I had the opportunity to travel to Knoxville, Tennessee and take a ride on the new 2008 Yamaha Rhino 700 FI Side by Side. Yamaha has come out with an all new Rhino 700 Side x Side that is a nice improvement over the previous Rhino 660.
Here are a few improvements that have been made:
-Increased the motor to 686cc (hence the 700)
-Added Fuel Injection (basically looking at the motor that is now in the new Grizzly 700 FI)
-Added power and smoothness of ride
-Improved the parking brake lever
-Added side doors for safety and keeping out the mud, brush and branches
-Passenger seat has hold bar and grip handle
-Moved the Air intake higher
-Moved the air filter more to the front to move noise away from the riders
-Added disc brakes to both rear wheels
-Parking brake uses a separate single disc brake
-Improved steering wheel fit and finish
Also available are not only the stock models, but a few different custom models with wheels and custom paint jobs.
After some really good riding, I have to say the there are some good improvements on the new Yamaha Rhino 700 FI over the older 660. Better and smoother power, I really like the new steering wheel and felt the brakes are great. Very good stopping power for a big machine. I was hesitant on the doors, but really think they are a good addition. I went through a ton of mud and river crossings and the doors really help keep you dry and clear of stray brush and limbs.
I was not impressed at all with the parking brake lever on the old 660 model. By putting on a more traditional parking brake lever, it is now nice and convenient to use the parking brake - and used it a lot. Power is great and the four wheel drive system is top notch. Motored through some steep inclines with rocks and the four wheel drive with differential lock got me out of everything. It was really wet with a lot of rock and exposed tree roots. Once these got wet and very slippery, the four wheel drive with differential lock was the only way to go. Oh, by the way…the mud bogs in Tennessee are deep!
Overall I was very impressed with the improvements made on the new Rhino 700. I think it is coming at a good time where the Rhino was in need of a good face lift. A good all around work and play machine. Nothing really jumped out at me as to something that was really missing or didn’t perform as expected.
You can see the full review on the new 2008 Yamaha Rhino 700 in the Feb/March 2008 issue of Hunting Illustrated.
The 2007 Suzuki KingQuad 450 has fuel injection, fully independent suspension, four-wheel drive with four-wheel differential lock, digital display, and a ton more features that make this 450 ATV a complete package. The Suzuki King Quad 450 has all of the features, along with a smooth ride and a decent motor, that should be worthy of a closer look if you are after a utility ATV in the 450-500 class department.
Read the full review article in the Aug/Sept 2007 issue of Hunting Illustrated.
Brent Wallace gave me a call on Saturday to see if he could stop by and have me take a look at his buck. He was hunting with a CWMU tag here in Utah and passed on some other nice bucks and finally settled on this buck. Good width, some trash and pretty 3-inch eyeguards will make this a nice wallhanger. He came in at 29-inches wide and scores 161 gross B&C.
There has been a lot of talk about these spectacular mule deer sheds. Like I posted earlier, there were some monster 307 gross mule deer sheds found in the spring of 2007 by Landon Wittwer. Here is a video clip I took of Landon’s great sheds.
Here are a few specs:
47-inches wide
24-inch inside spread was used
208 5/8 gross typical frame
41 7/8-inches of total mass
15×10 points
307 1/8 gross score
301 4/8 net non-typical score
Get the whole “Tale of the Tape” breakdown in the article feature.
You can read the whole story in the Oct/Nov 2007 issue of Hunting Illustrated. On Newsstands Now.
Want to read the story right now just like in the magazine…for Free?
Click here to browse our HI Virtual Magazine. Turn the pages and read the articles and view the photos just like the original hard copy magazine. Also watch this same video clip embedded within the Virtual Magazine…Very Cool!
Landon’s sheds are also featured as a custom re-creation in the new 2008 King’s Mule Deer Calendar. Included in this calendar are three bucks going over the 300-inch mark! Get yours today by calling 800-447-6897 or click here to shop on-line. 2008 King’s Mule Deer Calendar
This is a 2007 Sportsman X2 800 model. Polaris has changed a few things on the 2008 model and offered in different engine cc. Pretty slick operation where you can convert the back dump box into another passenger seat.
You can read my review in the Oct/Nov 2007 issue of Hunting Illustrated. Want to read the review right now just like in the magazine…for Free?
Click here to browse our HI Virtual Magazine. Turn the pages and read the articles and view the photos just like the original hard copy magazine. Also watch this same video clip embedded within the Virtual Magazine…Very Cool!
Jim Willmsen emailed me his video he posted on this whitetail buck that he shot last week. One twist on the situation, though, was this buck was locked on to another buck that was already dead. Jim shot an 18-point buck deer Friday, October 26, 2007. The deer was dragging a second, 10-point buck, after the two deer had fought and their antlers had become irreversibly locked together. Willmsen talks about the deer, and the hunt.
Check out this video clip:
More big bulls are getting spotted. This footage and photos were sent in by Harmon Silloway. He got a close look at this monster elk. Harmon says it is a 7×11 point non-typical bull.
What do you think it scores? Very tough to tell from the photos and video…
This bull is a herd bull that is a result of transplanted elk to the east to help build up the herd years ago and therefore has a radio collar on its neck as wildlife authorities keep a close eye on the herd. Don’t let that make you think that it is a high fenced bull. This is a fair chase bull that a lucky hunter could very well get this year through their lottery draw.
I thought I had lost this video clip. Ah…found it. I took this short video review of the new Honda Rancher 420 back in November 2006 when I was invited to take a test ride at Honda’s facility in South Carolina. I also was part of a tour through their manufacturing and assembly line plant. It was very impressive the way Honda was so efficient at their facility. At the plant they have the assembly line for the new Rancher and also the Rincon 700. I was happy to see some of the improvements that Honda made on the new Rancher. Below I have posted a short video clip which goes around the machine and showcases some of the features. I have also included a short review that was published in the June/July 2007 issue of Hunting Illustrated Magazine.
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Honda Fourtrax Rancher 420 ES
It’s hard to improve something that doesn’t need improvement. That was Honda’s basic struggle as they released the new and improved Rancher 420 ES for 2007. There is no question that Honda had a good thing going with the Rancher 350; it provided years of tremendous sales and popularity. With 500,000 units sold since 1996, one would question if messing with a good thing would be bad. However, Honda timed it just right with appropriate and needed upgrades to continue to make the Rancher ATV one of the best-selling ATVs on the market today.
Honda beefed up the motor department and increased it from a 329cc air-cooled engine to a 420cc, liquid-cooled, four-stroke engine. The increase in ponies also brought about an increase in suspension travel, going from 5.3 inches to 6.3 inches front and back. Honda also improved the braking and added dual hydraulic disc brakes in the front. Like most new ATVs that you find today, electronic fuel injection (EFI) was also added to the new Rancher providing better throttle response, improved cold weather starts, and eliminated jetting problems for high altitude riding. Honda, however, elected to stay with the solid rear axle and not provide a rear independent suspension. Their thinking on this was to keep the ATV mechanically sound with a trouble-free, solid rear axle, less weight, good stability, and to keep costs to a minimum. These considerations sum up the mission of Honda – keep things maintenance-free and for a good price. There is no question that Honda has the reputation of building the most reliable ATVs on the market. The Rancher is proof of this and also proof that many people just want an ATV that works and that they can afford. This is where the new Rancher 420 ES really shines. With an MSRP of $5,499 and the added features, the Rancher will continue to be a great seller for Honda.
The improvements on the Rancher 420 ES carry over to the overall ride and experience on the trail. The bigger motor gives a good increase in power that was much needed to stay competitive and the increased suspension is noticeable. It’s hard not to like the new Rancher 420. It has all of the basics plus a few nice additions like EFI and front disc brakes. This ATV will not blow your socks off and, when pushed hard, can easily go beyond its capabilities. However, the market for the Rancher is the everyday person who wants a good-performing ATV that comes with some nice features, isn’t going to break down, and has a fair price. The Rancher 420 has good low-end torque and Honda’s ES (electric shift) transmission allows you to control the powerband for hill climbing to trail riding or pulling a trailer around the farm. The ATV handles very predictably and the suspension soaks up the basic stuff allowing for an enjoyable ride.
Honda may have been worried about what response they would get by changing one of their most popular ATVs in history. But they don’t need to worry much as everything new on the Rancher 420 is an improvement on an already winning formula.
I have been gathering up some great heads for our upcoming 2008 King’s Calendars. I was recently at Mark Hogan’s house taking pictures of his great Utah velvet buck. This monster mule deer scores 264 gross and is 37 1/2-inches wide. What I really like about it is it also has a tremendous 217 typical frame to boot. Mark’s buck was also featured on the cover of our Hunting Illustrated Magazine back in January (Jan/Feb 2007 Issue) and will be featured in our upcoming 2008 King’s Mule Deer Calendar.
Mark was also able to get his hunt captured on film and has some great footage. Christensen Outdoors has recently released their new hunting DVD, Big Bucks Vol. 2, which has the footage of the Hogan buck. A great DVD that you can buy right now in our Video Vault. Click here to order on-line or call us at 800-447-6897.
