Brute Force 750 4x4i Vs. Ocala's Sand Whoops
After an exhausting few months of deadlines and lack of much-needed playtime, the call for an exhilarating adventure couldn't have come my way at a more appropriate time. An adventuresome staff member over at Kawasaki had invited me on a low-key yet exciting journey south to Florida's Ocala National Forest for a day of relieving stress and knocking out some hard-whooped miles aboard the 2008 Brute Force 750 4x4i. You don't have to ask me twice, I'm in! Next thing I knew, I'm hopping states on a tiny plane headed for alligator territory. No worries, though, I was going riding, and that's all that mattered to me.
We awoke early on Friday morning, the sun was gleaming bright orange and I was eager to shred some miles aboard a new machine in a location in which I'd never ridden previously. Along our one-hour journey to the ride spot, I contemplated how I would write this story. Was this a test ride of the 2008 Brute Force or was it a ride adventure story at Ocala OHV? To be perfectly honest, I wasn't exactly sure what to expect out of this trip, but only time could reveal the results. As the day wore on and my overall experience just kept getting better and better, a moment of clarity finally broke through my clouded brain as to what I should do. I'm stepping into new territory here, breaking the mold or whatever you want to call it. This would be an adventure story where I also tested a revised machine in a real-world riding scenario. Actually sounds pretty cool if you ask me. So let's rewind back to the drive down.
As we entered the "driveway" of Ocala OHV-best described as a very long, sandy road where whoops lay deep one after another-I became a little concerned. The reason: These sand whoops were knee deep and went as far as my eyes could see. To be honest, that little voice inside my head that says, "This isn't going to be good" became very loud and annoying. Endless deep whoops and Brute Force 750s don't seem to go together like peanut butter and jelly. Normally when I think whoops, I think of tackling them aboard a sport ATV with good suspension, not so much on a ute. But either way, I was here and determined to make the best of it.
What's New For 2008?
Before jumping in deep to our time out riding, you have to get some details. I don't want to bore you with all of the benefits and features of this machine since it's been around for quite some time. What I do want to do is enlighten you on the impressive improvements that Kawasaki has made to the Brute Force 750 4x4i for 2008. This is important in my eyes because Kawasaki made some very key changes to this machine, changes that have roosted it into a new league in my opinion.
First off, the engineers at Kawasaki have crafted a new fuel-injection system into this already powerful V-twin engine. The twin Electrofusion-plated aluminum cylinders are now fed by 34mm throttle bodies controlled by a 32-bit CPU which allows the perfect mixture of fuel and air based on coolant temperature, air intake temperature, throttle position, air intake pressure, vehicle speed and crankshaft angle. That's impressive, right? Along with EFI, Kawi also reduced the spring rate for the throttle return springs and ball bearings in the throttle bodies. This makes the throttle easier to push and fatigues the rider's thumb less throughout a long day on the trail. That's a score for sure!