What has happened to the research and product development at Kawasaki?

Lakota 1995
Prairie 400 1997
Parairie 300 1998

Is that it?

(posted prior to v-twin announcement)

 

Kawasaki has unfortunately missed the boat on ATV new model development. I believe they mistakenly thought the expiration of the “Consent Decree” would have no appreciable effect on the way quads were built or marketed. This while Yamaha unleashed the Grizzly and then the Raptor, Suzuki unleashed their 500, and Honda, a little late to the party but not out of the game, unleashed their 400EX and 500 Rubicon.

Kawasaki is now in the unfortunate position having to play catch up, and any new quad they release, unless spectacularly different or better than what is already out there, is likely to be viewed as nothing more than a “me too” effort.

I wish their ATV product development team hadn’t been asleep at the switch. But in a marketplace already populated with new high-tech offerings from all other major manufacturers, Kawasaki will have as much trouble raising interest in their new models as the Russians will in raising the Kursk.

Army Man

 

Army man you hit the nail on the head. Timing to market is critical. Any new sport or utility quad will have to be different (better) than the competition to attract sales. Kawasaki probably makes 2nd best quality machines behind Honda but their sales are much lower than Polaris & Yamaha.

Kawasaki engineers if you are reading this you have almost missed the boat, your next quad had better be something spectacular.

 

I agree with Armyman!

I bet, at Firestone, there was a guy, saying over the years, "Hey, man! You KNOW these tires aren't right! You better not ship 'em!"

The response: "Shut up and get back to work!"

At Kawasaki, a similar employee said what Armyman posted, "Hey, we're missing the boat on quad development if we expect to pick up any market share!"

Likewise, "Shut up and get back to work!"

I hope Kawasaki finally listened to this voice in the wilderness, and we see something new and constructive from that firm.

Tree Farmer

 

IF Kawasaki releases the new 250 race quad to the public they will be back in.

 

Even if they release the 250 now it better be fast race ready and something most people can afford, face it we all cant afford a roll frame and addtional parts just to ride a kawasaki.

 

Nobody makes a race ready machine off your dealers' floor and if they did it certainly wouldn't be within most riders budgets which is exactly why they don't. Expect Kawasaki to jump into the big four-stroke war but holding out hope for a 250 2-stroke is like rooting for the Red Sox, it will only break your heart in the end. Kawasaki races the KX250 powered machine to win races and thereby increase brand awareness. Their position being that you don't have to be able to buy the bike they're winning on-you just have to buy a Kawasaki in general. Of course my feeling is that for many that follow the racing series we're all throwing our money at any manufacturer thanks to Kawasaki's lack of a competitive high-performance machine. That being said I don't expect it to be too much longer before that hole in Kawie's line-up is filled with a highly competitive offering-they will have certainly had plenty of time to evaluate the competition.

 

I do not own Kawasaki ATV's and never have I ever really considered buying one. However I do think all ATVer's should applaud Kawasaki for being the first manufacturer to get back into ATV racing. All three of their quads and riders are doing really well in the GNCC.

I really don't understand why everyone rips on Kawasaki for racing a KX250 powered aftermarket quad. Everybody says its not a "real" Kawasaki. No, they are never going to offer such a quad as a production machine, just like Chevy will never offer a full tube chassis, 350 ci, four speed manual, Holley carb equipped Monte Carlo capable of going 180mph. However I am still happy they are racing it.

Pro level ATV racing is dominated by aftermarket 250r clones. The only difference between all the pro's machines is color and stickers. So, I personally am very happy seeing a Kawasaki powered machine in the mix and being very successfull. Kawasaki offers the KX250 motor as an over the counter item and even advertises this on their web site - Go Kawasaki!

Also go to the GNCC site and check out who is the current points leader in the four stroke stock class - it's Bill Yokely on his Mojave. Yokely's green machine is alone in a sea of 400ex's in this class.

Like I said before, I'm not really into Kawasaki ATV's (I generally prefer Hondas or Yamahas) and granted their current lineup has become a little stagnant. But as an ATV racer I applaud their efforts on the track.

 

I think its funny when everyone rips Kawasaki for not offering the Roll framed, KX 250 powered race bike as an everyman production model when if I wanted a bike like Yokley's I could quite easily have one. All it would take is proper time and a decent-sized pile of money.

 

I made an error in my previous post. Yokely races the kxf250 and Knippenberg races the Mojaves. Oops!