it's never an issue until it's an issue- once you spend a few hundred miles on a new england trail riding an SRA atv- you'll be heading to the dealer begging for an IRS atv

 

Haha. No, I think it will be fine. I don't dislike it or claim SRA is superior in every way, but I don't think SRA is so bad you just can't stand it. Nobody's gone to the hospital because of the severe beating they took from an SRA quad.

 

I think independent rear suspension is like power steering on a quad...if you have never had it, you won't miss it. I started on a Kodiak 400 with single shock swingarm. Riding at HM I was coasting down a large hill getting ready to head up the biggest hill we would see that day. On the way down I heard a loud pop. Slammed on the brakes and looked around...my swing arm had split into three pieces. We used a tow strap and tied the pieces back together and pushed, pulled, and babied the quad the three miles back to the truck. First two miles the rear shaft was still connect and it could be driven very slowly. Then the shaft came out of back of tranny and it got ugly towing a dead machine through those hills. I sold that and bought an 08 King Quad 400 with SRA and Carb. I love the machine! My brother rides an 08 Big Bear. While also a great machine, I don't like the foot shifter and the super low gearing. It is a workhorse with the gearing! For me, I trail ride around 1,000 miles a season and have never once wished I had IRS. I like the sportier feel of the SRA. You will love your new King Quad. If you bring it home clean, you aren't having enough fun.

 

Thanks Mudslinger. I think they are all great ATVs, no matter the setup!

 

nope- if it's not yellow, then it's junk.

 

I agree with the power steering/IRS quote. If you never had it, you won't miss it. Also there are fewer moving parts on the SRA to go bad. Double the CV joints, axle boots, a-arms, bushings, etc. on the IRS models. That's the one downside to the IRS models. Of course that being said, that's what I have-LOL
Just goes to show there are plusses and minuses to both.

 

If your not riding on very rough,slow rocky trails like we have than you will not feel much ride differance between a SRA or IRS on smoother trails. I,m sure I would not feel the power steering advantage if I rode wide high speed gavel roads all day as well.

With IRS I like not worrying about rocks over 6" high, I can go straight down the middle of those rocky trails not zig zag around every rock that can not fit under the rear diff's 5.5 ground clearance .

 

Most of my terrain is unimproved roads, bushhog trails, etc. Not any real large rocks or anything.

IRS is great but I'll have to wait until the next one.

 

I can tell you some advantages the Eiger/KQ has over the Big Bear.

The Big Bear are geared to low for recreational riding, they scream in top gear at only 40MPH. There manual shift and I had both manual and Automatics. Trail riding and not constantly shifting to be in the right gear for a certain trail condition is alot nicer.

The Suzuki can have a taller gearing for faster riding because it has a low Range for those times you need Big Bear pulling grunt. I would of picked the Suzuki also.

 

Wow...I must really have something...I was at 52-53 mph with mine while at Hatfield McCoy!!