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These things absolutely rock. We had them when deployed to Iraq, the 700 Model . . Fast! We jumped up, raced, and caused all kinds of trouble! If they didn't cost as much as a chevy aveo, I'd buy one.
@me and the sysop: The Mules are pretty nice, much more utilitarian though. I prefer the Raptor 700 in sport form, fast!
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deaths and hundreds of reported injuries, some of which were serious, many appear to involve turns at relatively low speeds and on level terrain
It sort of sounds to me like they need to think about redesigning the things, not passing out bicycle helmets and kneepads.
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@WiglyWorm: Although, I also note that many of the people were hurt b/c they didn't wear their seatbelts. What kind of idiot hops in an ATV without strapping in?
@WiglyWorm: Do the helmets come with a waiver? \"By accepting this helmet I release Yamaha from any liability in the event of my death or injury.\" Sounds like a scheme...
@WiglyWorm: But that would cost too much money. It is cheaper to give away helmets and slap a sticker on them that says \"Don't drive to fast or you might die!\"
Were the slow speed, level terrain rollovers on pavement? they usually have warnings not to ride four wheelers on pavement because it changes the handling characteristics. Basically the tires cant slide so instead you tip. Im guessing that people have the tendency to drive these things like a go-kart.
@Aladdyn: It could be that or it could be the fact that adding accessories changes the center of gravity.
People use these on their hunting leases, adding gear racks on top, extra seats that are high up in the bed so you can look over the top, etc. Stick a couple of 250+ lb good-ole-boys up high in the bed and you've changed the COG significantly.
@Canino: I'm not sure exactly where the engine is located on one of those, but based solely on the picture on the article, it kinda looks like it already has a relatively high center of gravity.
@WiglyWorm: I think the center of gravity is already necessarily high because they're made to go off-road. They need the frame to be pretty high as it is.
But the one in the picture above is bone stock. Add a hunting tower in the bed and put Buford and Clevis in the tower and a couple of deer in a cargo rack on the roof...you get the idea.
They are fun to drive, though...kind of like driving an old army jeep in that you don't really worry about whether it will get there as much as whether you're getting tree limbs in the face.
@WiglyWorm: The engine is under the cargo bed. They use a little watercooled V-twin.
I used to belong to a soaring club that used one of these for ground-towing gliders. It worked pretty well except for being finicky to start in cold weather. Since someone had to hold up the wing (gliders only have one wheel, in the center) rollover wasn't much of a risk...you couldn't drive it any faster than the guy holding the wing could walk.
@David Brodbeck: Actually now that I think about it, I think the one I've used was a Kawasaki Mule, not a Yamaha Rhino, so I might be completely wrong about the engine.
@Aladdyn: This is absolutely true. These things can be driven like go-karts on loose dirt, but anything other than that, you must adjust your driving style.
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Not for anything, but that little thing looks like a deathwish to me.
But I'm a cautious old lady now.
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What's the \"repair\" going to be? Attaching long outriggers on the sides like they do when testing vehicles for rollovers? I also think the advice to \"stop using it\" is overkill. Just be cautious.
@Elcheecho: The first post of this thread is from a guy that used one of these in Iraq. And as a former military man myself, I would bet money that means that he and his buddies abused this shit out of them. How is it that they got away with that without death and dismemberment and yet this report states that accidents occur at \"low speeds and level terrain\"? Well, I suspect that they based the their assessment of the conditions of the accidents on the (now sober) injured victims' accounts.
@HiPwr: Oh you are so right about abusing the hell out of these. We had a constant procurement of parts. But, we never had a single crash on these. Now the regular ATVs resulted in multiple deaths. . .
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Cases like this come up every 10yrs or so.
The modifications may help, but this kind of equipment, by virtue of being made capable, is capable of being dangerous. I blame pressure for sales, lack of knowledge, and buyer egos.
Most of the ATV injuries I've seen not related to alcohol consumption have been a direct result of too much gas and too little skill/training. Watching people arrive with mint, race-capable equipment and no experience is downright scary.
If you don't know, ask. About training, about putting starters (beginners) on starter bikes, about keeping your wits, and safety gear. The most uncool thing? Watching your nose planted flat into the face of a dune at 50MPH. We used to call these events \"fireworks.\" Then we quit riding weekends & holidays.
@HiPwr: \"Yamaha's repair includes the installation of a spacer on the rear wheels as well as the removal of the rear anti-sway bar to help reduce the chance of rollover and improve vehicle handling, and continued installation of half doors and additional passenger handholds where these features have not been previously installed to help keep occupants' arms and legs inside the vehicle during a rollover and reduce injuries.\"
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We used to have a ton of Rhinos on Manas Airbase, Kyrgyzstan. Risk of death was minimal there given the Air Force had a 5mph speed limit on base, 10mph speed limit off base.
ZOOM ZOOM ZOOM
@Preyfar: OK, on-base, I can see (maybe) the speed limits being observed. Maybe. But outside? 10mph?
Were I a 20-year-old wearing a semi-auto rifle in a war zone, I'd find these speed limits (forgive my civilian-talk) snark-worthy.
Bonus points question: would I get my ass thumped bloody by some cigar-chomping sergeant if I said, \"But that suggestion is snark-worthy, sir!\"
@Preyfar: Haha, at FOB Remagen, Iraq, we had these all over the place. It was common, if you were on night shift, to just take it out and do stupid stuff at like 3:00 am. . .
The repairs are plastic training wheels to stop it from tipping
Repairs = Please contact your closest dealer to have your limbs reattached after a rollover
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There are idiots who ride these things (and even noisier ATVs) in my residential neighborhood. I propose a recall and retrofit to make them more likely to roll over and maim the driver...
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@segfault: This. I live in full-on suburbia, nothing but asphalt for miles, and still see people riding through the (residential, 25 mph) neighborhood at 30mph with their 6yo kid on the back and no helmets.
@segfault: What's more fun are the people who ride through your property with quads and snowmobiles.
@segfault: Yeah, but think of all the extra hosing blood and viscera off the pavement that residents would face.
There's some of this going on in Indiana. When there are counties that have large rural areas, the county will allow ATV use on public roads because farmers use them. These allowances apply to the cities within the county as well. Usually, a city ordinance can be passed, but it just takes time to get the support and have it introduced.
@trrwilson: In fact, I just saw a website, let me try to find it, that shows you what counties in Indiana you can ride your ATV on the street. Oh it was on the DMV page off of in.gov.
So a helmet will help if you snap your neck?
I'm glad that Yamaha \"took the matter seriously.\"
Unfortunately, too many of our population are idiots. I'm willing to bet that the people that roll these things are the same ones that drive their SUVs and lifted trucks like they are Miatas and Civics.
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Does anyone know if these things require a drivers license for on-road use? The only reason I ask is because I seem them all over the place where I live, usually in the bike lane or soft shoulder of regular public roads and all over residential streets. Quite often the drivers are clearly kids, not old enough for a drivers license.
They were especially prevalent when gas was $4.00 a gallon back in the summer. The drivers were also very often inconsiderate, kicking up dust and flinging rocks into the regular traffic lanes.
@JayDeEm:
They're noisy, too. Not as noisy as a 4-wheeler or dirt bike, but a lot louder than a normal car. A modest proposal: Automatically deploying spike strips for the above-mentioned vehicles, along with all cars and motorcycles with straight pipes.
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I've never seen anyone sober on one of those.
Last time I checked, Yamaha wasn't forcing anyone to ride these things. So just stay off of them and you won't die.
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This story has been up ALL DAY and STILL has more than one typo.
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The problem is very likely not the machines but the drivers.
I can guarantee that the problem isnt the machine you will find noone who rides a rhino harder than my cousin and I we both have 700 s and do some of the dumbest stuff you can do with them but we know how to ride and we have never had an injury,were the people who got injured of age to drive and wearing their seatbelts? probably not! its called common sense some people should try to use it every now and then.
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<3 the kitties :D
@Oranges w/ Cheese: I like how they added the black kitty behind the ATV of Death, so that it crossed the path of a black cat...