Yamaha 350 Bruin 4X4
 

Anyone have one of these or know anyone with one?

I will be getting an ATV real soon here and this one (size) seems to fit the bill as it's not huge and heavy like all the 500cc + models, yet has plenty of rack. Dealer wants to deal so I'm starting to shop this week.

I've have and have had Yamaha sleds and have always been happy with them.

Uncle Matt (in IL)

RE: Yamaha 350 Bruin 4X4
 

I looked at the Bruin long and hard before deciding on the Kodiak 400. I'm quite pleased with my Kodiak, and have heard nothing but good things about the Bruin. I love the ultramatic transmission. Don't know if this helps, just my two cents. Good luck on your decision!

RE: Yamaha 350 Bruin 4X4
 

I really like anything made by Yamaha. I have had my Grizzly for about a year, and it has a little over 1200 miles. Most of them have been from brush busting wotj a 25 gallon spot sprayer. My only complaint is that the oil filter is difficult to get to when changing the oil. Other than that, everything works great. It has bumped over hidden stumps many times and never missed a beat, even with several hundred pounds of gear. It is a very sturdy, stable machine, and I would bet that the Bruin is no exception.

RE: Yamaha 350 Bruin 4X4
 

Hey matt, my wife has a 350 Bruin 4x4. So far it has been a very rugged reliable machine.
The only thing I`m not so sure about is heavy towing. I have a Kodiak 450 so any
hauling we do is done with the Kodiak.
The Bruin seems to struggle with a heavy load because it doesnt have a low range,
but I`m talking about big loads. I wouldnt worry a bit about throwing a deer on the
rack and headed to camp.
Just something to think about if you are wanting to do alot of towing, working. The Kodiak
is much better suited for work.
Good luck!!:)

RE: Yamaha 350 Bruin 4X4
 

One of my good friends bought the 4x4 Bruin right when it came out. Its a good four wheeler and holds up pretty good off-road but that automatic transmission doesn't give as much torque or as much top end speed as say a Honda Rancher with electric shift or foot shift.

RE: Yamaha 350 Bruin 4X4
 

The bruins look like a pretty nice bike. I have a 350 Big Bear and it has performed well for me but it is reaching its life expectancy. What about the Big Bear 400's i believe they are relatively new. They seem to be a bit on the heavy side but are a great looking bike. Also i believe these are still shaft driven which is an asset in my books. I would say you couldn't go wrong with the bruin or the BB. Good luck.

RE: Yamaha 350 Bruin 4X4
 

I'm about to get a camo Kodiak 4x4 auto. You should really look into these before deciding on the bruin...

RE: Yamaha 350 Bruin 4X4
 

I am on my second big bear 350. The first one served me well for 15 years of hard hunting ( dragging moose, deer and bear out of the bush) and 2 of my hunting partners also run 350 big bears. We also use them to skid timbers out when cutting firewood. My only concern with the bruin would be the automatic (belt) transmission. At my camp the only failures we ever get are from belt drives that suck in water and mud. If you don't go through much water and mud the bruin will likely drag or carry anything you dare to kill on this continent!

RE: Yamaha 350 Bruin 4X4
 

BINGO!!!!!!

RE: Yamaha 350 Bruin 4X4
 

You hear a lot about belts getting wet etc. but the intake for the belt is at about the same
height as the intake for the carb so as long as your not in water rack-deep, then you are
fine.
I can only speak for yamahas, but if you have a belt get wet and havent gone thru
water that has come over the fenders then you have a duct hose that has come off.

RE: Yamaha 350 Bruin 4X4
 

Thats my point. I routinely go into water that is rack deep and if you don't slow down or stop the big bears just slog on through. I have personally had to winch out 3 bikes out of water. All 3 were belt drives, a yamaha 660, and 2 polaris 500's. I will never own a belt drive for this reason. I don't need speed just bullet proof reliability.

RE: Yamaha 350 Bruin 4X4
 

Do you have snorkel on your bear terry? If you are in up to the racks, then I would
surely think that your air box would be under water too.

RE: Yamaha 350 Bruin 4X4
 

We have been blessed with more rain than usual this year, so there have been a few wet spots. I have accidentally wandered through a couple that were way deeper than I thought (another inch and the muffler would have been blowing bubbles). The dealer had said that they had had slippage problems in the past, but had improved greatly. Evidently they have, because I didn't have any trouble. I was spraying brush, so I would drive up to a plant, stop and spray, then pull up to another one. I know at least once I was in water above the belt for 10 minutes. It never slipped, even with a 25 gallon spot sprayer on the back.

RE: Yamaha 350 Bruin 4X4
 

Yeah, I think the older belt driven machines were more prone to the belt getting wet.
I frequently blow muffler bubbles with my Kodiak, as long as you know where your
belt cooling intake duct is located, and dont submerge it then you should not have any
trouble. Mine is under the front plastic, my intake for the carb is under the seat. The seat
is lower than the front plastic, so if I get my belt duct under water then my carb intake
would also be submerged so I wouldnt be going anywhere anyway...:D

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RE: Yamaha 350 Bruin 4X4
 

what kind of prices are you guys paying for the Yamahas?

RE: Yamaha 350 Bruin 4X4
 

I don't think many of the modern belt drive ATV's have much of a problem with the belts getting wet. Early ones, very much so, and I've heard of a few people having trouble with Polaris Sportsman models.

I'm a big fan of Yamaha, own four of them. A Kodiak 450, two bear trackers, and a Raptor....zero problems out of any of them. The Bruin is a really good utility rig but if you're wanting to add a bit of sport to it I'd check into the Bombardier line......serious rigs, full time AWD, awesome swingarm setup. Stupid plastic racks, but they do have a lot of dry storage. Just my 2 cents.

RE: Yamaha 350 Bruin 4X4
 

wooddust, I paid $5800 out the door on my Kodiak 450 and the wife paid $4600 out the door
on her Bruin 350.

RE: Yamaha 350 Bruin 4X4
 

Thanks...I'll be starting my price shopping on a 450 pretty soon. I'll use the machine first to spray chemicals so I have to have metal front and rear racks. In reading the www sites, its hard to tell who has gonr to plastic and who still has a metal rack. I'll probably also have a winch. Not totally sure on that yet. Probably just another thing that can break. $5800 sounds pretty reasonable...what options did that include?

Ive had experience with an older Yamaha 400...standard shift unit that performs great. I'd like to hear from other owners who use the ATV for farm use...what are your experiences with other brands?

RE: Yamaha 350 Bruin 4X4
 

Indiana Dude-

How is the low end (crawling) of the Bruin vs. the Kodiak. I believe the Kodiak has a five speed vs. the Bruin's Automatic. Yamaha has a special right now. For an addditional $69 you can have either a winch or a plow. I want both.

Uncle Matt (in IL)

RE: Yamaha 350 Bruin 4X4
 

Wooddust, I think you would be very satisfied with the Kodiak 450, they do have metal
racks by the way. Starting in 05 they now have IRS so it should be a little easier on your
butt! I havent ridden one with IRS yet so I cant comment on the ride of the new ones, but
a friend has one and says he likes it much better than his old Kodiak with the solid axle.

Matt, the low end crawling is awesome. The Kodiak and the Bruin are both automatics, but
the Kodiak has a HI, LO, REV, NUETRAL, and PARK, where the Bruin has FORWARD, NUETRAL,
and REVERSE. The low range on the Kodiak comes in real handy for towing, working etc.

That winch deal sounds pretty sweet. I bought a Warn 2.5ci on e-bay for $240, added a
set of Maxxis Mud Bugs and started looking for the nearest mud hole!!:D

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RE: Yamaha 350 Bruin 4X4
 

I have the 2003 Kodiak 450 and love it. I shot a moose last year and had 2 hind quarters, 1 front quarter, head/horns, my wife(130), and my buddy 240, along with my self (230), all on at one time. It was not lacking for power one bit. We had some pretty rugged trails to get out on and had a little trouble once in a while kepping it from tipping over, but a slow pace got us out safe. The rims were almost on the ground. Great machine for everything.