well my dad can definitely beat your dad at ping-pong, muhahaha[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

 

Seriously though. They are both excellent machines. People will try to sway you toward the brand they like. Ride 'em and get the one you like. Nothing more, nothing less. All machines have problems and remember the grass is always greener till you get there. People will switch brands and have bad experiences as well. There is really no machine out there nowadays that is bad from what I can tell. For me it came down to what I could afford and talk the wife into. My buddy has a SP600 and I love it. I also love my Prairie. They have their good and bad qualities like everything else.

Just buy what you like and you will be happy.......

[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

 

I think the V-Twin would be the machine to get...but it really is dependent on how you ride. If you ride in deep mud or put on soft trails 90% of your riding then get the Pol and the IRS...that is the only area that the IRS and GC that is talked about will warrant the trade-off you gave up for that kawi...but if you climb, trail, like having the capability of ripping around like a sport machine then its the kawi you want hands down. I have rode a pol 700 and kawi 650 v-twin. The pol had a very comfortable ride and even though we didnt run across a great amount of mud...we got in some fairly deep stuff...both quads did well...but the 700 seemed a little more comfortable with the mud...could have been tires too. Once the fairly close comparison in the mud was over we hit trails and went climbing. Both of us, even the Pol owner, thought the Kawi beat it hands down in every other riding condition. Climbing the lighter/more powerful prairie flew up the hills and the EBC had it practically crawling to a stand still on the decent. The 700 did good going up, not as smooth or as quick as the kaw, but coming down was a pain...seemed like uncontrolled choas on a 700 pound gorilla. Technical trails was kawi hands down...low center of gravity (not GC...but low center of gravity) made it alot more stable and seemingly easier to control...both riders actually almost rolled the pol. We ALL know about acceleration...so when you are zipping down open trails and you have that low-mid response of the kawi, you go into the turn whirling that tail with a little hip thrust and throttle ... then come out not having had to deal with body roll and give it a burst on that throttle and that pol or any utility ATV isnt going to keep up with that kaw...the straight axle shines here and it takes a sport bike to stay with the v-twin on these conditions. On another note...the ride of the Kawi is pretty good itself...not as soft as an IRS...but a comfortable ride with NO vibration from that twin...those that have rode it can appreciate the smoothness of that engine. I have walked away from some machines feeling it more in my arms from the vibration.

Ride them as you will be spending a nice dime for them...but as you test them you will get and feel for one and know...both are good quads...the industry is getting so good and competitive now that you cant lose. The pol 700 owner has had no more mechanical problems then i have had with my kawi...i have had a belt issue and him a clutch issue i think...other then that both have made it up everytime we wanted to go.

 

my buddy just bought a sp600, i hate it, he has to take it in already, after 25 hours or so, for a liquid leaking (cant remember what it was), but on hard take-offs in 4wd, and in 2wd, the handlebars shook like crazy, and the thing took all your strength to maintain a straight course. The ride was nice, but that is the only good thing i could say about it.....just my two cents.....

 

CHAFF:
Hi there. The two machines you have chosen are very different. I have not ridden a POL600 yet...but my friend has a 500HO. I have swaped rides with him on several occasions and this is what I thought. The ride on the POL is smoother on a real bumpy surface...but the difference on dirtroads and such is negligeable. The brakes on the POL are terrible...not that they can't stop well, but the problem is that they are linked. When you pull on the lever both front and back brakes are engaged. My buddy has almost lost his bike a couple times due to this(He climbed a rocky hill that turned out to be too much and had to back down slowly...everytime he touched his brakes the front of the machine would start to rise. Same thing happens if you are going down front on. I believe this brake system may be fine for the casual trail rider or for someone who uses the rig as a farm tractor...but when technical riding is the order of the day...these brakes suck! I like having control over what brakes to engage(Not to mention that the Kawi brakes don't have to be serviced till 6000-7000miles(REAR) and will probably last indefinately. The ergonomics of the POL are fine if all you do is sit down. The kawi on the other hand feels completely natural whether you are sitting or standing. The stock tires on the Kawi suck...upgrade them right from the dealer using the stockers as trades towards the new set before you even take her out. The power on top end should be somewhat comparable...but the low and mid-range power on the Kawi are in a different world! The throttle response and accelleration on the Kawi is downright thrilling! I don't know about the POL600...but the 500ho feals WEAK in comparison. THe Kawi will go everywhere the POL will go...only faster and with more authority. With both machines you have lot's of work potential and comfort. But with The Kawi you have LOADS more sporting potential! I like power sliding,donuts, and wheelying away into the sunset . I like drag racing everyone in sight. I like having the most power you can buy in a 4x4. I like having the best brakes on any quad period! That super smooth potent engine is a dream. It dosen't vibrate and has the power on the trail to lift the front end over water, mud, logs...you name it, with nothing more than a punch of throttle. Both bikes are nice...but to me the Kawi represents so much more, as it is a big comfy utility, with a wicked attitude for adrenaline pumping , heart stopping, sporty riding. You will have fun with both rides no doubt...but If you are like me, you will have WAY MORE FUN ON THE KAWI. Everytime I blast off for a ride...I get a huge grin on my face that dosen't leave till I go home. Funny thing I noticed...out of everyone I ride with....MY SMILE IS BIGGEST OF ALL!!!!

ROB

 

I agree with Northstar.

Tires should be the deciding factor. Tires really make a difference and they are really, really expensive. and extremely hard to change. I just bought a Yugo which came with some really nice goodyear tires...what a sweet ride.

 

Dash, well put. I bet it goes over the head of most and leaves them confused thinking you love yugos tho [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-disgusted.gif[/img]

 

I would go with the Kawi. I owned a 2000 Polaris Explorer 400 4x4, and missed several times to go riding because it was in the shop or waiting on parts. First it kept fouling plugs (injection set too rich), then the chain broke and got caught on a gaurd and sheared off the drive sprocket (two weeks after warrenty ran out but the dealer still fixed it, 2 months in shop). After getting it back the front brakes wore out and ate into one of the calipers $$$. one month later the front CV shaft went out ($250 installed myself), then the tie rod ends were all wore out and I ordered all new ones to find out Polaris new about this and had changed the design, but I still had to pay for them. Before the tie rod ends came in though I was going over a small embankment (less than 2 feet) and flipped over and landed on me and the handle bars. It didn't bend the handle bars but bent the frame of the steering column. I could only turn half way to the left. I then traded it in. Also I did write to Polaris about this and never recieved any answer from them.

 

are you saying tires don't make a difference? Let me ask you, what part of your ATV touches the ground? The only thing that the mud ever gets to meet firsthand is the tread! Tires are the single most important part of an ATV. All the power in the world will not affect your traction, at least not in a positive way. And, no, tires are not that expensive or difficult to change, but Chaff indicated in the original post that he was comparing the price. So, to reiterate my point: Already comes with great tires and wheels (ready to ride) and it has ground clearance too! So, you can change these "inexpensive" tires and still hang your prairie on every rock stump rut or tree root that sticks up more than 6 or 8 inches.
PS, my 700 will do wheelies and donuts too. If I really wanted a sport ride, I'd buy a sport machine.

 

Northstar,

You better go read my post again. Think about it.

I actually really liked the rawhide grips that came on the Polaris SP 700. So I bought a set and slapped them on my P650. I think we'll both agree that the grips are a great set of tires.