Well best of luck with it man. I know from your enthusiastic posts on here that you'd be an avid ATVer and a good one at that, so I hope it works out for ya.

 

Ya know, I recently thought about maybe just going ahead and getting a newer model 2005 KQ. I actually went and looked at it and the Grizz again over the past weekend. It's hard to have to wait until the end of the year. My younger brother bought a new 2006 Yamaha Kodiak 450 a little over a week ago. He had his choice narrowed down to either a Rubicon, Vinson Auto, or the Kodiak. He went with the Kodiak because he wanted IRS and locking front diff. What kills me is that he hardly did any research on them though. He mainly just asked me what I thought about the sybject because he knew that I had been researching quads for many months now. So, he just goes out and gets what he wants, and I still don't have what I really want! It takes me a little while to make up my mind though.........gotta be sure, you know? The end of the year is barely two months away now. I can wait until then for a new 2006 KQ, or a new 2006 Grizz. Besides, I like the looks of that new olive green KQ with the black rims. I'm not too thrilled about the fact of having to rejet for elevation changes on the Grizz, either, which is swaying me way more toward the KQ. Told my bro over and over again to either get the Grizz (since he really wanted Yamaha), or consider the KQ, but he didn't want a big bore.

 

STOCK'S,

I am unsure if they really had an 06 in stock but that is what they quoted over the phone, they are over an hour's drive from here so I never made it to see for myself. Doesn't matter anyway, I went to the Suzuki dealer in a neighboring town on the weekend as they had they same price( hunting was slow )......long story short waited there for 20 minutes and the sales guy did not give me the time of day and there were only 4 people in the store. I walked across the Street to the Yamaha dealership and they were more than happy to answer my questions and go through the Grizzly for me. Hell of a nice guy and hell of a good deal.

Purchased a Red 2005 Grizzly, had 26 Mudlites put on, heated grips ( Winters coming ).

Walked back to Suzuki dealership picked up truck thanked salesman for his help as he now had time for me and went to pick up my new quad. I may have missed out on 70+ MPH but all I wanted was a big bore with a front locking Diff so I am more than happy.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

 

What I don't understand is how someone can be considering both the Grizz and the KingQuad at once. If you like both machines, I think the obvious choice would have to be the KingQud: more power, features and EFI for the same price. Come on.

 

Yeah, maybe. IMO, the KQ only has one major thing over the Grizz, and that is the EFI. If the Grizz had EFI, too, it would be a very hard decision to make (I would probably end up going with the Grizz). Differences in power, etc are trivial to me in this case because there is not a lot. What's all this recent talk about KQ engines going bad due to poorly designed stock air filters? I even read where one person stated that he found dust/dirt in the intake with using an aftermarket filter. And, there is a lot of talk about Suzuki not wanting to acknowledge a problem there, if there really is one. At least I haven't heard any recent talk about Grizz engines blowing up. RG, are you not the least bit worried about your KQ regarding this particular, so-called issue? I would appreciate your opinion on the matter, especially since you already own a KQ and you also seem rather credible based on what you have to say in your posts. Thanks...

 

Dshoe,

I am obviously in the same exact boat you are in...I know we have talked in the past and/or at least replied to the same posts...I do, however, have to agree with RG though that the KQ has to come 1st over a Grizz, including if a Grizz had EFI. I haven't read anything about a KQ owner with an air filter like a UNI (not like a K&N that lets a ton more air in) that is still letting dust get into the air intake. Even so that is 1 person out of thousands and thousands and you would then have to admit that no Grizz is perfect and that we could go into the Yamaha section and find that out....I know you agree. A $20 air filter on an '06 KQ that is most likely coming (from what we have all read here) with beefier tie rods and you have a great quad! Just going off of features alone it is much more updated than a Grizz and the msrp is $100 more. To me that is a no brainer, but that is just me! I'm not saying, however, that the KQ is the #1 quad out there and that everyone should own one....no way am I saying that. I really think the perfect quad is depending on who is riding and what is their use for it. Me, I want EFI, a large engine, IRS, and as much sportiness as I can (with a nice ride) for a 600lb machine.....I will NOT be working with it at all, except MAYBE a few very driveways to plow when St. Louis gets decent snow about every other year or so. To me a KQ is looking awfully good! I personally am not even considering a Grizz and I would have a BF or Prairie ranked higher but that's just me.

 

RG,

Thanks for the great words, I really do appreciate it! I have co-workers that can't believe that I would talk to them all day about atv's if they would let me. I am down to about 4 weeks before my job moves and I applied for another position today.....like I said, IF everything works out and I either transition into another job right after this one ends or SOON after then I will be the proud owner of my first atv and 1st toy since I sold my waverunner in '98.

Damnit MetLife, why did you have to move to Hartford, CT? Good company (pains me to say) but I just wish they weren't moving....I have a couple of opportunities slightly brewing...we will see!

Wish me luck!

 

dshoe, I was not trying to make your opinions sound insignificant. I went back and looked at my original response to you and I don't really like the way I went about it, so I apologize if I offended you, sincerely. I actually consider the differences over the Grizzly to be a notch or two above "slight," but I suppose that's down to opinion as I said before. My friend has an '04 Grizzly and we plan on riding this Sunday and I'm sure there will be a drag involved and I'll let you know the results if you're interested at all. Both machines are bone stock except I have a winch. The power difference really is quite significant in my opinion and I did put significant seat time on this buddy's Grizz when he got it and before I had the King. The Suzook seems to have a much harder-hitting mid-range and better top-end, TO ME anyway. The Yamaha probably has it beat on the low-end, but I think once the Yoshi EMS comes out there will be no comparison. I for one like the 4x4 system incorporated by the King much more as it engages and disengages almost instantaneously. I recall trying to disengage from 4x4, especially diff-locked, on his Grizzly and experiencing considerable difficulty, especially at some inconvenient times. The suspension has got to go to the Suzuki as well. Though the Grizz is indeed comfortable and plush, the high-speed handling is kind of "iffy" to me. As far as more features go, I really didn't back that one up when I said it, but now that I think about the only real thing is that the King has 3 independent headlights and is set-up for a winch straight off the assembly line. I am not the least bit worried about the intake "problem(s)" to be totally honest. I will eventually get a UNI Air Filter and then not think twice, but I'm running stock now and still don't even have it on my mind. Like stocks said, the cases of motors actually grenading because of bad intake are few and far between. The Grizzly has had it's share of documented problems as well, such as boiling gas in high temperatures and overheating, though it seems some King owners experience overheating too. I never have, but I haven't hit a huge mudbog yet either. Though I think this may just be a problem with my friend's machine, his Grizz is constantly dying when we get in water and not that deep at all. We think that somehow water is being allowed to reach the spark plug, even though he checks it before riding and all the other times we stop. PLEASE bear in mind these are all my opinions only and even though you could say I'm totally biased just because I happen to own the King, I think most people here know me better than that and I chose the KingQuad for reasons, as I did just as much research as you guys before making the decision. The Yamaha Grizzly is a GREAT machine, please don't get that wrong either. I just consider the Suzuki KingQuad to be a significant step or two ahead, plus the EFI.

 

No offense taken, RG. I dunno gentlemen. I still have a couple of months to think about it. I really want to see how things shake out with this new air filter issue on the KQ. I do agree though. When I rode the KQ and the Grizz during test rides one day a couple of months ago, I found the KQ to be noticeably smoother. It appeared to be a nicer machine overall. But, the Grizz is a fine machine, too. The only thing I didn't really care for on the Grizz was the fact that on the one I test drove the handle bars vibrated quite a bit from the single cylinder engine. The KQ didn't do that at all though. Plus, as I mentioned before, EFI is a big plus in my book, and the KQ has it (the Grizz does not). Thanks for your opinions, RG and stocks. They are valued and will be weighed in my decision.

 

Yeah, I forgot to mention the great job Suzuki did on their engine. I'm not still trying to convince you to get the KingQuad here, but just thought I should point out the engine performances between the King and Grizz in terms other than power output. Suzuki did a marvelous job with their 695cc powerplant and has the best one-lunger in the sport-utility class by far, I think. Like you mentioned, the vibration usually associated with a big single-cylinder is virtually not there. The powerband, as well, is also very uncharacteristic of a one-lunger. It is almost V-twin-like in that it doesn't have a large hit in one spot and is softer everywhere else; it's smooth and strong throughout, and no you can't use the low-end lag as an arguement to that because that's an electronic timing lag and I guarantee the Yoshimura EMS will bring out the bottom-end "pop" that we all know this thing possesses.