This started out as a pretty good topic of discussion. It then turned kind of fun and funny, but now it has become ridiculous. Anybody in his right mind would never compare the power of a KQ to a 500 cc machine. That's like saying a Toyota can pull like a Kenworth. This forum ended up sounding like teenage girls argueing over their boy friends at a slumber party.

 

I agree, I wasn't really comparing engines. I just stated that I like having more power.. What I was comparing, were the brakes, and the suspension, stuff like that.. If you put a 700 engine in the KQ, it will still beat you to death, and you will still have to work on the brakes, every time someone splashes a little mud on it.

 

Low Gear,
Well the KQ guys are going to stick together,I somewhat expect that,however,I did'nt expect an attack by KQ owners for stating facts about the KQ,especially on guys that used to OWN them.I think a few guys did not like my ''JOKE'' about the Queen Quad?I found it to be extremly hillarious and thought I'd poke a little fun,looks like a few took it the wrong way?Sorry guys,maybe I should of left that to myself?I really did not mean to offend anyone.Just joking!

The belt subject?
Belts seem to be a major topic of discussion for some riders/owners of gear driven ATVs.It gives them a sense of gradification knowing they can attempt to find fault with something on another ATV to hide the short comings of their own ATV.That stunt does not apply to either of my belt driven ATVs,I've PROVED that many times.One particular case comes to mind,my brother Joe recently built a nice home,he needed help in his back yard clearing timber.The terrain was excessively muddy/hilly.I had a 17cf trailor attached to the rear of the Xplorer and for 2 days I hauled fired wood from behind his home and to the top of a hilly/muddy hill-to the log splitter,all this with NO problems.The belts are issues when it comes to abuse/neglect,not the case in my situations.I know when to use Low Range.

I talked to Ecorman this past Friday night,he said that we dont need to be calling out all the shortcomings on the KQ,he said we go to far with that.I disagreed with him and brought him to your response on answering the original questions from the very first post.You gave an EXCELLANT answer,you said you also felt obligated to the original poster to give an accurate account of the KQ.Why give only positive answers and mis-lead the guy?If I remember correctly,YOU were mis-lead on the KQ and said you regretted your purchase.If giving accurate accounts on the KQ is going to far,than you and I are guilty and that is punishable by,
1.You must ride a KQ on a bumpy/twisty trailhead at speeds no slower than 20mph for 2hrs straight.You are NOT allowed to take pain medicine before this ride,only afterwards!
2.You must mud with the KQ for an entire afternoon in serious mud/water,than afterwards,you must drive down a steep hill.''Go ahead,try out them brakes''
3..Must allow a present KQ owner to ride the Sportsman in the same above terrain and drink coffee at the same time.No sleeping while riding.I'd be fully insured against theft if I were you.
Have a SUPER day,
EVERYONE!

 

Man the poor SOB who origionated this post is probably gonna forget 4 wheeling all together and go buy a Bike. As for the Suzuki / Polaris bashing here's my 2 cents.. or 1? I have 2 friends with Polaris atvs. One has a 97 Sportsman 400 I've rode with him 4 times.. towed him back once and watched him limp back one more time. The bike has about 1800kms on it and the tie rod ends are about to fall off it. My 95KQ or QQ has 2600kms and is still running all origional equipment save the plug and oil filter. The other guy I went riding with 2 weekends ago and there was 1KQ 2Grizzlys 1Blaster 1250r (Honda) and a dirt bike. We all sat on the side of the trail for a hour while Polaris man was trying to get his 4 wheeler running again after deep mud hole we had to drag him out of. That was the second time we've used our bikes as lawn chairs waiting for him. Man I wish I owned a Polaris! NOT! Now I'm sure the Polaris zealots (Bill) will have alot to say about this but I'm just giving my experience with the only 2 Polaris's i've ridden with. Oh BTW the Sportsman does go through more mud than my KQ but the weight of it makes it very inconvenient when trying to pull it out.

 

rkelman,
I have no problem beleiving your story about the 2 Polaris ATVs.I had a 99 Sportsman that was nothing but problems until I had another dealership repair the warrenty problems.Tie rods are JUNK like you say to.

Weight?
Your right on here to.I once had my 99 Sportsman equipped with 26 inch Mudrunners and got it buried in mud.My bro's KQ would'nt budge it,it took a full size Land Rover 2 tugs before he got me out.
Bill

 

Oh, I'm sure many Polaris's have set down by the side of the trail..... Some you can account to being lemons, others to lack of maintance... I have yet to have any problems with mine. However, I look after it. I check her over, during the week, to make sure nothing happened, during the weekend beating it took.
Not to upset anyone, but I have towed a King Quad back 3 times, in last 4 months or so.. One of these times, I pulled it over 2 miles, and up a steep, long hill that the King had trouble climbing on a good day. I'm sure mine will break sometime, but they all do.

Bill, I personally enjoyed the Queen Quad joke.
The comment made about us painting ours pink when the 700's come out, is amusing too. It wouldn't bother me to paint the ho pink, since I would give it to the wife and buy a 700.. But if we have to paint our's pink, then the King owners would have to get orange triangles (like they use on tractors)
mounted on the rear of them, so everyone would know there is slow moving traffic ahead....
That is intended to be humorous, but I'm sure someone will get upset... Just laugh a little. I have a King too.........I don't ride it, but its here.

 

Good Morning Bill!! Sorry I haven't come back yet. Remember I take the weekend off.

I see your past has caught up with you with some of your old friends coming in. Actually we can catch up on the other stuff later, I have a busy morning(well sort of).

I think my point about your comments on the fuse really hit home. You say things because you really don't know any other way (I thought it was just me and the folks in this forum). Take your reply about the fuse, you very first comment was to tell the guy that he is wasting his time. No one likes to be told that they're wasting their time. It make people feel foolish(basic human physiology(sp?) here...read up on it). And then you got into this hotshot list of all the parts on the quad that can cause the AWD not to work (quite a few actually). If it were me I would have handled it differently. 1) I would have kept my mouth shut(maybe not an option for you). 2)I would have said "I think" it's right next to the battery under this do-hicky BUT I'm not really sure because I've only seen one once...Good Luck Rob. 3) Friend, the fuse box is located "here", the fuse your looking for is number "5". It's a 5amp fuse. However as a person who has some knowledge about this quad if it's the fuse then this "other gismo" will also not be working. Check to see if the other gismo is working. If it is then the fuse is probably ok. But go ahead and check it anyway. Good Luck...

See how easy those are. #1 you try to answer the gentlemens question. Then you can offer some extra advise based on knowledge. I mean the dealer told him to check the fuse. Following you reply I'm surprized he didn't tear down the whole quad (actually I'm not surprized he didn't, he knew better). If my car won't start the first thing I do is glance at the gas guage, not rebuild the motor!!

My past cars? I've only had seven (I'm 41..not bad huh). But I think you'll see a progression to where I am today.

1970 AMC Rebel - my first car, parents gift
1977 Firebird Formula - my high scholl hot rod. All stock on the outside but after a few years I added a 3.73 posi and a 428 Pontiac from a 68'. Very fast!
1972 toyota celica (I think the year is correct) A work car for me. I had this the same time I had the firebird (not bad 19 and 2 cars, I made all the payments BTW, I was a worker, parents helped with insurance and some gas). I drove this to work and drove the Firebird on the weekends.
1980 Tercel - traded the celica for this, now I had A/C!! I sold the Firebird about a year later.
1986 Ford F-150 SC SWB 4x2 - My first truck, I'll never go back. After 2 weeks I realized I should have gotton a 4x4.
1990 - Ford F-150 SC SWB 4x4 - now I had what I needed for hunting, etc.
1999 - Ford F-250 SD Crew Cab Long Wheel Base 4x4 - my dream truck, 4 full doors and a 8' bed.

Boy your bringing tears to my eyes with this walk down memory lane.

As to my QQ decision. As I said I rode several before I bought. Cost was part of my decision. Polaris was actually the first one I rode, the sp500 was number 1 on my list of 1. Cost was high, my research indicated maintance problems (big problem for me since as you tell with my cars I keep things a long time). Also I didn't like the way if I wanted to chug down the trail at 15-20 mpg I couldn't do it without the engine winding up and making a lot of noise. The wet belt thing was not that big of a thing. A couple dealers told me the autos were coming for all. They sited it was a way to get women on quads. That's just what I was told by Polaris, Honda and Yamaha dealers. With a manual shift I can put it in fourth and idle down the trail at that speed.

I've second guessed my decision many times. Mainly toward the Honda because of the resale value. But keeping it a long time, that shouldn't matter.

Later Billy,
Robbie

BTW I didn't break 80 on Saturday. I shot an 80, do you believe it? I bogied 3 of the 4 par 5's and with my lenght that's not good. I also had a few 3 putts.

 

Bill,

We who have the big over rated belt driven things have to stick together, and when I got stuck with mine you pulled me out and then have the "marbles" to try the same hole, sure was fun that day.

 

You know Jester, some day this year, you should come to Michigan, to ride. You need just a little fine tuning but your OK-- KID...
Chuck

 

I just talked to Bill, by phone, he can't talk to us anymore here because his computer is on the blink! I think someone paid to have it knocked off. I haven't been in the forum for awhile myself but man! I'm missing a lot here when Bill is talking--Not! Bill will be back in service sooner than we'd like but it's OK. We need someone to compare ourselve to and he does just fine. Yes Bill, you pulled me out of the mud more than I did you. But you have always had the premium tires on your over sided Polaris, and I had the stock tires on the King when I pulled you out. Now, what part of that, don't you understand? Oh, I forgot, you're not here cause, somebody messed up your computer... :0)
Chuck