CAM650

Thanks for the great info about the Brute Force. The more I think, and read about the Brute Force, the more I think that the Prairie is a better all around machine for my type of ridding since I do a lot of trail ridding, and love to power slide the rear. Maybe a nice Team Green Prairie 700 would be a nice replacement for my 02 Camo 650.

Anybody know if the Team Green Prairie will be available in Canada? I guess I will just have to test ride the Brute Force and see how it feels and then make a descision.

 

Well, like I said, if you trail ride and like to powerslide, get a P700, not a Brute. I REALLY want a team green P700 myself!

 

Well I guess that it is pretty cut and dry now about the handling. Think I may be getting a Prairie now or a Rincon.

Thanks for that detailed anyalsis.

 

Cam 650,
Thanx for the detailed report on the BF! I have a few questions for you..actually 6 questions (can you tell that I'm kinda excited about the BF?).

1) Will you PLEASE adjust the shocks to a firmer (or the firmest) setting and see if that helps its handling characteristics in the woods and also see if that helps it power slide any better? I really want to know if some simple adjustments will make it handle more like the P650/P700.

2) Need more detail on power diff. between BF and P700...can you tell us if the BF pulls wheelies from a dead stop easier or the same as the P700? Does it feel stronger in the mid range than the P700 or the same. How about top-end (of course, you might want to wait until after you break it in to test top-speed).

3) Can you tell if the cdi is the same one as on the P700 (3 plug ins and same p/n)? I'm curious to know b/c if the cdi is the same, the Dyna cdi might work on the BF too.

4) How big is the rear sealed storage box (opposite side from the muffler) as compared to the storage box on the P650/P700? Does it keep out water really good?

5) Are the floorboards on the BF smaller in size than the P650/P700? They look a little smaller in the pics, but I can't really tell from the pics. Are they more comfy than the P650/P700 or the same?

6) Is the front bumper made from plastic, steel, aluminum or a combo of these materials? Does it seems sturdy to you as compared to the bumpers on the P650 and the ones on the P700?

Thanx and happy trails...[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

Damn, thats a tall order! I just have a simple question. Does it have an anti-sway bar on it?

 

It sure does.

 

MIKEYBOYESQ,

I'll try my best to answer your questions. Please don't take my word as law though:

1. I had the shocks(front and back)adjusted at the dealership to the firmest setting. I don't want to mislead all of you into thinking that it doesn't powerslide. It DOES powerslide, just not as well as a P700. I don't believe there is a way to make it powerslide as well as a P700 due to the IRS. I wonder if a set of ITP ATR's will make any difference. I bet they will.

2. The power difference is difficult to address. I've only had a limited amount of seat time on it. The low end is definitely stronger than a P700. It wheelies effortlessly in low or high, right off the bottom. When you are coming out of a corner and stab the throttle it wheelies. It wheelies if you are going anywhere less than 5-6 mph and stab the throttle. In the field it's not hard at all to get it to wheelie at low speeds. The mid-range SEEMS stronger but it's difficult to tell. However, since it's not broken in yet it feels somewhat tight. The mid-range is very, very powerful. I don't believe the BF would beat the P700 by much in any range. The top-end is lower than my P-700. My P-700 hit 68-69 on a consistant basis. My BF is not broken in and I got a consistant 66 out of it, that's all.

However, before you make any conclusions concerning that, let me address what I feel is the machine's intent. In insurance law, we are always trying to determine a policy exclusion's intent or the intent of the policy's coverage. The same is applicable to when determining the manufacturors intent when making a quad. I believe the intent of the BF was to make a quad with IRS that would compete and beat other big bore's with IRS. I don't believe Kawasaki was concerned with top end and I don't blame them. Who cares if one quad's top end is 68 and the other is 66. Low end and mid-range power is the only thing that is important in utility quads. The BF WILL DEFINITELY go through muddy and very rough terrain better than a P700. There is no question about that. The added ground clearance combined with the diff. lock and more cc's equal a more competant rough terrain quad. I think that was Kawasaki's INTENT when making the BF. We ride in rivers and sometimes the river gets high and there's always a lot of mud. The BF is MUCH better in this type of terrain than the P700. Hill climbing on the BF is very easy, as easy as the P700. Like I said before, it's not at all tippy, it feels very composed in off camber situations. It doesn't feel as planted as a P700 but again, I don't think it's possible with IRS.

Bumps, ruts and other trail obstacles are soaked up by the IRS with ease on the BF. The ride is VERY smooth and plush, much smoother than the P700. It feels easier to ride at speed and definitely less tiring.

3. I haven't looked at the CDI box but I will tonight and report back soon.

4. The storage box canister under the right fender is an accessory. I've ordered one through the dealership and will report to you as soon as I install it.

5. The floor boards don't appear to be any smaller than a P700's, they may be but I didn't notice it. One thing that I want to address is riding position differences between the P700 and the BF. The BF's riding position is more upright and the front fenders come up more and offer more protection and make you feel like your in the quad rather than on top of it. It's MUCH more comfortable to ride than a P700. The floor boards are very comfortable and have more bite on them to keep your feet on them. This is off the subject, but the storage pockets on the fenders kick a$$!!. That was really a good idea.

6. The bumper APPEARS to be made from a combination of the materials you listed. The bumper offers great protection. They appear to be sturdy as well. You have GREAT access to the radiator too but it's protected well also. Good design.

Another item that is off topic is how it looks in person. The pictures do absolutely no justice to the BF at all. It looks VERY good and modern, unlike anything else out there. The four headlight design also puts out awesome light in the dark.

I still see the need for Kawasaki to have the P700 in their line-up. In my opinion, the P700 is still better than any other manufacturer's big bores. I don't think the BF is better than a P700. I think it's intended for a different application. So, all you have to do is choose between the two based on what type of riding you do. They're both the best offering in the big bore class, you can't go wrong with either.

Should you have any further questions, please feel free to ask. I've downloaded more pics, however I'm resigned to the fact that I'm a TERRIBLE photographer.

Chris

 

Thats what I said earlier after seeing it in person. It looks much better than the pics and all I saw was a green one and I don't even like green! It looked good.

I think the best thing to do is keep an open mind until everyone gets to ride one theirself.

Chris, have you ever ridden a Rincon? If so how does it compare to the Rinny's IRS?

Thanks for taking the time to answer all these questions.

 

ATVBOY1,

I've never ridden a Rincon. I've heard from magazines and others that the IRS is the best in the business. I've read and heard that Rincon's are very good quads with excellent handling characteristics and a very sporty feel. The downside is that they are severely down on power and don't have a low gear. I've also heard that they're not the best in rough terrain either but that could be due to the tires. (?)

 

As far as IRS quads go, my only experience is with Grizzly's and SP700's. I owned a SP700 for a very short time, I sold it to a friend and I'm soooooooooo glad he bought it and took it off my hands. I was VERY dissappointed with it. It corned terrible, it rode terrible, it was very heavy and bulky and the four wheel drive system in my opinion completely sucks. I'm not trying to disrespect any Polaris fans out there, that's just my opinion.

I LOVE Grizzlies. I always have. My best friend rides a 2002 G660 and it is awesome. The IRS on Grizzly's float more than a BF though. It seems to sway at speed and the BF doesn't. There's also no denying the tippy feel in off camber situations which the BF doesn't have. If you own a Grizzly and desire more power, there is no question that the BF is the quad for you.