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Text by: Motorcycle USA
Kawasaki entered into the Sport UTV market with the 2008 Teryx 750, and with just one year under its belt Team Green has made significant improvements with the release of its 2009 version - the Teryx 750 Sport.

Vince Iorio, the Teryx Product Manager, explained the 2009 upgrades during the press introduction at the Boulders Ride Area, outside of Phoenix. The most prominent change for both the standard and Sport model is the addition of digital fuel injection to adjust for temperature and altitude changes. The constantly variable transmission has also been tweaked for 2009, strengthened and adjusted to handle increased power and torque. The drive shaft and CV joints are revised as well for improved strength and durability in the drive train. The Teryx airbox has added a snorkel and is elevated to help keep it out of the dust and gives a bit more leeway in case the vehicle is submerged in water.

A new torsion bar aims to improve ride quality and help track in turns better, the previous version being a little stiff. For convenience, a tilting cargo bed with gas struts now comes standard, only available in 2008 aboard the luxury edition. A new digital display in the dash features a fuel gauge and parking brake indicator, rounding out the ’09 revisions for the standard version.

The Teryx 750 Sport, however, boasts extensive suspension upgrades. Front and rear aluminum Kayaba piggyback shocks are adjustable for preload, compression and rebound damping.

“The big benefit of the suspension is it allows you to take the vehicle closer to its top speed while remaining fully in control in a very comfortable situation,” says Iorio. “It’s true to its name, it is a sport model designed for more sporting and spirited driving.”

Cast aluminum wheels on the Sport are stronger and 2.2-lbs lighter than the steel units adorning the regular Teryx. Completing the Sport UTV’s distinction from the stock model are two paint schemes - traditional Kawasaki Green and a special edition Monster Energy black.

The folks at ATV on Demand report the new EFI seems to have increased horsepower and throttle response at all RPM, with improved torque useful during steep climbs and technical riding. Compare this to earlier tests with the carbureted original which stalled regularly at higher elevations. Deep sand at Boulder and over 400 pounds of passenger cargo couldn’t slow down the Teryx Sport too much, with our test riders topping out at around 49 mph.

The Kayaba shocks in stock settings caused some problems in the whoops. But a few minutes of tuning, adding preload to the front and reducing it in the rear, saw marked improvement. Fine-tuning the rebound and compression will further bring out the Sport in the new Teryx. Even pushing the suspension to the limit, our reviewers were impressed with how well the Teryx tracked. Although steering was quite light, our testers did note, however, that power steering would be a nice upgrade to future versions.

Stability is impressive, considering the narrow Teryx was intentionally designed to fit in the back of a pickup truck. Meanwhile, dual hydraulic discs up front provide solid stopping power. The ATV on Demand folks sum up the Teryx Sport’s performance like this:

“There’s plenty of power for steep climbs, rock crawling, fast fire roads, or just about anything you might decide to throw at it. It has light steering effort in two wheel drive, good brakes and its stability is well matched to the healthy power output of the stock engine. Those that work and play hard will appreciate the 500-lb capacity of the hydraulic-assisted tilting bed and its 1300 lbs of towing capacity.”

The Sport can further be kitted out with high-performance parts from Funco Motorsports. Available at Kawasaki dealers, the aftermarket chassis upgrades have been proven by Chad George, the 2008 CORE UTV off-road champion, whose family owns Funco and supplied the parts for George’s title-winning Teryx.

“In the end we felt the 2009 Kawasaki Teryx 750 Sport was a well-performing and well-rounded machine,” continue our friend from ATV On Demand. “If we were buying a new UTV this year the 2009 Kawasaki Teryx 750 Sport would be at the top of our list.”

2009 Teryx 750 Sport Specs
Engine: Liquid-cooled, 90-degree, four-stroke V-twin
Valve System: SOHC, four valves per cylinder
Displacement: 749cc
Starting System: Electric
Bore x stroke: 85 x 66mm
Compression Ratio: 8.8:1
Fuel System: 2 x Mikuni 34mm throttle bodies
Ignition: TCBI with digital advance
Transmission: Continuously variable belt-drive transmission with high and low range, plus reverse, and Kawasaki Engine Brake Control
Final drive: Selectable four-wheel drive with Variable Front Differential Control, shaft
Frame: Large diameter, thin-walled, high-tensile tubular steel
Front suspension: Adjustable dual A-arm with gas charged shocks / 7.5 in.
Rear suspension: Adjustable Independent Rear Suspension (IRS) with gas charged, reservoir shocks / 7.5 in.
Front tires: Maxxis 26x8-12
Rear tires: Maxxis 26x10-12
Front brakes: Dual hydraulic discs with 2-piston calipers
Rear brake: Sealed, oil-bathed, multi-disc
Length: 115.4 in.
Width: 58.7 in.
Height: 75.7 in.
Wheelbase: 75.9 in.
Ground clearance: 11.7 in.
Lighting: (2) 40W headlights, (2) 8W taillight, 27W stoplight
Cargo Bed Capacity: 500 lbs, 44.2 W x 32.7 L x 11.1 in. H
Towing Capacity: 1300 lbs.
Curb weight: 1380 lbs.
Fuel capacity: 7.4 gal.
Instruments: Multi-Function Digital Meter with speedometer, fuel gauge, clock hour meter, odometer, dual trip meter and parking brake, R/N/P/4WD, water temp and oil pressure indicators
Standard Colors: Lime Green
Warranty: 6 months base warranty

Utility Terrain Vehicles (UTVs) have come to mean a lot of things to a lot of people. For some, the UTV is a vehicle to check their fences and maintain food plots. For others, they are an all-in-one cargo, game and people-hauler for hunting trips on public land. Another dimension is emerging in the UTV world, and that is the high-performance element. Several manufacturers now have UTV-like vehicles that can be loads of fun as trail-riding rigs when hunting seasons aren't open. Hang on tight, here's a look at the new iron for 2008.[BigGameHunt.net]

* 2008 Yamaha Rhino 700 FI Auto
* 2008 Polaris Ranger Rzr
* 2008 Kawasaki Teryx NRA
* John Deere Gator XUV 620i
* 2008 Honda Big Red MUV (multi-use vehicle)
* ARGO Avenger Jim Shockey special edition [2008]
* Bad Boy Buggy
* Artic Cat Prowler XTX 700 H1 [2008]

Yamaha ignited the UTV market with the release of the Rhino, and these models have quickly grown to be among the industry leaders in sales. For 2008, Yamaha has released a Rhino 700 FI Auto, Ducks Unlimited Edition for hunters. The fuel-injected 700 twin with a compression ratio of 9.2:1 has already proven itself as a strong workhorse on both their Grizzly ATVs and their Rhino UTVs. The Rhino has an easy to use cvt transmission with low and high gear. Double-wishbone independent suspension at all four corners provides a smooth ride. Hydraulic disk brakes put stopping power to the 25" tires. A 7.9-gallon gas tank should allow any hunter to drive all day. Towing capacity rating is related to braking performance more than to pulling performance, but the towing capacity is a very good 1212 Lbs. The Ducks Unlimited Edition Rhino's bodywork is coated with Advantage Max-4 High Definition camouflage and there is also a windshield and sun top installed as standard equipment. Camouflage-coated bodywork typically shows scratches far less easily than monochrome-colored plastic does, which helps with resell value.

Yamaha has other Rhinos powered with the potent 686cc "fuely" (fuel injected engine). For example, the Rhino 700 FI Sport Edition features piggyback shocks, cast aluminum rims and a sun top. Two Rhino models come with carbureted 421cc single-cylinder power plants but still have an outstanding 12.1" of ground clearance and a respectable 1,100 Lb. towing capacity. Last but not least, the marketing buzz that Yamaha has generated with the Rhino has resulted in a plethora of aftermarket add-ons for customization to each rider's needs. Find out more about Yamaha's UTVs and ATVs at www.yamaha-motor.com.

reviewed by: Gary Gustafson [2008 UTV roundup]

Polaris' Ranger Rzr, better known as the Razor, has shaken the UTV market to its foundations. The undeniable market impact of the Razor is comparable to the revolution that Yamaha started with the Rhino a couple of years ago. The Razor's great acceleration, very low center of gravity, and edgy styling have created an entirely new UTV niche. The Razor has a Polaris-designed 760cc fuel-injected twin cylinder engine that creates palpable g-force. Polaris harnesses the power of this engine with the cvt-style transmission that they introduced to the ATV industry in the 1980s. The Razor sports 10" of ground clearance and switchable all-wheel-drive for getting through nasty terrain. There is independent suspension in the front, and an independent suspension with a sway bar soaks up trail chatter in the back. The Razor also has some very good utility features including a cargo box with a number of tie-down points and a 300 pound payload. The towing capacity is 1,500 Lbs. With a top speed of 55 miles per hour, bucket seats and three-point restraints, the fun capacity is almost unlimited.

Other highlights in Polaris' extensive Ranger platform include the Ranger XP that is powered by a 683cc fuel-injected two-cylinder mill. The XP has a 2,000 Lb. towing capacity and a top speed of 50 mph. There is bench seating with room for three and the rear differential can be unlocked for easy, low-impact turning on grass. Polaris' Ranger Crew has two bench seats, and Ranger 500s are lower in price but still have a long list of standard features. To learn more about Ranger UTVs visit www.polarisind.com.

reviewed by: Gary Gustafson [2008 UTV roundup]

The Kawasaki Mule was one of the original utility UTVs and is still a best seller. But Kawasaki needed an entry into the Recreational UTV segment that is now the fastest growing portion of the entire ATV/UTV industry. Enter the Teryx. Kawasaki must have hired an ATV Consultant for this design, because it has features that will leave hunters drooling. The Teryx has the same high-powered 749cc V-Twin four-stroke engine found on Kawasaki's Brute Force ATV. A rubber-belt cvt and low-high transmission puts the power to the ground. The Teryx was designed with a narrower body width than the Mule to enable trail riding and for easier off-road maneuvering. The towing capacity is 1200 pounds, and the cargo bed is rated to safely carry 500 pounds. Kawasaki's "RUV" (Recreational Utility Vehicle) has a locking front differential and aggressive-tread 26" Maxxis tires providing sure-footed four-wheel-drive traction. One feature that makes the Teryx a standout is it's true ROPS (Roll-Over Protection Standard)-certified cab. This is a government safety standard that many UTVs do not meet. Adjustable-pressure shock absorbers can be quickly adapted for extra-rough terrain or extra-heavy loads. Kawasaki equips this machine with their innovative fluid-shear rear brake, disk brakes are in the front, and there is full-body skid protection underneath. One special edition of the Teryx--the NRA Outdoors Edition-has body work, rims and hardtop that are all thoroughly coated with Realtree APG HD camouflage.

Kawasaki's Mule 600 is a less expensive solution that still offers side-by-side seating and a cargo bed with a 400 Lb. capacity. Powered by a 401cc engine, the Mule 600 has a McPherson strut front suspension and a solid-axle rear end. The Mule lineup also includes a couple of models with double-bench seating including the versatile Mule 3010 Trans4x4 which has a rear bench seat that can be folded down to expand the volume of the cargo bed. A couple of diesel-engine models are offered for fleet use. All of the 4x4 models have locking differential capability. Visit www.kawasaki.com or see your local dealer to see all the 2008 models that Kawasaki has to offer.

reviewed by: Gary Gustafson [2008 UTV roundup]

John Deere was one of the pioneers in the UTV market with their Gator models. Deere now faces tough competition in this class and they are firing back with higher-performance UTVs than ever before. For 2008, Deere rolls out the Gator XUV 620i. The 620i is ponied-up by a Kawasaki-made twin-cylinder 617cc 4-stroke power plant. The Gator has a top speed of about 30 mph, and Deere says that the package is tuned for optimal acceleration to get to that speed. The rubber-belt cvt is designed to prolong belt life. The cvt spools a low/high/reverse transmission that connects to the axles via drive shafts. Both the rated payload and towing capacity are very respectable with the payload at about 1,400 Lbs (including passengers) and a towing rating of 1,298 Lbs. A nifty design bonus is the ability to add a two-inch receiver hitch to the front end in addition to the stock two-inch hitch on the back end. Another unusual feature on the Gator XUVs is the capability to lock and unlock both the front and rear differentials. Unlocking the rear differential greatly minimizes turf damage when turning. Buyers can choose between mud-capable Carlisle AT 489 or turf-friendly Carlisle All Trail tires. Most top-notch UTVs now offer independent rear suspension and the XUV lineup is no exception. Deere also offers a Great Outdoors version of the XUV 620i that includes a 3,000 Lb. winch with ten foot of cable for remote operation, a roof, rear screen and half windshield, front and rear receiver hitches, and extra lighting on top. There is also an XUV 850D that is powered by an 854cc Yanmar diesel.

Another UTV line from Deere--the Gator HPXs--have rugged construction, sharp looks and cargo boxes that are rated for carrying 1,000 Lbs. The HPX 4x4 has a 617cc engine and the HPX 4x4 Diesel has an 854cc Yanmar diesel. Also in the Deere stable are their "traditional" Gators offering value-priced options for UTV shoppers. Visit www.deere.com or your local Deere dealer to dig deeper into the Gator lineup.

reviewed by: Gary Gustafson [2008 UTV roundup]