Had a chance to ride today as the temps here in North Central Texas was above 70 deg. A few of us got together and headed for the Brazos River to one of our favorite sets of trails. Rode 23 miles along the banks of the Brazos River. We encountered mud, water (of course) hill climbs and fast straight sand bars, 50 mph plus. One particular set of hill climbs were quite challenging as the degree of inline sometimes resembled the side of a building, straight up. I had made several of them and I should have quit while I was ahead but I had to be a show off. I made it to the top of about a 20 foot climb with all four wheels trying to find traction. Traction seemed to be in limited supply and I soon came to a stop in quite a "vertical position". I grabbed some front brake in an attempt to hang on the hill and slide back to the bottom. I never touched the back brake and in the split second I was stopped on the hill I sensed the inevitable and univitable and terrible feeling of the front end coming over backwards. I fell off backwards and could see the 600 pound Prairie following quickly behind. I couldn't roll out of the way due to trees on both sides and with the speed this was all taking place didn't leave alot of time for thought.
Well to make a long story short the 650 went end of end twice and then was coming directly for me laying at the bottom of the hill in the dirt trying to claw myself away from the pouncing Prairie. I realized I wasn't going to be able to get out of the way so at the last second I put my feet up to try to keep it off of me. I managed to make it land on it's side while knocking the wind out of me and leaving me heaving on the ground with a group of friends scrambling to render aid to there injured companion.
Anyway back to what I wanted to tell ya'll about, the steel racks on the 650 are tough as h%ll. Bent the back rack and the front rack and the grill guard and the handle bars. Took all the racks off and straightened them with two pieces of fire wood and reinstalled them. Had to take them off to try and get the left front fender off of the tire. By this time quite a crowd had gathered to look at the disheveled rider and ridee. To my amazement the crowd could not stop talking about how tough my ride was. One person said, "I've seen alot of wheelers come down that climb the wrong way but I've never seen one come down the wrong way and then leave the right way." That's the way the Prairie left the right way, with me on it's back and under it's own power.
This is so long because I may plenty of time to play on the computer as at this time I am sitting here with ice on my knee trying to reduce some to the gross swelling that encompassed my left knee. Just one more way to show how tough our Prairie's are. It was a great day.

 

Glad you're OK, Toto.

ALthough I still feel the Prairie 400 is a great machine for the money, it is not as good as the 650 in the rack durability department. My Bro rolled his and the plastic racks with aluminum braces were not cheap or easy to repair. We had to take the braces to a welding shop, and the plastic parts were over $110 each.

Thanks, kawasaki, for the steel racks, the steel running boards, and the steel skid plates. I can fix them myself, if I ever need to (knock on wood, don't wanna do what Toto did).

 

Something a lot of 650 owners don't realize is that when you put the machine in 4 wheel drive, the brakes work on all 4 wheels also. When you grabbed the front brake, you were actually grabbing brake on all the tires. I had to read my owner's manual a couple of times on this one.

 

<< Something a lot of 650 owners don't realize is that when you put the machine in 4 wheel drive, the brakes work on all 4 wheels also. When you grabbed the front brake, you were actually grabbing brake on all the tires. I had to read my owner's manual a couple of times on this one. >>



Is this the front brake lever or the rear brake lever that applies 4 wheel brakes in 4x4. I don't see how that works. Do you mean that the KEBC slows all 4 wheels in 4x4? If the brake levers actually apply braking to both front and back in 4x4, I guess I never noticed and need to read my manual a little closer.

 

It's the way any four wheel drive (with a locker) works, including jeeps, etc. Since all four wheels are locked together, braking any wheel (even one wheel) will brake all of them because they are all locked together mechanicaly...This wouldn't necessarily be mentioned in your manual, unless just as a warning so that you are aware of it. To tell you the truth, I sure wouldn't have thought of it if I was in the situation you were in either (although I bet you'll think of it next time :*) ).

Good luck,
Lorrin

 

I read my owners manuel this morning and I am getting the same things as Kevin. The way I read it it says that when in 4WD any brake application actuates all 4 brakes, or should I say all three brakes. I'm not sure how this works but that is the way it reads in the owners manual. Maybe we need to do some kind of field test to see how this works.

 

<< It's the way any four wheel drive (with a locker) works, including jeeps, etc. Since all four wheels are locked together, braking any wheel (even one wheel) will brake all of them because they are all locked together mechanicaly...This wouldn't necessarily be mentioned in your manual, unless just as a warning so that you are aware of it. To tell you the truth, I sure wouldn't have thought of it if I was in the situation you were in either (although I bet you'll think of it next time :*) ).

Good luck,
Lorrin >>



Ok, that makes sense. But, it is not really applying the rear brake when you hit the front brake lever. It is using the front brakes to slow all 4 tires and the rear brakes aren't even activated. With that being said, it really doesn't activate both brakes, it just slows all 4 wheels with one set of brakes depending on which lever you pull, correct??

sorry to get off topic with my questions.

 

OK Lorrin that makes sense to me now. Definantly a good thing to know. I guess I already knew that about Jeeps etc. but never thought about it with a 4 wheeler.

 

When you're in 4x4 it doesn't matter what brakes you use,all four wheels brake because in 4x4 the front and rear wheels are connected thru the transmission,therefore using the front brakes will brake the rear wheels also and vice versa. Toto glad to hear you are ok,except for the banged up knee. I flipped a Bayou 220 end over end on a steep hill also.The rear tires dug in and then I let off the gas,the auto clutch kicked out and I was on my way down the hill.My friend said it flipped seven times while I was on it. I was so scared that I bent the bars down on each side of the gas tank from hanging on so hard,it didn't even bend the racks,but tore the seat some how and flattened a tire.I rode it home and traded it on a 1986 TT600N the next day,swearing that I would never buy a 4-wheeler again,but six 4-wheelers later I like them better than bikes now.

 

HEY TOTO,
i am glad to hear other than a sore knee and some other parts, that your o.k. it is so good to hear that they are making racks that strong too. to be able to ride it away, in any condition, is ausome!!! bet you had a couple of people swearing it is indestructable now, lol. ride on buddy, and try to keep in on all 4 wheels.


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