Gear: Four Razorback Helmet:...
Gear: Four Razorback
Helmet: Troy Lee Designs SE-2
Boots: Alpinestars Tech 2
Goggles: Smith Fuel
Kawasaki Prairie 360 4x4
The Kawasaki Prairie 360 4x4 was surprising on many levels. At first glance, the white plastic and 1970s Chevy look of the front end left a bit to be desired. Upon further inspection, though, Kawi's attention to detail in all other departments won us over.
Maybe I'm just nitpicky (Editor's Note: Yes, you are), but I just don't understand why Kawasaki would make anything other than bright green plastic; it's one of the coolest-looking colors on the market, yet it's not available for the Prairie. With that rant out of the way, outside of color preferences, the Kawasaki is a very well-thought-out machine; from the instruments to the seat height and floorboards, everyone instantly felt at home on the Prairie. The instrument cluster itself is basic, and analog, but adequate. The standout feature ergonomically speaking (or generally for that matter) was the little yellow lever on the handlebar; the variable front differential control allows you to fine-tune the amount of torque delivered to the front wheels simply by pulling on the yellow lever. To be honest, the diff-lock pretty much stole the show in a variety of settings for us, and the Kawasaki was the only unit in our test to offer this feature. The Prairie's layout was comfortable as a whole, though the seat was a little wide for some tastes. The only complaint would be lack of storage compartments.
The brakes functioned great throughout testing and were never a concern. The rear brake lever on the bar was a plus in our books. In all actuality, the same could be said for the steering, shocks and handling. Everything just seemed to work well all the way across the board. The use of a rear axle adds a nice degree of slide-ability and just adds to the all-around fun feel of the package. Every obstacle was handled with relative ease to the point where we were barely slowing down under any conditions. As anti-climactic as it may sound, the Prairie is pretty damn good all the way around. It didn't necessarily do anything in spectacular, jaw-dropping fashion; it just didn't do anything badly at all.
Powerwise, the 362cc SOHC engine ran as strong as you would expect it to. It was comparable to everything else in the class, with the exception of the Rancher (which has a 60cc advantage). The 4WD worked great and nearly got us in trouble when it breezed through the mud section of our course and constantly left us looking for deeper challenges. Towing, hauling and general pack-mule activities were handled fairly easily. The matte black, slightly textured powdercoat finish on the racks actually helps keep items in place while hauling them.
As an overall package, the Kawasaki Prairie 360 4x4 would be well suited for just about any application. Outside of not being Kawasaki green, we couldn't really find any major deficits or flaws to speak of. The steering, stopping and suspension package (aka overall handling) work together well enough to make the Prairie enjoyable to ride at any speed. The 360cc motor has enough grunt to conquer most challenges or chores (within reason, of course), and the diff-lock makes the displacement deficit nearly unnoticeable when in sticky situations.