What exactly is a lakota and what is the difference between it and the bayou? I see from kawasaki.com that they made it for 6 yrs as a utility and 3 more as a sport.

What niche was the lakota supposed to fill? Was it just a sportier bayou?
Where they all chain driven?
Do they have double a-arms or single like the bayou?
Does it have any more suspension travel than a bayou?
Is a lakota more valuable than a bayou?
Why did they stop making it (in your opinion)?

Thanks!

 

The Lakota is what they called a sprt- ute type of quad. But I think of it as a pure recreation machine. I've got one and really enjoy it, it's not a racer and does pretty well in the snow. The bayou was essentially the same thing but with shaft drive, same engine, too. The prairie 300 also used the same engine.........

 

It's definetely a recreational quad, I took the racks off of mine the second i got it home, its been really reliable, awesome on the trails (which i think it was built for), its pretty quick considering its got a 290cc engine, its very torquey, its easy to work on, and the top speed on it with tall rear tires is about 60mph, give or take a few (water truck speed test), ive had mine for a couple years now, but in spring im buying a big engine sport quad, ill keep the Lakota though, it just runs too good to sell

 

I can get one for $500 that the guy "says" needs rings and it smokes, but he hasn't run it in a while,,, blah, blah, blah.... It sits out in the weather too. He says it just needs rings tho, nothing else. I tried to get him down in price because I know it will need airfilter, battery, plugs, bulbs, bored out n new piston, etc,,, but he just put a new rear end in it for $350 and wants his money back plus $150 for the quad. I'm pretty good with engines and don't mind working on them.... what do you guys think?

 

With youtr skills- I'd say do it. You'll be impressed at the toruy power of it...........

 

Cool thanks! Do you know how much they used to cost new?

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>I see from kawasaki.com that they made it for 6 yrs as a utility and 3 more as a sport. </end quote></div>

All they did was take off the back and front racks and call it a sport,the ATV never changed a bit since it was introduced in the mid 90s.

99 vs 03

 

That's a nice link! Thanks!

 

Wow, I have not been on this forum for a long, long time. I used to post as murphyslaw but I cant remember my pass word its been so long.
I looked to this post and had to respond.
I have had 6 lakotas in the past + the one I have now. I have also built 3 for racing in gncc circuts and Hare scrambles for customers that did very well.
In my opinion they were one of the best 4-wheelers ever built. They were way ahead of thier time, but dont get reconized for it. They were the first true SPORT UTILITY in stock form.
The thing with the lakota is that it does nothing great but every thing good. It works well in trails and the dunes. They pop the front wheels up easy. They jump well even tho they are heavy. they handle mud with no problems. They are eas to modify if you know where to look. They also handle chores and farm work with no problems. And are more than ready to pull deer out of the woods. They are very, very tuff machines. Some do have racks and some dont depending on the year. But you can put racks on all of them.


They use the mojave frame and that is a sport frame. But they use a bayou 300 motor that is a utility motor. And no, the bayou motor and the lakota motor are not the same. The lakota motor is tuned more aggressivly than the one in the bayou.

By todays standerds its out dated, but if you need somthing that can do every thing well, for a used machine you cant beat it.

And for thoese of you who dont think you can modify a lakota or a mojave, here are some of the things I have on my lakota:

A-Arms: extended 2, forward 1 from cycle works
front shocks: works performance triple rate springs with smooth piggy back rezevors
+2 extended swing arm from cycle works
rear shock: works performance double rate springs with smooth remote rez
dura blue 2+2 axle
maxis razers front and back
douglas aluminum rims with the front wheels fliped
400ex stering stem with tag fat clamps and fat bar
Scott stering dampener
race cut maier plastics
summit front bumper

MOTOR:
335cc big bore kit with 11 to 1 comp.
high performance 390 lift cam
titanum valuves and springs
under cut tranny
high performance cluch and plates
supper trapp ids2 with quiet core insert


And so much more I dont have time to list it. And I use it every year to haul deer out of the woods on my removable rack.
I can jump every double and every triple I point it at and race it in hare scrambles and win. I can line up at the starting line in the dunes and drag race machines newer and twice my cc and blow them away.
Then go home and do yard work with it.

I dare someone to tell me my lakota isnt a sport!

 

Thanks for all your insight. My only concern right now is the weight. 450lbs is heavy for a sport. Its 150lbs more than my quadsport and only 47cc bigger.

But like you said, its good at everything, but excells at nothing. My 220 bayou weighs 450lbs too, lol. I guess the 1st order of business will be to trim weight.... besides getting it running of course. I'm dreading the carb work. I have a box full of mikuni parts and not a single keihin part to be found. ... and I thought I read somewhere that it is a vacuum carb??? Uggh. Might just buy a new mikuni for it 1st thing.

What is the under cut tranny?