First Ride on the Grizzlys

Well we loaded up the new Grizzlys and headed off to Burning Rock to try and ride all the new trails they have opened. We got a late start and didn’t get to Beckly till after 4 but we figured we would ride till dark.
It was lucky we didn’t get there earlier as apparently they are having some kind of racing there this weekend and not sure how much of the trails would be closed.
First impressions of the grizzly. The large single cylinder is not as smooth as the twin cylinder brute force. I think I traded the whine of the drive belt of the brute for a different kind of noise in the Grizz. The engine braking on the grizz is tight…if you let off the gas its slowing down. On the rare occasion that you actually need to use the brakes they are very,very effective. If you ever wanted to do a stoppie on a utility quad I think the grizz is the one to do it on. Having hydraulics on both sets of brakes is a step up from the cable rear brakes on the brute. The turning radius on the Grizz is a lot tighter than the brute. I didn’t find the ride as smooth as my old brute and I’m not sure if it’s the tires, the ergonomics or the shorter wheelbase. Of course the only real way you could tell would be to line both bikes up and ride trails on one and then go back and ride the same trails again on the other bike. Of course the power steering is just great. We rode over a long section of exposed tree roots that would have been a bitch on our old atvs but the only thing jarred on the new atvs was our insides. Did I mention that we had a thunder storm approaching and we were in a hurry to get back to the vehicle.
Anyhoo it’s a done deal now and I’ll guess I’ll have to just get used to a different atv. You would think that 3 inches wouldnt make that much difference but the grizz feels so much smaller than the brute. We measured the wheelbase and length of the atvs and there is only 3 inches difference between them. After spending the money I wish I could say I loved the grizz but so far..not so much.

Anyway to the pictures


P6110008 by gbobbrown, on Flickr

Jo thinks her new grizzly is a little “spongier” than her old atv. I’d almost bet a set of bighorns will cure that.



P6110006 by gbobbrown, on Flickr

The new section at Burning Rock consists of typical WV trail fare, old gas line roads. The hardest section in my opinion was on one of the blue trails and the single black trail in the new section was mild to say the least. A large tree had fallen and people had stacked stones up on one side of it to get across it and that was the only section that was difficult at all.


P6110003 by gbobbrown, on Flickr


P6110004 by gbobbrown, on Flickr


P6110009 by gbobbrown, on Flickr

looks good Gbob. I will say that the bighorns will make a change. I never rode a Grizz but it's probably like any other thing, it will take a while to get use to it.

Nice pics, G Bob. Its about 90% tires, try playing with the air pressure. Took awhile for me to find a happy spot. When the dunflops wore it got bighorns and was a world of change.....for the good. Depending on what year your brute is, your wheels might swap over. I know the jap atv's used the same bolt pattern, kawi changed there's in 08 I think.

I know I took the old wheel/tires and put on Jos Kodiak but they sit out quite a bit. I was just sitting here thinking I might try mine off the brute to see what they look like on the grizz.

Well at least nothing broke.

We hit out local trails for the first time today. Of the people we saw it was about 98% dirt bikes and sport bikes. No pictures forgot the camera.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/New-Set-4-Maxxis-Big-Horn-ATV-UTV-Tires-25-10-12-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem4840af931bQQitemZ310322893595QQptZMotorsQ5fATVQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories


speaking of big horns. Funny that this number tire is not listed on Maxxis web site. A 4 ply big horn?

Yes... be careful of the "plys" when shopping... they come "new" on the Honda Big Red UTV's.

Nice ride report... enjoyed seeing the pictures. Your unique noise, is it the same with both?

Yeah Wacker, I'm assuming its just the sound of a single cylinder vs a twin.

My BF was a 2005. I am still using the ITP rims I bought for it. On the Grizzlies.
Jo's Kodiak was a SRA, correct? That explains why those rims would stick out too far on her Grizzly. Different offset.
Anywho...glad you got out with them and didn't break anything! Enjoy 'em.

G we missed you at the trail by about 30 minutes. We called it quits early with the heat and storms moving in. Libby said to tell you Hey!!

"3" is a big difference" thats what she said. you are not sure you love the grizzly? I would It got you from the start to the end

Yeah I thought you said you might be heading over. We had planned to ride till dark but the storm ran us in early. And then never materialized

If you figure your going to have at least one set of 25" Horns then you could go ahead
and try switching out one stock sets, then be able to compare both bikes together.

Glad you guys had a good time.
Don't worry, you'll get used to riding it and be a Grizzly disciple soon

Oh and Gump, I thought the same thing

Brown truck delivered a new set of a-arm guards for Jo's grizz and a set of rox risers for mine. They will be bringing a set of 25 inch bighorns for hers next week.
I installed a winch on mine yesterday and I can say that it was a much better system for a winch that the old brute force. You had to completely remove the front bumper on the brute to install the winch. The grizz is a simple bolt in set up..I like it ( did you hear that ... I said I liked something on the grizz...I'm coming around )

Congrats Jo and Bob!! Ya gotta be happy for anyone that gets a new ATV, or 2...

Its just money Lee, its not like I have kids to leave it to

G Bob wrote:

Its just money Lee, its not like I have kids to leave it to

Hey Bob, they make more everyday anyway!
And by now, I think it's not even backed up by gold... I think its backed by how many peanuts or corn kernels we have in this country...something like that

Winch is installed and working. Started putting the rox risers on last night and by rolling the brake handles around I was able to get the needed cable clearance on everything but the cable coming back from the foot brake. I'm gonna make a little spacer for the end of cable to loosen it up just a tad and I should be sitting pretty.

I made the first significant improvement to the Grizzly. I bought some u nuts and matching screws at Lowes to replace the stupid fasteners on the air box cover. What a piece of crap arrangement that is. I remember Zippy cussing them at Utah and I can see why now.

Hey? If you can, please shoot a picture and post.

I'm assuming you mean replacing the 4 plastic screw plugs
that hold down the plastic cover over top of the air filter box.

Two at the rear under the front of seat and two up near the speedo...?

U nut ... mod

Yep thats the ones. Most of the plastic attachments on my brute are made up of those and its a much better solution that whats on the Grizz

Thanks buddy, good idea.

Put the u nuts on both our atvs tonight. No more fighting with those stupid plastic retainers. Also put the finishing touches on the rox risers..me like. I'm actually sitting in the middle of the seat instead on up on the gas tank.
Installed the front aluminum products stick guards on Jos atv..not really impressed with them. They dont cover anymore than the stock units except on the back of the a arms although I'm sure they will be more durable than the stock plastic units. One of the units was poorly shaped and it was a bit of a struggle to get it on. I dont think I'll be ordering another set for mine until I ruin the stock units.

And finally... I put the wheels and worn bighorns off my brute on the grizzly and they are a prefect fit so guess I get to sit those pretty stock wheels in the basement. I knew i should have got a green grizzly so I could be like Jason

If you got Rox Risers what bars did you get?