There is a MAJOR innovation in the BF that you seem to be overlooking...IRS!!!! This is Kawasaki's first IRS ATV. They probably did not want to deal with the potential problems that could arise from 2 major technology changes by throwing EFI into the mix. Everyone of these problems that you are complaining about are small potatoes. They are little growing pains from a new design. Every manufacturer has these. Sputtering...new needle..easy fix. Bolt recall...new bolt...easy. Red exhaust...goes away after break in period...no biggie. Nothing here that would make me say "Oh, I would never buy a BF."

What stops me from buying a particular ATV are design "features" or as I see them, "flaws" that can't be fixed..i.e. Grizzly being tippy, Sportmans weighing 1,000,000 lbs., Prairies having SRA, etc. Carb tweaks and bolt replacements are not purchase killers for me.

Brian

 

I don't know if I'd call broken driveshafts and front end parts minor problems. I think a lot of it has to do with how Kawasaki responds to it, if they take the "Yamaha" approach and fix things for next year but leave the '05 owners "High and Dry" then they could be very serious problems.

The BF is a blast to ride for sure, I know that no one quad is going to have everything I just want to know what I'm getting into.

I also have concerns about buying a first year quad... ...on the other hand no one wants to buy a Grizz etc, only to have it replaced next year by a bigger/better one. Unfortunatly I'm quadless at the moment so it's not like I want to wait a year to see how the KQ and BF hold up.

It sounds like the KQ may be going through "First year pains" twice, they're starting production in Japan and then moving to Tennessee if I understand correctly. If this is the is the case I'd rather buy an early one and take my chances on the japanese rather than the tenneseeanes. No offence to anyone in Tennessee of course. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

Hopefully this early spring I'll make a decision, until then I'll be reading all your Brute Force posts. Thanks.

 

You are indeed correct that the IRS is a very real departure from the norm for Kawasaki. Certainly, many people prefer the IRS for its distinct ride. But I think it'd be fair to say that many would have appreciated a Brute Force 750 with a SRA system. Both have their good and bad points. There is no denying the plush ride of an IRS quad...and the easily adjustable shocks is something which would have only improved the Prairie, but with the IRS one must deal with body roll and the way they squat on take-off and while towing. Additionally, the anti-sway (or roll) bar really does tend to prevent the IRS from being all that independent. I'd bet most of us would like to have both.

Clearly, we see the matter differently, and while its true that the IRS is new to Kawasaki, there just isn't any way I'd call this an innovative addition. Actually, if IRS is indeed the desired suspension, then Kawasaki was VERY late to the table on this one. And seeing that their IRS design doesn't appear much different (if at all) than those of the other manufacturers, it seemed to me that they could/should have had time to implement an EFI system. But ya know....they never called and asked me my opinion. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

Again, I'm not saying the Brute isn't a fine machine, its just that the Prairie left me expecting more.

Moo,
WheelCow