ATVs

The Best Yamahas of All Time

From Boats to Banshees

May 11, 2015

Where does your favorite Yamaha ATV rank among Yamaha's greatest hits?

Yamaha PW50

Yamaha PW50: Almost every kid who's ever learned to ride a dirt bike started on a PW50. The small two-stroke engine is easy to maintain and the single speed transmission makes learning to ride as simple as learning the ABC's.

Yamaha YFZ450 (original/Current)

Yamaha YFZ450 (original/Current): Back in 2004, Yamaha took the world by storm with the release of the original YFZ450. Numerous incarnations, improvements, and enhancements make the current YFZ450 the best they've ever offered. In competition, the YFZ has proven itself in MX, GNCC, and desert racing alike.

Yamaha SuperJet

Yamaha SuperJet: There are very few experiences quite like stand up jet skis. The 2015 Yamaha SuperJet is one of very few options in this class of watercraft. Powered by a 700cc twin-cylinder Yamaha marine engine, the SuperJet is designed to set the water on fire!

Yamaha Banshee

Yamaha Banshee: What type of crap would we get for not including the Banshee on a Yamaha top 10 list? The Banshee was the epitome of "unique". With it's twin cylinder two stroke power plant plucked out of the RZ street bike platform, it was a perfect recipe for dune riders all around the world!

Yamaha YZ426F / YZ450F

Yamaha YZ426F / YZ450F: The YZ426F will go down in history as the machine that helped spawn the 450 four-stroke craze that's alive and well today. It all started in 1996 when the AMA allowed 450cc class four-stroke engines to compete with 250cc two-strokes. Until the arrival of the 426F, there wasn't a four-stroke on the planet that could compete with the two-stroke smokers. The 426F, with its titanium valves and high revving characteristics, eventually evolved into the fuel-injected YFZ450F we see tearing up the tracks in 2015. Let's not forget that the development of both engines also helped spawn the YFZ450 ATV's as well.

Yamaha 242 Limited S boat

Yamaha 242 Limited S boat: With an MSRP of over $60,000, the 24 foot jet boat is a serious investment. Twin, fuel injected 1.8liter Yamaha engines will get the boat on plane in less than 2.5 seconds and can run in only 17" of water. Yamaha is also one of the only manufacturers to sell their boats with an included trailer.

Yamaha R1

Yamaha R1: Since 1998, the Yamaha R1 has been feeding street bikers doses of adrenaline in the open class market. Numerous enhancements throughout the years have made the R1 better with each successive model, and in 2015 a new R1 hit the showroom floor.

Yamaha Rhino

Yamaha Rhino: The Rhino is one of the machines responsible for starting the current sport UTV craze. From the factory, it was better at hunting and trail than bouncing through the dunes. With the help of the aftermarket, they solved that problem by offering everything from custom replacements for every part, right down to the chassis.

Yamaha Disklavier Piano

Yamaha Disklavier Piano: Yeah.... we put a piano on our top ten list and we're sticking to it! The sound of a rumbling engine might be music to your ears, but the sweet sound of music coming from the ivory keys of a Yamaha piano isn't a bad way to tickle your senses either. The Disklavier is an acoustic player piano that uses state of the art technology to actually record and replay performances. Plus, Yamaha is the only motorsports manufacturer that also dabbles in music, and we think that's pretty dang cool!

Yamaha Grizzly 700

Yamaha Grizzly 700: Over the years the Grizzly 700 has been one of the favorite machines in the ATV Rider stables, due in part to its reliability, durability, and fun factor. The Grizzly is equally at home on the trail or on the farm. The Grizzly is a blast to drive and delivers years of trouble-free service.

Yamaha Apex X-TX 1.75LE

Yamaha Apex X-TX 1.75LE: This Yamaha crossover sled is the best of both worlds...offering the best of both worlds for trail riders who also think they might be up for some adventure sledding. With a 998cc four stroke, four cylinder engine, Fox shocks all around, and Electronic Power Steering (EPS), the Apex is just want the doctor ordered to cure your winter blues!