I had some concerns about the BF before I invest money in one. Here is my list.

BF tippy? - No, but ITP wheels will improve it and make it as stable as the new KQ.
BF steering hard? No, I guess not. I mistakenly though it was hard after reading someone elses post.
BF seat too high? - Not if you fix it. It appears you can fix it yourself, and Kawi is offering a thinner seat.
BF airbox gets water in it too easy? - Maybe. I have to research this some more.
BF burns legs? - Maybe, I have to research this some more. Could be a prob.
BF is too light in front? - Yes, I think I want a better weight distribution.
BF storage compartments not that great? Who cares - I sure as heck don't base a quad purchase on that.


I have also been thinkin about the KQ. Here are my concerns.
KQ not enough power? - No, it has more getup and go than a P700 (but not right at takeoff).
KQ nose too long and could nose dig? - Maybe, I need more info to learn more. Could be a prob.


Any input that anyone has about the things I listed as Yes, or Maybe, please discuss.

 

[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]I have a P700 and BF both with c-series and 26" mud lites. The steering on the BF is much easier than the P700. The BF with this tire and wheel combination is a hoot to ride. The power is awesome and stable as a rock on fast trails or sidehills. Is it as stable as the P700? My seat of pants tell me it is and rides better even on fast whoops. The P700 has a dyna and the BF is still 1-2 lengths faster at 100 yds, by 1/8 mile BF by 4 lengths and pulling away easy. Never had it to top speed but did get to 62 mph then backed off.

 

MagnumMudMan has one and I've ridden a little bit. Here's my impressions of your concerns.

Tippy? It rolls but doesn't feel unstable. Stock tires suck no doubt.
Steering hard? I thought it felt REALLY light, better than my P700.
Seat height? I think the P700 seat is too high as well, so yeah lowering it on the BF would be nice.
Airbox? Magnum was doing multiple high speed radiator cleaning runs in to the creek and no water ever got in the box. ??
Burn legs? You can feel more heat coming off of it than the P700 but I don't think anything protrudes which would allow you to burn yourself.
Front end to light? I like the front end light makes for excellent control during high speeds and it's not uncontrollable. This is a big plus about the quad in my mind.
Comparments I agree completely - who cares.

No impressions or info on the KQ.

 

As for the airbox and water infiltration...I'm still working on that one myself. I'm laying out a
snorkel system and trying to iron out the bugs.
As for the burnt legs...yes, the heat coming off the left side(exhaust pipe side) can get uncomforably
hot at times. The lack of splash protection is nice for extra cooling, but it also sends all the hot air out
onto your left leg.
As for the light front end, yes...it is very light. The weight distribution on the Brute could benefit
from having extra poundage in the front. I like the added weight the gas tank allows on the rear, but
there needs to be something in the front to offset that additional weight. The first time you try to
balance this quad on an atv lift...you'll quickly see the difference in weight from front to rear. A 3000
Warn and the assorted mounting hardware will help, but I still believe it will be lighter. The absolute
very first thing I noticed on the Brute is the light front end and how it feels like you are going to take
off like an airplane when you hit the throttle...even cruising down the trails. This is one reason I
decided to fab my own multi-mount system for the Brute. The combined weight of the brackets, rec.
hitches, etc will add up to more than just slapping a "normal" factory winch bracket on.

 

I have never rode a p700 of brute but, I have a V force. This machine will work you out with the long A arms. I have gotten used to it and started to work out again!!!!

 

Sounds like airbox water is a maybe, and hot legs is also an issue depending on the person riding it.

Q1. Do you guys think that a guy good at fabbing stuff could improve the airbox to get less water in.

Q1. Do you guys think that a guy good at frabbing stuff could do something like wrap the exhaust or create a shield to reduce the heat on the left leg?


I don't know what to think about the light front yet.

 

nyroc

I just want to comment on the light front end. I am coming off from a 400ex, so I am used to having a machine with a relatively light front end and will pull the front end up on demand. I kind of like having the lighter front end. Allows me to pull the front end up some when hitting bumps and mud holes. I prefer to be able to control the front end with some with the throttle. I can see where this would be a negative if a person was doing a lot of hill climbing or was less experienced with throttle control (not implying that of you, of course). I think putting a winch on the front is going to definitely weight the front down considerably.

Personally, I think it steers easily. Off course, I am comparing this utility to my old Polaris Magnum. If you ever rode a pre 2001 Polaris, you would under stand. Steered like a tank.

 

With ITP rims and some decent tires, it is very stable. I had it out last night and was powersliding around corners at 30+ MPH...fun as all heck! The center of gravity is as low as it can be and I have never felt tippy (once I changed out the tires and rims.)
Like I said above, I consider it light and easy...especially for a big bike.
It is perfect for me. I have a bum hip from an accident years ago and this is the first ATV I've ridden that doesn't irritate it when I ride for a long time. The height does not seem to adversely affect the CofG.
Since it only rains about 5 times a year here in the desert, I have no water to test this...
I would not recommend riding it with shorts! I took it out for a quick spin in shorts once...and I'll never do it again. If you wear long pants (as you should) it's not bad at all.
Only under heavy acceleration. It's hard to keep the font end of a dragster down! [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img] From my efforts of dragging both the front and rear of the BF around the garage, weight seems to be generally the same in the front and the rear. People who have mounted a winch on the BF say that it helps keep the front end down.
To reiterate-"Who cares - I sure as heck don't base a quad purchase on that."

One thing that I love about the BF is the adjustable preload on the shocks. I set the preload higher the other day for a night ride in tight single track. Handling was tight and responsive. When I went out yesterday to a very rocky area, I was being banged around really hard. I stopped, whipped out my adjustment tool and dropped the preload. Suddenly, I have a different ATV that eats up the bumps. Not as well as a Sportman, but I'll take better handling over plush ride anyday.

The 2 advantages that the KQ seems to have is the lower seat and EFI, but I would not trade the V-Twin for the single-banger with EFI. Besides, the wife already said that I could trade the BF in for one with EFI if Kawi comes out with one in a year or two. Her suggestion, not mine! (I landed a good one!)

Brian

 

[b]Here are a couple of pics of the exhaust. Any closer with my cam and they would have
been blurry. As you can see, there is room for fabrication above the muffler to deflect some
additional heat. Trying to wrap the exhaust in something similar may be more difficult and
I question whether it would be effective. The airflow seems to be the problem in my opinion.
It would be worth a try I suppose.
Exhaust pics

 

Light front ends will kill you for one, love it all you want.
The BF handles like a pig around corners unless you are great with body English.
The P-700 is almost as fast or faster from my experience.
Straight drag coming up this week with dyna cdi and 4 degree key.

If you have not committed wait for the 750 Prairie with efi.
You will not be disappointed.
Or just get the BF and be ready to buy again, that’s always fun.