Newbie here. Just wanted to share my experience with the v-force... or, should I say, my disappointment with. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-mad.gif[/img]

First off, a bit about myself:I'm 5' 4" and 150 soaking wet (not the typical v-force owner). I started riding @ age 6 on snowmobiles, got my first dirt bike @ age 12 (Yamaha BW 80- lol). I've owned several dirt bikes, and a couple street bikes (`84 KZ700, `94 CBR 600) over the years (age: 31), and one quad (`87 Honda TRX 250R). I work on everything I own- bikes, quads, cars, you name it. I've always been a horsepower junkie, but never had the cash (or credit!!) to own anything worth writing home about. I've been a die-hard 2-stroke fanatic since birth, until `02 when I bought a DRZ400S. That brings us to now...

Bought my green machine in January. My expectations of huge amounts of arm- stretching power were met with a bit of disappointment. I loved the look. I loved the whine (just like a force-fed small block!!). BUT, I was not impressed my first ride. I figured, it's tight- she'll break in, THEN get ready! Well, once the snow melted and the mud dried (less wet...), I was content with the power, although, still not what I would have expected. I mean, this is A V-TWIN 700!! In a QUAD!!

Now the part that really pissed me off: One week after bringing it home, on a SLOW ride through the woods, I watched my tie-rod turn into a pretzel. I could see if I were WFO through a field of boulders, but I was putting along (riding with my ol' man) and felt NOTHING in the handlebars that would have made me think I did any damage. I called up the dealer (warranty), and had to drive 35 miles to drop it off for 2 days, only to have them tell me "Kawasaki will not cover this due to abuse above and beyond normal riding". ABUSE??? WTF!!

So after bitching for a bit, I got them to sell me a tie-rod for ten bucks, which calmed me down. Then the guy goes: "Sir, we can install that for you for fifty bucks". BWWAAAAAAAAHAAAAHHAAAA!!!! Yeah, right.

That was back in January. I don't have much time to ride, seeing that I work 55 hours (minimum) a week. So between then and now, I'd say I've gone out probably 5 times for an all day ride.

At the beginning of the summer, I went riding and had my day end with a separated tie-rod end. Then, about a month later, I had the machine just about start splitting atoms when the radiator became plugged solid with mud. 2 days ago, my day ended with a SECOND bent tie-rod. Now it sits, awaiting it's fate...

When I bought this machine, I expected the chassis to be as tough as the motor is big. Granted, I am not easy on my equipment. I ride hard, and I ride fast. I ride on some tough trails-- similar to the Blackwater 100. Other machines I have owned, for half the money, have stood up to the relentless beatings. My buddies were jealous when I fist bought my machine. Now, they all comment:"What's gonna break today, man??" and "Good thing YOUR the mechanic!"

Needless to say, I'm pissed. Six Grand- for what??? Granted, this type of riding is more suited to a 4 x 4, but I've done this my whole life! We always rode motocross bikes and quads on rocky, muddy trails with only minor damage over the course of a season of 4-days-a-week riding. The V-Force is history as of this point. Putting her up for sale. I'm interested in the Brute Force, but am I going to get the same deal? A huge motor and a tin chassis? I'm soured on Kawi at the moment.

Sorry for the endless rant, but I had to vent before an explosion!!

 

Sorry to hear about your dissappointments but I've gotta say your statement "I expected the chassis to be as tough as the motor is big" totally confuses me. The only negative thing you mentioned in your post concerning the chassis was bent stock tie rods. The stock tie rods are known to be weak by anyone that has even read a little on the V-Force. This is why there are at least 4 companies that make stronger aftermarket tie rods for the V-Force. As far as the rest of the frame I could point you to guys that have been racing rocky GNCC courses all year to MX tracks where they are launching the "V" over 50 feet with no structural failures of any kind....and these are non-gusseted stock frames. I personally beat the heck out of my "V" and I've never had a problem other than the stock tie rods....once I put on the aftermarket rods I haven't had any problems. On the power issue the "V" in it's stock configuration is so de-tuned both in the intake, exhaust and mainly the clutching I would have to agree with you. Put on different pipes, open the airbox up a bit, re-jet and most of all put a different primary spring in the clutch and you are talking about a TOTALLY different animal.

 

I agree with Mark whole heartedly..I have raced my V all season in the GNCC and when I am not racing I am beating the heck out of it in the mountains of NH....
The only thing I have done is bend a tierod. But changed them out to some beefy ones..Although my quad is highly Modified suspention wise and clutch wise..Its all I can do to hold on to this thing..Granted I am not going to win any land speed records but I will put this quad up against any quad in a 200-300ft drag...Not that I drag all that much..But for woods ridding there is no other Quad...


Mental State

 

Actually MentalState, you're one of the guys I was thinking of. Hey, it's almost time to pull out your snowmobile conversion for that "V" of yours.....what an awesome set-up!

 

I must second the V support - bent tie rods got replaced with aftermarket ones and no other problems -
your separated tir rod end might have come from your replacment of the bent tie rod - I got the correct tool and did it without damage - and I replaced both at the same time

clogged radiator? yes. I ride Florida swamps and trails (in between hurricanes) and the mud is as common as uneducated voters down here. If you ride in mud on a kawasaki, make sure you are flushing the rad. fins after every ride

I love my v-force 700
I love my prairie 650

sorry you are having a tough time - hope this helps ...

BTW - if John Kerry is the answer ... it must be a stupid question

 

Bent tie-rods & dirty radiator...
That's not too bad for off-road machine and for type of riding you do. Cosider yourself lucky. It could be much worse.

 

My whole issue is: I paid 6 grand for the latest greatest technology, and Kawi couldn't have installed beefier tie-rods?? Sure, I can spend $120 for a set which would be the last set I'd ever need to buy, but why should I? I work hard for my cash--and there isn't a whole lot of it.

I was planning on doing the mods, over the winter, that you guys mentioned, but this was the last ride of the season for our group (the state forest closes for the winter to off-roaders), and having a tie-rod go on me right when I was really getting in to it really pissed me off. I used to take my 250R through the same stuff and I NEVER had the radiator get plugged, or had any front-end issues. If something bent or broke, it was minor enough to continue riding. I'm just soured on the whole thing right now. Made me think about a 4 x 4 as a replacement. For the type of riding I do, I think that will be the way to go. I got winched out of a mud hole by one Sunday (a Prairie)-- this guy had no problems in the mud![img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

 

Smitty, a Prairie isn't a bad replacement for the "V" considering the riding you do. A buddy I've been riding with has one and he can go mudding all day long and then hook up with us "sport quad" guys and throw that Prairie around almost like a sport quad.......lots of power and I don't mean just torque I mean "snappy" power. If I had the $$$ I'd have both my "V" and a 4x4 and that 4x4 would definitely be a Prairie. Good luck with whatever you decide.

 

hey <FONT face=Verdana size=1>MentalState, how is the thing in the snow with tracks?</FONT>

 

Mark82ndAirborne -
I did exactly as you mentioned - I have my prairie 650 4x4 for the mudding and my 700 V force for flat out ripping up the trails
The 650 can/does act like a sport bike in most ways -

The cost is high in this sport, especially when you have to replace parts that should be stronger from the factory - the tie rods are weak on the 700 - but this the only problem I have heard about ...