I've been going back and forth on this for a while, but I think I'm ready to trade the Raptor in. At first I was thinking about getting the Grizley, but I ride a lot by myself and if I get stuck I don't think I could get it out (too big). My other choice would be the Kodiak 450. Whatever I get is going to stay pretty much stock. Can I get some comments, good or bad, on either one.

 

I think you should go with a Kawasaki Prairie 700. A straight axel in the back will give you a sport drift feeling similar as what you had an the Raptor (instead of IRS which might be more plaisant in a straight line but in the curves not very sportive). It weight 600 lbs similar to the weight of 400cc Big Bear Proffessional (599 lbs) or a Kodiak 450 (550 lbs) but twice as fast. It accelerates like a sport quad (so don't need any modifications if you don't want any, but tons of stuff are available for the Prairie 700). It wheelies. It is the closest you will get the Raptor in the 4wd ATV class with the utility of a 4WD. Try one you will see! [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

You are scared of getting stuck? I also often ride alone, so with a 4x4, a winch is a must! It gets very handy and saves you from back pain. The hardest it got for me getting out of a deep mud hole was putting the hook around the tree[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img] and pressing that 'inward' button. My friends with two- wheel drive ATV's had a much harder time getting unstuck alone without a winch. By the way there is also a little trigger on the handle bars of the Prairie 700 that locks the front differential in 4wd mode that will also help you to get unstuck and kept going in a mud hole.

 

I like the grizzly. Make sure to get a winch. You cannot beat the ride, power is great, tons of lowend grunt, lots of ground clearance. I don't care what anybody says IRS or not the grizzly does have a sport feel. IMO

The kodiak is also nice but doesn't have the power of the grizzly.

 

Buy a Honda 4x4 and a winch and you will have it made

 

I'm in N. Dakota and there aren't a lot of trees to winch to. I also have a 95 Honda four trax which is a great mid size 4-by. The kind of 4x4 riding I do takes more finess and manuvering and less grunt power. That's why I'm leaning towards the Kodiak. Dang, I guess I'll just have to ride them all and see which one calls to me. I'll also take a look at the Prairie and the Sportsman 500 or 700.

 

Check out the arctic cat 500 4x4 too!!! Great suzuki motor and 12" of ground clearence.. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

 

after a bad crash at 70+ mph on my raptor I to wanted to slow things down a bit so I was looking at getting a 4x4 quad and I ended up with a kodiak 450 and am very pleased with it. The first thing I did was put a winch on it and headed for the mud holes that I drove around for years! I now have 600 miles on it and it hasen't skipped a beat. I think the power is fair and size is good. we have many tight trails here in Maine also and the Kodiak works great! I also put 589's on it, a power core exhaust tip, a uni air filter, rev bypass kit,and a pair of hand gaurds. A good friend of mine has a grizz and that machine is great as well but I wanted to stay away from the speed of that machine. I figured if I didn't want to go 70 + on a raptor then I sure didn't want to go 70+ on a 4x4 and I am the type that would push the limit intil I was upside down in the woods again! My kodiak does 50-52 pretty easy and will run as fast as 60 if you get a strech thats a mile long! I belive you would be happy with the kodiak as it has the features as the grizz with out the 660 in it and IRS .

 

I'd have to say go w/ the Kodiak 450. That's what i did for the same reasons you are considering one over the Grizzly. I wanted the nimbleness that it offered for the trails.

 

Gotta have that nimbleness