Driving the Yamaha YXZ1000R SS Like a Rally Car at Big Buck

Posted on August 18, 2016

I spent the day behind the wheel of the 2017 Yamaha YXZ1000R SS at Big Buck in South Carolina. The Big Buck property has been used for GNCC races since 1997 and well known for its tight, technical sections, steep hill climbs, open pastures and high speed runs through the forest. Having never been to the Big Buck property and being familiar with the manual transmission YXZ1000R, I would have thought this wasn’t the greatest choice for location.

But the guys at Yamaha knew better. We were going to be testing the new YXZ1000R SS and this was the location to perfectly illustrate the strong points of the confidence inspiring “Sport Shift” technology.

Yamaha YXZ1000R SS with Accessories

After a day’s worth of riding, I can say without hesitation that I don’t think there is another UTV that I would have rather been in today. The YXZ1000R SS is a completely different driving experience from the manual shifted YXZ1000R but still gives you the thrill of banging gears up and down as you navigate the tight, tree-lined hills and fly down high-speed sections at 60MPH. I truly felt like I was a rally car driver all day long.

The cockpit of the YXZ1000R was comfortable. FOX RC2 shocks inspired confidence and never bottomed out. Visibility was excellent. And the paddle shifting was exhilarating.

Yamaha YXZ1000R SS – Ready to Ride Big Buck

It was exciting to test the “Launch Control System” and “Dynamic Clutch Engagement” technologies that Yamaha built into the SS. And I even drove one lap like I was on a Sunday drive at much lower RPMs and the SS never missed a beat and definitely never stalled out.

Yamaha YXZ1000R SS

If you liked the YXZ1000R, but really weren’t thrilled about a manual transmission, the Yamaha YXZ1000R SS is definitely worth a look. It is a completely different animal and so much fun to drive!

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