What has to be the coolest innovation in ATVs since the fourth wheel is literally under the palms of your hands when you slip astride the new Yamaha Grizzly 700. Electric power steering.

At first I was a bit dumbstruck. That quickly turned to a good dose of ATV euphoria the first couple minutes Yamaha let myself and fellow ATV riders start hammering the mountain trails on the 40,000-acre-plus Paws Up Resort, which straddles the famous Blackfoot River just east of Missoula, Montana.

 Power steering on a big four-wheel-drive ATV like the new Grizzly 700 will make a believer out of anyone to the value of this innovative use of decade’s old automotive technology.

Yamaha uses what’s called a “torque-sensing” EPS system. What that means is it senses the twisting force put on the handlebars and wheels via a special sensor inside the steering “box” located between the handlebars and the tie-rods.

When torque is sensed, the electric motor jumps in to do its thing, providing as little a 5-percent steering assist at higher speeds to as much as 50-percent at slow speeds.

What EPS has done is turn a cumbersome, heavy feeling four-wheel-drive ATV into a light, nimble, sporty 4x4 quad that any size rider over 16 will feel comfortable on.

UTLITY WITH SPORT

 Electric power steering is just one of the reasons the Yamaha Grizzly 700 continues to set a brisk pace within the big 4x4 sport/utility ATV pack.  

From afar it looks a lot like any other sport/utility ATV and a  lot like the Yamaha Grizzlies of old; it’s big, there’re cargo racks front and rear, and, from the stance, looks as if it could handle any off-road task.

What I learned form several days of trail riding is it’s what you don’t immediately see that makes the new Grizzly really special.

The engine has been punched up from 660cc to an impressive 686cc, and is adapted from Yamaha’s leading race-level ATV, the Raptor 700R. Those extra 26cc give the new Grizzly a noticeable extra kick in the low- to mid rpm range.

Added to this year’s power mix is electronic fuel injection, which makes throttle control and cold starts a breeze.

Yamaha uses a constantly variable Ultarmatic transmission to put the power to the wheels and the three-way On-Command system featuring push-button 2WD/4WD and 4WD with differential lock. Shifting in and out of 4WD on-the-fly isn’t a problem.

RIDER FRIENDLY  

Yamaha also redesigned the Grizzly chassis and A-arms so they splay out another two inches before heading down to the wheels. This gives the Grizzly a much wider belly that makes it easier to avoid scraping trail obstacles on the full-length skid plate.

The Grizzly brakes are the best around; the 605-pound quad incorporates four-wheel hydraulic disc brakes instead of the typical ATV’s three. So, not only does the Grizzly 700 have great power on demand, it stops as fast as it accelerates.

The combination of these refinements in the 2007 Grizzly 700 is a really sweet setup for anyone who loves riding ATVs. It looks big, rides small.

You couldn’t ask for anything more in the biggest of sport/utility ATVs.   

Basic Specifications

2007 Yamaha Grizzly 700

Price – $7,999 for green, blue and red; $8,349 for Realtree camo

Engine Type – 686cc, 4-Stroke Single

Carburetion – Yamaha Fuel Injection (YFI), 44mm

Steering – Electric Power Steering

Transmission – Yamaha Ultramatic V-Belt w/ all-wheel engine braking

Drive Train – Yamaha On-Command push button 3-way locking differential, 2WD, 4WD, locked 4WD; Shaft

Suspension/ Front – Independent Double Wishbone

Brakes (Front/Rear) –Hydraulic Disc

Dimensions (LxWxH) – 81.3”x46.5”x48.8”

Ground Clearance – 11.8”

Fuel Capacity – 5.3 Gallons

Dry Weight – 602 Lbs

Rack Capacity – 99 Lbs.Fr. / 187 Lbs. Rr.

Towing Capacity – 1,212 Lbs.