Reliabilty question yamaha 600 & 700's

Illinoisff133

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Ok, so Im getting a newer sled here in the near future, and I am obviously getting a yamaha. I want something 97 and up. I have done my research and know that the 500 and 600 twins are just about bulletproof. now what about the 600 and 700 triples? I really like the vmax sx alot, it is a 700 and has triple power, and isnt powervalved, which is another thing that could go wrong. Are these quite reliable sleds? and does the same go for the 600 triples?

Thanks,
Justin.
 

I can't speak on the 600 triples as I've never owned one. The 700 non-powervalved triples (aka redheads) in stock form are 100% bulletproof, IMO best 2 stroke motor ever made. Many redhead 700's go 5000+ miles easily without rebuild. I tore mine apart at 7400 miles, turns out I had a cracked piston skirt, but it ran just fine the day I took it apart. Guys on here have redhead 700s with 11,000+ miles on them and have yet to crack the motor open. I would'nt be afraid to buy one ever.

I think you will find that many many many guys on here will tell you the same thing.
 
thanks, i had heard that before, i just wanted to make sure, I plan on keeping it stock, the only thing i would do is throw a rumble pack on it because i like how they sound. my buddy had one with a rumble pack and his plugs were still a dark chocolate color, so it wasnt running lean. Can you stiffen up the suspension in the back or put an xtc shock on them? I am about 250 so I dont want it to sit too low.
 
Illinoisff133 said:
Ok, so Im getting a newer sled here in the near future, and I am obviously getting a yamaha. I want something 97 and up. I have done my research and know that the 500 and 600 twins are just about bulletproof. now what about the 600 and 700 triples? I really like the vmax sx alot, it is a 700 and has triple power, and isnt powervalved, which is another thing that could go wrong. Are these quite reliable sleds? and does the same go for the 600 triples?

Thanks,
Justin.
The 600 twin in 97 and 98 is garbage. The 500 is ok as long as you don't mess with it IMO. Triples are all bulletproof.
 
I owned a 99sx600, first year of the 600 triples, and it ran like a top up until I sold it with 6500 stock trouble free miles. Smooth running engines to say the least.

Good luck with your search.

YS
 
Unless I am mistaken there was a crank bearing issue on the 97's?Mabey it didn't affect all units I don't know,I had a 97 700 SX and it was sweet,sneaky fast and real decent gas mileage.I only kept it a year and traded it for the 98 SRX I have now only because I just had to have it but the 6 and 700 triples are a very good engine so don't worry about durability issues at all.
 
Bad pto bearings on 97 triples. It was fixed on the 98,s. These are the best 2 stroke motors yamaha has ever built.
 
xsivhp said:
The 600 twin in 97 and 98 is garbage.
NO sir!!!! far from it..

my/our twins are/have been out standing, trips are smoother and better on fuel but reliability twins are just fine also if not modded all the hell,yamaha did there home work.
 
The twins; especially the 600 was more reliable after updated pistons in 97. They are brutally hard on roller & weight bushings in the primary clutch
 
Turk said:
The twins; especially the 600 was more reliable after updated pistons in 97. They are brutally hard on roller & weight bushings in the primary clutch
Yes....right
 
Turk said:
Bad pto bearings on 97 triples. It was fixed on the 98,s. These are the best 2 stroke motors yamaha has ever built.

Also check for water pump leakage on the 97 triples. I agree with Turk, these motors are two of the best. The 600 twins were not the best on fuel and in stock form all of the other manufacturers 600's ran circles around them, but still a very good reliable engine, hey it's a Yamaha.
 
Last edited:
Turk said:
Bad pto bearings on 97 triples. It was fixed on the 98,s. These are the best 2 stroke motors yamaha has ever built.

Was there a recall or a factory modification campaign on those, or is it just one of those problems that everyone knew about? I never heard about those when i was wrenching, probably because of the 4 stroke revolution lol
 
I know my dad's xtc 600 was slow. nice sled but slow. I've also seen a lot of pro action chassis 600 twins blown. I guess stock they probably were decent - after all - they came from yamaha with a 3 year warranty.
 
I have a friend who sold his 2000 Mountain Max 700 triple with 20,000+ miles on it a few years ago. Still ran like the day he bought it when he sold it.
 


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