I have the opportunity to buy a 2001 Green 650 Prairie with 1000 miles on it for $4,000. What should I look for, problems wise, with regards to this quad? He said it is in good condition but not perfect. I have had many bad experiences when I hear those words - but we will see. How does this price strike you? How much can I expect to spend buying new plastic (I assume it is scratched all to hell)? I know Honda engines, and quads in general, are very reliable pretty much no matter what they have been through. Are the 650's the same or should I beware? Any and all help is appreciated.

 

That's not a bad price. Does it have an extended warrenty? The P-650 is very durable, and very reliable. Like everything it has it's maintanence requirements, but nothing unusual. As long as you enjoy stump pulling power and eye wattering speed, you will enjoy a P-650.

 

It is an awesome price.


Don't bother replacing any cosmetic items unless the plastic is cracked bad, torn or melted. You will scratch it yourself.

Don't worry too much if it has been rolled. Racks are easy to replace.

Don't worry if the belt squeaks, or noisy cvt shoes. The cvt system is easy enough to take care of a problem. The CVT shoes make a clattering sound ad idle. I think it stops when in gear and taking off, so don't confuse cvt shoes with an engine problem. The cvt shoes make more noise when the engine is cold.

Front brake problems are a no brainer, not really cheap, but not as expensive as other stuff.

Wheels are cheap. Don't even give them a second glance.

Bad struts, A arm, CV joints - I would not be overly concerend.

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Do worry about smoke, motor making bad noises, carbs not working well, transmission not working well, frame bent, rear axle bent. These can be a bear to fix and are costly.

Do worry about front diff problems. Lift it up on a jack to see if it works right if you want.

Do worry about whether the 4x4 system works or not.

Rear brake problems are more serious. The adjustment is easy, so don't worry if it is out of adjustment.

The radiator and radiator fan are expensive.

At $4000, you could easily afford to fix a few things. That is really cheap.

 

Thanks so much for your help. I am going to look at the bike in 1 hour and have a couple more questions. He said the bike was in the shop to get the rear shim replaced because the shop failed to put oil in it when it was assembled. He said it has been in the shop twice because the belt was a little loose. He said the belt squeaks a little when put in gear but goes away when the throttle is pushed. It is actually a 2002. I am trading him my 01 400ex (mint) which I cannot get $3,800 out of so I figure that is what I am spending. He said the plastic is worn - how much am I looking at to buy new red plastic all around? Some surface rust. Can I make this quad look showroom for cheap? Thanks again for all your expediant help.

 

It may cost $400 to $500 for all the big plastic, and racks are aprrox $100 each, maybe less, dunno.

I think you could take care of the worst appearance items and make it look very good. Can't really say if it is worth your while if you are trying to resell it. But, if it doesn't really have serious probs other than appearance, I think it would be a great quad for you.

A new belt will remove the squeal.

 

nyroc you mention a rattling sound at idle mine did that right after belt change; what are cvt shoes, do you mean ramp buttons on the helix. i have never looked at the drive on the kawa. thanks

 

you better get it. its awesome once you start it up and hear it. 4000 is a great price. you will have no regrets. give it a good scrub and it will look even better. good luck if you get it.

 

1, the shoes are in the drive pulley, buttons are in the driven one. Shoes are what half of the drive pulley slides on as it moves back and forth. The engine's torque is applied to the moveable half of the pulley throught the shoes.

Because the engine speeds up and slows down a little with every revolution, anything that rotate with it but has a little play will rattle. So, loose shoes allow the outer half of the pulley to rattle a bit. Very normal. Just replace em when they get really bad.

I guess worn buttons would cause problems with cvt hanging up while accellerating and braking. The helix on the 650 may be different than the helix's on other quads. I dunno. I can't see that stuff wearing very fast at all on my 650.

 

Sounds like a real good price if you look at it and it runs well. As for costs of pieces, I'm not positive of the exact prices for all of the plastic, but I can tell you it's not as much as I thought, and you should be able to buy it at a discount. Go to the back of any of the main ATV magazines, and you will find dealers that sell discounted OEM parts. When I had my little "mishap", I called a dealer in WV and got discount pricing. For the front brush guard, front rack, rear rack, handlebars, steering stem, one headlight, plastic piece on the back of the handlebars/gauge housing, and a manual, I paid about $475.00 plus shipping. I priced the front fenders/hood piece, and I believe the discounted price was between $140 and $155, don't remember exactly, but certainly less than I thought. If the pieces are just a bit scratched and not broken or cracked, you can buff out minor scratches with a buffing machine.
Have fun!

 

If you do buy it and need plastic and racks get ahold of me I might have some for sale. I will know for sure in a week or so. That seems to be a good deal were planning on getting a another one thats used and it has 100 miles and lift kit 28 589 and winch and they want 5200 for it so 4000 good deal go for it you'll love it