If you’ve been hoping that Suzuki would make some huge changes to the King Quad 750 for 2023, keep on hoping. There haven’t been any big changes to this machine in quite a while. But as the old saying goes, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. That is definitely the case with Suzuki’s King Quad 750 ATV. This machine is mechanically unchanged from 2017, but we’re actually glad for that. We will start right out by saying that we enjoyed riding the King Quad 750. If you get on one, you will too.
Lessons learned
Suzuki is in kind of a weird place right now. The company has yet to jump into the UTV market, and quite frankly, it may be so late to the party that it isn’t worth coming. It’s odd, seeing as how Suzuki was the company that invented the Quadrunner 4-wheel ATV. They also invented the 4-wheel drive ATV, so there is lots of innovation and history behind the King Quad. Does it remain competitive in a market dominated by more advanced machines? To answer that you should look at Suzuki’s motocross machines – the RMZ bikes. The RMZ 450 hasn’t changed in years, yet Ken Roczen jumped on one this past season and won major races against bikes that were far more advanced. The King Quad 750 may not be as fancy as other ATVs on the market, but it still works, and works extremely well.
The motor and transmission
Who doesn’t love a big single-cylinder thumper? The Suzuki is powered by a 722cc, 4-stroke, liquid-cooled, 4-valve, DOHC single-cylinder motor. Suzuki has equipped the King Quad with a fuel injection system. The throttle response is pretty good, and the machine’s torque is impressive and fun. The four-valve cylinder head has large 36mm intake valves and straight ports that come over from Suzuki’s sportbike division, along with the chain-and-gear camshaft drive system. The result is a snappy motor with really good low-end and mid-range power. Suzuki’s have always had good motor designs. Staying with the same motor design for years doesn’t mean it’s not fun or competent. Keep in mind, Yamaha and Kawasaki do the same thing.
Suzuki’s QuadMatic CVT-type automatic transmission is pretty smooth and predictable with a fender-mounted gate-type shifter for high/low range selection. The King Quad has pretty solid engine braking that minimizes free-wheeling with the throttle off. It helps to control the vehicle during descents. You can switch between 2WD, 4WD, and differential-lock 4WD with the handlebar-mounted push-button controls. An override button on the left handlebar is used override the normal speed limiter in reverse when getting out of mud or other sticky situations. As we said, Suzuki invented the 4-wheel drive ATV and they still do a great job.
The air intake is mounted pretty high, which helps the motor breathe better and gives you decent water clearance.
The chassis and handling
The frame of the King Quad 750 is pretty rigid. This is the result of lots of gusseting the company did to make sure the frame could handle whatever you might want to throw at it. Steering is aided by an electronic power steering system and helps make the handling predictable. The seating is adequate and when combined with the handlebar position, it makes the transition from seated to standing easier. You would expect that a machine from the company that invented the Quadracer to handle well, and the King Quad 750 does. Is it a racer? No. but you can ride it aggressively and feel in control.
Suspension comes from a dual wishbone set-up on all four corners. The shocks are all coil spring, gas-charged, and oil-damped with 5-way preload adjustability. They provide 7.7 inches of travel. The shocks are okay, but there is room for improvement. The action can be a little harsh as they are a touch on the soft side. With the way the machine feels like it wants you to ride it, you run out of travel when the speeds pick up.
Other stuff of note
The Suzuki King Quad 750 AXi comes with a three-headlight setup. There are two mounted in the frame and one that is handlebar mounted. Suzuki updated the looks of the machine a few years ago to give it a more modern and angular look. It makes for a sharper machine that looks more modern.
The biggest Suzuki ATV weighs in at 329 kg, or 725 lb. It’s not light, but it does feel lighter than the actual weight says. Some of the extra weight comes from that overbuilt frame we mentioned earlier and that’s fine with us.
One of the things we really like about the Suzuki is the use of footpegs. While the King Quad has floorboards like most every machine does, it uses built-in footpegs that are real pegs. If you ride the machine with weak shoes, you’ll feel it. The pegs help you feel connected to the machine and again, help when you want to ride it a little more aggressively. The seat is also plush with a “T” shape, another Suzuki invention.
Suzuki keeps the steel racks on the King Quad and adds a plastic protector over the rack that can be removed. This is a nice touch. The rack capacity is pretty good, although some rack extenders would be a nice touch.
Suzuki offers some accessories for the King Quad, like skid plates and a winch. They offer a snowplow, which would be a fun tool to add to the 750. The power delivery would make it fun to plow snow with the King Quad for sure. You’d likely need to swap in some aftermarket tires for more traction.
What we’d change
If we ran Suzuki, we’d make some changes to the King Quad 750. The shocks would be the first thing to go. We’d just make them a little more fluid and increase the travel some to help compete with the other machines in the class by improving the ride quality. It’s not that it’s bad as it is, but it is one area where a small change can make a big improvement.
The plastics feel a little thin. The machine looks good, but the plastics don’t feel as robust as any of the competition. So ,we’d make some tweaks there to make the plastics feel more durable.
We’d also like to see the price lowered. Actual prices vary, but for a machine that hasn’t been updated in years, the price seems high to us. Depending upon your dealership, though, you could find a lower price on one and get a machine that is a solid performer.
Final thoughts
Overall, we like the Suzuki King Quad 750. It is predictable, dependable, and fun to ride, even if it is the same machine we’ve ridden before. We wouldn’t hesitate to buy one if the price is right, and neither should you.
In the 700-class ATV arena, the Suzuki is competitive with other machines like the Yamaha Grizzly and Kodiak, and Can-Am’s Outlander 700. If we were to take all of them out riding, the King Quad 750 is not the machine that has the most comfort, but at the same time, its comfort is still adequate. It is a fun machine that is great for trail riding and utility use. The dependable Suzuki motor and other parts are all going to be going strong for a long time.
