I just closed a deal on one of these and will go pick it up later this week; got it for MSRP, which was 600 bucks below their first quote. My brother's old atv finally crapped out this year and shortly after that his wife lost her job, so it will be a while before he can afford to replace it. So I bought this one so when we get the urge to hit the trails, we can; I'd been wanting a spare for when company comes in to visit anyway. It's kind of a no frills atv compared to my Polaris, but I think it'll do fine for trail riding and farm work.

Guess this makes me the Ginnie Pig on these things, I'll be sure to post up a review after we get some miles on it.

 

Hope it works out for you. I think they are made in Korea for Kawasaki.

 

Close but not quite. They are made in Taiwan but Kawi speced out.

I rode one and it is a very capable machine for what it is. It could go almost everywhere that 4x4 goes.

 

Picked it up today and my first ride impressions are good. It is very roomy and comfortable for an adult to ride and the ride is smooth. The power is great down low and mid range, but you can tell you are on a smaller cc ride after you get up to higher speeds. It has great brakes, handles very well and is pretty nimble compared to a bigger machine; I bet it will be easy to maneuver on the trails. I'll keep everyone posted as it gets broke in and we get it out on the trails.

 

Took the little Kawi up on the mountain yesterday evening for a test run and was impressed. It was cold out, so I only did 9 miles before heading back down to the house, but it went everywhere I pointed it and did so with plenty of power and comfort; it looks like it's going to handle all but the most difficult trails, where 4wd would be required. I was a little concerned about the ground clearance, but it didn't drag over anything during the ride; I do believe that it would hang up in deep mud ruts though, so if you're looking for a mud machine, this is not it. The engine and transmission operation is baby butt smooth and gives the impression of a quality built machine.

Overall, I'm very impressed and feel that Kawasaki has put together a very capable ride at a very economical price, so if anyone is looking for a smaller bore atv that is ready for work around the farm and is trail capable, I recommend this atv.

 

How was the ride over the trails? I am also looking at one for my wife but was concerned over a single rear axle. I ride on a brute force 750 and she likes how smooth that is. So that is her comparison.

 

My main ride is a Polaris 500HO Touring, which has 4 wheel independent suspension. Comparing the ride to the Polaris, it's slightly harsher, but not disturbingly so by any means. I would suggest going to a dealership and her riding one, to see if it's something she'd be happy with.

 

Yes, the 300 has a singles shock on a straight rear axle (SRA) for the rear suspension setup. But that shouldn't be a deal breaker when you are looking into an entry level quad market. In fact I don't think you will find a quad with IRS setup from any brand in that price range. The IRS has some benefits when going through real tough rocky terrains but it has more things to go wrong - 2 cv joints with total 4 rubber boots on 2 seperate 1/2 axles. The SRA is great for easy maintenance and long longeviity.

 

Thanks so much for the detailed information. I have had my eye on this 300 since they announced it this year. I recently sold my kids little Honda 90 so I could upgrade them to a bigger atv. At first I was going to get them a used Recon but really didn't want to deal with those old drum brakes anymore. I have also looked at the Grizzly 300, but am leaning towards the Brute since I have a 2004 Prarie and have always had good service. Any additional information, good or bad, would greatly be appreciated. Thanks, Scott