[kickstart]

So I was out in the driveway yesterday putting a new ball on the hitch of my Brute, and my "holier than thou" and "my stuff is better than your's" neighbor comes over to chat. He tells me his new Grizzly has a 2" receiver and it's way better than a ball, and how he can't believe Kawasaki is still "doing balls."
I had to laugh at him and ask why he thought a receiver was better. When I tow my lawnmower, I love just being able to go hook on and go without having to go chasing around for a hitch, or rob the hitch off my truck. Then he says he likes leaving his hitch in the receiver all the time, and he hooks up a Factor 55 shackle hitch with a bow shackle attached. So he's packing around a hitch, a shackle hitch, and a big bow shackle all the time so that he can be all fancy when (if) he gets stuck and somebody has to yank him out from behind? Wow, cool.🙄 I've done more recoveries than the average rider, and I've never used a receiver hitch for that. Ever. We always use straps as bridles around two points, or soft shackles around the frames. Always.
And if you've got all that crap in your receiver, you have to remove it and add a ball in the end anyway if you plan to tow, so what's the advantage?
On the Brute, it's so simple. Put a ball on it. You're covered on towing. Need to recover it? Run a soft shackle or a strap around the frame just behind the ball. Easy. Simple. Lighter. Less work. Less stuff to pack around.
Am I wrong?
I'm glad Kawasaki was smart and just went with a plate and a hole for a ball.

 

[NMKAWIERIDER]

All I ever needed on mine too.

 

[NMKAWIERIDER]

Although I went with a 1 7/8" ball because it was usually me that had to use one of the small trailers and haul wood back to camp...cause the Grizz's and the KQs.. just struggled too much. The Brute could do it in high and not even care there was a half-cord or more back there. And I could still use that ball on a 2" for short distances if needed.

Clearly your neighbor...has much to learn...lol.

 

[kickstart]

Although I went with a 1 7/8" ball because it was usually me that had to use one of the small trailers and haul wood back to camp...cause the Grizz's and the KQs.. just struggled too much. The Brute could do it in high and not even care there was a half-cord or more back there. And I could still use that ball on a 2" for short distances if needed.

Clearly your neighbor...has much to learn...lol.

So do a lot of people I've been talking to today. Everyone with a receiver seems to think they are better for some reason, but not many of them have argued any good reasons for a receiver. One guy puts his bicycles on a hitch carrier on the back of his Sportsman 570 (which I would never do), and another guy said he likes a receiver front and rear so he can swap his winch around on a winch basket. But for just OEM equipment and using it for towing and recovery, nothing is as simple as a ball and a strap.

 

[NMKAWIERIDER]

Me either, no real need. My Z has a cheapy 2" receiver and I have several Harbor Freight stingers for it.. but I leave the one with a shackle in..(and I mean I use a bolt not a pin so it's tight), for tying down for transport. It's there if needed for extraction but that hasn't happened...yet.

 

[mastrblastr]

I've got a 2" receiver on my Brute as the walking beam trailer I pull wouldn't sit flat if I put a ball on the stock Kawie hitch plate, so I have a 4" drop hitch to make the trailer sit flat. When I'm not using the hitch, I just turn the hitch upside down in the receiver so you don't have an anchor hanging there to get hung up on logs etc while crawling. It all boils down to what works for you. That being said, I've seen some of the most godawful mods done to quads in the name of "convenience". My biggest pet peeve, milk crates attached with bungee cords. Don't know why, but it drives me bloody nuts!!

 

[kickstart]

I've got a 2" receiver on my Brute as the walking beam trailer I pull wouldn't sit flat if I put a ball on the stock Kawie hitch plate, so I have a 4" drop hitch to make the trailer sit flat. When I'm not using the hitch, I just turn the hitch upside down in the receiver so you don't have an anchor hanging there to get hung up on logs etc while crawling. It all boils down to what works for you. That being said, I've seen some of the most godawful mods done to quads in the name of "convenience". My biggest pet peeve, milk crates attached with bungee cords. Don't know why, but it drives me bloody nuts!!

Lol! I've been seeing guys around here lately that have bolted army ammo cans to their racks. Man does it look hillbilly!😄

 

[Turnkyle]

I prefer a receiver if I'm actually going to moves trailer with it otherwise the ball is way too low. I think I've bent that ball plate on every wheeler I've ever had 😂