In this ever changing world, the option to have a utility vehicle to meet a wide array of demands is more appealing than ever. Purchasing a vehicle purely as a toy might fit a few, but imagine a functional machine that also packs enough punch for weekend fun! Kawasaki’s motto for the Teryx has been, “Unleash your inner outlaw” and it will do just that. So, when faced with the ultimate showdown between work and play, the Teryx should be your weapon of choice for this duel! When the dust settles and the fun begins, the Kawasaki Teryx will be your Huckleberry.

So what better place to test the Kawasaki Teryx 750 FI 4×4 Sport than in the great Southwest! Where there are miles of wide open places, dusty trails, rugged terrain and scattered old ghost towns. Any outlaw should feel at home here and we put the Teryx through the ringer to see if it did just that.

Our test Teryx Sport is considered as the hot rod of the Kawasaki RUV (Recreation Utility Vehicle) family, but don’t let the Sport badge fool you. This workhorse has a tilting cargo bed that has a 500-pound capacity and its reinforced bed frame offers maximum rigidity for excellent durability. Don’t think the bed is just for hard labor, it also makes for a pretty nice table or seat for tailgating while out on the trail or around the campfire. This feature was very popular, especially around other UTV owners in the gang as they were left standing while I had the luxury to kick back and relax. Another big utility oriented feature that comes standard on the Teryx is the full size 2” receiver hitch. This sounds like a no brainer, but there are other UTV’s on the market that come with a puny 1 1/4” receiver. With the Teryx you can quickly connect any 2” sized hitch that you might have laying around from your car or truck and tow up to 1,300 lbs of sweat equity or even your most prized possession. 1,300 lbs is a significant amount, but at the heart of this trusty steed is a 749cc SOHC, liquid-cooled, four-valve-per-cylinder fuel-injected, 90-degree, four-stroke V-twin engine. This air ingesting, gasoline pumping power plant will give you enough giddy-up-and-go to scoot through the country or pull those hefty loads with ease. Pulling might be one thing, but stopping is another! The dual front 200mm disc brakes are clinched by rigid-mount 27mm twin-piston calipers and provide powerful, fade-free braking. The rear brakes are sealed in an oil-bathed multi-disc system that provides worry free braking in almost any condition. Since the rear brakes are sealed to outside contaminants, there is less maintenance and reliable braking while in the dirt, muck or snow.

Whether you’re talking utility or sport, a solid 4wheel drive system is a must. Kawasaki has done a great job of integrating an adjustable and durable 4 wheel drive system into this platform.  There is a conveniently located 4WD switch on the dash for moderate duty.  Also, there is a variable front differential lever next to the gear shifter to distribute torque equally to the front wheels for maximum traction. The rear gear case keeps the rear wheels locked and turning together for maximum forward thrust and performance. All of this combined with lightweight alloy wheels, 26” tall Maxxis tires and multi-adjustable gas-charged shocks, make for a smooth ride across a wide array of rough, off-road terrain. The Teryx also boasts 11.6 inches of ground clearance and a width of 58.5 inches. This wide track provides for a stable ride while cornering on uneven terrain, but is still narrow enough to fit in a standard pickup truck bed, a win-win!

Packed to the gills or parked on a hill? Not to worry, the Teryx also comes equipped with a parking brake.  You will never yank the gear selector and cringe at the sound of grinding cogs! There is also a safety built into the parking brake when it is engaged. This is a feature that keeps the operator in-tune with the vehicle and extends the life of the parking brake.

Another creature comfort that the Teryx excels in is the seating position. The seating position enables you to clearly see all the obstacles in front, on the side and directly behind. It’s ideal for ingress and egress and there is no wasted time by “crawling” into the vehicle. The seats themselves lack a little if you’re sport oriented, but they do the trick for utility minded folks. Same goes for the non-tilting steering wheel. The fixed position isn’t bad for my 6′1 frame, however it could be awkward for others and should be adjustable in the sport model. Storage is another plus. There is a lot of accessible space in it compared to the competition. The glove box on the passenger side is large, seals well and is easy to reach. The slide-away cup holder is a neat feature as it is centrally located, high up on the dash and can be stowed away when not in use.

The digital display is nicely organized and is easy to read. It’s standard on all models and allows you to keep track of the following vitals:

• digital speedometer (mph or kph)
• clock
• dual trip meters
• 2WD/4WD indicator
• water temperature and fuel-injection warning indicators
• digital fuel gauge
• hour meter
• parking brake indicator
• CVT belt warning
• neutral and reverse indicators
• low oil pressure warning lights

Hopefully, one would never have to lift the hood, but in the event that this is needed, the Teryx will accommodate. A hinged, forward-tilting front hood and headlight assembly make accessing the front of the vehicle a breeze! This makes for effortless access to the radiator and front suspension components for maintenance and suspension tuning. The hood and the rest of the exterior bodywork is constructed of Thermoplastic Olefin, which has a high-gloss finish and is more scratch resistant than polyethylene. So it has utility, sport and looks – a triple threat!

With all these great appointments and features, the Kawasaki Teryx 750 FI 4×4 Sport is well rounded and is worthy of the UTV name that it is synonymous with. It is a true Utility Terrain Vehicle that can be used for work, sport or just plain fun! If all the above features aren’t enough, Kawasaki has an entire lineup of useful accessories that can be purchased on Kawasaki’s website or ordered and installed at your local dealer.

So enough talk, it’s time to see the 2010 Kawasaki Teryx sport in action! Kickback, relax and enjoy the following video in High-Definition clarity:

Have more questions? Please visit us over at TeryxForums.net for all discussions pertaining to the Kawasaki Teryx!

The Lonestar Racing SR1 Team had a very interesting weekend, packed with highs and lows. They were welcomed into one of the nicest race tracks in the U.S., Miller Motorsports Park. This facility is 1st class, complete with asphalt pits, garages, huge covered grandstands, on site race fuel station, showering facilities, indoor race control complete with timing monitors, and the list goes on. Things were a little disorganized as this was the 1st event LOORRS has put on at this park, so it was to be expected. Once they finally got their pits set up after having to move it twice, LSR team put in a brand new clutch into the car, because it was slipping on the last testing session.

After the first practice session, LSR realized this was going to be a tough weekend. The track was one of the biggest they had been on, but they added a lot of obstacles to keep the speeds down, and the excitement up. With only a few short hours before the next session, Greg decided that some shock changes were in major need, so the crew began to make some pretty major changes to handle the very different track. With about 15 minutes to spare, Greg headed out for 2nd practice. The changes really helped the car perform. Greg was able to power through the rhythm section, and hammer down through the larger whoop section, and get enough speed out of the corners to clear some of the doubles on the front stretch. While looking for some different lines, Greg hit a finger in the S section, and that kicked up the back of the car, and sent it into a violent cartwheel that flipped the car end over end about 4 or 5 times. Amazingly, Greg walked away without a scratch, let alone any soreness thanks to his Simpson Safety gear and Jet Trim seating that kept him locked in place. The car on the other hand, wasn’t as lucky. The front right side of the car took most of the punishment, as it destroyed a wheel, spindle, brake rotor, tie rod end, brake line, uni-ball stud, and ball joint. The front bumper, upper shock mount, and body mounts got bent, along with the back bumper. Overall, the car was in really good shape with all things considered.

Luckily, between LSR and Weller Racing, they had enough spares to get Greg back on the track for Saturday’s qualifying and Main event. Greg qualified in 2nd position for Saturday, so he was able to enjoy another start from the front of the pack. After the green flag, he quickly realized he was getting brake fluid all over his feet, from a leaking reservoir cap. Not knowing how much longer he could go, he kept pushing. In second place with only a few laps to go, Corry Weller spun out in front of him, and he almost plowed straight into her, but luckily, he was able to glance off the side of her and continue into 1st place. Unfortunately, the hit ripped off Corry’s front wheel putting her out of the race. He was able to secure 1st place for Saturday’s main!

Sunday was time to do it all over again. In qualifying, Greg was only able to put in 1 lap before broken motor mount bolts caused him to pull off the track. So it was again time to start at the back of the pack for the main. Starting in last place, he was able to work himself into 4th pretty quickly, and battled with Tyler Herzog for a few laps, getting into 3rd place, and getting knocked sideways and having to fight back to get into 3rd for the competition yellow. The car was running perfect, and was fast through the rough sections where others couldn’t run as hard. Within 2 laps, he passed Doug Mittag for 2nd place, again behind Corry Weller. He was on Corry’s bumper for 2 more laps and went for the pass in the rhythm section. Unfortunately, he had just a little too much speed, and caused him to fly out of control, hit a jump sideways, bounced off a water barrier, and back onto the track loosing some ground. The car was shaking violently from the rear end, and was leaning very hard into corners, so with good communication from his spotters, he was able to keep it in 2nd place for the remainder of the race. After taking a quick look at the car after the race, it suffered from a rear wheel half full of dirt from hitting a jump sideways, and caused a rear sway bar link to break, so damage was minor, but felt a lot worse.

So to conclude the weekend, after thinking our chances were slim with a broken car in the beginning, the LSR race team battled through getting the car back into race form, and got on the podium with a 1st and 2nd place in just the 3rd weekend of the series. Combined with a couple cars that did not show up will drastically help move them up in the points after such a successful weekend.

The LSR team would like to thank all of their sponsors for supplying them with flawless parts that can take the abuse of a super rough track. At the end of the race, Greg said his arms and hands were so tired, he could barely remove his gloves, he was so worn out!

LSR is very confident that they will be getting top finishes for the rest of the season, and hopefully can get up into the battle for the championship!

Next race is at Glen Helen, in Southern California, the weekend of August 6th. Make sure to come out and see all the action!

Here are some links to some of the videos:

This one is from the Lucas Oil Regionals, that LSR got 2nd in as well, at Speedworld in AZ from a couple weekends ago.

Well its official! Doug Siddens, in his 2009 Polaris RZR-S, is the first person ever to drive a UTV at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb!

On June 27th, 2010, Doug was the only UTV in the Powersports Exhibition class. Not only did he finish first in his class, but he also beat out over 40% of the 152 competitors on race day with his time of 14:03.

Just reaching the top of this monumental mountain is a mechanical feat within itself. To do it in the time he did is more than respectable. There were also some other variables on race day that make this run even that much more notable. For one, it was snowing about the last three miles of the climb, and two, Doug has no professional racing experience. Not bad for a small town guy with no factory backing and an entire Powersport resting on his shoulders!

But you don’t have to hop in your RZR and try to visualize what Doug’s historic run was like, as he captured it all thanks to several ContourHD camcorders. So load up the beautiful HD version of the video below, turn the sound up and enjoy a ride up the gnarliest hill climb in the world!

If any of this racing talk has gotten you in the mood then come on over and talk with us at UTVRacing.com!

Also, a big thanks goes out to offroadwire.com for the great action photos!

Since I first met Chris Marshall Burke from Marshall Motoart back in November ’08 in Moab, UT, I’ve come to realize that he’s one of the most talented metal fabrication artists out there. Our first experience together was running the Pritchett Canyon trail, which as most know is a class 5 rated trail not for the meek at heart. We rolled up and Chris had his ridiculously long enclosed trailer and a dually truck on semi wheels that definitely caught my eye. After I unloaded my RZR, I walked around the back of his trailer to feast my eyes on the coolest looking RZR I’d ever seen. Chris called it the Animal, and needless to say he was the only one that conquered every obstacle on the trail that day minus Rocker Knocker unsupported.

From there, we’ve had the opportunity to spend more time with Chris at the Moab UTV Rally, DuneFest, and the UTV Jam. And at DuneFest is where we discovered his latest creation referred to as “Brutus.” The pictures speak for themselves, but this is by far the largest Polaris Ranger HD I’ve ever seen. Here are the quick specs:

•    Began life as a Polaris Ranger HD
•    Bed was removed and custom fab’d seating and storage replaces it
•    Custom Roll Cage with hood rack, bumper, and lights integrated in
•    5+5 Suspension
•    20” Wheels
•    35” Tires
•    Storage bin in the back
•    Comfortable seating for 5-6 adults
•    The looks you get from driving it around = Priceless!

Here’s a video interview we did at DuneFest with Chris highlighting not only the Brutus, but his other creations, as well: the Animal, the Rock Racer, and learning about his latest creation, the Terra Fighter with an R1 Bullet Bike motor.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Stay tuned as we release more great video & text based product reviews, installations, and shootouts from www.UTVReport.com! Catch all our content on www.UTVBlog.net and the www.UTVForums.net family! We’re looking forward to providing you content you can’t find in brochures, other print magazines, and other online sources…information you can count on to help you in your buying decisions. If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, feel free to email me at chris@utvreport.com.