The 660 is easy to operate and immensely rider friendly. The one complaint that every tester brought up was the clunky drive selector. At times, it was near impossible to switch into the gear you wanted. Another complaint was accessing the good-sized storage area required the rider to dismount. Overall, the Grizzly is not a bad machine, but it could use a little updating and innovation.
| + | Extreme climbing ability |
| + | Diff-lock that locks away |
| – | Clunky shifter |
| – | Front racks appear wide |
| = | Plaid flannel is a good fit |
Yamaha Grizzly 660
Automatic 4x4
Retail price: $7199; Outdoorsman Hunter green, $7599; camo, $7949; Special Edition, $7599; Ducks Unlimited, $7699; Hunter, $7549
Engine
Type: Single-cylinder, four-stroke, five-valve SOHC
Displacement: 660cc
Bore x stroke: 100x84mm
Cooling: Liquid-cooled with fan assist
Carburetion: Mikuni BSR 42mm
Lubrication: Wet sump
Ignition: DC CDI
Starting: Electric with auxiliary recoil
Drivetrain
Drive system: Shaft, 2x4/4x4
Transmission: Automatic CVT with high/low range, reverse, engine-braking, diff-lock
Suspension (Type/Travel)
Front: Dual A-arms, independent/7.1 in.
Rear: Dual A-arms, independent/9.5 in.
Tires
Front: 25x8-12; rear: 25x10-12
Brakes
Front: Dual hydraulic discs; rear: shaft-mounted hydraulic disc
Dimensions
Wheelbase: 50.2 in.
Claimed dry weight: 600 lb
Ground clearance: 11.8 in.
Length/width/height: 82.1/45.3/47.6 in.
Seat height: 34.6 in.
Fuel capacity: 5.3 gal.
ElectricalTaillight: YesHeadlight: Dual 30-watt high/low beamInstrumentation: Fuel gauge, speedometer, odometer, hourmeter, clock, dual tripmeters
Colors: Hunter green (Grizzly 660 and Outdoorsman only), Steel blue, red (Grizzly 660 and Special Edition only); Hardwoods HD camo (Outdoorsman Hunter only); Advantage Max-4 HD camo (Ducks Unlimited only); dark gray metallic (Special Edition only)
The Kawasaki Prairie 700 is a proven contender in the world of utes. After all, race championships have been won aboard the Prairie by the likes of the legendary Mike Penland and Scott Kilby in the GNCC series. There have not been many changes to this machine over the past few years other than a cc boost, but at one time it was one of the finest utility ATVs on the market. Its only major downfall is a lack of updates. As technology continues to march on, the Prairie remains unchanged.
The Prairie's 697cc of four-stroke, V-twin fury barks with enough power to keep your adrenaline levels elevated. This engine wants to rev fast and keep pulling even more than its suspension might be prepared to handle. The suspension is not bad on the Prairie, but it feels a little harsh at times and will buck if you hit obstacles hard enough. When it's compared to the rest of the class, there is no doubt that the suspension could use a bit of a renovation.
Maneuverability on the Kawi is superb because it is remarkably responsive through the trails. Despite our endearment with Independent Rear Suspension systems, sometimes it is not superior. The only straight-axle-equipped machine of the test, the Prairie's old-fashioned rear endows it with a nimble and quick personality while also allowing the quad to slide corners with the greatest of ease. The only downfall to the straight axle is the unpredictability when tackling uneven rocks or trying to conquer large objects. The unavailability to lock away the differential lock lever can also be annoying while trying to surmount rough terrain.
Even though the Kawasaki is not full of the many modern innovations such as IRS or EFI, it still holds its own on this league. Overall, we are still pleased with the performance of this capable V-twin. Now, if only the engineers at the K-factory enhance the suspension and lighten the load a little, the Prairie might advance on our voting chart.
| + | Excellent V-twin power |
| + | Nimble and maneuverable |
| – | Had a heavy feel |
| – | Harsh suspension |
| = | Solid steed with a sport streak |
Kawasaki Prairie 700 4x4
Retail price: $7099; Team GreenSpecial Edition, $7449
Engine
Type: V-twin, four-stroke SOHC
Displacement: 697cc
Bore x stroke: 82x66mm
Cooling: Liquid-cooled
Carburetion: Dual Keihin CVKR 32mm
Lubrication: Wet sump
Ignition: DC CDI
Starting: Electric with auxiliary recoil
Drivetrain
Drive system: Shaft, 2x4/4x4
Transmission: Automatic CVT with high/low range, reverse, engine-braking, diff-lock
Suspension (Type/Travel)
Front: MacPherson strut/6.7 in.
Rear: Swingarm/7.2 in.
Tires
Front: 25x8-12; rear: 25x10-12
Brakes
Front: Dual piston discs; rear: sealed multiplate disc
Dimensions
Wheelbase: 50.8 in.
Claimed dry weight: 604 lb
Ground clearance: 7.6 in. (9.5 in. at center of chassis)
Length/width/height: 86.2/46.5/46.3 in.
Seat height: 34.3 in.
Fuel capacity: 4.5 gal.
Electrical
Taillight: Yes
Headlight: Dual 45-watt high/low beam
Instrumentation: Fuel gauge, speedometer, odometer, hourmeter, clock, dual tripmeters; neutral/reverse, high-temperature indicators
Colors: Aztec red, Hunter green, Woodsman green; Team Green Special Edition lime green
It only took one lap around our testing grounds for every test rider to get a new sense of enlightenment about the '06 Honda Rincon. Honda added displacement to make it 675cc and this helped give it an extra dose of ponies. And while the power was much improved over past editions, the new muscle was not what dazzled us. It was the dominant handling, fine-tuned suspension and outstanding attention to the detail that boosted its wow factor.
You can outfit an ATV with all of the power in world, but until its chassis and suspension can handle it, there is no point. That is where Honda has positioned its focus in '06. After a 26cc gain from the '05 649cc motor, the Rincon has been transformed into a more capable machine with a significant gain in grunt and speed. The Rincon remained very controllable and it was so smooth that against the Outlander some of us felt it was still a slight bit sluggish.
However, it was the handling that won the day. This Honda was light, nimble and easy to flick around the tight, wooded trails. When you dove hard into a tight, sharp corner, the quad turned on a dime while maintaining all four wheels on the ground. Its lightweight and fine-tuned suspension performed with tremendous and predictable effectiveness. No kicking or hopping out of line. The only major suspension complaint was that it bottomed out on occasion, especially for larger riders.
Giving Honda the runner-up position was only done after much discussion and debate. In fact, most of us switched our choices back and fourth several times throughout the test. But against the power-monger Outlander, the Rincon came up short and had to settle for second.