I need to get a winch before hunting season, and I intend to get a plow for snow (which we get a great deal of) and I am trying to decide which winch to buy. Do the Warn winches really mount on the 650 without the need for a mounting bracket? Warn has a 2000 and a 2500. What would be the arguements for going with the more expensive 2500? I see that Cabela's has a handlebar mounted Warn switch that looks like it would be better than the big rotary style with the 2000. Any experience with it. Thanks for the input.

Todd M.
Minnesota

 

...I have the Warn A2000. It will work just fine. In fact, if you hooked it up to a sturdy enough tree branch, it will lift your quad off of the ground!!!! I have pulled myself out of many a bad situation with little to no effort.

Enjoy!

Chucky

 

The 2000lb is plenty of winch but the 2500lb has the handle bar mounted switch which is a nice feature. All WARN winches are high quality units and will work quite well.

 

Cheif, I had to get a mount plate from buykawasaki.com to mount my winch.

If you plow, you need a really good place to put a switch. The warn A2500 comes with a superior relay (DPDT) and it allows you to use a smaller switch. I don't think you want a giant switch for plowing.

Look at my switch.

 

Thanks for the info. You are right, I don't want the big round switch for plowing, that's why I was looking at the handlebar mounted Warn switch from Cabela's. Have you seen it? Yours looks good, did it come with the winch? I thought I would probably have to buy the Kawa mount. I thought I read that the 650 came with a bolt pattern or something that you could mount the Warn winch directly. Should have known they wouldn't give you something for nothing.

Todd M.
MN

 

I don't know about trying to mount without a plate.

My handlebar switch is the Toggle that came in the Warn A2500 kit. I removed it from the remote, and used goop to adhere it to the inside of the handlebar cover. It is nice and tight there and is out of the way. I can also hold the diff lock while winching and giving it throttle. However, I can't ride and chew gum at the same time.

 

I bought the 2500 Ramsey winch it comes with the small toggle PLUS a wireless remote kit I foget where i bought it for 400 with free shipping I'll check if you want. I mounted my switch on the hanle bars with a home made bracket also, I didn't want to mount it the same way Nyroc did incase the switch brakes and needs replaced. The Ramsey spins faster and has a lower current draw with a lifetime warrenty Ramsey Winch and here is the specs for Warn. Ifyou wnat I will e-mail you pics of how I mounted it and the switch.

 

You can mount it with out the winch plate you have to cut the 2 sections out of the front that will link the three holes together and run the winch cable in backwards from the way it came so it winds right. I saw it done the other day on a Prairie. For 25 bucks I would get the bracket from Kawi and the brackeet fits Warn and Ramsey.

 

I have a #2000 superwinch on mine and it works just fine. It came with the quad when I bought it. The switch is pretty bulky so I plan on replacing it with a switch I saw on Royal Distributings website. Go to page 142 and see the winch switch on the right hand side. It is pretty small and would work great for plowing snow. My buddy bought the Warn switch on the left and it is HUGE!!!! Nice looking switch but it is way too big. No matter what winch you get, they are all pretty good. It's a little easier to get replacement parts for the Warn winch though.Click here Sorry the link is way down here. It's Friday and beers are involved!!!!!!!!

 

Thanks MonteSS for the info. I could not open the links to the Warn and Ramsey winches, but I would appreciate the info on where you got yours and the pics. of the mounts and switch you have. I think I will get the Kawa mount though, it sounds pretty cheap.

Todd M.