motox,

That's exactly what I'm trying to determine - sport or ute. I went riding last weekend with a guy that had a Raptor 350. If felt small for me (I'm 6'3), but it seemed like a great trail quad, so that's when I started thinking about the KFX instead of the Prarie.

My decision will ultimately come down to what means more to me - more speed, or the 4x4 functionality. I definitely like to go fast, but that just doesn't happen in the trails, anyway.

As I think back to all the places I've ridden my XR400 over the years, there's probably no place (other than singletrack) that the KFX couldn't have gone.

I guess there's just more opportunity to "play" in deeper mud and snow with the Prairie.

How about logs, etc in the woods? Can the KFX get over them easily? I'm not talking trees - stuff in the 6" diameter range.

When you rode the Prairie, how did the acceleration feel to you? I know everything is relative, and no comparison to the KFX, but did it feel "slow"? I've read top speeds of the Prairie are anywhere from 38 to 50 - depending on the post.

Thanks,

Rick

 

If you know what you are doing any atv will go over a log up to about 20", but again you must know what youa re doing. A 6 " log is nothing for an atv. Go with the KFX over the Yam anyday. Yam is just Warrier with some changes. The KFX is a quat that is about 2-3 years old. The KFX will run circles around the Yam 350. You can change that tight felling by getting some higher handlebars.
Not sure about the top speed of the P360, but you might want to check in on this. Most ute's about this size only have a top speed in the 40's. This is something to think about.

 

sport versus utes:

It's not so much which sport machine you choose, the type of riding is totally different.

You don't crawl over logs on a sport machine, you get the front end light and you hit them hard and jump over them. Same goes for all obstacles. On any sport machine, speed and finess are needed more than brute force and power.

I ride with 4x4s a lot, and while they are all crawling over things one after the other, I'm looking for different angles and other lines to exploite. A sport machine in the rough stuff is all about thinking ahead. With a 4x4 you can make up for poor line choices much easier, on a sport machine if you make a wrong chioce chances are you are going to be getting off and pulling yourself out of something.

I personally like the sport experience much better. I like going fast and the challenege of the ride. I get bored on 4x4s far too quickly. But some guys/gals don't mind that type of riding. They like the slow cruises and the deep woods trails blazing. I prefer the open fast trails and MX sections with jumps and whoops.

Ideally I'd like both types, as would most people I'm sure. But what you have to think of is which one are you going to use more, and which type of riding you like better. Both types of machines can cross over and do a little bit of the other's specialty, but not to any great extent. You're not going to like a 4x4 on an MX section and on fast trails they grow tiresome. On the flip side your not going to get through much mud on a sport machine, and your not going to be wanting to get too deep into unexplored woods.

Different strokes............

 

If you are considering a KFX 400 then I think you should consider the Brute Force 650. The KFX 400 is $5799 and the BF650 is $6599. I know, more money. Keep in mind that is MSRP and working a deal should be pretty easy, especially on any left over '05 models. Don't get me wrong, the Prairie 360 is a great quad. It's the one I would pick if I was looking for a utility quad in the 350-400 class.

It all depends on how and where you ride. I wanted a Predator and was extremely close to buying one, but I changed my mind at the very last second because I just couldn't do without 4x4. I'm always making new trails and going through what looks impassable. I also plow in the winter now that I got a suitable 4x4 for the job. Mud is irresistable as well. There is no sport quad that could make it through the mud pits where I ride. However, I am now wanting a sport quad to supplement the Brute Force. There is no way you could ride one like the other. In other words, there is no compromise...It's one or the other. As ballsy as the Brute is, it obviously is no sport quad.

The reason I said to consider the BF650 is because if you rode the P360 back to back with the KFX 400 you would most likely consider the KFX. If you rode the BF650 and the KFX then the excitement level is a lot more comparable (IMO).

Hope I provoked some helpful thoughts. Good luck on your decision.

 

well I have a Z400 wich is the same bike as the kawi and if you wanna go bogging or in waste deep streams then by all means get the 4x4, or if your just old.....but If you wanna have some fun the 400 is the way to go, I took mine bogging and In a stream up to the airbox and like I heard on here earlier "the key is momentum" ...basically what it comes down to is anyone can ride a 4x4 through the woods, trails, mud and streams, its not hard to do....but a good rider can go anywhere they can go without 4x4 and its more fun!

trust me

 

True...but not 100%. It takes some more skill picking lines and keeping momentum, however there are parts of the trail where 4x4 has a definate advantage no matter how good you are! It's like claiming a 2wd truck will go wherever a 4x4 would go.

 

It seems like I've spent wayyyy too much time pondering this and reading the forums - lol.
I think ss97 put things in perspective best, although everybody had great input. I've been riding a Honda XR400 dirt bike since '98, and I'm pretty good at picking lines and looking ahead, etc. I also like riding the technical stuff, and speed. When I think back at what I've ridden on that bike, I can't really think of anywhere I've had that XR that a sport quad won't be able to go - except some singletrack - and that's a limit of the trail - not the machine.

Who am I kidding, I'm not really going to go mud bogging, or riding slickrock in AZ. As long as the KFX can get me weverywhere the XR has gone (and then some), I'll be a happy camper.

So, I think I'm going to end up on an orange KFX400!!

Thanks for everybody's input.

Rick

 

i love my kfx 400 on the trails.. it just has awesome power and pick up. Water cooling also helps better than air cooling, especially when urgoing slow where air cooling sometimes doesnt work as well. I like mine on the trails and would not trade it for any other sport quad made.