KymcoForum.com

I drive a 14 UXV 700i SP. The machine has close to 700 miles on it with most of them on Moab trails. Needless to say I work it hard. On a recent ride I heard an unfamiliar noise under the machine and found part of my skid plate hanging. The bolts on both sides came out somehow. The leading edge on the rear plate was hanging down so fortunately I caught it before I ripped it off on the next rock. Luckily Kymco uses the same size bolts on nearly all of the machine so I was able to take bolts from the door frame and fix the plate. I checked the remaining skid plate bolts and found all of them loose. I'm not sure if they weren't torqued correctly or if they loosen with vibration. I put a little Lock Tite on each one and they should be good. Just wanted to let everyone know to check those bolts during their next inspection.

I recently traded in my 500 SE for a new 700i SP. I have to say I loved my 500 but I am happy I bought the 700. I was looking for a little more power and a smoother ride. I found it! The 500 went everywhere but the 700 has a little more power.  Since I ride in the mountains, I needed the extra power for the long uphill climbs. The only thing I don't like about the 700 is the doors. I'm used to climbing out of the UXV and over the net. The doors change it a bit so I guess I'll have to learn.

I looked at a few other brands in the same price range and found they were all either bare bone models or were very small. I'm 5'9" and some of the narrower UTVs were uncomfortable. I felt like I was jammed in the thing. The extra 9" of width on the UXV makes a big difference on an incline during some of the more hairy rides.

I'd like to put a shout out to Powerhouse Motorsports in Utah. These guys are great to work with. This is the second UTV I've bought from them and each time I've left knowing they took care of ME rather than just themselves. I'd be happy to answer any questions for newbies or those looking at the Kymco models.

I purchased a UXV SE about 6 months ago. I have friends who have Rhinos and RZRs and I wanted to drive a side x side rather than my ATV. The Rhinos and RZRs are all great machines but I didn't want to spend the money on a machine I ride once a month or so. I also didn't want to buy someone's used junk. There is plenty of that out there for $7k to $9k or more. Most of them in that price range have high miles or have been so modified they are money pits.

I stopped at a local dealer and saw the Kymcos. My wife asked me about them and I dismissed them as a Chinese knock-off. I took a closer look and was surprised at how well they seemed to be build. I spoke with the dealer, he showed me several things, and stated, "Do some research on them." I did just that. I found info here and other sources that made me want one. I couldn't beat the price and the only thing holding me back was the fact it was a 500 cc.

Over 200 miles later I can honestly say these are very good machines. I recently did a 2 day ride on the Piute trail in Utah and put over 150 miles on it. That may not seem like much but if you have ever ridden the Piute, you know the terrain goes from high mountains (over 11k feet) to desert to steep and rocky cliff trails. The UXV went everywhere and performed better than I expected. It even kept right up with the Rhino 700 I was following. At one point I encountered a very steep and winding trail (about 45 deg. estimate). The Rhino went up and my buddy looked over the edge as if to say, "you'll never make it." I put it in low, laughed a bit, and went right up. Needless to say I think everyone was impressed. A family member of mine bought one and has had similar experiences. He has even more trouble free miles on his. The only thing we both have done is swap the front 2 ply tires for good 6 ply, otherwise they're both stock. I also plan to do the clutch kit just to get a little more torque and keep the power band up longer on the long climbs.

The bottom line is, in my opinion, this machine is well built and will go just about anywhere. There are times when I can tell it's a 500 but it hasn't kept me from climbing anything. I'm happy with it. It's a shame Kymco doesn't do a little more marketing to get the word out about these little jewels so more accessories show up on the market.