Aw shucks Bubba, see what third shift sleep deprivation does to an annoying sense of humor. RPM, I'm reading your posts, everyone has an opinion. Mine is I don't like the 700. That doesn't mean you can't think it's the best thing out there. Ride what you want. My opinion is that it's an out of date concept. (once again, that's only my opinion). If you buy one, it's gonna be interesting to watch the clutching maint. and mods.....as I said before, have a nut. It would be really boring in the woods if we all liked the same thing. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img] Polaris products have treated me very well, they're my fave. I'm obviously biased, but that's my right of freedom.

 

Actually, the part of this thread that I'm trying to understand, has nothing to do with whether or not anyone likes the KFX700. Hell, I don't even know if I like it yet, I haven't had the opportunity to see one in person, let alone ride one, (I have a pretty good idea that I will like it though).

The question I have been asking all along is how all of you Polaris riders can condem a quad based on the fact that it has an Auto Trany, just because none of the Mags have liked any of the Polaris Autos. All the while seeming to disreguard all of the true "Revolutionary" features of this quad.

The Auto has been the Biggest critisizum that Kawi has taken over the KFX700. That makes it a down-fall, not an asset. Just read all of the early Threads on this and every other Forum out there. It is Far from being the center point of this quads performance potential and yet you seem to be fixated on it.

There, you can have my Big Stick, that horse won't be getting up again. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

MINNEAPOLIS, January 11, 2001 – The Minnesota company that invented the modern-day snowmobile more than 45 years ago celebrated another milestone today. In 1985 Polaris introduced an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) with a first-of-its-kind automatic transmission that revolutionized the powersports industry, making ATVs easier to operate than traditional manual transmission ATVs. The Polaris Variable Transmission (PVT) has become a standard for the industry and played a major role in the skyrocketing popularity of ATVs. Today, the company celebrated production of its one-millionth automatic transmission ATV and was honored by ATV Magazine – a leading recreational vehicle magazine – with the magazine's first-ever Legacy Award.

Just my 2 cents[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

This has been a fun and constructive thread from the beginning. Lost of insight and thoughfullness trying to evaluate this KFX with what we have available.
Hard to believe it went this long before the mental midgets jumped in with there limp-wristed "America Bashing" and "Brand Bashing". Oh well, some day there mommy will stop wiping there bottoms and they'll have to move out and get jobs.
[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-shocked.gif[/img]

 

well, I'll give another opinion, I do not have anything against the kawasaki.

This is really a case of us Polaris lover upset that the automatic was never given a chance. Now the Kawasaki comes out and everyone (mags) thinks that it is revolutionary. Their is absolutely nothing revolutionary about it.

I agree that the kawasaki is probably a lot better then the Scrambler series, but I consider that an improvement upon the design. As I'm sure most of us here in the Polaris forum do weather we like it or not, but the 700 is by no means revolutionary. I hardly consider shaft drive revolutionary, even if it hasn't been put on a sport quad before (oh wait, my old suzuki quadrunner was shaft drive, of course that was from 1982) Yes, I consider the quadrunner a sport, but definately not a racer.

I don't know how the kawasaki will do on the tracks, and no one does. All we have is speculation.

I'll admit, I would have loved to see Polaris put a v-twin into their scrambler series and ad dual front a-arm suspension. Now that I have a Predator, it makes me wonder why. The only use I can see for that big of an engine would be in a 4 by 4 Scrambler type of set up. That would make a sweet cross country set up.

My personal opinion is that Kawi should have put an on-demand type of 4 by 4 system on it and I might have been interested in one. It's already the weight of a 4 by 4.

 

Honestly, If polaris would make the scrammy frame round tubing, put dual a-arms on it, and a little better suspension and ride height, You would have just as much as the new Kaw except maybe in the actual power output. It will be interesting to see how my wife's trail mod holds up to a stocker with maybe exhaust.

 

I don't understand whats so "revolutionary" about the kfx700. A modified Prarie engine, shaft drive from the Prarie, a front suspension design that been around for decades, utilily looking body style, auto trans thats been around for decades. I am not bashing the KFX700, I just don't find it to be anything special.

I think that most Scrambler/Sport owners will agree that the one thing we don't like the most about our Scrambler/Sport is their weight. Polaris has been bashed for producing heavy, automatic sport quads for as long as I can remember. But Kawasaki is praised for it. Do you think that is biased? My Scrambler 400 is about 450 lbs and has about 60hp and I have less invested than the cost of a KFX700, so the KFX has very little appeal to me.

 

Utility-looking body style? LMAO Except for the front end (most people will only get to see the rear end of these things anyway) I think its the best looking quad available.

Lets see,
ATV Connection, Off-Road.com and Dirtwheels absolutely loved it.
2 pro riders have heaped praise on it.
Every forum member that has ridden one here, at Kawieriders and exriders.com had nothing but positives to say about it. In fact the only negative I've ever heard is the grips are hard.
It already won the first GNCC race it was entered in.
But the guys in the Polaris forum who haven't ridden it know it sucks and its just a redesigned Scrambler.

Looks like a pattern to me.

 

Kevin, your starting to scare me.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-shocked.gif[/img] It is nothing more than glorified utility quad not matter how you put it. I would be willing to bet anything the frame will break somewhere on these when people think they can get the "big air", yeah right. That wont last too long. The more I see the responses and the more I think about it, I hope it's a total let down for everyone. I dont have a thing against Kawasaki, but it is been too hyped up all around. And the guys that praised it didnt happen to drive for Kaw or Suzuki, now did they?

 

I'm borrowing an oar, because I'm in the same boat with Allornothing, Stryder, and Bubba. While studying the unit at the Mpls cycle show, I was also listening to other "unbiased" people passing by. comments like "holy cow that things huge", "wow looks like a tank", "you mean it's that big and only two wheel drive". That last one was from a KX400 owner by the way. Kev, I think you just need to go buy one, have fun, hope it lives up to all your expectations.