Im sure the vinson is a good quad.....but so is the kodiak.....maybe your ol 03' wan't up to whatever task you put it up against but come-on a vinson it not "all that and a bag of chips"...[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

I'll give it the edge...it is prolly a little better...maybe more power than a kodiak...but in my experience and a good friend has one too...The kodiak 450 is very dependable and has a great locker on it...

 

I agree the locker is a good addition to the Kodiak. My Vinson spins three tires fast enough it dont need no locker. j/k
By the way Squeege it was an old 01.

 

tons camozuki. Ive owned a 1998 banshee and a p360 been. Been looking for a good quad for awhile and it looks like its going to be a vinson. Thanks for the help guys been doing a lot of research and im glad ya could help me but it looks like im getting the vinson. why i like it do to the bigger size, its a 5-speed, like the looks, and the downfalls no locker and Irs. Most people i talked to never really use the locker on the kodiak only in some nasty situations. but these are two really good bikes but im going for the camo vinson thanks guys. also heard you can use the break method but brakes can become $$$$.

 

Raptorkk, have you looked at my pics. Gives you a little idea what a camo Vinson will look like with some bling. Good luck...

 

how did you get it to shine like that? hell of a quad! what was the best aftermarket part you put on and can you raise the front end to the sky stock? the camo sure does look nice

 

When you break the engine in, break it in hard, like you are going to ride it after its broke in. Just dont hold it at wide open too long. It will stand up easily new with no extras. Once you get it broke in and a little of the rear tires worn off, it takes a little body english then. After adding any weight (winch,bumper,skids,tires,and other) its a little harder to stand up. I am talking about standing it up sitting down on the seat in the usual riding position, not one knee on the seat,etc.
The best power mod to me was the Diamond G snorkel. Take in mind I added it after the pipe,K&N, jet kit and cam though. The snorkel was really engineered well (right air volume at the right velocity). Adding snorkels that are home made will let you ride in deep water, but if power is what you are looking for, the Diamond G is the way to go. You can get the full potential out of the other mods only if you are getting the right amount of air into the engine. The only thing I would like to do to the engine now is port and polish the heads. I know I could have bought a sport quad, but I like a little mud here and there and like being able to put it in low and ease up steep hills. This bike gives me all I want.
I use Suzuki motorcycle wash to clean it with. In those pictures I used a 25% mixture of Armor All. That is the only time I have used the Armor All. If I cleaned it now, its a little dusty, it will look just like those pictures with a 1000 pretty rough miles on it and a year and a half old.

 

Break it in hard? i was always told break it in easy for the first 10 hours to set the seals in. Is there a reason why to break it in hard. I will first put on tires and after that not sure what to do.

 

Most all manufacturers tell you to take it easy in break in. Why??? I do not know. Ask most race engine builders and they will tell you different as I used to build engines also and I learned a lot from a really good machinist and engine builder. There is a really good site I visited recently (mototuneusa.com). You should be able to get your engine answers there. When I say break it in hard I mean let the engine warm and take it for a spin, maybe shift to 3rd and nail it, decellerate, and do it again. That site will tell you how, I'm not a fast typer sp?, and they can explain it a little easier. When I used to build the 289 and 302 Fords, I would start the engine and let it warm for about 10 mins. ,take it on the road nail it and let off to just about a stop and do it again never letting the engine get over 4k rpm's. I would do that a few times, let it cool down and do it again totalling four repetitions. That was the way I was taught.

 

Here is the link

Mototuneusa

 

I have about 13yrs of machinist experience behind my belt in the injection mold and automated machines and I totally agree with camozuki on this....just give it time to warm up like he said.....