My kids just got a Kawasaki Bayou 220..they were slowing down to stop ad said it just took off. They did not have their hands onthe throttle. Is that even possible?

 

yes its possible. If it has a throttle cable the cable can get stuck or even break sometimes causing the atv to "just take off". Of course you should never panic(easier said than done for kids sometimes). just hit the kill switch or the key and turn it off. The cable can get stuck due to rust,debris,kinked or just getting wore out. You can sometimes take the cable apart and just replace it or use some lube like grease or penetrating oil or something like that. If the kids are riding it id just replace it with a new one so it dont happen again.

I had a go kart that the cable broke on me when i was a kid,boy did it scare me. I was in the woods,i just hit the brake and hit the kill switch.

 

It's definitely possible and does happen. Yours isn't an isolated incident. There could be a number of explanations, however. Throttle cable not having adequate lubrication, or the cable routing itself, something from the cable to the carb, etc. Doesn't matter which end you start at, but you need to go through every step in your maintenance manual from he throttle lever, through the cable and into the carb. Another possibility is ice or debris, but you need to get through the mechanical items first in my opinion.

 

another reason to never leave the atv running when there isn't a rider in the seat. Check the throttle assembly to ensure free movement.