Has anyone seen the test on Honda's new 700XX in Quad Magazine? I must say that I don't think I have ever seen a new ATV that has gotten such negative reviews.

Here's just a few that made me take note:

"Since this machine (and especially its engine) will invariably be compared to the Yamaha Raptor, I'm going to give you my initial gut comparison between the two. The Raptor feels more powerful overall in every area of the engine's curve (low, mid and top end)."

"Riding the machine in the dunes with all the soft power-robbing sand probably didn't help matters very much. But even when riding on the hard-packed desert terrain, it still didn't pull very hard. Top speed was impressive, but the seat of the pants acceleration I was hoping for just wasn't there."

"I cant seem to find a whole lot of nice things to say about the suspension or steering either. ... EIther the rear shock's spring rate was too stiff or the damping was off (or both). ... The shocks were set at the softest possible setting, but the ride was really stiff. ... I found that the ride was too choppy and overall was pretty harsh."

"The back end also danced a bit more through long series of whoops than I liked."

So did Honda completely miss on the set up of this quad? It is going to be interesting to see what other magazines have to say about it, and especially what actual owners have to say about it on the forums.

What's with Honda these days anyway? I owned literally dozens of Honda's back in the CR 500 days, and they were the best you could get. Honda seems to just keep missing the mark more and more lately though. You probably shouldn't put to much stock into what just one magazine says though.

Could someone please go buy one, and post an owner's review of it. Thanks.

DV

 

There was a guy that called himsel HONDA 700xx on these fourms that said he had one but I think it turn out to be a hoax! thread I think I even got suckerd into it!!

 

Several reviews have stated that the engine has no low end to mid power. It is highly likely being a 700cc, that Honda severely detuned this engine to keep folks from wheelieing it out from under themselves.

I suspect some simple mods will perk this engine up where it will be more than competitive with other machines of this displacement. This is especially true seeing it is a slipper piston design with low reciprocating weight.....on paper this engine should absolutely scream, so why doesn't it???

As far as the frame design, I think they absolutely combined the wrong features! The frame screams rutted rocky trail quad, yet they built it big and heavy instead of lighter, smaller, and more agile to fit between the trees.

Honda says that its target market for this machine is the utility rider who wants a more sporty 2wd ride. Now, some utility redneck who is use to riding an 800 pound mud monster may consider 500 pounds to be "light and sporty", but you aren't going to get the same opinion from someone who is use to riding a 350 pound 450 class sport quad!

 

A few more thoughts....

We haven't seen a new Honda sport quad since 04, and what do they give us but a big heavy warmed over 2wd utility quad....

Honda figured there was money to be made in utilities! They came out with the 400EX in 99, then they abandoned the sport quad line and for years put all their efforts into giving us one more utility after another...with some highly complex transmissions that required a lot of R&D effort. (I know a guy who works in LA for Honda corporate, and he says they didn't even want to release the 450R in 04, but Yamaha forced their hand with the YFZ.)

I hate to see that Honda has wasted even more R&D efforts on this turkey, which has a very specialized niche (rocky rutted eastern trails)! I think this design was based on outdated late 90's marketing research. The IRS sport quad idea might have flown back then when even IRS utilities were rare, but they are way late getting it to market and the concept has already come and gone.

Now, the sport quad segment has taken off again, and Honda is behind the times having once again wasted their R&D in the wrong places! Honda...retune this engine and put it in a light SRA frame where it belongs!!!

 

the guy that sold me my outlaw has a 700xx, and he said it handles good and is very comfortable to ride, but there is no way it could be compared to a 700r or a kfx700. the 700r is the biggest and baddest quad on the market and the kfx is more of a racer crossed with a utility giving it a unique position in the field of sport quads, what does this new honda do?... nothing. if your a pure bread racer then the 700r is for you, if you dont like uncomfortable gear and clutch manuvers and like the weight of a utility then the kfx700 is for you, but the 700xx is just a way for honda to claim to have a big bore quad on the market. i think they should have invested that money on a more genious idea, i have heard that its a good weekend trail quad, but that doesnt mean its ready to jump in the ring with the big dawgs just yet, mabye if they give it more low end and put a straight axle on it then it would be worthy...

honda needs to step their game up a little higher then that...

 

If you look in the new [June issue?] ATV SPORT magazine and I'm shure others in the 2nd or 3rd pg there is a Honda add for the new 700xx I think it is called king of the mountain and it show a 700xx on top of a hill above a 700r and kfx700. So you know who Honda is trying to market/compete with!

 

This 700 to 700 comparison stuff is just silly! It is the frame design that determines how it handles, not the displacement. Hell, a Rhino is a 700 so are we going to compare it to that as well????

The Raptor 700 is the only true sport quad in this displacement. The KFX is a big pig, and as was said it is a crossover utility design, but it is SRA. So, the only thing in the same class as the XX is the IRS Polaris.

 

Have to remember about only 5-10% of people ride on dunes or even ever see one. A straight axle has low enough ground clearance with a differential ,but add a rear chain sprocket and the clearance is worst and it can,t take the rock hits like a differential.

Honestly I have see hundreds of ATVs on our trail and the only sport ATV I see was a very few Scramblers and I seen those get towed out because a boulder knock the chain off of broke the sprocket. Sport ATVs just can,t sell here even the show rooms have none on the floor.

The 700xx is more of a Sportier ATV option that can handle rough trail along with the Wolverine but its not out to take the king of the dune crown but it does have its market.

 

Sorry guys but I did not specifi that that was a Honda add! Its all fixed now.

 

Wow! We actually agree on something recon. Is'nt really more a comparision to shoot it out with an outlaw (sport quad with IRS)?