How do you Prairie owners like the Kawi belt drive system? I think the same system will be on the 650. I'm looking for a new bike but I don't want the same problems as my old Polaris. Any complaints with water entry, slippage, noise, towing problems, or lag-time (other than the 99 recall mentioned earlier)? How well do think it would stand up to the horsepower of a 650? Is there enough engine braking to slow the descent of a heavy quad (with a loaded trailer) going down steep hills?

YoukonRon your from snowmobiles country and you wounder if a belt will handle the power of a 650 twin 4 stroke thumper?What is the HP of this machine going to be? lets just say 45hp,well a 650 twin 2 stroke sled pushes about 100 HP at a much higher rpm with no promblem at all through snow and slush.

YukonRon, the Prairie 650 has a thoroughly beefed-up belt drive system in comparison to the Prairie 300's and 400's. Also, the system has a trick high-tech off-throttle braking arrangement, using an electrically-powered brake, wheel-speed and throttle sensors . . . read about it in the March ATV Magazine.

Diogenes

The belt should be as durable as possible. Belts do were out. I hope Kawasaki puts a good heavy duty belt on it.

My buddy (4wheelinindakota) had his belt break on his 2000 Polaris Sportsman & it messed up some other parts. I hope Kawasaki puts a lifetime warrenty on the belts like Polaris did for 2001. That doesn't help my buddy.

If Kawasaki does not put on a heavy duty belt than scape up the $35 and do it yourself.

Thanks for the input so far, guys.

Tim1, your point about the big sleds being belt drive is well taken. Not being a ski-dooer myself I hadn't thought of it that way. However, I think a skidoo is set up quite differently. They seem to rev up quite high before they even start to move. If they do spin something, the track spins out on the snow quite easily. With the big 'Claws on my bike, I get so much traction that I will burn the belt before I spin the tires if I'm not careful when I'm towing. And that's with a 350. I've had the whole drive system rebuilt so I know its not just weak springs or something. I know my bike is old technology and I expect the new ones to be much better. That's why I'm asking.

Diogenes, which ATV mag did you read the article in about the 650? We aren't likely to get the March issue up here till March. Does the magazine have a web site? Maybe I could find it there.

What kind of belt can you get for $35.00? The stock belt was priced to me for $90.00!

YukonRon,

The modern 4-stroke Polaris with updated clutch settings, etc. are much smoother and better at getting power to the ground efficiently than your 350. I have a lot of expieriance on both Polaris and the Praire 400. The 400 is real smmoth and shifts nice, but about the same as the Polaris does. The only advantage I saw the Praire had was that you didn't need to use low range as much.

Both Polaris and Kawasaki (and Yamaha, Suzuki, Arctic Cat, etc.) all get wet belts when in deep water. The only auto without that problem is the Traxter Auto and Rubicon since it's beltless.

You get this for $35 www.dayco.com/ultimax2.htm