2009 Yamaha ATVs: First Look

Yamaha Motor Corp. USA invited us media types to Newport Beach, Calif. to get a sneak peak at the 2009 ATV lineup.

Among the updates for 2009 the popular Raptor 700R has some significant changes, a completely updated youth model caught our attention, the Grizzly 450 has a new look and a few special edition models are sure to garner some interest. The obvious focus of Yamaha’s presentation, though, was the brand new Grizzly 550 FI.

Yamaha felt there was a significant gap between the Grizzly 700 FI and the Grizzly 450 IRS and decided to fill it with a 500 class machine. Though we won’t get to ride the new Grizzly until later in June, at first glance it looks it could be a quad worth considering.

Based on the Grizzly 700 platform, the 550 looks very much like its big brother. According to Yamaha, the performance should be fairly comparable as well. Powered by a completely new 558cc fuel injected engine, the 550 should have a top speed right on par with the 700, although the 700 will still have a performance edge in the low end.

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