Side by Side Drivetrains??

HBarlow

HBarlow

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Jun 14, 2020
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  1. 1000-3

  2. Talon X
Some of you have years of experience with side by sides. Threads and posts I've read here indicate some of you have owned other brands and many have ridden trails with owners of other brands.

My experience is very limited. I owned a Talon X for a few months and 200 - 300 miles, sold it, and bought a Pioneer 1000-3 late last year. My Pioneer has about 1600 miles on the odometer now.

My only experience with other brands occurred when I briefly drove a several year old RZR 900 that belonged to my grandson in early 2019 soon after we moved to WV. I knew instantly I did not like the centrifugal clutch. The centrifugal clutch required the engine to rev at moderate to high rpm, even when the buggy was creeping at what should have been idle speed. When I realized it also had a rubber v belt drivetrain I had no interest in owning one.

Do all ATV/UTV brands but Honda use centrifugal clutches and rubber band drive? I know that Can-Am, Polaris, Kawasaki, Kubota, John Deere, and the ChiCom throwaway models use centrifugal clutch and rubber band drive. Do all?

I thought I read somewhere that some Yamaha models have a driver-operated manual clutch and transmission but I wasn't able to find one in a brief review of Yamaha online literature.

Polaris 9005JPG
 
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GPR1500SC

GPR1500SC

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You want to check out the Yamaha YXZ it is the one that you heard of.

Not all rubber band drives are created equal Yamaha was the first to use a clutch in front of the belt so you are not engaging the belt to start moving I think they got the best rubber band drive.

Honda is the only game in town if you don't want a belt.
 
HBarlow

HBarlow

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
Jun 14, 2020
1,618
6,010
113
Daniels, WV
Ownership

  1. 1000-3

  2. Talon X
Thanks. You significantly expanded my knowledge of side by side products in one brief post.


I could see owning a Yamaha YXZ. The rubber band drive would last a long time used the way I drive one.
 
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