Mine-Made Paradise
Adventure Park - April 2010
Kawasaki Mule Trans4x4, Mule 610XC, Teryx 750FI Sport
had the opportunity to check out a ride area in the heart of the
Appalachian Mountains with Kawasaki. The Mine-Made Paradise Adventure
Park has is slated to open in the Fall of 2010, but Kawasaki arranged to
get us a sneak peak before the park opens.
Mine-Made Paradise sits on 43,000 acres of private land and will
eventually have 200 miles of professionally designed trails for ATVs,
Side x Sides and Motorcycles.
The park is also home to the Knott County ATV & Motorcycle Riding
Training Center. This facility includes close course training ranges, a
skills practice course as well as beginning, intermediate and challenge
trails (more info at
www.kcrtc.com).
Kawasaki brought out three different UTVs for us to ride: Mule 4010
Trans4x4 Diesel, Mule 610 4x4 XC and the Teryx 750FI 4x4 Sport.
 We
landed in Lexington Kentucky and drove about two hours to Hazard County
to reach the hotel near the riding area. Mine Made Paradise Adventure
Park is just a short drive over into Knott County from the hotel. The
park is a public/private partnership that is owned and operated by Knott
County but lies on reclaimed coal mine property. At launch next year,
the site will have a 200 mile trail system that will also join up with
the Breathitt County trail system.
The terrain at the park have deep valleys and hollows and also wide
open prairies. The area is perfect for Elk and although we did not see
any the day we rode, we were told that the population in the area is
huge.
Most of the trails are old gas well access roads turned into ATV/UTV
trails. All trails are two-way, and they are also cutting in 32 miles on
single track and some new ATV/UTV trails that are real narrow.
It is a breath of fresh air to travel somewhere in the U.S. where a
new riding area is being opened instead of shrinking or closing
altogether. This area of the country is filled with old coal mining
operations, and the recovered land is perfectly suited to creating
off-road trail systems that attract visitors to the area. With some
careful planning, the Mine Made Adventure Park will not only link up
with the trail system in Breathitt, but also tie in with the
Hatfield-McCoy trail systems in West Virginia. Now we are talking! I can
only imagine a week-long UTV ride through several different trail
systems. Only thing missing is access to town for a hotel, some food and
supplies. Local politicians and business owners have been helping to
push this project forward and promote the park, as they are sharp enough
to recognize the financial benefits to the local community. Hopefully
they will figure out a way to have access to nearby towns to encourage
multiple-day trips without having to trail point to point.
Kawasaki not only organized this sneak peak of the soon to be open
off-road park, but they brought along several utility vehicles for us to
drive - the 2010 Mule 4010 Trans4x4 Diesel, the new 2010 Mule 610 4x4 XC
and the 2010 Teryx 750FI 4x4 Sport.
I have had the opportunity to own and drive many different Teryxs and
always have fun jumping behind the wheel to go fast or just tool along
and enjoy the scenery. I have had limited time driving a Mule 4010
Trans4x4 Diesel and no time with the Mule 610 4x4 XC.
This type of terrain is well suited for the Teryx. Sport suspension
and a powerful v-twin make it a natural. But I was a bit skeptical
especially about the Trans4x4. I was actually most surprised with how
well the Trans4x4 did on the trails as this thing shouts WORK! With a
953cc, three-cylinder diesel and a rear bench seat that quickly converts
from a 4 seater with a small bed to a 2 seater with a large bed, this
Mule is more designed for a construction site than exploring trails. I
was thoroughly impressed with how well it did. Although it is speed
governed to about 25 MPH, its big diesel has tons of torque and smooth
power delivery. Put it is 4x4 and it crawls like a billy goat.
The Mule 610 4x4 XC is a new offering to the tried and true Mule
lineup. With large 26" Maxxis Bighorn tires and longer a-arms, the XC
edges away from a pure work vehicle to something that is more capable
off-road. The Mule 610 XC is a little light in the power department with
its 401cc, single cylinder engine, but I still had fun exploring the
trail at the park. The 25mph governor will make sure you don't have too
much fun though.
Kawasaki Mule™ 4010 Trans4x4® Diesel
A two-for-one deal. The Kawasaki Mule™ 4010 Trans4x4® Diesel is able
to satisfy varying job needs as a four-person crew transporter, or
as a two-person extended bed cargo hauler. Its powerful and torquey
diesel engine, selectable four-wheel drive, electric power steering
(EPS) system, fully-automatic transmission and locking rear
differential make the handy Mule 4010 Trans4x4 Diesel an outstanding
choice for practically every utility vehicle role.
Kawasaki Mule 610 4x4 XC
After more than 20 years of service, the Mule name has come to
define a whole category of hardworking utility vehicles. For 2010,
here’s an entirely new take on everyone’s favorite beast of burden:
The Kawasaki Mule™ 610 4x4 XC appears to have been crossbred with
Kawasaki’s Teryx™ RUV. Aggressive 26 inch Maxxis Bighorn 2.0 radial
tires mounted on 12-inch wheels give it newfound off-road
ability—and a slew of upgrades designed to complement its suddenly
more aggressive nature, infuse the new Mule XC with something it’s
never really been known for: This Mule is cool.
Kawasaki Teryx 750FI 4x4 Sport
For drivers seeking maximum performance from their recreation
utility vehicle (RUV), the Teryx™ 750 FI 4x4 Sport, with its
lightweight aluminum wheels controlled by fully adjustable sport
suspension at all four corners, offers performance, comfort and
stability that no other RUV can touch. The evolution of this
incredibly adaptable vehicle continues for 2010: An aggressive new
front end with a forward-tilting hood allows front suspension and
cooling system access and eases maintenance. Upgrades to the mighty
V-twin’s cooling system enhance long-term reliability, and an even
sturdier tilting bed out back provides even greater durability. In
addition, a host of detail improvements for more efficient
production and vehicle longevity are designed to do what Kawasaki
has always done: keep the performance high while keeping the bottom
line low.
More Photos:
For more information on Kawasaki’s lineup of ATVs,
side-by-sides and UTVs, log onto
Kawasaki.com.
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