I'm in the market for a sports quad. I have been on line looking at all brands and they all have there pros and cons. Ive had dirt bikes and all of them have been Kawasaki. I have road other brands as well. I was wondering if I could get some input on what quads are best and why. I have even been to the motor sports shops but of course they are all just trying to sell there product. I'm a big guy 6'6 290 so I want something that I'm not going to have any issues getting around on. I'm curious about the 450's and bigger in all brands. I want it to be a manual transmission. I'm buying a used quad so any info on which year models are the good ones would also be awesome. Thank you all for your help.

 

Can't go wrong with a Honda. I'm 6'3" and 250 and my 400ex is fine for me. If you want take a look at the 450.

 

The Raptor 700 looks like it's bigger than all the 400s and 450s but all I've done is look. You'd have to sit on all of them to be sure.

 

I think the Raptor 700 would be a good choice too. More displacement is a good thing too over the 400 and 450 quads. If I wanted a manual clutch sport quad, the Raptor 700 would be at the top of my list. The Honda 700xx is similar as well and would be a great choice too.

 

I see where you said manual trans., but you ought to find a kfx700 Kawasaki and sit on ,or ride it. it`s a torquey, belt drive, but it`s very easy to get used to, and to get a little more power out of it. their detuned all to hell stock ! it`s the most comfortable 4 wheeler I`ve ever owned, " out of about a dozen." mine will run about 70, and that`s fast enough at my age. not many places you can hold one wide open very long around here anyway. riding areas really suck around Tulsa, w/o driving a long ways ! they can be found really worth they money too !

 

I assume that's what he's looking for, a manual clutch sports quad. I thought about getting a Kkx700 before, could have gotten a really nice one a couple years ago for around 2 grand. I like the comfort of the utility quads though and the extra ground clearance and 4x4.

 

yes, they can be found for $2000-$2500 . very good ones at that. I would rather have a big bore 4 wheel drive, (too expensive for me now) but this is close. torquey - fairly fast after a few mods - roomy for people over 6 ft tall.
the belt drive is very easy to get used to. makes loading one in a tall p/u very easy compared to a clutch. I ride w/ guys that have 450 suzuki quad racers, and have no trouble keeping up, or close enough .

 

I would say you really have 2 main choices if you want a big quad, the Raptor of which I recommend any version of the 700, or possibly an older ds650 by bombardier (now can am)

A 450 or 400 class is also an option. Try some out and see how it feels if you can. Bar risers, different bars, and extra seat foam can give you a little more room if needed.

My issue with the kfx700, is it feels, weighs, and rides like a ute, but doesn't have the ground clearance or 4x4. If you desire that direct connected feeling of a manual, a cvt will likely leave you feeling underwhelmed. This is just my opinion of course, I just don't feel the kfx is a good alternative to someone looking for a true sport quad

 

Some big bore utility 4x4's aren't that expensive if you don't mind getting something a bit older. The Grizzly 660 and Suzuki King Quad 700 can be found sometimes in the $3000 range. I paid a little less than that for my 660. There was a King Quad 700 a bit farther away with less miles and a winch for $3000, which probably was a better deal but I didn't want to drive 2 hours to look at it. An older Brute Force 650 or Prairie 650 or 700 was another one I looked at too. I think one of these would be better than a kfx700 as they offer similar power but better ground clearance and 4x4 while the solid rear axle makes them feel a bit sportier than the irs models.

 

I had a 700 kingquad and really liked it. it was pretty darn fast too. would like a 750, but they are way out of my price range now. the kfx700 "does" have way more ground clearance than any other sport bike, about 10" in the front. it`s kind of a tweener, between a sport bike and a utility.