Hey, I am not trying to argue or be a stick in the mud. This is just my 2 cents. I have always had Hondas, I have always believed that you could never beat a Honda. I love mine and plan to keep it for a long time. But, the truth is, when you start comparing brands, Hondas are probably the most underpowered. I have put $1300 in aftermarket parts to get mine to be able to perform like many of my buddies bikes that are stock. I am not one that tries to outdo others, I am one that does not want to be left behind. I love playing in the mud. My cousins both have Kawi 650's and with the same tires I have, they eat me alive. The issues with the belts...90% of the people I ride with run bikes with belts. They run in the same mud holes and pits I do, the only ones that have had the belts screw up majorly are Polaris and Suzuki. I am no knocking on these brands either. Any bike can break in the blink of an eye, I am just saying that just becuase it has a belt, it is not a bad machine. You want some proff at how well belt driven machines go in mud, and I mean MUD! Venture on down to Highlifter in Shreveport, LA or TriangleATV in Longview, Texas. There ride in the deepest mud and rivers and ponds. They know exactly what belt driven machines can do.