I was down at the local Kawi/Yamaha shop yesterday and was picking up my parts when the dealer tried to tell me how great the new KFX 700 was and how there was nothing out there that would touch it. After attempting to have a heart to heart conversation with these guys and trying to convince them that there was no way the quad was putting out 49hp at the rear wheel I finally just turned around and walked out the door. How stupid do these guys really think we are? I get tired of everytime I walk in the door being hasled about the latest and greatest super hp quad.

That aside I did take a look at the quad, and I'm sure it will fit some people quite well. But I'm having a hard enough time switching from a 2 stroke to a 4 stroke. You better believe I would never buy a auto trany quad. Shifting is half the fun. According to the recent mag reviews about the "New Dune King quad!" It makes me wonder. How are you going to sit on the top of a dune hold the clutch in and shoot a roost 30 feet in the air with a KFX 700. IMO there is no way its going to be the new dune king.

A side from a little common sense here. Wouldn't riding a high performance quad with automatic be kind of like sticking a auto trany on a Dodge Viper, corvette z06, or a gsxr 1000? You got to be kidding me. I could possibly understand trail riding with an auto trany, but I think the manuf. thinking they can target the high performance crowd as "Dune King" obviously missed there mark.

Something else I'm curious about, why would you make a quad that heavy and call it a good jumping machine when jump height + more weight = increased danger. I think the ATV market needs to take more lessons from the sportbike market sense obviously the technology is trickling down hill from the sport bike market. And the sport bike market for the last several years has been in a fearce battle over weight. In most cases less weight = better performance. Eventually there will come a time when ATV's will win races based on weight as are the sport bikes in AMA.

 

I remember my dad telling me the exact same reasons why he would never buy or drive an auto car.

I think you just look at the future.

 

You obviously havent ridden one hard......I live 20 minutes from Columbus-----I would guarantee you that I could pick you apart on an MX,XC,TT track with the 700. Now I am sure you would beat me in a drag race though, the 700 top end does flatten out. I do agree with you though about the dealers being full of it, especially around here. None of them have the slightest clue about ATV performance. I can totally see how you think the V-Vorce would be a joke, I honestly thought it would be to before I signed my contract with them. Once I got to put some hard hours on the quad I realized that it is for real. Yes it is heavier, but there is also more power there to compensate for the weight. It does jump well also

 

Well thats what the ATV manufactures are arguing as well, however I can understand a car having an auto trany. just not a Viper or Ferrari. Compareably we are talking about the cream of the crop of high performance ATV's. At least thats what the recent "New King of the Dunes" article in the mags seems to emphasize.

 

greenteam maybe then again I could stick a better rider than I on my quad and he could probably pick you apart on your 700. My bike is set-up and was raced in MX events. anyways... Its all relative.

 

you are right,rider makes the main difference

 

cctman

I don't believe I've seen the occasion for a Dodge Viper, corvette z06, or a gsxr 1000 to climb a crazy incline in hard dirt / roots / rocks...

I've not seen a high performance car take a 30' tabletop...etc...

("I'm sure it will fit some people quite well") It fits good (great) with me.....love to jump this thing (it's nice and stable in the air and on the approach) and I've noticed that I don't have to go much faster than my Rappy or Predator friends to get air / distance.....love to pull a wheelie whenever I want (CVT is quick to respond) and ride it as long as the road will take me.....The Force is constantly in the right gear (So you never worry about downshifting in a scary climb and pulling your front end over your head).

It may not be the ULTIMATE SPORT QUAD (or dune quad) ...but it sure is a blast to ride and in the top of list in fast performance quads for sure.....I find myself more in love with this machine each time I ride...and continually find it surprisingly easy to control / ride for its size. Geenteam said it, "more power there to compensate for the weight"

Don't knock it 'til you try it for awhile....

 

I switched for an hour with my brother and rode his Banshee while he tried out the 700. I couldn't wait to get back on the Kawi. Except for the 2-stroke rush, the V-Force is better in every conceivable way than the Banshee. I was tired of shifting after about 10 minutes and you could feel every little pebble on the trail.


Quad Pics

 

I find it funny how many people are picking apart the CVT tranny. They seem to operate just fine on sleds with 150+ horse power....

 

It is just a lot of old school thinking. If two strokes were the badest, the best, why are "so advanced" dirt bikes going to 4 stroke? Two strokes have their place, but in my opinion are fading into the past. Yes, the 700 is heavy, but when a stock 500 lb v-force will take a piped and jetted 660 Raptor there is something to be said. As for the auto trans, just more old school thinking. I have never been dune riding, but I would imagine dune riding is riding, not poping the clutch to do sand roosts. It is like a top fuel dragster... when they burn the tires off, it looks cool as hell to see all the smoke, but when the light turns green and the guy that puts the power to the ground passing the line first, he WINS. The guys sitting on the line just spinning just LOST. Just ride one and try it...