I've heard all about the Yamaha Rhinos having safety issues and how people are sueing Yamaha,  But I have never heard about the actual problem. Does anyone know why Rhinos are so unsafe?

little-big_ridER21 said:

The idiot behind the wheel. I think it boils down to people driving them beyond both theirs and the machines capability combined with a false sense of security that since it's like a car they can't get hurt.

Steve

Exactly. My opinion is that these TV spots you see are nothing more than greedy lawyers wanting to cash in by playing the odds that lots of first-time off-roaders are attracted to ANY side by side's apparent ease of use, and that a percentage of those inexperienced first timers are bound to crash one. A percentage of those who crashed one are not about to take the blame thenselves, therefore it MUST be the vehicles fault. Then they see some lawyer promising to make them rich (for a huge percentage) and BINGO! It's like winning the lottery for the idiots.

I am NOT an experienced atv rider (I ride bikes). I did drive a Rhino for 5 minutes about a year ago.

But I have a few questions:
1) look at this you tube vido http://www.youtube.c....eature=related What was this driver doing that was crazy?
2)PRETEND, that Yamaha knew in the maufacturing of the Rhino they could tip over. Just suppose one of their corp executives rolled one and broke his leg. Just suppose the Yamaha engineers cautioned their bosses of the tip over danger. But Yamaha went forward with the Rhino. Would that change your feelings?

Please remember....I am not taking sides I am just wondering and asking the "what if" question.

I do have to admit I have seen some REAL crazy riders on the Rhino on you tube and they have pushed the vehicle WAY beyond its design.

You tube video couldn't be watched.
It said the video ID was invalid.

Let me see if I've got this right: you want to blame the corporation for the use of the machine? BTW, your link doesn't work, so I can't tell anything by it. I have seen enough side-by-side ATV's on the dunes to know that they ARE NOT inherently unsafe. You say they MAY tip over with an inexperienced driver at the controls, right? Put a newbie on your bike and see how that works out. Get the picture? Get in the pilots seat of an airplane and see how far you go. Better yet, put an experienced airplane pilot in a helicopter and then ask yourself if you'd ride with him on his first (and likely last) flight. The point I'm making is that any machine, from a blender to a dirt bike to an ATV to a jet fighter is dangerous when some people with no experience get in them. People not taking responsibilty for their actions when they get hurt and lawyers with no conscience are ruining our country and our sport.

With all due respect you do NOT have it right. I did not say a single word about the experience of drivers. (I did admit that I know very little about them & have barely driven them.) I was only asking how one would feel IF a company knowly put something excessively dangerous on the market. I am not saying that is the case with Yamaha. It may be the case.....it may NOT be the case. I do not know. We all know that somewhere in America some companies have knowingly put excessively dangerous products out there. Did Yamaha? I do not know. But as asked before simply how would you feel about Yamaha (and those suits) IF IF Yamaha KNOWINGLY put an excessively dangerous vehicle on the market?

I will try to figure what is the deal with that you tube video.

once it rolls you can see the dude stick his leg out.  

reminds me of when my dad rolled over his leg on my ATC back in 1983.

Take a look at this...

http://www.thumperta...ad.php?t=479683

Rich is a dear friend, and his wonderful daughter Dani was a very accomplished desert rider and athelete.  I think Rich sums up the issue well...

I think I have that link correct now

johnsand said:

If you do that on a regular utility atv without leaning really hard, it would do the same thing.

The J-ROD said:

I've done that exact thing on a utility quad with the same result. Didn't get hurt but it was definitely MY fault.

Steve

Agreed. Let's all remember here that these things are beefed up golf carts and are just as unstable.

BTW I would expect a bike or quad to flip over in a similar situation.

Come on people, take some personal responsibility!!!

I own a Rhino and almost rolled it the first night I owned it.  They are tippy.  Wider tires make it much less so.

Yamaha knew they had a problem with it so they retro-fitted doors for them to keep your legs inside during a roll-over.

I know 2 people who rolled them over when they first got them.

But that being said I love mine and use it all the time but you do have to respect it.

OMG, these Rhino's tip over so easily!! We just tipped ours, first trip out. Good thing i saw all these internet videos and glad it came with doors. I was passenger and was aware of the danger, and kept my arm & leg inside the rollcage.

Total operator error. Blaming the roll-overs on Yamaha is just a way to find a buck. You can tell by looking at them that they would be prone to rolling if pushed past their limits.

I agree that the roll-bars may give some a false sense of security, but that's the rider's fault.. not Yamaha.

I personally think lawyers should NOT advertise.  I personally HATE these guys ads you see late at night on TV. Or people who try to sue anyone for anything. I also think people should take responsibility for their own actions. Yes there are Yahoos who are drunk, others doing WILD things, we have all seen them. We have seen them tip over and beer come falling out. We have seen them push their vehicles well beyond the limit. Those people are dangerous to everyone.

But.......all the suits against Yamaha are because the DESIGN is faulty AND Yamaha Execs were warned by their people in the design process. The wheels are too close together, it is too high off the ground, the rear wheels are locked together (no slip diff) there is no padding on the roll bar. Their SSF (static stability factor) is way too low, it would NEVER pass in a SUV, jeep or car. http://www.safercar....fd17898RCRD#ssf


I am NOT a lawyer, but I can prove that what I am writing is 100% true.

In the past 3 years there have been OVER 75 suits against Yamaha for the Rhino rolling over, many or on the Orange County Clerk of Courts web site:  https://ocapps.occou...rc=case_src_dtl    Do a search under “business” for “Yamaha”.

NOT ONE SUIT HAS YAMAHA MADE A MOTION TO THROW OUT OR HAVE DISMISSED. EVERY SUIT IS EITHER IN PROGRESS OR HAS BEEN SETTLED, IN FAVOR IF THE INJURED PERSON.

The real interesting thing is this.......EVERY suit against Yamaha, they (Yamaha) gets a “Protective Order”. This order protects Yamaha when they turn over documents to the opposing lawyer. The documents HAVE to be returned or destroyed with in 30 days after the suit is finished. Some of the documents are the amount and degree of testing Yamaha did (if any). Some of the documents are testimony from the engineers in the research & development stages. There is testimony from about 20 different Yamaha executives with damaging comments, including Yamaha’ in house lawyer Roy Watson. Also included are any possible safety features designed but not installed (like doors). This is a fraction of what is in there. IF Yamaha is so squeaky clean, why not fight these suits and set  a pattern? Their current pattern is to settle these cases AND to keep their documents quite. Why file motions to keep SELECT documents secret?

Two engineering firms http://www.renfroe.com/  and http://www.sealcorp....-testing.htmlin have proven that IF Yamaha spaced the wheels 4” further apart instead of tipping over at 12 mph, it will tip over at 30 MPH. (Call them and ask)

The present of Yamaha of France Jean Claude Olivier (an accomplished racer) tipped over and broke HIS leg.......on flat ground. Then he made every Rhino that came in to France have doors (early design, leg minders, diagonal like bars).

Jeep was sued because they had NO padding on the Roll Bars, they started padding them now. The SFI foundation has written roll bar padding standards (originally for cars and jeeps). Specification 45.1; 45.1.1; & 45.2.1: written 2/2/1995 was written because of the Jeep deal. Yamaha has chosen to ignore it. The roll bars have landed on atleast 13 peoples heads killing them. http://www.sfifoundation.com/

Yamaha says do NOT drive the Rhino on black top (or cement), they also say to be very careful on FLAT ground going SLOW speeds. When, where, and how are you to ride them. Yes, Yamaha has admitted they they do tip over on FLAT GROUND AT SLOW SPEEDS.

The reason I know all of this is because my 10 year old daughters skull was crushed (LITERALLY) when a Rhino she was a passenger in tipped. The roll bar landed on her head. The police determined the driver was only going 10 to 12 MPH. They reconstructed the scene, I have the pictures of the land and tire indentations, he was making a gradual turn. This was investigated VERY throually for about 2 months by sheriffs, accident reconstruction specialists, and prosecuting attorney, and grand jury. The conclusion was he was not being reckless in any way.

I personally have talked with the parents of 12 kids who have been killed the EXACT same way. When you see your 10 year old unconscious on a field and thick blood is pouring out of her ears and nose. Then when 24 hours later you have to allow the hospital to turn off the life support and explain to her 14 yr old and 8 yr old brothers that this is the end of their sister, you want answers. When this happens to your family you dig, and dig and dig until either you give up because there is nothing to find OR you find answers.

As I said I feel we all need to be accountable for our actions.......including Yamaha.

Johnsand, with all due respect and utmost sorrow for your loss, I have to say that I disagree with the fact that Yamaha is at fault for this tragedy.  Many things could have prevented the loss of life in this situation.  

1. Was your daughter wearing a helmet?  
2. Any gear?  
3. Safety belts?  
4. Was the operator experienced and of age to be running the machine?  
5. Were any abrubt maeuvers made at speed such as the one shown in the video that was posted? (It seems that the false sense of security provided by this machine with its roll bars and "car-like" feel would lead an inexperienced driver to think that at slow speeds abrupt maneuvers should be "easy" and without consequences.)  We all know that on a quad of any type, leaning is required to help the vehicle turn and reduce the chance of a rollover.  There's nothing different with the Rhino.  It's probably in fact exaggerated in the Rhino given the top heaviness of the roll cage sticking way up in the air.

I've got a hard time swallowing the "it's Yamaha's fault" pill.  Yamaha designed a machine that could be used to pull trailers, go reasonably quickly in a straight line and be a fun, useful workhorse.  It's not a porsche.  It needs to be driven and used with utmost respect and training just like any other OHV, including bikes.  Blaming Yamaha for a freak accident that may or may not have been able to be prevented seems wrong to me.

These are all simply my opinions and I hope we can leave it at that and continue with the thought provoking discussion.

Again johnsand, I offer you my most heartfelt sorrow for the loss of your daughter and wish you peace in her memory.  I can't even begin to imagine what youve gone through.  Godspeed to you and yours.

Ok, If you look at the Rhino or stand next to it, two things are apparent:
1. It's Much Bigger than a regular ATV  2.It has a roll cage   small SUV comes to mind... Now if you were to roll your SUV whilst off road, would you go out and sue the manufacturer? My point is ALL ATV's Dirt Bikes and Jetski's for that matter are DANGEROUS depending how you  operate them. LOGIC says don't operate the vehicle irresponsibly. If you want to be an ass and go beyond a vehicles limits, then you and the vehilce are gonna get hurt.
EG.  a few years back i saw a guy doing donuts on the beach in his pickup truck, needless to say he managed to flip the thing and crushed his arm through the open window.. . How many guys try and Sue a manufacturer if they flip theier quads? You Yanks, seem to be notorious for farcical law suits and BS claims against manufacturers, play with fire and EXPECT to be burned.

oh I almost forgot! That kid aint wearing any gear..its an ATV