Teryx KRX Sport UTV
2019 ISSUE #3
KAWASAKI HAS JUST RELEASED the new Teryx KRX Sport
UTV. They’re the latest to jump into the sport UTV market. The
KRX is an all-new machine and an all-new platform, but the big
question is, how can Kawasaki stand out in the ever-so-crowded
high-performance UTV market?
Let’s see what makes the KRX tick.
The KRX uses a 999cc four-stroke twin parallel DOHC engine
which is right in line with the RZR 1000, Talon 1000, and the
YXZ 1000.
That power is delivered through a continuously variable
transmission with a centrifugal clutch, which is pretty standard
at this point. That means they have a lot of room to tweak the
KRX’s power curve. If they get their clutch weights and shift
ratios just right, it should pack some punchy power and enjoy
high top speeds as well.
They advertise 76 lb-ft of torque which outpaces the RZR XP
1000’s 73 lb-ft of torque by a hair, but with a 1,896 lb curb
weight (about 400 pounds more than the RZR 1K’s curb weight)
you’re not going to have the most nimble UTV in the world. This
machine is BIG. Which isn’t a problem when you take a look at
the killer suspension supporting it.
The suspension is where this thing really shines—you can’t get
the KRX’s combination of ground clearance, width, wheel travel,
and wheelbase for that price point anywhere else.
The KRX has awesome suspension, 14.4 inches of ground
clearance, and tons of wheel travel, and a 99-inch wheelbase
makes it ride smooth.
That alone makes it a more than capable sport machine. With
18.6 inches of front-wheel travel and 21.2 inches in the rear,
it’ll take on most any obstacle with above-average stability and
performance. It’s even got 4-link trailing arms to help minimize
bump steer.
Finally, there’s the 99-inch wheelbase. This is where the KRX’s
preferred riding terrain starts to become clear. The wheelbase is
long enough that the front edge 31" Maxxis Carnivores (mounted
13
on beadlock wheels) extend past the front of the machine. That
means the front wheels will make contact with a solid wall
before the grill, aka, a rock crawler’s ideal setup.
In fact, when you put it all together—the wheel travel, the
width, the wheelbase, 31" tires with aggressive lugs, beadlock
wheels, the emphasis on torque over horsepower, the heavy curb
weight—this thing is made for rocks straight from the factory.
THE BELLS AND WHISTLES
What this UTV does right (besides the killer suspension) is in
the details. Kawasaki has thought of the little things that make
the KRX a complete package from the factory. The seats are
comfortable and adjustable and afford the driver good sight lines.
The doors are complete with a lower panel and a handle on the
outside. The skid plate covers the floorboard under your feet. The
A-arms and trailing arms are high clearance. It has a glove box
and multiple storage compartments including some storage space
behind the seats. And there are a whopping FIVE cupholders.
Three for the driver and two for the passenger, maybe? No matter
how you split it, you’ll end up with more cup holders than hands.
It’s overkill in a way we can get behind.
The Kawasaki KRX 1000 looks like an RZR and a Talon hit it
off and got married, and we’re loving it. It’s not breaking any
molds, but it still looks good. It has an imposing stance thanks to
its 99-by-68-inch footprint and 31-inch tires. It’s just hulking. To
take the family metaphor too far, it could pass for the RZR’s big
brother.
WHY DOES THE KRX MATTER?
In a world with computer-controlled suspension and differentials,
skyrocketing horsepower, and eight thousand variations of the
same machine (I’m looking at you, X3), the KRX is refreshingly
simple. It’s a solid machine that’s well built. It comes with all the
standard upgrades you definitely want and none that you don’t.
It’s Kawasaki putting all the best stuff in the box and not holding
anything back for some future KRX SPX-Treme Turbo R Mud
Edition. That is to say, there’s no gimmick. It’s all braaap and no
yap. They just made a good machine, and that’s awesome.