hey 700cc.
i have both quads and the engine braking is way better on the honda then the kawi.
and as for power YES the honda feels slow after riring the 700p.
the rubicon is a great trail quad.
but the 700p is better.
IMO.
i like the honda for the ride.
the honda rides smoother by a long shot.
the reason is that the kawi is a belt drive and it revs lots and viberates more because of the reving.
the honda is nice and smooth and only revs when you pin the throttle.
the honda dosent have the power of the 700p.
but it after a full day of riding the honda im not tired like i am after a full day on the kawi.
the sheer power of the kawi will get you through almost anything you throw at it.
the honda will get you through also but not in the same manner.
i also read on this thread that the honda is a better trail quad.
it might be a smoother ride on the trails but its not better.
my kawi will out do the honda on any trail or on any hill and i think its as good or better then the honda in all departments except the tranny.
and i dont find it any more tippy then the rubicon.
if kawi put the rubicon tranny on the 700p that would be the most butt kicking quad out there.
IMO.
i like the honda for the transmission and the smoothness.
i like the kawi for the power and its abillaty to do what ever you ask of it.
the honda is likea cadillac the kawi is like a viper
the honda is fun but the kawi is more fun.
as for relyabillty i think the honda will out last the kawi.
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as for the rincon the three speed tranny and the lack of engine brakeing was why i got the rubicon over the rincon.
why they put such a crappy tranny in them is hard to understand.
they say its a trail quad but in first gear you can do over 20 mph.
now who gos over 20mph on a tough trail that you can only do 5 to 10 mph on.
and i think the lack of engine braking and a low gear would suck on the trails and any kind of hills that you need to go slow down.
hey thawk.
sorry to here your not to happy with the rincon for going down hills.
other then the going down hill how do you like it.
when i was looking at them i liked the way it looked and felt when sitting on it and i also liked the all aluminum A arms and suspention out back.
and the price was the thing that realy turned me off the rincon.
it was $11,500 cdn befor taxes.
the rubicon was $10,499 cdn befor taxes.
and he came down to $9,700 on the rubicon and he would only come down $400 on the rincon.
do you think it was worth the extra cash over the rubicon.
PS.
i hope your happy with the rest of the quad.

 

Just in defence of the rubicon, my statement as it being a better trail machine was "If steep down hills were involved" and second, the kawi should have more power, it has a 200 cc bigger motor.