I agree with HardcoreJeep. You need IRS for the extreme terrain. Jeep almost built a really good 4X4 with the Wrangler, but its worthless on the rough stuff with that solid axle[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]! Just busting your ***** a little there Hardcore, I agree that if ALL you did was rock climbing or something like that, that you would be better off with IRS, for everyday riding I think the other benefits of the Prairie are superior. The V-Twin, Low center of gravity, sealed rear brakes, and solid rear for sport type riding is what I want. Heck my Mojave has enough clearance for most of the stuff I do. My only question or 2 to you 650 owners is: Do your's have the rubber boots on the inner rear axles like the brochure's show? I have looked at 3 now and none of them had them. Also, I saw one with out the composite rack covers at a dealer the other day. I take it they are an option? The dealer was closed so I couldn't ask.

1995 Grand Cherokee
1991 Wrangler[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]
Coming this fall..... The 650 Prairie[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-cool.gif[/img]

 

No rubber seals on mine.I prefer the solid rear myself for high speed turns.I was told they are shipped seporate from ATV to save wieght of some shipping code? Mine came in OEM boxes from Kawi front and rear strapped together,i put them on myself.

 

<< You need IRS for the extreme terrain. Jeep almost built a really good 4X4 with the Wrangler, but its worthless on the rough stuff with that solid axle[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]! >>



ha ha.....youre almost right! :-) let me explain.

irs is good on extreme terrain, but the ACT suspension is far better because the articulation radius is more than double that of the articulation radius of irs. the ACT suspension on an arctic cat is actually quite similar to a jeep wrangler TJ. its a solid axle, but it pivots off 4 independent control arms instead of a swing arm.

and you are right.....its a specific purpose type setup. because i ride in extreme terrain i need the articulation. if your riding style doesnt involve steep inclines with large rocks and logs a swingarm should be fine for you. its just, being a rock crawler my views are the same in nature.

 

I'll take the lower center of gravity and solid rear axle any day over the IRS. I just ride too hard for IRS, when I'm going up an extremely steep hill side ways (off camber) I need no body roll, low COG, and lots of power and that is what only the Prairie has (with the exception of some sport bikes that is). Have any of you ever ridden over 2' and 3' foot tall logs laying on the trails, I have and do it on a regular bases. My Polaris (yes IRS) buddies take 20min trying to find a way around the obstacles I go over. Why? Two reasons, one, their ATV’s sit up too high back to that COG issue and two they do not have the confidence in their atv and ability I do.

It's funny how the IRS thing keeps coming up like it's the entire puzzle and not just one piece of the whole project.
The bottom line is this; IRS has it's place but make sure you evaluate all aspects of the quad and what you want it to do before you make your decision.

 

2000Mojave

Those inner boots you speak of, the ones where the axle meets the swing-arm. They are not on the production quads. If you go to Kawasaki's web site and blow up the parts diagram it shows them as a discontinued part. I wouldn't worry about it though, no quad I've ever owned had those boots there and we do a lot of mud and water riding. I've had my Prairie in and out of the river and pound many times and have had zero water seepage. After 15hrs on the bike I drained and changed the rear dif oil, there wasn't any sign of water. After I drain any oil on my quads I usually let it sit a day or so in the drain pan at an angle so any water will work its way to the bottom where I can see it (clear oil pan, works wonders). The problem with those little boots is there just like wearing rubber boots on your feet they work fine until you get some water or debris in them, and once that happens instead of the water/debris drying or washing off it just sits there even well after it occurs.

And those covers on the racks, they come with the quad, they are made of some type of plastic and seem pretty cheap right out of the box (I put mine on myself but my dealer gave them to me) but after I put them on they are pretty nice. They keep small objects from falling through and there is enough support under them that they don't have to be strong enough to hold an elephant.

Ride Safe, All
Prairie 650
Suzuki QuadMaster 500

 

Big wave would you mind posting Kowie web site, thanks.

 

The Kawasaki web sit is: www.kawasaki.com but if you want to view options and parts diagrams go to www.buykawasaki.com. You will need a VIN number to view the parts diagrams. The parts diagrams impress me; it looks like they put the same microfiche on the web site that the dealers have.

 

Thanks for the info. Big wave, great web site.

 

&gt;I'll take the lower center of gravity and solid rear axle any day over the IRS.

im not referencing IRS although IRS is nice. my reference is to the ACT suspension found only on the big arctic cat. its a solid axle too...but instead of just going up and down on a swing arm it articulates independently of the other side by the way of 4 independent control arms.

&gt;I just ride too hard for IRS

? there is no such thing. period.

&gt;Have any of you ever ridden over 2' and 3' foot tall logs laying on the trails

every chance i get.

&gt;My Polaris (yes IRS) buddies take 20min trying to find a way around the obstacles I go over. Why?

......because apparently your buddys dont know how to ride. everything youve just said goes _directly_ against every known rule of offroading. a swing arm has _zero_ articulation. you _need_ articulation when climbing obstacles, particularly when those obstacles are on extreme inclines. ive seen it literally dozens of times. somebody tries taking a swing arm quad where the big rocks live. one back tire rolls up on a rock picking the other tire up in the air leaving it suspended there. the front tire starts up another rock and then the entire quad pivots backwards violently more often than not rolling over. this is why you just dont find swing arm quads on the more difficult trails at tellico. this is why you just dont find swing arm quads on the more difficult areas of the rubicon or moab. swing arm quads hurt people very badly when they put them in the rocks.

&gt;Two reasons, one, their ATV’s sit up too high back to that COG issue and two they do not have the confidence in their atv and ability I do.

i can make it much simpler. they dont know how to ride. :-)

&gt;The bottom line is this; IRS has it's place but make sure you evaluate all aspects of the quad and what you want it to do before you make your decision.

i agree totally.

 

HardcoreJeep

That’s what happens when you read too much (ya right), my fault. I was NOT paying attention to what quad you were referring too, I assumed you were another IRS or it don't work person. And I do understand what you are referring to because I own a similar quad; my other quad is a 2000 Suzuki Quadmaster 500. It also has a similar suspension to your AC; in fact much of the AC lineup uses engines and other various parts directly from Suzuki.
Now after actually reading what you wrote and not what I thought you wrote I am able too pretty much agree with what you've written.
As for the logs, I kid you not, our land is surrounded by an Illinois river that comes several feet out of its banks at least twice a year and it deposits and knocks over very large trees and since our trails follow the river, guess what we get to do lots of (trail maintainance).
As for others riding ability, you’re pretty close in your assumptions.

Ride Safe,All
2002 Prairie 650
2000 Suzuki Quadmaster 500