How are Kawasaki powersports quality (ATV, SxS, MC, etc.)?

[redhat]

We have decided we want to sell our ATVs (2020 Sportsman and 2023 Outlander) and buy a SxS.

I have looked through tons of machines... Polaris General, Honda Talon, Honda Pioneer, Can-Am Commander, Can-Am Defender. The Pioneer and Defender are nice but border-line comfort. The General, Talon, Commander are all just uncomfortable.

What we really liked and were comfortable in was the new Kawasaki Ridge. It has a 1000cc 4-cylinder engine, belt drive transmission with high/low range and selectable 4WD. Comes with a 3-year warranty too which is pretty impressive. I test drove it and it had ample power. Nice torque from that 4-cyl.

Kawasaki was never on my list of powersports machines to look at (probably my fault for never including them).

I come here to ask, what is the general consensus of Kawasaki? While I understand this being a first model year machine and could inherently have issues, are they a robust Japanese brand? I do not ride motorcycle and genuinely am unaware. I grew up on Polaris and even my Can-Am was new territory for me.

 

[Cujet]

As a very general rule, the Japanese brands are superbly reliable. And that Kawasaki looks to be a nice machine.

I have no idea what kind of conditions you are going to use the thing in, but I do have strong feelings about side by sides, having explored the wilderness in them. In my opinion, if the terrain is rougher, such as primitive roads or a lot of seat time will be part of the operation, a compliant, LONG TRAVEL suspension and comfortable seats are a must.

The more beat up I get, the more I hate the things. The smoother and more compliant the ride, the happier I am.

I'm an old dirt bike guy, and absolutely appreciate very long travel suspension on off road vehicles. That would be my number 1 criteria for ownership.

 

[c502cid]

I'm biased because my Mom was executive secretary to the President of Kawasaki USA when I was a kid, but Kawi's are a very well built machine. Like all brands though, your experience will depend a lot on your dealer, which most seem to suck.

 

[jhellwig]

My in-laws have several Mules that have worked well for them.

 

[stormgol]

both Ridge models have 12,7 inches of suspension front and rear and 14,7 inches ground clearance. the seats on both models are very comfortable. the best i have ever experienced on a side by side. i would get the XR model. it has 116hp instead of 92hp on the base ridge. i have a friend who owns 3 dealerships. he sells the 4 Japanese brands and Polaris. also Arctic cat products. Kawasaki is a strong company that makes quality products.

 

[sw99]

Kawasaki is one of the best. I usually don't like to buy a first-year machine, but I took a chance when covid hit and bought the KXR 1000 when they came out in 2020. To date, this have been the best machine I have owned bar none. It's been rolled several times, repaired, welded and it just doesn't care. I have a Polaris Ranger also and it's just ok but nowhere near the overall quality of the Kawi. I also had the Yamaha Viking before the KRX and it was a good machine also but still not as durable.

I think you would love that Kawi Ridge. The 4 cylinder engine is a game changer. I ride with CanAm guys and they break stuff all the time and they always comment on how stout the Kawi is.

 

[sloinker]

The plant I worked at bought a dozen Kawasaki Mules for the techs and outdoor mechanics. A couple years later all but two were inoperable and being used for parts. These vehicles were severely abused but the old Ford pickups they replaced were also abused and resurrected when the Kawasaki Mules died. Not sure why they weren't fixed under some type of warranty unless the warranty was voided due to the type of use.

 

[redhat]

Thank you I am happy to hear they’re well received. Wonder why I never hear much about them? Maybe my upbringing or just locale of Buffalo /WNY? I don’t know.

 

[jeepman3071]

If you are purchasing a machine you will be spending a lot of time in, comfort should definitely be high on the priority list.

With that said, I've worked on a lot of ATVs over the years, and the Japanese brands will always be high on my list. Honda, Kawasaki, Yamaha, Suzuki. Rarely a bad experience. That isn't to say Polaris and Can-Am were always bad, but some of them were quite frustrating to work on due to their design, or parts were difficult or expensive to find. My grandfather owns a Kawasaki Mule and it works quite well for him on his 20 acre property. He doesn't abuse it, but it is a no-drama machine.

 

[goingplacesanddoingstuff]

I’ve had two Kawasaki motorcycles and would certainly buy another. The worst issue I had was a slightly leaking coolant port after a 2,000 mile trip in 100 degree weather. Easy fix.