These guys have summed it up pretty well. I have a '98 forman 450 that has been trouble free to date. Lots of power, cheap to go to bigger tires (don't have to change rims) top speed is identical between both machines. The forman is geard low, lots of power, but runs out of gear b4 it runs out of steam.

 

Patto, what would you be using it for? If $$ is not the issue, the power of the p650 is incredible. I love Honda and it's reliability, but the prairie is a mean machine. It comes with cheap rims, tires, and racks, but the performance and the ride is great. I have a Rancher, not a Foreman, but we ride with people who have Foremans, and I guess it depends on what you want your machine for. If you wanted it for true utility work, like hauling, or farm use, I would go with the Foreman vs. the belt drive of the Prairie. If you want speed and power and a little more suspension, the prairie is nice. I think both machines are great, but they each have their pros and cons which help you decide depending on how you ride or its use.

 

ATVgurl,

What am I going to use it for ? Well when I think about the type of riding I do I have to say I'm pretty much a recreational rider....I use my atv for some hunting and occasional light work like pulling a sled or small trailer..The reality is most of my riding is trail riding over a combination of smooth and rough terrain. You wont see me getting 10 feet of air off a jump or racing in the sand dunes..if so I would look towards the racing style machines...
Also, I am a Honda fan.. I love their reliability and proven track record. I have had a Honda for the past 6 years without a stitch of trouble, so that sways me toward their product..however having said that I think they are resting comfortably on their reputation without having to incorporate some other things into their machines that I see some of the other makers doing. Obviously they lag behind others in things like ground clearance and top end speed...Dont get me wrong..speed isnt everything but when we do hit that straight away on the trail I hate to be the one picking the gravel out of my teeth at the end...[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]
I have to say I'm leaning towards the P650.

 

Patto - if I had to buy a third, it would be another Prairie 650 ! I love my Honda Foreman, but words cannot describe the difference between the Prairie and the Foreman . . . if the ONLY thing you wanted the machine for was work, I would go with the Honda (b/c although it is lots of fun to play with, it is definitely on the utilitarian end of the scale and has all the reliability you would expect from Honda). The Prairie is a powerhouse, and while it crushes the Foreman in terms of speed and power, it still retains a sportiness that you have to experience to believe! If you have the ability, I recommend testing each one - you will see what I mean after a 10 minute ride on each one . . . long and short of all this, if you can only buy one, and want to play with it as hard as you want to work with it, I suggest the Kawi

Good luck with whichever machine you choose - can't lose on either one!