Kawasaki Mojave vs Suzuki lt230 vs.....
 

Hello all, I have a brand vs brand question and a "better option" question.

So currently I have a 1985 Kawasaki bayou 185. It runs good an I have had fun on it but I quickly wanted something a little more...grown up? Anyway I have been looking at a 1992 Suzuki lt230e and a similar year Kawasaki Mojave 250. They are both chain drive, 4 stroke, 2wd, and light (>400 lbs.) I like the look of the Suzuki more but I obviously want the "better" quad. Which would you choose and why?

Furthermore if you can recommend a better ATV then those two here are my requirements.
-2wd or 4wd, doesn't matter
-250cc or under
-chain or shaft, doesn't matter
-4 stroke
-LIGHTWEIGHT, under 400lbs! (my bayou weighs 320 and it's hard to lift into my tuck alone)

I am answering you as a sport atv rider. I have no experience on 4wd or utility machines. I have ridden both of those machines and you cannot go wrong with either one. I do however prefer the Mojave because it does have stronger motor (larger cc). I also like that it is water cooled. What you will notice on the Kawasaki, is that the rev limiter seems to kick in too soon. You can remedy this by adding an ignition module off of a Kawasaki KLR motorcycle. I don't recall which size. Either way, they are both good quads.

Thank you, which would you prefer for tight technical trails? And which would you say is more comfortable to ride for long periods of time?

I agree whole heartedly with nachop. The Kawie has a lot more motor which tends to be more fun in the long run. It also has a manual clutch vs the 230e that is a semi auto foot shifter. As for all day comfort, I'm not sure either will have a huge edge.

Well I prefer a auto clutch and a manual transmission over manual both. So maybe I'll go with the 230, I'd get the lt250R but it's 2 stroke. Also I prefer a pull start to a kick start...

The Mojave is a DOHC motor so its is more techy and should have more get up and go over the SOHC 230.

Sorry, I made a mistake when reading your post. I was assuming that you were talking about the Suzuki 230S Quadsport which has a manual clutch. They also made a 230 Quadrunner, which is the 230e you mentioned. If this is the case, there is no question that the Mojave is the better choice for sport riding. It has been a long time, but I seem to recall that the Kawasaki was less tippy. This may be a tire issue as I believe the stock Suzuki tires had a rounder profile. I did prefer the suspension on the Mojave because it was stiffer. If you aren't very heavy, the Suzuki suspension might suit you better. To answer your question, my choice would still be the Kawasaki. Make sure you ride them both so you can decided which is the better machine for you.

Oh man thank you that is a great reply! I'm 6 foot and 170 lbs, pretty much the only riding I'll do is tight technical trails, and small amount of open gravel road, never been to the dunes, as I have never owned a quad before. But I'd love to go! But it's sounding like Mojave is the right choice!

You are very welcome. Being 6', you most definitely need to test the machine. Try several tight turns, ride it in reverse and get a good overall feel for it. You might feel a bit crowded. One thing I did remember about it that you will love is it's balance. Very easy to wheelie forever on it and for an older machine, it jumps like a charm...very easy to make mid-air corrections. Either the Suzuki or the Kawasaki would make a great starter quad, but I am certain you will outgrow either of them quickly. Good luck, and post what you decide.

Well to avoid outgrowing them, what is a bigger better option? I do like Polaris scramblers...the 500 HO 4x4