Ya know, I was sitting here last night thinking about some of the prior posts and comments that had been made regarding the new KFX700. All along, since after I first read about the KFX700 months ago I thought, wow this thing could just be the ticket for my style of riding. I was ready to go buy a new quad but I wanted to wait to see what this thing was really all about. I considered buying a new Grizzly because my wife had just purchased the P650. Then I thought, No I want a sport quad, I don't really need two 4x4 atv's.

So I looked at the Raptor, Predator, DS650, but I still wanted to know more about the KFX700 so I waited, 3 months. Then I caught a look at the V-Force at the motorcycle convention in Seattle, so I wait another 3 months. Finally they hit the dealers and I looked it over pretty good. I began reading here about those that had already picked one up and their personal experiences with them. I decided then to take the chance and go for it. I have not really had much of a chance to ride other machines for several years except for the Raptor. The thing that really turned me off to Yamaha was not the early tranny problems but more of the lack of service support.

I have heard of much better service support comming from Kawasaki and Honda than I've ever heard from Yamaha. Since Honda didn't have what I was looking for and their prices tend to be a little higher than other makes I decided to go Kawie. I never even test rode the machine, I only went by what the others reporting here talking about the power and handling.

I know I made the right decision in purchasing the V-Force, it's truely an amazing machine. I have no plans on racing motocross, I'm too damn old. I could care less if a Raptor or Banshee is faster in the dunes. I don't care if the DS650 has better suspension or the Predator smokes everything on the track. What ever anyone says bad about the new V-Force is only their way of bashing an all around excellent machine. Since most of them have never really even looked at one or much less ridden one, I take everything with a grain of salt anyways.

I don't get off bashing other riders or their machines, life is way too short and I would much rather be riding my V-Force. I started this post to get some reaction out of those that have their new V-Force and to see what others that want to know more about them can maybe get some of the rumors quashed. I feel good about my choice and have not looked back thinking I should have bought XYZ brand.

To those that race motocross this may not be the machine for you. I would think one would need to be very strong and have excellent endurance to work this thing around a course for 45 minutes in full battle with quads that way nearly 200 pounds less. But for those big guys or cross country type riders you may want to seriously consider looking into what these machines are truely capable of. Once the aftermarket catches up, the V-Force will be the machine to beat, hands down. Still not a very good moto bike but in the other stuff I really believe Kawasaki has hit the nail on the head.

 

I hear this "if you haven't driven a quad with a belt drive, this is nothing new, Polaris has the edge on belt drive, so don't even go there. I have posted on this, so my opinion is out there already. Kow can out with one hell of a quad, but it's not a sport quad. Sport means all around. This quad is out there to compete with the straight runner. Come on now, when it come out with a real suspension then we can talk about it.

 

I think this piece of crap as it was called, is going to be the medicine I need to get over my Cannondale Woes. I hope to get a nasty old orange one today.

 

Better suspension is available already, but the stock stuff works pretty darn good. And you couldn't be more wrong about it being good only for straight line racing. This thing is really an excellent all around machine, if you really tried it you would see just how well it does perform.

If you are an mx'r then my advice is that you are looking at the wrong machine.

But instead what you are saying is the 1995 Polaris Scrambler has the best suspension on a stock machine and that is why you own one? Or why then is the Predator available with a stock shock but an upgrade is available, is it that the stock suspension may not fit every owner of every new Predator and their riding style? If the Predator was sooo good at everything in stock trim, why would they even consider offering a replacement shock? If teh DS650 was such an amazing animal why do they offer a replacement CDI?

It all comes down to rider preference and needs and the KXF700 offers an excellent bang for the buck, even though it may not fit every riders demands.

I looked at the Predator and liked what I saw, but it lacked reverse and with the type of riding I do I wanted, maybe not needed, but wanted a reverse gear.

 

Here we go again! Where did you here that?

Why is it that all of the Polaris owners hear just what they want to hear? Time and time again, all they can find to go on and on about is the Auto Trany issue. You should all be thankful, Kawi has Finally seen the light and came over to your side, (Right about the time that your side has come out with their first Manual Trany), Go Figure. So now, since you finally have a Manual Trany Quad, you have now decided that in order for a quad to be a "Sport" Quad, it has to have a Manual. LMAO.

The KFX700's claim to fame is NOT its Auto Trany. It is an overall package. Your claim that it is only a "straight runner" is unsubstantiated rhetoric. This Quad from DAY ONE has been, and continues to be marketed as a GNCC race machine (To the tune of some $100,000 of Kawi's money. Who else is putting up that kind of money? Ohh NOBODY!!!), and it is already living up to its billing. Last time I checked, there were corners and all other sorts of obstacles involved in a GNCC style course. In fact, if you read the reports from KFX700 owners, (That is if you can get past the fact that most of us like the auto trany. Yah, I know Polaris had them first.), you would find out that the 700 tends to fall off a little in the top end. Last time I checked, that wouldn't make it a very good "straight runner" now would it?

I also own a KFX400 (By your definition, a True Sport Quad), and I will tell you, that as far a s Trail riding goes, the 400 can't touch my 700. It doesn't have the stability of the 700, it doesn't climb as well as the 700, and it doesn't have as smooth of a suspension as the 700. Out on the sand, I personally prefer the KFX400, but for the Trails, it KFX700 all the way.

The fact is, those of you who have not ridden a KFX700, appear to either be misinformed or just uninformed. Try and be objective. Give every quad the opportunity to live and die on it's own merit. I go by my own experiences, NOT by guessing and speculating. Don't HATE what you don't understand, and until you have ridden one, your down playing of the 700 doesn't mean a whole lot.

I guess I will just have to learn to live with my "Peice of Crap" KFX700

 

BushWacked has hit the nail on the head...... no quad fits everyone, or every riding application.
there is always a blend of strengths and weaknesses ......... look at the total package of any
quad .... what you do with it .... and how it feels to you.

My liking this machine, does not make yours "junk"..... nor does you liking your machine make
my machine "junk."

Time will prove that it is a fine Sport machine .... ( if it walks like a duck, sounds like a duck .... etc )

just my two cents...
It is a wonderful GNCC type machine... and that is the type of ridding I like ! [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]
We don't have dunes in Ohio ... and my MX days are about three decades past ......

This bike fits this old man just right. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

BUSHWACKED- I am in no way saying that the Scrambler has the best suspension. In fact, I don't like it much at all in it's stock form. I know people have changed the suspension on theirs, mine is still stock. Rides like a lumber wagon through a lot of stuff. It's also 4x4 and very heavy. There is plenty of power there, but I think the power would be better used with the Scrammy motor if it was a standard.
Correct me if I am wrong, but I heard that the 700 was first fitted with a standard tranny, but it wouldn't hold up, so they went with the belt drive. I read that in some mag b4 the 700 came out.
I'm not knocking the quad at all, it's just the way that some people talk about it. But your correct, go to another page and someone is talking about a Predator being all that, or a DS650 being all that or the 660 R being all that. I know what your saying, some quad will fit someone perfectly, while it won't fit another person.
As for me, going from my lumber wagon strut suspension to something like on my Predator, it is the best handling, suspended, and powered quad that I have ever ridden. Way better than the 400ex, z400, Raptor and so on. Is the suspension upgradeable to make it even better? Yes, but isn't everything out there to make something better?
I'm not out to pizz anyone off at all, I just wanted a little more info on the quad from people that bought one, not paid to test one.

 

ProXPredator

It apears to me that your ability to believe what we are sharing with you about
the KFX 700, might be tainted by your experence with the Scrambler.

Polaris might have ven the first with the CVT .... but Kawi has perfected it. I had
a 500HO ... and then bought a P650 .... night and day difference in the perfomance
of the CVT.

The KFX is not a Scrambler/P650 strut suspension .... it is an honest to goodness
full-on GNCC suspension.

I hope you get to ride one soon ... I like to hear you thoughts after you actually
been on one. Till then .....................

 

As the owner of a highly modified Scrambler and a V-Force, I can assure everyone that the only similarities are the size, comfort and autos. The Kawi is an improvement in every imaginable area.

Quad Pics

 

ProXPredator,

Fair enough.

If you would like a fair and unbiased report on My feelings reguarding the KFX700 (Good and Bad), you can find it at a Thread titled "FIRST KFX700 RIDE IMPRESSIONS" in the Kawi Section. I cover my impressions of the 700 as a Trail quad, and further down I cover Dune riding.

Or click here. KFX700 RIDE IMPRESSIONS

I'm no B.S.er, if I like or don't like something, I'm not affraid to say so. Trust me, if I didn't believe in this Quad, I would be the one screaming the loudest after having droped the bucks.

Peace.