Raptors4us:
Ride all three and then decide. You are coming off a Raptor...so I would think the Kawi P650 would be a better fit. It is the strongest machine. It is the sportiest of the bunch, has the most power and is the quickest. It is an awsome mud machine with the right tires. Something you may want to consider regarding tires... The Rincon has been reported by owners as having trouble spinning large (27-28") tires with any real authority . The Grizz wont spin them very good in reverse and it's front locker is limited to 22 mph. The Kawi on the other hand will spin them at an incredible rate and will not stop for anything!!! They all have their good points but the Kawi has more. The brakes are the best in the industry and are basically maintenance free for a very long time (6000 Miles for first service on the rear!!) The front locker is ON THE FLY and is not speed limited. The ENGINE is UNREAL...it is much smoother running than the other big bores(V-TWIN BABY!!!) The only thing that the Rincon and Grizz has to offer that the Kawi doesn't is IRS. Yes there is a ground clearance advantage...however Put a load on the back and they squat some, and the advantage is minimal. I have add mine for 6 months and pack the living hell out of it...and she only comes back asking for more. My machine has been absolutely bullet proof since I bought it, and hasn't seen the shop for anything...not even a belt adjustment. I did the fluids myself. Don't knock a belt driven quad...It takes 10 minutes to change the belt on the KAWI P650 and all need is 2 screwdivers and a socket. So 10 minutes every couple thousand miles is a joke on this machine...and yes the belt will last a long time if adjusted correctly. The belt is a non issue when considering all the advantages of this machine. Ride them all...I bet you are most impressed with the Kawi.


ROB

 

Raptors4us:
Also I forgot to mention... THE HONDA RINCON HAS NO FRONT LOCKER ...THUS NOT TRUE 4X4.

ROB

 

One point on the Grizz is that you can overide the reverse limiter and the diff-lock limiter, but I haven't found the need to do more than 22mph in locked mode. If you can go that fast locked you can probably do it unlocked. I've rode all three and the Kawi is a little quicker off the line, not by much, and then they're pretty even.

 

Dave,
as the owner of two brand new Polaris ATVs,a 1999 500cc Sportsman and a new 2000 400cc Xplorer,I'll tell you first hand that BOTH ATVs were CONSTANTLY riddled with problems.I'd just get them out of the dealership for one thing,and after the next ride,it was back in for something else.I had to constanly wonder,whats next [to go wrong]??

Dont worry about the Honda Rincon,most negative comments come fron non owners?.The engine breaking is not as good as I'd like it to be,but for my riding style,it is sufficient.The front diff does indeed supply power to BOTH front wheels.The new torque sensing front differential works great.The ride is as good as any IRS on todays market.The Auto trans is beltless and is unlike any auto trans you'll ever ride in an ATV.The front drums are also sealed up real well,at least up to now anyway.

I had so many belt related issues with my belt drives that I did not want any of those issue's arising again,so I purchased the Rincon.So far,im extremely happy with my purchase.

Bill

 

Hello All !!.... Well the shopping trip was an interesting one. I have pretty much narrowed it down to the Grizz and the Prairie...and leaning a little more towords the prairie. It is really a hard decision between the 2. There are pro's and con's to each and i think it really comes down to personal issues more so than actual performance issues. However i have arranged to ride both units and can give them both a pretty good workout and i think that will put the final seal of approval on one of them. Again, i would like to say a big thanks to everyone who put in there "2 cents" worth. I'll let you know how things go on the next couple of weekends as i have the chance to meet up with these 2 guys and check out their machines. I also think i will hold on to the Raptor for now...seeing as how it is new and paid for, not much real reason to sell it, and if i really get an urge to "break loose" ive got the machine to put me back in my place [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]. Anybody in the area that likes to ride in the Ocala National Forest, the water is high and the mud/muck/swamp stuff is endless for miles around the old railroad bed.
THANKS AGAIN !!
Dave Boyd
Ocala, FL

 

Raptors4us, you have narrowed it down to two of the best machines in the class. I might recommend that you take a look at the Bomb 650XT also, I had a chance to ride with one this weekend and it seemed to be a great machine, not as snappy as the Prairie but it had way better top end.

Each of the machines has it's good points and bad. The Prairie is a great all around machine and has the best throttle response of any of the big bores however several of them are faster on the top end. The Prairie is a little lacking in grouns clearance but if you prefer a solid axle, as I do, then that is just a fact of life. The Prairie also gives you the most control over your front differential in that no matter what the speed is in any gear, forward or reverse, it is there so if you need to spin the wheels and dig for bottom you can. The Grizzly maintains it's ground clearance once a rider has mounted the machine better than any other IRS machine I have seen (700s are pathetic in this aspect). However the Griz does seem to feel very tippy and the speed limiter for the locker is pretty annoying. The Rincon just seems to leave you wanting more, its not as quick nor does it have the top end of any of the other big bores, it also lacks any "hold back" below 5-7 miles per hour, the brakes are less than up to par when compared to the other big dogs, as for the front differential yes it can turn all four but it is a limited slip set up which leaves you with no control over the differential when you need it but the machine doesn't "think" you do. Now for the Quest, rides and steers better than my Prairie but as I said lacks the snappy take off. The owner wouldn't mud drag with us so I can't comment on the effectiveness of the locker but he claimed it worked very well. The big advantage to the Quest is that it seems to be laid out as more of a rider friendly machine with all of your controls being right at your finger tips, also it doesn't appear to be anywhere near as easy to clog up a radiator on it as it is on all the other machines. From the limited seat time I had on the Bomb I can tell you I liked it very much and if I didn't have a Prairie I would strongly consider this machine.

I hope this bunch of my rambling helps you somewhat.