By: AJ Lester
From top to bottom the 2008 Suzuki King Quad 750 is a thing of beauty. Meticulously crafted and trimmed, this 724cc EFI liquid cooled gentleman has the heart of lion.
While twins make up the big bore majority, Suzuki’s engineers chose a plasma coated single jug design. Though the exhaust note may not be as pleasing to the ear as a twin, the arm stretching torque produced will leave your nether regions tingling.
Mated to KQ’s power plant is Suzuki’s buttery smooth QuadMatic CVT tranny – hands down the best shifting and most responsive transmission in the industry. The power train throws torque to the electric shift 2wd/4wd driveline via selectable handlebar mounted controls and included in this cluster is electric diff-lock for when you’re up to your seat in muck.
The King Quad gets up to speed in a hurry carrying its rider through mud and over rocky terrain in buttery smooth comfort thanks to an independent front suspension with 7.1 inches of travel and 8.1 inches from the independent rear. Both front and rear shocks feature 5-way adjustable snail cams.
While the KQ does suffer from high-speed body roll and inside corner over-steer in hard cornering, it is controllable and only evident in extreme conditions. 200 mm front disks grab hard and deliver positive handlebar actuation. Wrapping the aluminum stamped wheels are factory Dunlop meats.
Standard amenities topping the list include a big and beautiful LCD display relaying myriad data, a single 4 watt handlebar mounted headlight plus two 30 watt grill mounted lamps that cast artificial sunshine over even the darkest path. Although they serve their purpose, the front and rear racks on the KQ seem a bit gaunt and don’t serve justice to its muscularly styled plastic.
There’s also a large fender mounted water resistant storage well that’s great for carrying a pocket camera, wallet or insurance documents. One thing that we wish Suzuki had thought of here is a place to store a water bottle. Unfortunately the storage well just wasn’t large enough and although hydration wasn’t an issue on this trip; this is one area we’d like Suzuki’s engineers to address.
The 2008 King Quad oozes quality typical of what you’d expect from Suzuki. It’s an off-road breed ready for any job you throw at it delivering exceptional handling and power that’s fit for, well, a king.
