I'm trying to decide between a Kawasaki Prairie 700 and an Outlander 400. I really want rear independent suspension... but I also want enough power. I currently ride a Predator 500 but need something I can ride longer distances. I ride primarily in WV about 4 times per year... we ride 100+ miles per day. The Predator wears me out but I love the power. I know the Outlander 800 is available... but I don't trust first year bikes... especially when they cost crazy $.

My main concern w/ the Outlander is its ability to accelerate up hills and not bog down... I ride pretty hard. Can the Outlander be setup to have great low end and mid range? I really don't care about top speed. Also... how much difference is there in the ride quality between the Prairie and the Outlander?

I can get either bike for around $5500 new.

 

Here is another option. Kawasaki is releasing a 650 Brute Force with IRS. That will give you everything you want. The engine is tried and true and the suspension supposedly is better set up than the 750 BF. You won't need anymore power for hills than that.

 

I have a 400 outy and the ride is great. It has good mid range power, my top speed is abt. 52-53 mph on the level. My friend has a 400 prarie and it takes off like a rocket and is fast. I was considering one until I rode it on the trails for a long distance, I couldn't wait to get back on the outy. One thing I didn't like about the prarie was when I went over a bump my thumb would hit the gas and the machine would jump. The other was the ride. In my opinion I believe I would have no problem keeping up with any machine on tight trails due to the excelent handling and good midrange snap, of cource I wouldn't be able to compete on straight runs with more powerful machines. I believe the prarie is a good machine and my friend likes it alot, it just not for me.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

If I put a clutch kit in the Outlander... can I get better low end and mid range? If so... will it be a big difference? I'm mainly interested in 0 to 40 mph performance and the ability to accelerate up hills... top end really doesn't matter.

I'm leaning towards the Outlander... I can get a leftover 2004 demo for $4600.

 

My GF has an outy 400 and I have test drove a kawi. The outy is fun to drive & is MUCH more comfortable (to me). There was no cush to the kawi seat. The outy feels more solid than my sportsman. The only prob in 1000 miles on the outy is the front brake pads were down to metal and had to replace. She does not ride the brakes but we do alot of mudding. The kawi will definatly out power the outy but you will have no problem powering up hills. Since that one is a leftover DEMO I believe I would certainly take it out & "demo" it some more.

 

I know I couldn't justify buying a quad with a 400cc single cylinder engine over a quad with a 700cc V-twin for the same price, that's 300cc's of engine.. almost twice the size. No matter how much better the Outty 400 rides I would never buy it over a Prarie.

 

5500 for a new 700 prarie is a fantstic price, my friend paid over 7000 for his and with taxes, winch etc he has almost 8000 in it.

 

How can you even talk about a 400 bomb in same thread as a 700 kawi?

 

The 400 bomb is really no bargain, I find 5500 a little low, but if you can, go for it. And how much power do you think you need, do you weigh more than 225 lbs?

That 400 is probably more like a 450 or 500 of some brands and their new rear end looks good.

AtvAction magazine just gave the bomb outlander 800 a better review than the kwi brute force 750i. How this extrapolates to the Prarie 700 and outlander 400 is not clear, but I would guess it would go the outlander in most categories, albeit the 700 should have an edge in power and probably burns more gas to boot.

Why not look at the AC 500 or the new yamaha kodiac 450 if you are not wild about these other bikes.

 

Why dont you wait for the Outy 650. BRP had it on there web site for a few day!!