A couple months ago the magazines were pretty sure of a new Kawasaki Sport coming out. Well I havn't heard anything latly. All I know is when they do come out with it, it better not be an auto. With the new Suzuki and Kawi merger here is what I wish they would do. Put plastic similar to the Tecate on the Suzuki Z400, now that would sell like hotcakes.

 

I think that is what they're going to do. Well, I don't know about Tacate plastic,but I think they will offer a re-badged Z-400. Even on Kawie's web site it say's something like "the imediate results of the Kaw/Suzuki merger will be that our dealers will be able to offer sport and youth ATV'S". Sounds to me like that is what they are planning.

 

It's definitely a Kawi. MARK MY WORDS!!!!

 

PrairieBeast, do you have any info on what or when it will be?

 

I was at a Kawasaki/Suzuki dealer tonight looking at the Prairies and the Vinson. We started talking about the Kaw/Suzuki "agreement" and I ask him if he had any info on quads that would be a result of this. (His info was based off of his talks with what he called Kawasaki, so I assume his dealer rep) He said that as early as this summer Kawasaki will introduce a Z-400 based sport quad. Even sooner than that he said they would have Suzuki based mini's coming out. This is basically what it says on Kawasaki's web site also. He also said that "Kawasaki" said there will be no Suzuki variants of either the 360 or 650 Prairie's and like wise no Kawasaki version of the Eiger/Vinson. Basically Kawasaki gets all the imediate benefits off the "agreement" and Suzuki and Kawie get the benefit of lower cost on future products. I asked if there was any news of a ground up Kawasaki sport quad and he said "Kawasaki" say's that those rumors are just that,rumors. I personally will believe it when I see it. I know, I know this is all just hear say, but this same dealer told me last summer that Suzuki would be releasing a 400 Quadsport and a sporty 250 in October. He was only off by about a month.

 

This so called "alliance", as it's being called by Kaw. and Suz., is a smoke screen for a bigger change in the future.

Kawasaki will only further develope it's own quads that are already in the final stages of development.

Suzuki has taken over two warehouses that were Kawasaki's. Only one of them still has Kawasaki's sitting there.

Suzuki is the one sending out all the info. to dealers regarding what to look for in the future from the company. Kawasaki has said nothing to anyone except that they will have 'Suzuki based" models later this year and next year. A sport model and a youth model.

Kawasaki has done nothing to their existing cruiser line this past year. They had another variant of the Vulcan 1500 [Mean Streak], and that is it!!!

Something WILL give in the next two to three years. It will be interesting to see what comes of it. Just keep in mind that while Kawasaki deals with more products than just ATVs and motorcycles,....Suzuki has the big hitter with all the money........General Motors

 

In the April edition of Dirt Wheels there is a Roll Design Ad in the center, look for the ims gas tanks in the ad then read the models that they offer them for Banshee, Raptor..... Suzuki Z400, & Kawasaki F400 do they know something that we dont.