Kawasaki

If you read our coverage of the stock 2011 KFX450R, you probably know that we think quite highly of the Kawasaki. It doesn’t boast show-stopper numbers as far as horsepower or suspension travel, but its great feel, performance, and overall fun factor earned it great reviews from our test riders. It was a natural on the XC course, and we even put in some surprising finishes on the MX track in bone-stock form against many highly modified 450 sport quads.

It’s always exciting going to a manufacturer’s dealer show. It’s where they bring out their entire product line for dealers to get up close and personal with each model and there are usually a few surprises with all-new models. It’s just like Christmas for powersports lovers, and this year Kawasaki had the biggest box under the tree.

The old saying is, “It’s not the size of dog in the fight, but the size of fight in the dog.” That can now go for ATVs as well. Kawasaki’s new Brute Force 300 doesn’t know it’s an easy to ride, 300cc machine perfectly suited to work around the yard or go for weekend trail rides. It thinks it’s the leader of the pack, and it may be right!

Most riders use their ATVs for trail riding, for work, and even as a hunting buddy, but the best times are when out play riding with friends. For the simple joy of play riding on the trials or the dunes, we want an ATV that offers all-day comfort, a sporty look and nimble handling, and an excellent engine with enough power to conquer hills and provide plenty of thrills. Kawasaki’s KFX 450R fits the bill perfectly.

The old saying is, “Good things come in small packages,” and one of the best examples of that in the off-road world is the new Kawasaki Brute Force 300. Though only slightly smaller than the other Brute Force models, it’s a huge overachiever.

Maybe you’ve heard of the expression, “the whole is greater than the sum.” That’s the theory of synergy. It’s the idea that if you combine two or more components, the potential of their cooperation together is higher than that of their individual potential. One of my earliest personal experiences with synergy was around the age of 12 and involved two full boxes of those old red “caps” for toy cap guns, a brick, and a sledgehammer. Long story short… the brick disintegrated, and my ears finally quit ringing last week.