spending the winter towing round bale silage and snacker around in the muck and snow I don’t regret the decision one bit. We’ve had 6 or 7 350 Grizzlys previously and can honestly say we’ve never had a problem with any them. Crack on, just go easy on the throttle until you are used to it

 

[Nithsdale]

Yamaha have dropped the 350 from the UK market... so there's not much point recommending it if the OP is buying new

 

[Gibbybox]

Yamaha have dropped the 350 from the UK market... so there's not much point recommending it if the OP is buying new

Not suggesting he buys a 350, just that having several Yamaha quads in the past without issue gave us confidence to go ahead with the 700 this time. Apologies if that was misleading

 

[dave mountain]

Honda with manual box. More reliable, longer lasting, better on fuel, better for towing, real engine braking, cheaper, slightly faster etc etc. tin hat at the ready

 

[box]

Don't know anyone who has bought a new Yammy in the last 2 years who hasn't had warranty work on electrics - most common is the fuel pump

Every Yamaha bike I've seen has a fuel tank, fuel tap and a carburettor? Maybe Euro/UK spec ones are different.

Edit: Done some reading, looks like the 700 EPS is EFI, the rest of the range is still carb'd. That's easy then, stay away from the EPS model.

 

[Al R]

Honda with manual box. More reliable, longer lasting, better on fuel, better for towing, real engine braking, cheaper, slightly faster etc etc. tin hat at the ready

How fast does the manual Honda go? My ‘15 DCT won’t go above 67kmh