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Hi All,
I haven't seen anything posted on this yet so here we go. The new Yamaha YXZ-1000r Side by Side features a 5 speed sequential gearbox with integrated reverse, front differential output, and a wet multi-disc clutch. Think of an R1 transmission with reverse, without the R1 engine. I have not found any information leading me to believe that there is a center differential, but it is lockable (2WD or 4WD). The input to the gearbox is a shaft, easy to interface with a ujoint. The stock engine makes 110hp but if it is built like most of the other bike style transmissions out there it can take a lot more.
That said this is a brand new vehicle so I don't expect to see bargain basement prices on these things for a while, but who knows?

[youtube] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZp_IaWPzwE [/youtube]

I believe these are usually a spool in the rear and open in the front. But am definitely interested in hearing more. I haven't gotten to ride in the yxz yet but I have sat in one and it seems like a blast. Could be an interesting drivetrain in a road car. Rear engine, 4wd. Cool idea.

As for the engine, if people are intersted in that as well. It is not the R1 engine. It is out of a snowmobile. It is a triple. It sounds amazing. People are turbo'ing them as well.

http://viper.mountainperformance.com/YX ... _p_78.html This company has a great reputation for turbo'ing that motor in sleds.

It sounds very interesting. At 110 HP however, it doesn't really need that extra differential up front. It's funny how people rave about how fast it is in a 1500 lb. quad. Just goes to show that you don't need stratospheric power outputs.

Another motor that I've found very interesting is in the VFR 1200. It's got 170 horsepower with a dual clutch transmission with manual and automatic modes. Unfortunately, they haven't sold many of the darn things, so availability's pretty sparse. Also, I suspect that it's got enough whiz-bang electronics on it that conversion to our use might be tricky.

There isn't a center differential, and the gearbox itself is full time 4WD. The front and rear output shafts are permanently locked together (except that the front is driven through a preloaded clutch as a sort of torque-fuse to prevent the front diff from grenading). 2WD is achieved by disengaging the front differential (the front driveshaft gets torque, the axles don't).



The sensation of speed is a lot more pronounced off road, especially if you're being hit in the face with branches. Having been a passenger in a RZR 800 with a measly 52hp being driven flat out along a goat path through the woods by a very talented driver, I can unequivocally say that 52hp in a ~1000lb SxS is much too fast.