Has anyone heard about the engine on the the new 360? Is is bascially a bored prairie 300?

 

"The Prairie 360 is powered by an air-cooled, SOHC, single-cylinder four-stroke engine. The new engine produces more torque than Kawasaki's venerable Prairie 300, yet the overall powerplant weighs less than its smaller sibling. " That is Quoted right off of the Kawasaki web site, it also says that the engine produces 400cc torque. Now from that article it sounds like it is a new engine. I would think that it is atleast a longer stroke as compared to just a bigger bore to get the "claimed" 400 cc torque.

 

My dealer thinks that when the 360's start selling, they will discontinue the 300 and 400. I don't think they will need the 300 or 400 when the 360 comes out, with all the feature's of the 650 on it, I don't think the other two Prairie's will sell.

 

I don't know, kawi is scheming here for sure.
Way dated sport machines, bayous and prairies basikly in the same class.
What does that leave us for next year 250 bayou, 360 prairie, 650 prairie, lakota, and the mojave.
Correct me if I'm wrong but some type of shake up has to happen this year, or thier pretty much out of the quad market.
Thats two $4100 semi sport machines, a probably close to $5000 360, and then a close to $7000 650 machine.
Some thing is deffinately up!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Just a little more to what Gaff wrote(kinda). I read in a Street and Dirt Bike Magazine where sources "close" to Suzuki and Kawasaki fear that one of the two companies may not be able to exist after the combined products start hitting the floor in a few years. They said it was also rumored in Japan that one of the "big four" motorcycle manufacturers was going to pull out of the business. This of course right before The announced Suzuki/Kawasaki joint venture. I didn't realize it until I read the article that Kawasaki has only about 3% of the Japanese market share. A market that is on a rapid decline according to the article. All I gotta say is that the 650 Prairie and now the 360 Prairie are good signs that maybe there is finally a sence of urgency within the Kawasaki brass.(and look at what Suzuki has been doing lately, and you get the impression that both companies are fighting for there competitive lifes). If they(Kawasaki) ONLY shock the sport quad world the way they did the 4X4, they will have 3 of the best quads in their respective markets.

 

Very well said!!!