I would get the KQ over the Rubicon provided the KQ has a "good" VIN number with the corrected reverse. If the KQ you are looking at has a VIN that indicates it has the defective reverse - Do. Not. Buy. It. Suzuki will not fix the defective reverse unless it blows and leaves you stranded or injured. There are still dealers out there trying to sell the defective ones.

The KQ has EFI and it also has a locking front differential which is a HUGE advantage in my book over the Honda.

The racks on the KQ suck but that is something I would guess the aftermarket can fix eventually. Other than the racks and a somewhat annoying low end lag the KQ is a great ATV. I've spent some seat time on one and I really liked it. Rides and handles very nice. If I was buying an ATV at this moment and couldn't get a Bombardier Outlander 800 then I'd buy a KQ.

 

Alberta,

I'm sure this is old news because you are reading the other posts but the other thing I would do on the KQ is get that UNI air filter that most people are talking about RIGHT AWAY. In fact I probably wouldn't ride a mile without it......the main complaint on the Suzuki air filter that comes on the KQ is that it doesn't seat all that well and in turn letting in dirt into the intake and engine. In the posts most say that this is about a $23 air filter and that def seems worth it to me! Outside of replacing that immediately, I haven't heard anything mechanically wrong with the KQ at all except some have bent their tierods and that is a fairly easy and inexpensive fix as well.

 

As mentioned the transmission issue was for a reverse bushing and is completely fixed on late models...need not worry at all. I would argue the centrifugal clutch manual you are accustomed to is simpler than CVT on the King Quad in maintanence and repair terms...tuning them is a different story.

 

As for the floor boards on the KQ, the lower plastic molding isn’t meant to be stepped on, there’s a metal piece in the middle that sticks out which is where you’re suppose to step. At first I didn’t like them because I was afraid someone else might step on the plastic and break it, but what I’ve noticed is they don’t get dirt or water stuck up in them you can just spray them with a hose and all the dirt and water drains right out, on my Polaris I had to pick up the clumps of mud and dry up the water because the drain holes were so small. Now that I realize why they built them this way I really like them. A very good design IMO.

 

The King Quad is an 06 model so I beleive then the tranny problem shoud not be an issue as it sounds like it was the early 05 models that had the issue. The fron Diff lock is what really sold me on the King quad, i was getting it put on my next quad whatever it was so this having it standard is rven better.

Thanks for all of your input it is appreciated.

 

Alberta,

So you already saw an '06 KQ at a dealer? Maybe I am late to the party here but the dealers in St. Louis say they won't have any until Dec and possibly even January.

 

Yup. No sweat. It is a corrected model. You should be good to go. Excellent quad.

What color is it?

 

CaptainQuint,

I guess the '06 KQ is was speaking of is gone?!?!?!?!

IMO, I don't think any dealers have '06 KQ's....at least not in St. Louis they don't.

 

stocks, why the hesitation? If I were you, and if you want a machine as badly as I think you do, I would go with a newer '05 and never look back. Plus I just don't like the black rims on the '06's, but that's just me.

 

RG,

I want one bad! I have to wait because I am losing my job right before Thanksgiving because MetLife is moving their sales desk to Hartford, CT when they purchased Traveler's this past summer. I am applying and applying but nothing yet.....this whole deal has to work out well or no quad for me for a while......if it does work out then I have a serverence check that will be partially used for a quad.

For now, unfortunately, it is a waiting game....