Didn't somebody write a letter to Kawasaki about making such a machine a few years ago? I believe it was Armyman? Anyways, whoever you were, boy did you call it!!! Congrats!!!!

 

Let us hope it doesn't take Kawasaki as long to bring the "mega" quad to market as it did for the Yamaha Raptor. I hope there is some kind of compression release, I would hate to have to pull start this beast if the battery goes out!

The bar has been raised!

 

Gimmee, Gimmee, Gimmee, where do I sign. I'm ready to trade in my 99 400 prarie. The only thing I didn't care for on it is it's limited slip front end. With that fixed on the new one I can't wait to get my hands on it.

 

AlaskaTRX,

You have an excellent memory, sir. I wrote three letters to Kawasaki about building what I called the "650 Super Quad".

My first letter was written in September 1995, well before ANY of today's current crop of 500+cc big-bore 4x4's were even a twinkle in a designer's eye. Two more letters expanding on the basic premise of the "650 Super Quad" were written to Kawasaki later on at about one year intervals. I also button-holed Jim William, Kawasaki ATV product development manager, at the Cochranton, PA Poker Run in April 1999 and expounded at length about my ideas for the "650 Super Quad".

Every time I wrote a letter to Kawasaki, I posted the text of the letter here on the ATV Connection for all to see. A great deal of the early comments I received on my idea for the "650 Super Quad” were negative. With one very knowledgeable individual, who has since left the Forum to pursue other interests, telling me that a 300cc 4x4 was an all around better machine than my 400cc Bayou, and that there was no point in making anything as big a 500, let alone a 650.

Several years were to pass before I finally met and rode with this individual. What a difference the passage of some time makes. This staunch defender of the 300cc 4x4 was astride his brand new Honda 450 Foreman, though he did bring his beloved Honda 300 with him, just in case. And in retrospect, even as much as I’m thrilled with the new Kawasaki 650, he had a good point about 300cc 4x4s. They are very competent machines. I know, I bought one for my daughter to ride. And I ride it too.

Anyway, if there is any interest from Forum participants in the historical perspective of my lobbying Kawasaki to build the “650 Super Quad”, email me. If I get enough folks clamoring to read my original letters to Kawasaki, I will again post them here.

Thanks for the kind remembrance.

Army Man

 

Sweet! I was about to buy a Yamaha Kodiak but will hold off now. Better 4wd system and way more power. Just needs a snappier name than "Prarie". How about "Whoopass"? ;-)

 

So you are buying one, right?!

Where is Gordon Banks, anyways? I don't think that I've seen a post on here from here in many months...

 

Gordon L. Banks has deserted us sad to say and is now hangin' with the dirt bike crowd. I ran across his postings a while back in the following threads at deja.com.

rec.motorcycles.dirt
rec.motorcycles

The elusive Mr. Banks has also been known to frequent the remote control aircraft threads

In fact if you would like to read all of Gordon's 210 motorcycle posts. Copy and past the following link into your web browser and it will take you there.

We miss you Gordon.

http://x55.deja.com/~victory_motorcycles/[ST_rn=ap]/dnquery.xp?search=word&LNG=ALL&firstsearch=1&defau ltOp=and&query=%7ea%20(glbanks@bellsouth.net)&svcc lass=dnserver&ST=MS&CONTEXT=969561943.242548747