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By: Tim Donaldson
ATVSource.com’s First Look at the Suzuki
KingQuad 450AXi
Continued from
page 1
Personal Thoughts
Overall, I am
extremely impressed by the performance of the
Suzuki KingQuad 450AXi. As more of a
recreational enthusiast than a work-oriented
user, my assessments and evaluations are slanted
towards the fun-factors of the ATV. First of
all, IRS is great for long distance trail
riding. Rider fatigue is greatly minimized.
Hurdling rocks, logs, and other typical trail
obstacles are made almost effortlessly by the
suspension system. One of my prejudices towards
Independent Rear Suspensions (IRS), prior to
riding the KingQuad, has been that it was not
able to provide a stable feel in aggressive
cornering or on off-camber slopes. Not so with
the KingQuad. It has really changed my
perception of IRS. With this quad, I was able to
aggressively push through corners and ride the
off-camber gradients with confidence.
Steering the KingQuad was also a light duty. As with the
suspension, the light steering greatly reduced
rider fatigue. Very little feedback was
transmitted through the handlebars to the rider.
Not knowing differently, several riders on our
test model questioned whether it was fitted with
power steering. In fact, my first thought about
performance upon riding the KingQuad was its
ease of steering. This only became problematic
when riding aggressively and the steering kicked
hard to the left or right. If you’re not
prepared, you may have to check your drawers
after the first occurrence. Also, riders
fitting aftermarket tires with high sidewall
traction may find the tugging to the left or
right a bit excessive which requires more rider
input.
Also, with
the 454cc, the KingQuad delivers quite a punch.
No where did it feel short on power. The wheels
trudged through the mud effortlessly. With the
fuel-injected delivery system, the throttle
provided precise, continuous power to the
wheels. When inching over the tough terrain, the
throttle was always available when a little more
was needed. If there was any special
circumstance from the terrain, the 4WD was just
a push button click away. However, I was not as
big of a fan in engaging the differential lock
switch. Although it was fairly easy to use, it
wasn’t as seamless in its operation as other
diff lock controls on the market. Also, once
engaged, the engine limiter kicked in.
Only in pressing and holding the override button
would the full range of the engine be available
while using the front differential lock. I do,
however, respect the safety considerations for
such a feature.
Since
mentioning the engine limiter, its functionality
must be addressed while used in reverse. As with
other brands, the KingQuad requires the use of
an override button to fully engage the engine
speed. However, even with the button pushed,
override mode can only be used for 60 seconds at
a time. At the conclusion of 60 seconds of
operation, the engine speed will automatically
be reduced to the reverse limited engine speed
for 5 seconds. Before the full engine speed is
available again, the rider must disengage the
override button for 5 seconds before another 60
seconds becomes available and the cycle repeats,
accordingly. I hope you got that, because I
guess that I’m at a little loss for words, right
now. So, if you haven’t arrived where you need
to be after 60 seconds of full-speed reverse,
then turn around and go the other direction! I
suppose that I understand the need for
manufacturers to engineer rider ignorance out of
everything, but enough is enough, already.
Moving on,
the fender-mounted gate shifter was fantastic in
its operation. It smoothly shifted from one gear
to the next. In order to prevent any
transmission grind, it was important for the
engine RPM’s to be rather low. This was fairly
difficult at start-up, where the engine RPM’s
were typically running higher at idle. Cold
start-ups were rapid and effortless with the
fuel injection, especially since the system
functioned with a choke.
Once on the
trail, the KingQuad felt maneuverable and
nimble. The entire quad had a very light feel. A
few times, we were able to easily catch some
air, as the suspension easily absorbed the
landings. Roosting dirt and mud was a blast,
after we darted in and around trees of the
trail. Sitting on the quad gave the unique
feeling that would be had if sitting on the
inside. Simply shifting the rider weight around
would result in a sport bike feel. Although not
pressed as a work machine, those wishing to use
it around the farm will not be disappointed by
the ample rack space, low range for towing, and
diff lock capabilities of the 4WD system.
With all of the features available on the
Suzuki’s 450, the name King is a very suitable
prefix for this Quad. Being first, also gives
this manufacturer special rights to the throne.
For more information about Suzuki KingQuad 450
and Suzuki’s other lineup of quads, please visit
their website at
www.suzukicycles.com/Products/QuadRunnerATVs/Default.aspx
Also, be on the lookout for ATVSource.com’s
upcoming review of the 450’s big brother, the
KingQuad 750 AXi.
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