Upgrade adds kinder ride and stepless drive
Upgrade adds kinder ride and stepless drive
By Andrew Pearce
FOR donkeys years, an ATV pilot requiring full auto transmission had only one port of call: Polaris.
Then Yamaha and Kawasaki joined the fray with their respective 600 and 400 auto models, and now its the easy life for all with the latter bringing in a 300cc version.
The all-new, permanent four-wheel KVF 300A shares an engine and hi-lo ranges with the manual box 300 we tried recently (FW, Sept 24), but thats about all.
Longer, taller and 12kg heavier than the original, which continues unchanged, the newcomer brings a complete suspension rejig, wider front/rear tracks, various minor upgrades and stepless transmission.
Jumping between manual and auto 300s, the new one feels wider at knee level and the seats a tad harder on the bum. No fumbling with footpedals to get underway, though; just slot a tall, easy-moving tankside lever forward and were off.
The motor is boomier than the manual box version, but the transmission belt seems to drain away some vibration, leaving the end result kinder. Claimed power from the air-cooled four-stroke singles 290cc climbs from 19.7hp to 20.7hp, and this, teamed with the transmissions always-in-the-right-gear nature, produces quick throttle response when riding solo.
A trailer and steep ground makes the mid-sized engine puff. Time maybe for low box, so stop, thumb the shift levers button and push forward again to find it.
In either range stepless drive shows its key advantage – you cant be caught in the wrong cog, which, particularly with a 300-class bike, can make the difference between burning your way clear of a wet hole or getting bogged. Should it all go wrong, though, reverse is a snap to find with no rigmaroles to get in the way.
Chasing more wheel travel and a softer ride, front McPherson struts and a single-shock rear subframe displace the manual 300s wishbones and Quad-link set-up. The new bits do the trick, too. Where the existing bike thumps and bucks over moorland tussocks and ridges, the auto version is decidedly softer and more stable.
Braking – still by discs and a drum – is adequate, though levers could do with less sponge and travel. Steep-land operators will need the anchors because Kawasakis stepless drive produces no over-run engine braking.
Finishing the upgrade are full footboards, a higher towing capacity (500kg against 317kg), a reversing lamp and moulded racks. Price for the KVF 300A auto is £4350, undercutting the manual by £150.
The Mule goes diesel
It is at least 10 years since Kawasakis Mule forsook the golf course for UK farming. There has never been a factory-built oil-burner, though private enterprise could supply one to buyers looking for red diesel economy. Now the official product is here in the shape of the Mule 2510 Diesel.
Painted green and with payload uprated to 500kg, the Diesel hides a 952cc three-cylinder Daihatsu unit under its tippable load-bed. All-wheel drive is selectable, with power coming through a bigger version of Kawasakis stepless, twin-range ATV transmission and a lockable back diff.
The new water-cooled unit produces 23hp against the petrol equivalents 20hp and (presumably) more torque, though performance is still less than staggering. Instead, the Mule plods unexpectedly quietly across the countryside with the sort of doggedness its name suggests. *
NEWKAWASAKIS
KVF 300A 4×4
Engine 20.7hp petrol four-stroke single, air-cooled.
Transmission Stepless belt with hi-lo ranges.
Drive Permanent 4WD, front diff limited slip.
Brakes Disc front, single drum rear.
Suspension McPherson strut front, single coil/damper rear.
Weight 275kg (dry).
Rack capacities 40kg front, 70kg rear.
Towing capacity 500kg.
Warranty 12 months.
Price £4250.
Mule 2150 diesel
Engine 23hp three cylinder diesel, water-cooled.
Transmission Stepless belt with hi-lo ranges.
Drive Part-time 4WD with lockable rear diff.
Brakes Drums.
Suspension McPherson front, leaf springs plus assisters rear.
Weight 634kg.
Payload 500kg.
Towing capacity 545kg.
Warranty 12 months.
Price £7850.
Left: A single stick (1) handles the KVF 300As transmission, with a lock button (2) needed for low range and reverse: Sheaves and belt for the stepless drive live under cover (3). Moulded rack and full footboards are auto 300 upgrades. Below: Four-wheel drive Mule now comes with diesel power, a bigger 500kg payload and can tow 545kg – but not both at once.
Not afraid to get its feet wet… Kawasakis 300 auto ATV can burn its way out of sticky going.