Hi everyone! Once again thanks for the input. So I am gonna answer a couple of the questions that came up :

I mainly am going to be riding in the SoCal area, with occasional trips up to the Norcal coast. So that includes Glamis, Gorman, Palm Springs, hodge Road, Pismo and many others.

Also, went down to a Kawasaki dealer tonight(sells multiple brands), it seems the KFX 700 is not shaft driven, but belt driven. According to the dealer the belt drive and the chain drives are superior to shaft drives due to the lag in throttle response in the shaft driven machines. they also concluded that the belt drive was superior to chain drives in big bores because they last longer, but of course are more expensive to replace.

Also, while out at Glamis, I did take note of the types of bikes out there, and they were predominately 250-450cc chain driven machines. And yes, the bike I road was the 250 2-stroke. I did get a chance to ride the 450 Quad Racer 2-stroke briefly. this one did ride significant;y differently, it also had a twist throttle, which was very different and I guess now are no longer available on any new bikes.

So this next paragraph will mainly be for those who own and ride the KFX 700: while riding in sand or on dunes do you have any issues with the weight of the vehicle? Are you able to stay ahead of the sand while riding parallel in a bowl, or does the big bike bog down significantly?

Keep in mind as well that the dealer is also suggesting the KFX450r, so he's not just telling me what I want to hear about the KFX700.

Thanks!

 

BTW, the analogy that was used about the 700 being like a 450 with a 150 lbs passenger, doesn't quite workout....the additional 150 lbs is surely off-set by the larger displacement engine, producing more raw hp's and torque.

Where I am concerned about the weight is obviously if I roll it, land under it or somehow get it stuck. the dry weight is 516lbs, probably around 570-600 fully loaded out, compared to the 450's in the 364-390 range dry....any feed back from those who have ended up in some of these situations with the KFX700 would be appreciated.

 

Sounds like you and your dealer are kind of confused!!! The automatic transmission on the KFX700 is indeed belt drive, but the final drive is shaft (just like a utility), rather than a chain!!

http://www.kawasaki.com/Products/Detail.aspx?id=236

 

Don't be fooled, there is a replacement for displacement! Any of the 450's will leave the Kawi 700 way behind in the dust. But, when you are lugging around an extra 150+ pounds of dead weight iron, you are going to need those extra cc's.......

In the sand, you want to be ultralight, and float along on the top. Look at sand rails, they are stripped down to the bare minimum to get rid of any extra weight. The 450's are the best in this department!

Another thing to consider is suspension! You will eventually come to appreciate suspension when you are out bashing big desert whoops all day long! From your list, the Kawil has the least to offer in terms of suspension....

Another issue is that the Kawi has no engine compression braking at low speed....that is to say that it freewheels when you let off the throtle (so it's all brakes, and no help from the engine on a big nasty downhill!). On the ones I rode, the guys who owned them were clamouring to find different clutches that would improve that situation.

Are you getting the idea I am trying to talk you out of the Kawi??? Dude, it's just one huge clunker......

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: badhemi06



So this next paragraph will mainly be for those who own and ride the KFX 700: while riding in sand or on dunes do you have any issues with the weight of the vehicle? Are you able to stay ahead of the sand while riding parallel in a bowl, or does the big bike bog down significantly?



Keep in mind as well that the dealer is also suggesting the KFX450r, so he's not just telling me what I want to hear about the KFX700.



Thanks!</end quote></div>

I own a KFX700and ride in the sand at Little Sahara UT, Walden CO, and St Anthony ID, I have NO issues with the weight of this quad, I have owned and ridden smaller displacement 250-400 cc, quads in the sand, so I am familiar with what I am talking about. The quad will run a big bowl great, just point and shoot. It does not bog down. It is different than a 450 class quad, but you can not really compare the 2. IMO, it is a great quad and would not trade it for anything currently out there.

 

badhemi-Are you a huge guy who feels like he actually needs a huge machine???? If I were, I would take the Can-Am DS650 over the Kawi, or better yet the Raptor 700 if you must have a big bore......

 

Unfortunately I don't have much in the way of sand or dunes near me, but my experience with the 700 tells me if you ever do get it stuck, better have at least one buddy along to get her out. That extra 150lbs turns into what feels like 350 when they are stuck in mud! They definately have more of a utility feel to them when riding, I think they are nice quads but don't really like how they handle or feel. You should definately get a little seat time in on the big Kawie to make sure it will be your cup of tea.

Suzuki never made a 450 2 stroke. Did you ride a LT500R also known as the Quadzilla, or the new 4 stroke 450? There has never been an OEM twist throttle on a Japanese atv that I can remember, and definately never on the Suzuki race machines. That would have been an aftermarket option.

 

Hi All,

Thanks for all the input. It is greatly appreciated, please keep it coming!

ReconRanger: totally get what you are saying. I did some reading and yes, the final drive is shaft on the big kawi. No, I am not large individual, so there's not a physical need for the additional size/weight of the 700, just the idea that its gonna be more comfortable and easier to ride in more situations. to be honest, in all the reviews and articles I have read and even the marketing material from the manufacturers, the biggest selling points on the 450's is that they are either "race-ready" or close to "race-ready" right out of the box. I don't need that as I am not gonna be riding it liike that, and yes, even the dealer is trying to sell me on a 450. As for the other big-bores you mentioned I have attached a link to Quad magazines big bore shootout article. Interesting read what these experienced racers had to say. Overall they rated the Raptor 700 first, then the KFX 700, and last the DS650.
http://www.quadmagazine.com/article.jsp?ID=21018169



TMM2GOOD: Thats great information to know and have. Realizing that you can't compare the 450 to the 700, I am assuming here that the 450's glide over the sand where as the 700 is gonna push through it. Is that a reasonable jump in logic?


ScooterRider86: Yup, you're right, it was the 500 2-stroke QuadZilla. Definitely had the twist throttle grip, so yes, it must have been an after-market add on. And my buddy LOVES that bike. he is a HUGE Suzuki fan and wants me to get their R450.

 

Don,t worry about power loss with a belt drive. I raced my 500 belt 100lb heaver ATV against a 500 manual Foreman and 500 Vinson and smoked both ATVs from start to finish with a faster top end as well. If manuals have a advantage in performance its well hiden.

 

TLC: Great point and good to know. But can that big kawi keep up and perform adequately in the dunes against the lighter 450's? I am not tlaking about beating them, just in a group ride can it keep up? Go the same places etc....