what machine do you think is a better value? how do they fare in performance?

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sl250r
Senior Member
johnstown, PA, US


Date Posted: Mar 01, 2000 8:14 PM




well i would go with the recon. it is sportier and has more power they also can get power
up kits if you want to go faster and they ride a great wheelie


Kawasaki Lakota stock for now other than sur-tracks back

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I have owned a recon befor I got my 450, and a friend of mine has a 220, this is my opinion

220: great soft ride, really plush......that the only good thing in my opinion

recon: stiffer riding, sharp-crisp turning, handles great, lots of power, a much better machine

I guess the biggest thing that I DO NOT LIKE about the 220 is that when you turn it feels like the front tires are gonna roll off of the rims (and yes there was the correct amount of air in them) When riding together the recon out climbed, mudded, turned, and just plain smoked the 220

Again this is my opinion from what I have experienced

 

Big4x4,

I have 2 '99 Bayou 220's in addition to my '00 Grizzly. I have never ridden a Recon, or ridden with anyone that has one so I can't offer much in the way of a head-to-head comparison.

I rode one Bayou 220 and my wife rode the other, and than it became mostly for our 11 year old son. I am 5'9", 200 lbs so at times it seemed lacking in power, but I am guessing anything in the 220 to 250 cc range will seem underpowered for someone my size or larger if pushed hard enough.

As far as the turning problems mentioned previously, It may have more to do with the tires than anything else. I did notice that when riding with a friend on a 350 Big Bear, a much larger machine, the Bayou 200 could not turn as tight. I made a modifcation by grinding down some of the metal mechanical stop welded on the A-arm that contacts the steering knuckle on the inside of the turn (I hope my terminology is correct) This greatly decreased the turning radius, without any detrimental effects on handling.

I rode with a Suzuki 250 sport quad, 2 Yamaha Beartracker 250's, Yamaha Big Bear 350, Polaris 325 Magnum, Suzuki 250 4x4 and Suzuki 500 QuadRunner 500 4x4. Now sometimes I had to be pulled out, but it usually happened following the 4x4's.

Acceleration is good, better the the Suzuki 250 4x4, and the Beartrackers, and I could ride a wheelie up to 100 feet(if that's important).

I am sure the Recon is a good machine, and arguably better, but if you get a good deal, new or used on a 220 I wouldn't hesitate.

 

I used to have a '99 Bayou 220 which my brother now owns. It's really a great machine, nice suspension, good speed, (around the low 40s), decent torque for a 220. One time last year it pulled my Bayou 400 with my 200 lb. brother on it about two miles through the woods up hills and down, that's over 850 lbs, I was really impressed. The Recon is a slightly larger machine and it has a bigger engine and it costs a bit more. Try both machines and decide which fits you and your budget better, you won't be disappointed with either. I bought mine for $3,000.

 

I own a '97 Bayou 220 that I bought new and a Honda TRX300 (2WD) that I bought used. No doubt the Honda has more power and speed. However the Bayou is a great value if you have no need for higher speeds or to pull heavier loads.

In my opinion, the Bayous are probably the only pure utility ATV's still on the market today. Everyone else has gone to sport and sport-utility. The folks at Kawasaki would probably tell you that Bayous (first introduced over 10 years ago) were never made for speed and thrills.

I have never been very fond of the Recon for reasons that are minor, yet still bug me. The engine makes use of push-rods instead of the more efficient OHC design. It also has no oil filter that can be easily replaced, only an internal filter screen that is only dealer serviceable. The Bayou 220 has both.

If you have the money, I would spend the bucks on either a Honda 300 or Bayou 300, the Bayou probably being closer to what you are going to pay for the Recon.

Good luck.

 

I would have to go with the bayou 220. My uncle has one and he ride with me and my friends (who all have sport Quads) and he can keep up somewhat. I have ridden them before and the seemed that they were lacking power. other than that i think they are a good quad.

 

Recon all the way.. my friends 220 is a nice ride but gets smoked by the recon.

 

Deffinitly the Recon because it is just simply better and because it is a honda

 

We have ridden both, purchased the Recon. It seemed to have more power. The Kawi just seemed like a kids ATV.