I am considering buying a kawi Brute force 650i but have heard that the 4x4 system is really slow to engage and you actually have to move the bike for it to engage. I test rode one today and as the salesman was doing the demo i noticed it is was slow to engage.but this was in a parking lot. Is anybody having these type of problems? and are they finding them to be an issue in the real world? any feedback would be appreciated!

 

i just engage 4X4 early. the 650i steers very nicely in 4x4 so it is not a wrestling match to drive. if it is obvious i won't need 4x4, i'll put it in 2x, but if i know i'll need 4x4, i put it in and leave it in.
also i have engaged 4x4 while stuck before without any issue. i was very careful tho. i flipped the switch, waited a moment for the accuator, and very gently turned the tires foreward then reverse. seemed to work just fine, no bad noises, but you'll find that if you know about the accuator, you will not have a problem. someday i'd like to look into replacing the accuator with a manual powered cable system. for now tho, i have not had problems.

monty

 

The 4wd system on the BF is actually a shift on the fly system. The reason they can't tell you that in the owners manual is because if you do it under the wrong circumstances you might lose control of the vehicle and die. So they tell you to come to a complete stop before engaging the front axle. That way, when you start moving, you will be going really slow when the axle engages limiting your ability to lose control at speed. The same is true for the locker. It can be engaged and disengaged at will while moving and in variable amounts to dial in the amount of lock you want. It's an excellent system.

 

Yes, they can be slow to engage but if you get stuck in 2 wheel drive do what montyh does and flip to 4x4 and very slowly spin your tires untill the front wheels kick in.

 

As long as you don't exceed 7mph the 4x4 will engage with ease.

 

so you guys find that if you are stuck that very slowly spinning the back wheels will help the front wheels engage?

Thats great that you guys are liking the system. that makes me feel more comfortable in buying one since that was my only reservation on this bike. I was also considering the Grizzly 660 but i think i have decided on the BF650i. Thanks!

 

Go big :-) Get the 750i

 

You do not want to try to engage 4wd after being stuck...........I was stuck and was doing exactly what somebody said , which was trying to engage 4wd by turning wheels easy as possible until 4wd engaged . The indicator said it was in 4wd and it felt like it engaged..............and it even started spinning front wheels so I hit the throttle. I basically blew up the front diff..............It tore up everything even cracked the housing. Everything had to be replaced gears, bearings, actuator,housing,everything. Total parts where$1,100.00 Not couting labor.........The warranty covered it!!

 

I've pulled out one that got high centered in a mud hole while in 2wd. Now amount of shifting between forward and reverse would engage the front wheels. Fortunately no damage like Dirtpig experienced but we tried to get it in 4wd for quite a while - it was not going to go until those front wheels started to spin.

Jaybee

 

I see this issue as no big deal, with anything else you get used to it. Ive engaged the 4 wheel drive while being stuck and carefully throttled it up and it engaged like a pro. I would not want to have hi rpm's while engaging it stuck in the mud. I just remember most of the time to engage it before running of into a hole. The BF 750 which is what I got, is a very good machine, and Im very pleased with it.