OCaptainMyCaptain,

The Brute/Prairie are full sized utility quads. They are bigger than the midsized quads such as the Wolverine. If you think the Brute is big, the new Sportsmans seem HUGE.

The Prairie 700 isn't any more sporty than the 650 except for it having about 64 more cc's. Trust me, the 650 is all you need however, if you have the cash then go for the P700. Remember, you will want some new tires and wheels before you know it b/c the stockers aren't that great at all. That's all the more reason to get the 650 IMO.

IMO, stay away from the '05 King Quads.

 

Thanks OffRdr15 for the reassurance.

As far as new tires/wheels go, I assume that the stockers have some useful life to them, no? I'm thinking I should at least ride on them until I get a flat or bend a rim. What do you recommend as good replacement tires and wheels?

Also, is it common when replacing ATV tires to replace the wheels at the same time? In other words, do you just order the new tires already mounted on rims? That's what my friend did when he got new tires/wheels for his Raptor. He said it was cheaper that way.

 

The 650 prairie/bf is a great machine. With regular mantaince it will last you a long time even if you ride it hard. IMO the 650 brute is the best buy on the atv market right now, you get an excellent all around quad with the power of a 400 sport machine and the useability of 4 wheel drive. Get one you wont be disappointed. Ride it for a while and if you decide you need or won't more power there are lots of mods that can be done for a "reasonable" price. If you are worried about the pain in the butt limp mode get a dyna tek cdi it will take care of that problem. If you are going to be trail riding then check out the holeshot atr's I have them on itp c series wheels and really enjoy them, they handle and ride much better than the stockers. The atr's on those wheels are not cheap but they look great and you will save some money if you get them togther.

 

The stock tires/wheels aren't absolutely horrible. You will get some good life out of the stock tires depending on how you ride, but I personally found myself getting a lot of flats and getting angry with the poor handling. I heard a lot of people who like the 26" ITP Mud Lites package. I found some great deals here. Also give the guys at A and B Xtreme a call for a price on a wheel kit. It all depends on what you ride in. I got 27" ITP 589's because I like mud!

I recommend a tire/wheel kit because you get a better over all deal. Aftermarket wheels give your quad a wider stance and improve handling and looks. However, if you are on a budget then just buying tires is fine.

 

dicksatv.com they seem to have good prices as well and i think he will beat the lowest price you can find. plus he ships VERY fast.

 

Thanks again everyone for all the advice.

I will post again on Saturday after I test drive the BF650 and let you know what I think.

 

if it were me id take the brute but i do own one and its a hoot yee haa .... funnest quad iv ever had yee haa ... ita a 650 lots of power for me pulls a trailor well just leave it in low range mine seems to get good range/ milage for the size of the machine 120 kms per tank
when my budies 400 handa is at 1/4 im at 1/2 a tank throw away the stock tires and replace them with a good lugy tire first thing .yee haa,,,

 

Well, I test drove the BF650 yesterday and here are my thoughts:

The power is awesome and the engine is very smooth. I was disappointed in the testing area because it was a very small wooded loop right behind the dealer, but hey I shouldn't complain since there are hardly any dealers where I live that will let you test drive any motorcyles. I didn't look at the speedometer because I was concentrating on the trail but I know I didn't even break 10 mph. One area of the loop had a pretty sharp hairpin turn and the Brute whipped its tail end right around without flinching. This totally makes you forget that you're on such a big machine.

On Friday, I sat on both a Vinson and Kodiak 450. Personally, I didn't care much for the Suzuki. It didn't do anything for me. That's not to say that it doesn't ride nice but I won't have that chance. I honestly liked the smaller size of the Kodiak even though I'm a relatively big guy at 6'2" and 225lbs. The Yamaha also felt like a tank and very solidly built. I also understand that the belt-drive systems on Yamahas are bulletproof.

I think I've accepted the fact that there is not a utility quad out there with manual shift that I'm going to be happy with. So, that's it for the Suzuki. Now I'm left between the BF650 and Kodiak 450. The questions are whether the Kodiak has enough power/speed for me and whether I will like the IRS handling characteristsics and also whether I can get a good deal on it. Currently, I can get a better deal on the BF by about $400. I will have to call a few Yamaha dealers on Tuesday to find out prices. I think most people would agree that the BF650 is a much better deal over the Kodiak. I don't know, maybe I should just get the Brute and learn to adapt to its large size. Just for clarification, the mere size of the Brute doesn't intimidate me. I just remember that some of the trails I rode on last weekend were barely wide enough for the narrower Wolverine I was riding. The Brute would be clearing more space for other quads. (Not that this is a bad thing). Also, I have a Toyota pickup truck and whatever I get has to fit in the bed. I think both the Brute and the Kodiak will fit but the Brute will be a much tighter fit. Well, I think I will know more by next week. If anyone here has any input or any experience with the Kodiak, again I would appreciate it. Thanks.

 

I think you will find that the bf is small and nimble enough to get through the trails. I had those thoughts with the 360 becasue a rancher was having a tight squeeze on some trails. I have no problems with mine, youll be fine.