As the owner of a
pretty tricked out 2008 Kawasaki Teryx
I am very familiar with the Teryx. My Teryx did not stay stock
long, but I recently spent three days in a bone stock 2008 Teryx on
a ride to the Grand
Canyon.
The 2008 Teryx is a great machine,
but my biggest complaint was that it came out with carbs instead of
fuel injection. In less that a year since the first Teryxs hit
dealer floors, Kawasaki dealers are already selling 2009 Teryxs with
EFI. The New digital fuel injection on the Teryx is really nice.
The engine starts right up and idles smoothly. On acceleration, the
2009 Teryx felt more crisp and seemed to get up to top speed a
little quicker. While it is not a night and day difference, I
definitely preferred the smooth and consistent power
of the EFI on the 2009 over the
carburetors on the 2008. In my
opinion, a V-twin with digital fuel injection is the best
engine for UTVs since they can deliver plenty of smooth continuous
power, with instant acceleration and plenty of torque.
Next up on the list of what's new
is a fuel gauge. I know it doesn't seem like something to get that
excited about, but I do some long distance rides, and the fuel level
display takes the mystery out of "I wonder how much fuel I have
left?"
The Teryx Sport has upgraded
aluminum wheels which not only look much better, but are also 2.2
lbs. lighter than the standard steel wheels. Losing unsprung weight
not only requires less energy to get the tires spinning, but also
helps the suspension work better. And as a little bonus, the
aluminum wheels are actually strong that their steel counterpart.
Suspension is on the 2009 Teryx
Sport has a few upgrades as well. The gas-charged Kayaba shocks
have reservoirs all the way around to help reduce fade in rough
terrain. The preload adjustment is step-less, and they have
fully adjustable rebound and compression (high and low speed)
damping. Although we did not have any opportunities to jump the new
Teryx Sport, we did get into some nasty whoops and hard g-outs.
I felt the Teryx Sport suspension handled the terrain better than
a standard Teryx suspension. The ride through the light chop was a
bit smoother than a standard Teryx and when we got into the whoops I
felt a little more comfortable as well. Although I was able to
bottom out the front shocks on a few hard g-outs, a standard shock
would have gone to the stops more often and with more force.
Overall, even though I did not spend any time trying to fine tune
the adjustments on the new Sport shocks, I think they are a worthy
improvement over standard shocks.
My biggest complaint with the 2009 Teryx Sport has to be the
hood. The hood is a one piece design with holes cut out for
the roll cage. In order to open the hood, you must remove the
roll cage. I sure hope Kawasaki looks at a redesign for 2010.
One other issue I have with the Teryx is the parking brake. It is
easy to leave it on when you put it in gear and start driving. There
is a warning system on the digital display (the letter "P"), but it
is even harder to notice than the amber light on the 2008 Teryx.
Some sort of audible alarm or engine cut-off should be implemented
to eliminate costly repairs to the sealed rear brake.
The Lime Green plastic on the
Teryx Sport is a great color. Much more sharp than the drab green
found on the 2008 Teryx. And with all the UTVs out in the dunes in
Glamis, there is no doubt that you are in a Kawasaki
when you are driving it.
The 2009 Kawasaki
Teryx 750 FI 4x4 Sport has a MSRP of $11,899 and is available now at
Kawasaki dealers.
