Hello , I just finished reading the april '06 Big Bore Shootout and I feel it may be a little bias . I believe that they chose the wrong atv out of the Kawasaki stable .Putting  a solid axle quad in a shootout with IRS machines ,Is like comparing apples to oranges .If the 2006 Brute Force 650i would have been chosen the outcome may have had a different ending.Thank you for lisening to my rant.  

If Kawasaki had provided a Brute Force 650i, we would have tested it. However, they chose to go with the Prairie 700 and Brute Force 750 for the two categories.

I'd hope the BF 650 turns easier than its 750 sibling or the Kawie might have been worse off than the Priarie did. The solid rear axle didn't hurt the Prairie as much as its weight did, it was nimble and had a good motor and was only marginally off in the rocks. But the wieght made you feel those uneven trails more.

Bryan

You should have made the fact known in the test that Kawasaki couldn't provide a 650i.  It would have made a difference it  if they had as the 650i has a faster motor than the Prairie, and is does not have the same suspension as the 750 Brute.  It handles much better, which I can attest to having put my 650i against the three 750 Brutes I ride with.  It has an updated frame and revised suspension over the 750.  I know for a fact that the 650i is faster than the 800 Polaris.  I have first hand experience.  Perhaps before you start lamenting what the 650i is or isn't and can or can't do, you should actually ride one and pit one against it's competition.  

Ok-Kawasaki chose not to include the 650 in the test........we should've made that known? The question/suggestion you pose should be directed towards Kawasaki-Why didn't you send the 650i? We contact the the factory(s) with our intentions, what they choose to send is, entirely, up to them. We can only test what have been provided with.  Curiousity is killing the cat here: How are you figuring that the 650i engine is "faster" than the 700 Prairie? And where did the "lamenting" come into the equation? Remember, we had no 650i to lament upon.

All sarcasm aside, thanks for being as thorough in reading our magazine as you are. We actually encourage this participation, and all 'chop-busting" was taken and intended in good humor!

Brad 

Yeah you're right, sorry.  I was a little ticked when I saw all of the IRS machines had been added against the one SRA.  Kawasaki is to blame if they sent the SRA Prairie to compete with the other IRS machines.  The Prairie is a terrific machine, but many of the other designs have moved on.  To be fair, all of the machines should have been IRS. You should have made that distinction in the test, letting us know that Kawasaki chose to send the Prairie even though the 650i would have been a better match, cause unless we're told different, we as readers figure that you were the ones who lined up the particular machines.  And pitting an SRA machine against the IRS machines wasn't fair when it comes to ride, and suspension abilities.  Again Kawasaki is to blame.  They should have sent a 650i as it's more compatible with the other machines in the test.

The Brute Force 650i is a completely different machine than the Prairie and the 750 Brute for that matter.  Motors are different.  650i has different shocks on the front, mounted differently than the 750.  You can feel it the instant you throw it into a corner.  Way less body roll and easier to steer.  Slides easier too.  Different front suspension, different cylinders, different carbs than the Prairie.   Brute has A-Arm front end, Prairie has struts.  Keihin CVKR-D32 carbs for the Prairie vrs CVKR-34 on the Brute, 2mm bigger and are in a straight downdraft position which helps it breath better.  It's pretty easy to spot the difference in the carbs right away, just look for the idle adjustors.  They are on different sides of the engine.  Internals of the clutch gears are different too, lightened in the Brute, so it reacts more quickly.  Not squirrly or anything, cause the 650i is easier to ride than the 750.  Not as abrupt.  We've got three 750 Brutes, one 700 Prairie, a 650 Brute SRA, two 650 Prairies, a 650 Rincon, a 500 Rubicon, a Polaris 800 and a Bomb 800.  The 650i is right there with the 750 Brutes.  I mean it's so close you almost can't tell them apart.  Real close.  The 650i will outrun all of the other machines, except the Bomb.  Nothing outruns the Bomb.

As far as the lament part, all I meant was don't just figure that the 650i is going to have the same inherent steering problems and dive problems the 750's do.  It doesn't.  It has a completely different front end.  Different components and diffrent geometry.  Tires are the same crap though. If only they'd have put decent tires on it instead of those crappy Dunlops.  

One other thing you and all of the other mags fail to ever mention about the Brutes.  You can start them in any gear.  You don't have to mess aorund trying to find neutral or park.  Just pull or push a brake...any brake, and push the start button.  Slick.  

Just so you'll know I'm not making all this up, the pic is is my 650i (camo) and two of the 750 Brutes.

Cheers,
Ridgrunr

Thanks for your honest (and cooled off) response! The info about the 650i has def' piqued interest. Also, thanks for reading-in depth-the magazine. If you stick w/ ATVR, I think you'll find we report/write from the riders view (hence the name: ATV Rider). If you'll refer to the shoot-out and note the opinions, we were varied in our choices. (BTW-that is me on the Prairie; pg.74: great picture Thad, big friggin' nose and all!) I ranked the Kawi higher due to the power, fun factor, and I still love the Prairie-regardless of its weaknesses. In "The Battle Of The Titans", I rated the Brute ahead of the Polaris because I had more fun on it. Other testers had different opinions, but all were documented. I'm not trying to start an arguement here, but until you've ridden the Bombs, you don't know what you're missing. On the opposite side of the equation, until we've tested the 650i, we don't know what we are missing. We'll take a tit for a tat and see what the boss has to say about testing a 650.

 Again, thanks for your informative input, and don't hesitate to post your opinions. As you've figured out, we, as staff, DO check the message boards and participate in the bantor. I hope you (everyone) realize how important hearing from REAL riders is. Though we don't print a bunch of pictures of your kids sitting on the toilet reading ATVR, we value and encourage your input (please e-mail any thoughts) as to what you want to see covered, and are trying to stay true to the real riders out there.

Thanks again!

Brad

I TEST RODE A BRUTE FORCE 650i BEFORE GOING WITH THE KING QUAD. THE BF650 IS VERY TIPSY AND THE HOLESHOT, EXCITEING AND SCARY AT THE SAME TIME. ALMOST TOO MUCH LOW END TORQUE. IMAGINE GOING UP A STEEP INCLINE, ACCIDENTLY HITTING THE THROTTLE TOO MUCH AND FLIPPING THE QUAD OVER BACKWARDS. THE THING WHEELIES TOO EASILY. I WEIGH IN AT 400LBS AND THE QUAD PICKS ME UP LIKE I AM NOTHING. TOO DANGEROUS. I LOVE MY KING. GOOD SPEED, ACCEPTABLE LOW END TORGUE AND GREAT TECHNICAL RIDER.  

I RODE THE BF650i AND HATED IT. IT GAVE ME A "I'M GONNA DIE" FEELING WAY TOO MUCH. I AM 400LBS AND STAND 6'6" TALL AND GOING INTO A CORNER WITH THIS MACHINE IS WAY TOO TIPSY FOR ME BUT I DID NOT FEEL THAT WAY IN THE SKQ. THAT IS WHY I BOUGHT ONE. BF650i MAY BE A GREAT QUAD BUT NOT FOR ME.

i JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW ATV RIDER COULD GIVE IT SUCH HORRIBLE PLACEMENT IN THE TEST.

WHAT'S WITH THE SHODDY EDITING OF THE MAGAZINE. THE PICTURES NEXT TO THE SUMMARY OF EACH QUAD WERE SO MESSED UP. THE YAMAHA GRIZZ HAD PICS OF THE SKQ ON PAGE 72. THE BOMB ON PAGE 84 HAD A PICK OF THE PRAIRIE GOING DOWN A ROCK FACE, THE SAME PICK THAT IS WITH THE PRAIRIE ON PAGE 76. DON'T YOU GUYS PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR WORK...SHEEZ.  

I DO FEEL THAT THE SKQ GOT A BAD REVIEW. I HAVE TEST DRIVEN MANY QUADS AND THE SKQ WAS MY TOP CHOICE OVERALL. THERE IS NO BETTER CLIMBER, DIFF LOCK IS EXCEPTIONAL, AND I DID NOT FEEL IT WAS UNSTABLE AT HIGH SPEEDS WHEN I FLEW AT 55 MPH THROUGH A PAVED PARKING LOT AND I DID NOT FEEL ANY SKITTISH STEERING IN ANY RIDING I HAVE DONE ON IT THUS FAR. MAYBE THE FACT THAT I WEIGH IN AT 400LBS COMPLETELY DRY AND I AM 78" TALL CONTRIBUTES TO THE FACT, WHO KNOWS, BUT I THINK THE KING SHOULD HAVE SCORED WAY HIGHER. I MEAN, C'MON, HONDA PLACING HIGHER IS LIKE A JOKE AND THE STRAIGHT AXLE PRAIRIE PLACING OUT AN IRS QUAD LIKE THE KING...C'MON.

WELL, I STILL CHOSE THE KQ AND I LOVE IT. I GUESS THAT IS WHAT MATTERS. THANX FOR THE COOL MAG. I HAVE MY SUBSCRIPTION AND I LOVE IT. YOU GUYS SHOULD HAVE A RIDER'S SECTION WHERE RIDERS CAN SEND IN THEIR PICS AND SUCH, TO SHOW OFF AND WHAT NOT. THAT'D BE COOL.

SEEYA

PS. SORRY 'BOUT THE CAPS LOCK. I'M NOT YELLING. MY NEXT POST WILL BE LOWER CASE. Sorry about that. I am just always loud.

SeeYa

LOL! The AD (art director) has been taken out and flogged with a CVT belt! We were actually taking bets if the F.U. would be noticed! Anyway, you are exactly the type of rider/reader we like hearing from. You've got the nutz to call us out. OK-SKQ: Yeah, maybe your , uh, stature, had something to do with you not having any issues with the steering/handling. We did. That said, it wasn't that often, but when it did happen, it was freaky. All of the quads were awesome-just some were more-so. As for the Honda; Yeah, I was shocked too. The extra CC's upped the ante. As for the Prairie-we had quite a few racers/aggressive woods riders in the test mix. We tend to lean towards sport "feeling" but are working on that handicap.

Here's the deal-I love the KQ also, but until you exp. the HP rush of some of the others, the KQ slides back a couple of notches. Thanks for bustin' nutz on the pic's! That, alone, lets us know you guys are paying attention. And believe it or not-we are too: most of the time.

Thanks again for your compliments, and don't hesitate to post or e-mail any ideas you have. We go by the name ATV RIDER for a reason.

Oh, we'll let the CAPS Lock thing go this one time....J/K

Brad