2012 Kawasaki Brute Force 750i 4×4 EPS Review Hot
What do you get when you have desert trails, mountainous terrain, ninety-degree weather, and two Kawasaki Brute Force ATVs? What you get is a whole lot of fun along with the ability to experience what Kawasaki brings to the table in the ATV market. Kawasaki proves it doesn’t rest on its laurels when it comes to improving its Brute Force lineup year after year, and in the year 2012 more power and power steering lead the list of innovations that standout on the Brute Force 750i 4×4 EPS.
Kawasaki was kind enough to invite ATVESCAPE.COM out to Southern California for a day of fun in sun on two of its Brute Force ATVs including its flagship Brute Force 750i with EPS (electronic power steering). Now this is the first time we have been to the Kawasaki party despite reading and watching plenty of reviews on the Kawasaki line especially the Brute Force 750.
We were not disappointed in the least as we powered through the corners, crawled over the boulders, and comfortably explored the Southern California landscape on a Brute Force 750i with EPS and its twin brother Brute Force 650i. Both of these machines gave us smiles on our faces as they come with the “fun” factor included as you ride them.
We are going to step away from our typical several page review article, and hit the high points of the Brute Force models. Though we only put about 40 miles on them, both of these models cemented themselves in our minds as solidly built ATVs which are incredibly fun to ride. We will focus mostly on the Brute Force 750i EPS model with some thoughts about the Brute Force 650i as well.
Standout Features
The power of the V-Twin 750i is monstrous and that results in nothing but smiles on the face of the rider. What is even more amazing is the way the power is delivered so sharply based upon the rider’s input. The CVT is mated perfectly to the engine no matter what style of riding you are doing. You can be crawling over rocks at a slow pace or flying along a logging road, and the power is delivered so sharply from your thumb to the ground.
When you want to make break the back tires loose, power through a curve, or make the ATV jump forward causing you to jump with it, the big V-Twin will gladly oblige your every desire. When on an open stretch of trail, a simple punch of the throttle reminded us how much raw unadulterated power was sitting underneath us ready to go. The 650i was no slouch in the power department either.
The motor delivered gobs of power as well, and delivered that power at the riders every whim. If it is power you seek then the Kawasaki Brute Force 750i and 650i deliver in a big way.
The power steering on the Brute Force 750i EPS is simply outstanding. As soon as you turn the key and grab the handlebars the power steering jumps up and grabs your attention. You give the Brute Force throttle and as you begin to move it feels as though the front end floats down the trail. The front end feels weightless as you ride, and you point in the direction you want to go and it just goes.
The EPS stiffens just slightly at higher speeds, but overall steering is equally effortless at any speed. The really amazing thing is how the EPS unit takes out of the riding equation almost all of the jerking motion you get when going over rocks and other trail obstacles. We purposely tried to find big rocks in the trail to hit at higher speeds to see if we could get a jolt into the handlebars, but had no luck in accomplishing this.
When going over rough terrain, we felt the bumps once the back wheels hit them. The Brute Force 750i EPS “floats” over the trail while remaining firmly on the ground, offering a fantastic ride with no rider fatigue despite the terrain.
Engine braking
The CVT in both the Brute Force 750i and 650i offered some of the best and most perfectly balanced engine braking we have ever had on any ATV we have ever ridden. The engine braking felt natural as we let off the throttle moving down the trail, and it was predictable after only a mile or two. The engine braking would gently help you decelerate as you moved in and out of turns, and bring you to crawl when descending hills.
On steeper hills the engine braking kept you in complete control, and allowed you to walk your way down with almost no need for using the brakes in high range. The engine braking on the Brute Force is excellent.
Other Items
Storage- There is storage-a-plenty on the Brute Force750i. There is the storage box in the front rack which still allows a flat loading service, and two storage compartments on the back of both front wheel wells.
Seat Cushion- The seat is well padded and very comfortable for long and rough rides.
Gages- The gage center in the middle of the handlebars lets you know at a glance all the information you want to know.
Four Wheel Drive System- Kawasaki has a rocker switch that takes the Brute Force from two wheel drive to four wheel drive. It then has a progressive differential lock lever on the left handlebar to engage the front two wheels completely.
Summary- The Total Package
The Brute Force 750i 4×4 EPS is “the total package”, which offers everything an ATV rider looks for in a machine. All of the areas of these machines from the engine to the four wheel drive system come together on the Brute Force to offer the rider a very capable ATV to tackle whatever you throw at it. For being a full size utility ATV the Brute Force 750i doesn’t feel like it.
The Brute Force is extremely nimble and responsive for being “full sized”. Where you sit and with a narrow width at the knees the Brute Force feels more like a sport quad. The Brute Force stays flat in the corners and has a firm feel as you are rolling down a trail.
We were really impressed by the solid feel of both Brute Force models, as they both leave you with the impression they are well built. There were no rattles or loose fitting body panels on these machines. Best of all the Brute Force 750i is fun to ride, and it leaves you wanting to climb on again and again for more fun.
Shouldn’t an ATV offer the rider fun? We think it should. A company can build a powerful engine, outstanding power steering, a comfortable suspension, and a dependable and capable four wheel drive system, but at the end of the day it should be fun to ride.
Kawasaki brings all these great attributes together in the Brute Force 750i 4×4 EPS package with a serious fun factor to boot.
After a day of riding we are ecstatic to get a feel for the Kawasaki Brute Force 750i and 650i models. Our eyes were opened to Kawasaki’s approach to ATVs, and what we found is they build an ATV which provides a rider with everything a well build ATV should along with a fun factor thrown in for good measure. The Brute Force 750i 4×4 EPS model can hang with the best of the big bore ATVs on the market, and it should be considered when looking at that class of ATV.
No wonder there are so many Brute Force fanatics out there. We will see you on the trail.
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