The heart of the Teryx is the motor, a 749cc 90 degree V-twin beast mounted mid-chassis that supplies torque in abundance. (Photo: Kawasaki Motors Corp) » More Photos

The Timber Ridge Ranch is one of those special places that are known, loved and supported by a very small and select group of outdoor enthusiasts, and they like it that way. In addition to thousands of acres of land, a winery, lodge, working sawmill, and shooting range the ranch features hundreds of miles of OHV trails. Limited memberships (paid annually) allow the 200+ members to camp, stay and eat at the lodge, ride the trails and for an extra fee even build a small cabin. We were here as guests of Kawasaki who have a wonderful knack for finding very cool and unique places to show off their latest creations.

After a quick orientation on the features and controls of the half dozen shiny new Teryx RUV’s parked in front of the lodge we wasted no time getting suited up and ready to hit the trails. Right out of the gate we challenged some gnarly rutted uphills and it was apparent very quickly that this was much more than a new version of the venerable Kawasaki Mule, the vehicle that literally invented the side-by-side utility category many years ago. The Teryx takes that original idea several giant steps forward with an impressive 749cc V-twin powerplant mated to a continuously variable 4WD transmission all mounted in a nimble yet rugged tube-frame chassis with adjustable Kayaba suspension and 200mm disc brakes. The resulting package is all about recreational performance and is very impressive indeed.

Check out the SPEED Test Drive of the Teryx and get the schedule for the next airing.