The problem with any CVT no matter how great it is, is the lack of power on demand.....

If you are coming up on an obstacle in the trail or on a track and you need to get the front end light, you just cannot do it as easy with a CVT...... no matter how much power the engine has.

On a sport, you can either grab a gear, or fan the clutch to get that quick burst of power you need......the nature of the CVT just does not allow it.

Sure at low speeds, like 10-15 mph a CVT might have enough on tap to pull up the front end...... But going down a trail at 40 mph, and trying to get more power out of a CVT is impossible. If I'm going 40 and I see a whoops section or something and I need to wheelie, I can do that on a manual machine........

On a CVT you are at the mercy of the trans to be in the right gear.....and sometimes that gear is just not there....

 

Sorry, but that just isn't true... not unless the motor is a dog, or the CVT is not well tuned.

My stock Sport 400 will pull the front end pretty much at will although my suspension is set up against that... It has different manners... but is capable. The KFX700 is even more so because I think more torque/power and maybe more aggressive stock clutching.

You really should spend a few minutes on youtube or google videos watching KFX700 vids... You'd be astounded I think.


I have ridden several like you were talking about though... heavy utilities, and units that are poorly clutched.... If the engine is stout, yet the bike is lazy/slug... the belt could be slipping from wear or lack of tuning... or the clutch could not be set up to shift properly... slow backshift lag, and/or shifting out too fast.

 

Well than your 400 is a freak of nature.....Because my step father has had 3 of them, including one build for racing by Hot Seat Performance..... and there was no way in heck to get that front end up at trail speed. Not in a split second like I'm talking about.

Sure if you know you need to get the front end up ahead of time, maybe..... But there is no way you can do it in a split second..... Sorry it just won't happen because of the transfer of the torque. Just like an automatic car, you stomp the pedal and you wait for the trans to hook up.......

The KFX700 is the same way, as my step father has one of those now since he stopped buying Polaris a few years ago. His has pipes, jets, a clutch kit, and other mods. It is fast, plenty of power...... But if you are coming down a trail and at a split second you need an instant hit of power, its just not there. You need to wait that split second for the CVT to spool up.....

This is not a knock on CVT, it is just matter of fact...... it is the reason they make manual transmissions in the first place, because of direct power on demand for racing applications........I rode a CVT Polaris 400 and a 500 for years. And no CVT has ever had the positive feel of a manual gear.

 

What kind of tire sizes, gearing, and clutching are you guys running then?

Maybe your "trail speeds" are faster too?

I don't know... mine seems to loft well enough for me compared to clicking down one and popping a manual. It's different in delivery and lower/slower, but good enough.

The front end really sucks on the Polaris, even with what I have done trying to correct geometry... so riding the crap I do, I have to get the front end lofty often to keep from biting it over the bars or getting beat up at the bars.

I ride mountain woods GNCC/Harescramble/XC type stuff.

It runs right with my buddy's pro-level GNCC built TRX450 all day, even with him being the more practiced, polished, in shape, and lighter rider. But yes, he does get away from me in the longest roughest sections. But that has nothing to do with the tranny.... nothing stock is staying with the thousands he has in his Elka suspension, set up custom for him.

 

I have said this many times. If your a little feller and your skeerd of power, you should not get on one of these beasts because you won't be able to handle the power or the weight.There is a reason Kawasaki sells more 700KFX rear taillights than any other model.

Sand blasting an 400EX is kinda fun. Maybe that is the attraction to some?

Or maybe it's the 100HP big bore kit with mods? That's kinda fun too.

 

I'm loving the auto on my 06 KFX 700. I bought a more agressive clutch spring and iyt works great. As far as getting the front end up this thing is a wheelie machine. I couldn't believe how easy I can get the front up. As far as getting it up at 40mph, I have never needed to do that. What are you trying to wheelie over at 40? A tree? If you do that then the rear end is still going to kick up hard.

Now if there is a whoop, I can easily wheelie off of it at 40mph. But that really isn't a wheelie its a jump.

 

I'm 300+ pounds and I still hate the KFX700..... So it's not always about being a small guy. Even though I'm big I like light and small ATVs to toss around....... I dunno maybe its from growing up riding BMX or something which usually weigh about 25 pounds..... Or maybe it was from growing up riding smaller 3-wheelers and quads from the old era.....

I mean even the big ATVs back then only weighed 450 pounds....... And my 230 Quad Sport only weighed 320 pounds or so....... Now I ride a z400 at 300 pounds no problems at all......

So even though I might have the muscle to handle a KFX700, I find it is too big and heavy for my riding styles...... I find it much more enjoyable to be able to whip the little 450 race machines around.......

Of course I am a total freak of nature as well so my opinions rarely relate to anyone else..

 

You haters are all the same. LOL You don't like the KFX so you ramble on and then read your own post 14 times with that cheesy grin.

Every quad is built as per the riders needs.

I built mine for the dunes. It is an awesome duner. I also built my 120 pound wife a KFX. She absolutely loves it.

To each its own.

 

Here's a modded one for sale. But your wife would be kickin your ***. lol

2004 715 v force - Kawasaki ATV Forum

 

If your Wife wants one and she likes it, get her one. As long as she respectrs the size and power of it, she will do fine.


Now for the Clueless.......

I love it when people that have no clue what they are talking about come on a thread and tell everyone what a certain quad can and can't do.

There are a group of KFX owners out there that will change EVERYTHING you have ever come to believe about the Big ol KFX. There is stuff out there that most of you haters have NO CLUE about. There are things that we are doing with these quads that change all the rules. 1000+ CC's, Turbos, Blowers, NOS, Custom Roller Clutches, Extended Swingarms, Chain Drives and so on. Camo's Turbo/NOS 800V is just one example.

Pretty much everything I have read in this thread about what the KFX can't do, it can do. You want instant power? Try hitting the throttle and having an instant 7000+ RPMs at hand. I have NO Idea what a "CVT needs to Spool Up" means. Are you refering to the 10ths of a second it takes for the motor to rev? Do you have any idea how a CVT works? With a properly set up clutch, power is INSTANT and you are ALWAYS in the right gear.

I ride 90% Dunes (I have a 4X4 for trails). I started with a KFX400. Rode it for years until I started modding my 700. I gave the 400 to my Wife (She now rides a Raptor700) and I have yet to come across a 400 that can come close to duning anywhere close to as well as my 730 does. It's Big and Heavy, but it is also Fast and will Climb ANYTHING. All my cluch quad buddies Love setting up races for me. I NEVER get tired of hearing that inevitable question "What is that thing?" I tell them, "It's just one of those slow KFX's".