There are 8,800 posts under the Kawasaki heading and 22,000 posts under the honda heading. And of the 8,800 kawasaki posts a lot of them are complaints about overheating or belt issues. The honda heading (I'm assuming honda has more market share and therefore more of a following) has its share of complaints too, but Kawasaki has more. I'm looking at a Prairie 700 but don't want to spend 7 grand on a piece of junk. The rincon has its share of criticism too. Is the prairie a machine that will last 10 years or so if not abused? Honda has a better reputation in this regard.
Everyone says to drive , go by feel and get one that suits your needs. Well I like the prairie but am really leary of spending the money on a machine that will require a lot of maintenance or nickle and dime me to death. What do you think?

 

Well I have a 2002 Prairie and have 2200mi. on it and it has been a good bike. I'm still on the first belt and the only repair was the bushings on the driven clutch. I hear that the new 700's have a different clutch on it. I run my bike hard but I take good care of it. I keep the belt adjusted to specs and I don't go muddin to often. Yes there is a little more maintainace to the Prairie but I think it is worth it. The Rincon is a good bike but that three speed trans. and the lack of low range and little engine brake keeps me from considering one. I guess it depends on the type of riding you are going to do, all I know mine has served me very well.

 

10 years is a long time... I have an early '02 model 650 Prairie... at 1100 miles ( of abuse ) I had to replace my 1st belt... as it turns out the '02's secondary clutch was redesigned for '03, as it was a poor design... my 1st real repair was to replace the secondary clutch... I really ride mine hard... mud race, hare scramble race, work it around the farm, pulling things that would work a 1/2 ton truck...

as long as you take care of it, it will take care of you...

I know your concern... I used to mud race Jeeps, & IMO, all of these new big ATV's have too much electronics... but they all seem to be doing it the same, so one brand is likely no better than the others in that regard...WAM

 

I know 10 years is a long time but finacially I would like to make a good decision. All of my personnal vehicles are 15 years old or older. I make fair money, I guess I could afford newer ones, but I prefer to buy things that will last. I don't mind doing some maintenance, but I don't want to get a lemon either. A lot of guys are super brand loyal on this site and I can understand that. I'm just trying to make an informed decision. I deal a lot with cars in my line of work and certain brands like hyundai or mitsubishi engines, especially those used in late 80's to mid nineties 90's dodge products, are habitually smoking and have more mechanical problems that others. I know someone out there has one that has half a million miles on it with no problems, but that's the exception. I'm just trying to get a feel for kawasaki reliability and longevity. Is there a consumer reports site for atv's? or a customer satifaction rating site?

 

I can appreciate your concern. I research everything I get involved in. With the internet you can get pretty wound up in it.
Reliable, or Un-Reliable, If you do not like the machine while you ride, you will be unhappy. The Rincon and the Prairie are 2 totally different machines. You really need to experience both. I venture to say that most of the problems of the Prairie are belt related and only because how they are ran. If you run a sport utility machine like it is a racing quad, wheeling, jumping, drag racing on a regular basis, and all that with much bigger tires., Well......?
I will plug for the Kawasaki. I have owned many over the years and have never been disappointed.

 

I don't see a problem with the engine at 10 year's depending on how much you ride really, ring's maybe, A drive belt/ torque converter set-up will NOT last 10 year's unless you ride only every now and then, I had 3000 miles on my 650 when I traded, I would guess the Sheaves had another 1500-2000 miles on them top's before they needed relaced, the belt's?? depends on how you use them again, if you take care of them 2000-2500 miles should be normal for a belt.....If you plan on having ANY atv last for 10 year's, ANY one of them, you better baby it..otherwise you will have to work on them and make repair's every so often.......

 

..Hey Longun...check out the new '03 & 04's Suzuki Vinson 500cc liquid cooled 5-spd model...super,super, SMOOTH running atv...we just love it..........note: I saw a 1997 DODGE caravan 3.0 V6 with...450,000 miles on it...yes 450,000 miles with no major engine or transmission rebuilt ever done to it...a gas line broke by the engine and it started on fire in the engine compartment.....

 

Thanks for the recommendation. I will look at the Vinsons, I do have my heart set on the prairie though. Just don't want to through 7000 away on a machine that has problems if there is one out there that is less prone to problems. Look at the posts above and below mine about overheating and belt problems. Just want to spend the money right the first time.
That mini van is an exception and I know that they are out there. Stereotypically though, they are smokers. And I would hope that if the prairie was prone to certain mechanical problems ie belts overheating etc, that you guys would be able to tell me ahead of time. Thanks.

 

long gun, its hard to say if any machine will last 10 years. and I will concede you that honda makes the most relaible atv and cars on the market today. My wife has a 93 accord with over 231,000 trouble free miles and my friend has an 87 honda forman 4x4 which probably has 20,000 miles on it

I think the reason honda atv's have been so relabile through the years is their simplicy. A forman 450s is air cooled, manual tranny and drub brakes.

A praire or rincon has liquid cooled, auto tranny, disc brakes and has a lot more high tech stuff to tear up.

I don't think a priairie 700 or any other modern atv will ever be as reliable as a honda 300 or 450 forman.

However I was recently at the dealer, after I bought my used praire 650 and he showed me a 650 he was servicing that had over 8,000 miles and 800 hrs on it. He said they had put 2 belts on it and now they were having to service the rear end, (the owner had never changed the diff fluid)

I don't think the prairie will nickel and dime you to death, you may have to buy a belt every 1,500 - 2, 000 miles. but that should be about it. The rear brake system has a 7,500 mile service interval. Since the priaire is being sold as a suzuki and artic cat as well, parts should be cheap and easy to come by if it did tear up. I If I were you and was worred about return on my investment you could pick up a nice used 02-03 650 with extened warranty for about $4,000 right now. No way is a new 700 worth 3,000 more.
I got my used (like new) one six months ago for $4,800 and have put 700 hellish miles on it and have had no problems at all.
Another good thing about the prairie is that you can mod the bike very inexpensively, check out NYROc's web sight.

Also read up on the forums check out what people on here are saying about other models. I doubt there is any ATV out there today with a more loyal following. You could buy a manual vison ( that was my other choice) but go read the suzuki forum, there's hardly any info on them, but here at the kawi forum there are lot's of people who love their prairies and are constantly tinkering and sharing information about them.

Nothing will ever be as good as a honda 300 or 450 relability wise, but the priaire is very reliable and a hell of a lot more fun to ride.

Just my .02