On the trail I'm often asked which do I like better...The Vinson 500 or the Prairie 650..Since we have a '03 Vinson & and '03 650 Prairie .. here are some of my thoughts about the two:
**Vinson** Pro
smooooth engine with great power. vibration free..I mean smooth !!
high speed starter, will start well below zero
love the 5-spd transmission ( has high/low also) so Eight speed transmission.
nice and quiet on the trails with the 5spd.
has the feel like driving a motorcycle,..gauge layout, handlebars..LOVE it.
great gas milege..praire 650 would be on"E" and the vinson would still have 1/3 tank left
58-59 mph with stock tires
body plastic is better on the vinson--can resist scratches way better
high/low beam indicater--vs prairie has no indicater for high beam
super,super, good lighting..love that 3rd light for late nights.
good trail maners, easy to steer..good corner sliding
easy carb idle adjustment for Idle screw
easy maintance
Great machine..you wont go wrong

vinson CON
seems to be a little light weight in the front end, when steep or sharp hill climbing.
needs a little more weight in the front end..maybe a winch could help that.
we are not you avg atv'er..we dont drive nuts like or mud bog..we do steep climbs and accents on hills.
Kawakaki Prairie: PRO
V-twin silky smooth engine
very stable in all speeds or rock crawling/hill climbing
best braking system out there..
great engine brake too
corner sliding ..all the time..even on straights... [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]
most feared atv on the trail...[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]
Great machine

Kawasaki prairie 650 :CON
ok..its the pain in the a*s clutch maintance..sqeaky belt..readjust/readust/readjust..after while it gets OLD...I call it the 3rd world design..most dealers even agree..[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]
little tricky to adjust the valves
very,very cold blooded..needs carb kit right away..that will help the..sputtering.coughing
tires need to be different..like most new atv's
So if I had to have only one atv..which would I pick..that is a hard choice..thats another reason I drive the prairie and my wife drives the vinson..its sooo fun to switch back and forth..My wife said the vinson steers much easier and the trottle is not as hard on her thumb as the prairie on long days.. love both..hope this gives you somthing to think about..wish kaw would do somting about their clutchs though..its gets old readjusing them.. We just brough home a new King Quad for the wife, so the vinson is F/S $4600.00 ..Later, ..Trailguide

 

Trailguide,

Thanks for the post. Now that you got the KQ you will have to give us your take (comparison) on it as well. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

I was thinking of handing over the Vinson to the wife and purchase a KQ too but I love it so much that I may just get a 400cc machine for her. If I do go with the KQ I believe I'll wait until 2006 though.

If the Vinson is still up for grabs I'll take it. You will provide free shipping all the way to Alaska right? [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

Anyway thanks for the post.

 

Thanks for the info.Its nice to hear from a person with hands on experience that is also unbiased![img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

 

I too have tons of exp. on both, and your post is 99% accurate. My best friend owns the Prairie and we swap out regularly. The part that you didn't include is when you turn the wick up. Both machines perform admirably, as they are two of the most SPORT oriented utes out there. IMHO, when things are happening rapidly-both fr. suspensions suck. I have my preload ramped to full stiff, and w/ the winch, I blow through the travel. It's never harsh, it just rubs. The Kawi's struts are just awful at speed. The front wants to roll (not roll over) to the outside. The Kawi's motor is, as has been stated time and time again, A BEAST. Sometimes, a little much in the technical sections. The Vinson doesn't have the low/mid, but once on the beans, it hauls a$$. The Vinny, imho, is more tractable, just not a "ripper". Overall, TG, you nailed 'er. Thanks for the time!