Yamaha Grizzly 350

• Video

After I brought the Grizzlies from Ljubljana to Kranj, of course, on the way, I wondered why some people might have this cross between a car and a motorcycle.

Why? First: the maximum speed, which at full throttle is about 75 km / h, is achieved by a 50 cubic meter scooter without blockages. ATV is slow. Secondly, during rush hour it is impossible to slip past the column on Tselovshka - an ATV (when viewed through the eyes of a motorcyclist) is wide. Thirdly, he should not have led a passenger to the seat. And fourth, because the four wheels are relatively short distance apart and because of the lack of differentials on the axles, it doesn't handle the pavement very well, especially in faster corners. ATV (on the road) is clumsy.

At home, I open the instructions booklet and read that the ATV is not intended for off-road driving, but only off-road. We know what it means to drive a car in the field in our beloved country. HM. ...

Yes, nothing, work is work, and a test needs to be done, but at 0 degrees Celsius, I dressed warmly and pulled the Yamaha out into the snow. About 25 inches named it just a few days ago. For the first time, I fall into a thick, plowed pile of snow, and the red Bear burrows in a few tens of centimeters.

I shift to reverse (the lever is under the steering wheel on the left, you have to press the rear brake pedal to engage R), I add throttle and the unit starts making a strange "trolling" sound, which reminds me that four wheelers have reverse speed lock. And rightly so, because I can imagine what happens if, for example, at a speed of 20 km / h in reverse, you suddenly turn the steering wheel - nothing good for your health.

I’m still waiting for an elderly walker to walk by, and I feel stupid as I sit on a red toy buried in a pile of snow on a wet and cold winter day in an Eskimo costume. Then it dawns on me that this Grizzly has a miracle button that mechanically connects the drivetrain to the front wheels.

Ho ho, but that's a different story altogether, as permanent four-wheel drive allows me to easily get out of the trap and then cut through that pile of snow on the second try as if it wasn't there. Finding the steepest snow-covered slopes becomes fun, and after about an hour I come to the conclusion that this poor man can climb as much as the Defender, with whom we did similar pranks on the same terrain with a camera many years ago.

In short, it's all about climbing. With a great automatic transmission that works just like it does on scooters, driving is a force to be reckoned with as the single-cylinder four-stroke engine pulls as soon as the thumb lever moves just an inch. The first moment was a little lazy, but then, given the cubic capacity, it is quite lively. It only stops when the driver is stuffed in his pants due to seemingly impassable terrain, or when he gets his belly stuck in the snow or (don't try this, even if the bottom is protected) on a rock.

To enable the Grizzly to be used for work, there are tubular barrels at the front and at the back with a capacity of 40 and 80 kg, and a towing hook can be attached to it. In front of the steering wheel, there is a simple dashboard that displays speed, as well as total and daily mileage. The last counter is set to 000 by turning (but not pressing) the button. Uff, when was the last time we saw this? The single light, which is a prerequisite for proper road homologation, is lit on average, and the direction indicators are well hidden behind pipes so you don't break them on close collision with branches.

If he had a weekend, perhaps a small farm in the village, he would probably trade dusty pasquales for something like a grizzly bear. It works very well as an aid, but it can be fun at the same time. Much like pickup trucks.

Technical information

Test car price: 5.550 euros (unapproved version 5.100 euros)

engine: single-cylinder, four-stroke, 348 cm? , air-cooled, Mikuni BSR carburetor 33 mm.

Maximum power: np

Maximum torque: np

Energy transfer: continuously variable automatic transmission, propeller shaft, axles.

Frame: steel pipe.

brakes: two discs in front, one drum brake in the back.

Suspension: 4x single shock absorber.

Tires: front 25 × 8-12, rear 25 × 10-12.

Seat height from ground: 827 mm.

Fuel tank: 13, 5 l.

Wheelbase: 1.233 mm.

Weight: 243 kg.

Representative: Delta Team, Cesta krških žrtev 135a, Krško, 07/492 14 44, www.delta-team.com.

We praise and reproach

+ transmission operation

+ field facilities

+ mud protection

+ space for luggage

- weak brakes

– very spartan outfit

– moderately sporty quad only

Matevž Gribar, photo: Saša Kapetanovič