Per your request

Here's the link to the thread on another site. If I left anything out feel free to contact me. I will try my best to answer everyones questions.I know it wasn't very detailed but that's all the time I have for now. I hope this will satisfy everyone needs until they can pick up their own KFX700.

http://exriders.com/vbb/showthread.p...threadid=48071

 

I rode a KFX 700 tonight. It’s snowing out so it wasn’t a fair evaluation.

It reminds me a lot of my old Scrambler with more punch. Seating is comfortable but high. It took me awhile to figure out how to shift it, shifter is a twist grip on the left handle bar. Lots of bottom end punch, very limited traction in the snow. Back shifting is a little slow, I’m sure a stiffer spring in the secondary will fix this.

The salesman told me they clocked it with there radar gun at 62. That would be a huge let down for me.

Looks great sitting there in person and I’m sure it will be a blast on the trails.

Tim

 

I saw them {V-Force} in racing action this weekend at the Palatka GNCC. UH, traditional sport quads, you have a problem! The MX might give the V-force a harder time but Cross Country seems to be tailor made for the big Kawi. Don't know much about desert racing but the V-force looks like it would do well there too. I prefer to shift my sport quads, but if you can get past that, the V-Force is truly legit!

 

grizzlytim,

That wasn't the fault of the V-Force, that was the tires. Holeshots are notorious for bad traction in the snow on CVT equipped machines (probably manual machines too). Their flat profile is not the ideal setup for snow or any really loose terrain sand or gooey mud.

That being said, I wonder what would have happened if Polaris would have come out with the V-Force instead of Kawasaki? What would the magazines have said? Hmm let's see, it's over weight, has an auto tranny, is over weight, has shaft drive, is over weight, doesn't have EBS and is over weight (did we mention it's over weight, well it is over weight). This from a magazine that once said that automatic trannsmissions are not the hot setup for sport quads at least once a year (or everytime they reviewed a Polaris) from 1994 until the release of the V-Force. These are the guys that HAVE ridden various modified Sports, Scramblers etc. So this is what they consider sporty, right?

I've read the article, not once did they gripe about the weight of the V-Force. Not once did they gripe about the shaft drive. Several issues ago they said that the Polaris Predator was over weight (the Predator actually weighs less than a Raptor wet weight wise), and it weighs 100+ pounds less. Please don't tell me this isn't editorial bias, because it is in it's most blatant form.

Now don't think I'm bashing the V-Force, I'm not. It's the magazines I'm peaved at. I think it's about time that people realize that sport quads don't need a manual transmission to be "sporty". Heck, it's something I've known since 1997. I guess the rest of the world is just 6 years behind my way of thinking in this case. Now maybe other manufacturers will be as bold as Kawasaki and Polaris and come out with their own automatic sport quads.

 

400extn--- I am VERY curious as to the weight of these 700's. Do you plan on weighing yours? I would appreciate some feedback if/when you do! Thanks! Enjoy your new ride!

 

How is the KFX700?

The machine is AWESOME!! I have had a blast with mine from day one!

I ride in a close quarter woodlands course and the machine handles it without a problem.
When I say "close quarters", I mean that a mistake causes you to eat tree bark!
As my son found out last night.... LOL

I have found no faults with the V Force so far....

I think everyone (that can handle it) should have one.. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

P.S. As for the weight? I've never liked lightweight, buzzy, ATVs.. My V Force weight in at
523 lbs fully fueled (corrected for lamo scales). So i'm not sure if the advertised weight is correct.
I have seen some V Forces with optional dealer add-ons on the show room floor.

All I can say is that it does NOT feel heavy. I can pick the front or rear up and move it as needed.
Even with my 200 lbs on it's back, it still will make every effort to throw me off..

I do dislike the bar grips. Wear a good, new pair of gloves until the grips wear a little. My old
gloves were worn a bit thin and it made my hands somewhat sore...

-Del
http://buttrynet.ugate.net

 

Delmustator---Thanx for the weight figure. What is a "lamo" scale??????? Did you lame-o, as in not -so-accurate scale?

 

No, but the general consensus on the street is that they aren't as sporty as a manuel. This can also be extrapolated to ATV's if you wish.

 

While I'm not defending the magazines, I take everything they "compare" with a grain of salt, there really is nothing like the new V-Force to compare to. When they make the comments about Polaris machines being overweight {which by in large they are} it is in comparison to a "same market" quad by another maker. Luckily for us the ATV market has become so large that "niches" are forming allowing the quad makers to fill them and create new niches too. The V-Force is a new "niche" machine. I prefer to shift as I feel that is an integral part of the ATV fun but that is my thing, others will find the V-Force to be the bomb for sure. Maybe as I get older, I'm 45 now, I will really like a machine like a V-Force, or maybe a test ride will have me trading in my Z. I doubt it. Mag articles are very interesting but I would not rely on them to spend large amounts of money. I would seek out others opinions on forums such as this and test ride for myself on quad purchases. Soon I'll be trading my Bayou 220 on either a Z-250 or 250ex for the kid but I will get seat time for him and I on both first. I'll bet the mags will slobber all over the Z-250 when it hits the showrooms too. Hats off to Kawasaki, the KFX700 appears to be the real deal! Let's see what the other makers come out with!

 

You get extrapolated right, but you can't spell manual?