10 Frequently Asked Questions About the Yamaha YXZ

Question 1: What are the pros and cons of the Yamaha YXZ?

Answer 1: The Yamaha YXZ is a great machine, and in terms of durability and performance, it’s hard to beat. But it’s not the best machine for every rider and every situation (no machine is for that matter). The YXZ was designed for short course / tight trail racing, but it can still achieve other ends with the right aftermarket alterations. If you’re on the fence about getting a Yamaha YXZ, here are some of its pros and cons.

Pros of the Yamaha YXZ:

• Fun to drive.
• Corners amazingly – great for tight trails.
• Very reliable when taken care of.
• No belt to worry about.
• Easy to get into and out of.
• Comfortable seating.
• Great sounding machines.

Cons of the Yamaha YXZ:

• Rougher ride without any suspension mods.
• Not the best for rock crawling or mud.
• Limited storage.
• Basic setup both inside and out.

With a CrawlBox or portals, you can do decently well in the mud with a YXZ – and these are the minimum requirements needed to turn 35” tires in peanut butter mud. Fast-pace riding is what the YXZ does best – be it on roads or at the dunes – and it’s great for running higher gears at lower RPMs. When you start going slow however, you need to be extra careful and responsive so that you don't burn up the clutch.

Question 2: How does the Yamaha YXZ compare to other side-by-sides?

Answer 2: Most side-by-sides require very little skill to operate… the YXZ is not in that category. As such, many riders complain that it’s not good at hill climbing, mudding, or rock crawling. Although you can install a heavier flywheel for climbing, or a 70/30 gear reduction for mud and slow rock crawling, out of the box, the YXZ is designed to be a driver’s car. If you want total control and a true hands-on driving experience, you buy a non-SS Yamaha YXZ with a clutch pedal. But if you want something that you can just hop in, slam the pedal to the floor, and go where it takes you, almost any SxS will do.

The YXZ is a sport side-by-side, but it lacks a low range and a 4-seater option like other manufacturers offer. But aside from the Honda Talon / Pioneer, almost all other UTVs are belt driven. Many Honda Talon owners complain about doors rattling and a poor stock air filter system, while the KRX is a bit too big and heavy to run on the tighter trails out there. With the YXZ, Yamaha fills the gap as a driver’s car at an affordable price point with plenty of mods to accommodate any riding style while still being cheaper than the competition. The YXZ is just fun to drive compared to other SxS brands. It corners well, the visibility is great, and the user control is unrivaled. Although it’s not a rock crawler like the RZR or X3, it sure is a rock bouncer that will go almost anywhere the others can go. Does it need a little gear help for the steep and slow crawling stuff? Sure. But it can do a lot more than just dunes and desert. And with some Weller Racing dual rate springs, the ride quality can be massively improved. In terms of both dependability and affordability, you get a lot for relatively little with a Yamaha YXZ compared to other UTV brands!

Question 3: What are the best starter accessories for first-time YXZ owners?

Answer 3: As mentioned earlier, a few aftermarket modifications you can add to your setup for an improved ride quality and better performance at slower speeds include portals / a CrawlBox for reduced gearing, while aftermarket clutches / clutch parts are sometimes added as well. The stock YXZ clutch is soft, and takes some getting used to. As long as you don’t ride it, though, it shouldn’t go out on you.

For safety, many riders install aftermarket roll cages and harnesses on their YXZs. And if you have a pre-2019 YXZ, things like a Barnett clutch, a modified basket / pressure plate, an Avenger driveline, and a DLP alternator might be in the cards. For on-trail entertainment, a sound system can be added to your YXZ, and with an aftermarket exhaust and ECU tuner, you can both sound awesome and go faster in your buggy!

Question 4: Where is the Yamaha YXZ battery location?

Answer 4: The Yamaha YXZ battery is located under the center console between the seats.

Question 5: What’s the best way to grease the rear coupler on the Yamaha YXZ driveline.

Answer 5: There are a few ways to grease the rear Yamaha YXZ driveline coupler. Needle greasers can work, provided that they’re fine enough and long enough, but you could also jack your rig up a bit, loosen the rear differential, pull it back as far as possible, and lube it up with Moly – making sure to tighten the rear differential back up and to zip-tie both the big and small rubber seals when you're done. The drive shaft is spring loaded, so you can push it back towards the transmission to reach more of the splines. Aerosol greases such as Kimball Midwest Penetrating Grease will work as well. They’re a fluid when sprayed, but thicken up to a grease-like consistency after being sprayed.

Question 6: What tire pressure and tire size should I run on my Yamaha YXZ?

Answer 6: There is no single correct Yamaha YXZ tire pressure for every terrain and every type of tire / rim. You can run a lower tire pressure with beadlock rims, but note that the lower you go, the higher your chances of getting a flat tire. With the mushy and thin stock tires, you can run anywhere from 15-30 PSI. Although going lower can help with traction / forward bite, so too can reducing your low-speed compression and preload.

Sand riding is a different story, and the right tire pressure will depend on whether you’re drag racing, hill climbing, or dune hopping. Lower tire pressures (in the range of 10 or even 5 PSI) may be appropriate for such situations. But if you’re bombing hardpack sand trails where rocks and roots are prevalent, more tire pressure will help prevent flats!

Where tire size is concerned, you’ll really feel the additional rotational weight of any tire bigger than stock. Taller tires will give you more ground clearance, but they’ll also take away low-end pull and contribute to a loss in torque. If you do decide to run 30” tires, you should at least pump up the power a little and get a heavier flywheel. Without a gear reduction, though, the YXZ will struggle to spin tires that are bigger than the ones they come with from the factory. If you’re interested in learning more about Yamaha YXZ tire and wheel sizes, we wrote an article on that exact topic!

Question 7: Where is the Yamaha YXZ fuse box location?

Answer 7: The factory Yamaha YXZ fuse box is located behind the battery between the seats and under the center console.

Question 8: What is the gas mileage of a Yamaha YXZ1000R?

Answer 8: The gas mileage you'll get while riding your Yamaha YXZ1000R depends on factors such as the terrain, the wind, and the RPMs at which you ride. You may only get 2-4 hours on a tank ripping it up at the dunes (around 9 miles per gallon), whereas on the trails, you may go 100 - 150 miles before running low on fuel (around 14 miles per gallon when mixed riding).

The Yamaha YXZ gas tank can hold 9 gallons of fuel, and the gauge shows six bars, which are approximately 1 gallon each. So when your fuel gauge shows that the fuel is out, you actually have around 3 gallons in the reserve. It can still be scary riding with limited fuel, though, which is why many riders use fuel packs / fuel pack mounts to have emergency fuel at the ready... just in case.

Question 9: Is there a big difference between the various Yamaha YXZ models?

Answer 9: We discussed a few differences between the Yamaha YXZ1000R and the Yamaha YXZ Sport Shift (SS) – the former being manual and the latter being automatic. We also mentioned the difference between the pre-2019 YXZs and the post-2019 YXZs in question 8, with the major changes in 2019 being heavy-duty rods in the motor, reduced gearing, a rear-mounted radiator, lower seat brackets, and a different ROPS.

In addition to the 1000R and SS YXZ trim packages, Yamaha also offers a Special Edition (SE) model of the YXZ that comes with beadlock wheels, bigger wheel hubs, and larger brake calipers / rotors. Moreover, the SE YXZ also has steel brake lines and unique body graphics that match the a-arms, as well as a composite roof on the white SS SE model plus a better / quieter transmission in the SS SE. Additionally, the 2017+ SE models come with different shocks and aluminum brake / gas pedals.

Question 10: What is the Yamaha YXZ lug pattern?

Answer 10: The bolt pattern on any 2016-2018 Yamaha YXZ is 4x110, while the bolt pattern on all 2019 and up Yamaha YXZ machines is 4x156.