2021 KAWASAKI TERYX KRX 1000 ES

Kawasaki was the last of the major manufacturers to introduce any sort of electronically adjustable suspension on its flagship sport machines. Yamaha has e-shocks on the RMAX but not on the YXZ1000R. Although late to the game, Kawasaki has one of the better systems out there, and it’s installed on the Teryx KRX1000 eS.

HOW DOES THE COST COMPARE?

At $24,399, the KRX1000 eS is $5000 less than the Can-Am X3 with Smart-Shox and $4600 less than the 64-inch wide RZR Pro XP. Honda’s two-seat Talon with Fox Live Valve suspension is $1300 less than the Kawasaki. Kawasaki’s base Teryx KRX has a starting price of $20,499.

WHAT ENGINE DOES IT HAVE?

Kawasaki built an all-new parallel-twin cylinder powerplant for this Teryx. It’s quieter than the old V-twin and has enough torque to pull the heavier machine around at a fun clip. Top speed is limited to 69 mph, so if you are looking to set speed records, this is not the machine; however, it’s still fun on faster trails and is exciting to rail around in the tight woods. The motor puts out around 112 horsepower and 76.7 pound-feet of torque.

HOW’S THE TRANSMISSION?

It’s a CVT setup with a very durable belt. We have over 5000 miles in a few different KRXs and have yet to break or even smoke a belt. Kawasaki uses a centrifugal clutch behind the CVT so constant pressure is applied to the belt, reducing heat and slippage, extending its life. We have seen the clutch weights wear after 1500 miles, but the machine has never forced us to the side of the trails to work on it.

WHAT KIND OF SUSPENSION DOES IT HAVE?

Kawasaki calls it “Kawasaki Electronic Control Suspension (KECS).” Basically, the Fox Live Valve system analyzes steering angle, speed, gear position and throttle position to provide the best compression damping for the car’s movement. The driver can also choose from three modes: Soft, Normal and Firm. The 2.5-inch Fox Podium shocks have internal bypass ports that contribute even more to low-speed plushness. This means you could have the switch in Firm mode and still travel in comfort in rough terrain as long as the shock isn’t past about halfway. From there, the electronics take over and firm up the ride, depending on what the computer senses. It works well. Along with the slow-speed plushness, the other advantage to the KECS system is rear bottom-out protection. If you hit a big G-out that would normally drag or slam the rear skid plate under the car, the shocks will stiffen and prevent this. The car is 68.5 inches wide and has 18.6 inches of travel up front and 21.1 inches in the back.

HOW STRONG ARE THE BRAKES?

The brakes are decent. For a heavy machine, the stock pads do a good job slowing the car down. The car doesn’t dive under hard braking, and we haven’t had the brakes heat up coming down steep hills. We have replaced stock KRX pads before with aftermarket pads from DP (see page 86), which seem to hold up a little better.

HOW ARE THE DETAILS

The eS model Teryx does get more details in the form of a digital dash with a ton of data. Here you can read CVT belt temperature, average speed, trip miles, engine hours, water temp and of course shock activity. This is the first UTV to display average speed or CVT belt temperature. Another detail we love about the KRX is that it has lots of room behind the rear seat and a healthy-sized cargo area. Both come in handy for short or long trips. Furthermore, both seats are adjustable and both full doors have armrests. The only thing we don’t like about the interior of the KRX is that the front cup holders get hot enough to make soup.

WHAT IS OUR FINAL ANSWER?

The Kawasaki Teryx KRX was worth the wait. It’s a quality machine with well-thought-out features. Most of all, it has proven to be very durable in thousands of miles of testing. It looks as though Kawasaki took everything good about the RZR XP 1000 and made it bigger and stronger. Now with the eS models, they added electronic shocks with internal bypass ports for a super-smooth ride that works better than the Polaris system. The eS also gets you a screen that, although it doesn’t have navigation yet, will display data no other car does. So, again, if you are not out to win drag races and want to hit the trails in comfort, you will have a blast doing it in the 2021 Kawasaki Teryx KRX1000 eS.

SPECS:

KAWASAKI TERYX KRX 1000 ES

ENGINE/TRANSMISSION

Engine type Liquid-cooled, DOHC, parallel twin,

4-stroke

Displacement 999cc

Bore x stroke 92mmX75.1mm

Compression ratio 11.5:1

Lubrication system Wet sump

Additional cooling Auto fan

Induction 50mm EFI (x2)

Starting/back-up Electric/none

Starting procedure Turn ignition switch w/ brake on

Type Paper pleats

Access Behind panel in drivers seat

Transmission Dual-range CVT auto

Reverse procedure Move range selector to “R”

Drive system Selectable 2WD/4WD w/diff-lock

Final drive Shafts

DIMENSIONS/CAPACITIES/WEIGHTS

Fuel capacity 10.8 gal.

Wheelbase 98.8”

Overall length/width/height 132.1”/68.1”/77”

Ground clearance 14”

Claimed wet weight 1944.8 lb.

Turning radius 20.3 ft.

Bed weight limit 351lb.

Hitch No

Towing limit N/A

ROLLING CHASSIS

Frame Steel round tube

Suspension/wheel travel:

  Front Dual A-arm w/ e-adj shocks/18.6

  Rear Trailing arms w/ e-adj. shocks/21.1”

Brakes/actuation:

  Front Hydraulic discs/left-side pedal

  Rear Hydraulic discs/left-side pedal

Parking Park lever

Tires:

  Front 31×10-15 Maxxis Carnivore, 8-ply

  Rear 31×10-15 Maxxis Carnivore, 8-ply

ELECTRICAL

DC outlet Console

Lighting:

  Front 2 LED hi/lo headlights w/ accents

  Rear Dual LED brake/taillights

DETAILS

Instrumentation Digital speed/odo/CVT belt

temperature/ average speed/ trip miles/

engine hours/rpm/fuel/gear/clock/2WD-4WD, CVT

temp, water temp, volts, suspension mode

Colors Metallic Onyx Black

Minimum recommended operator age 16

Suggested retail price $24,399

Contact www.kawasaki.com 

 

Visit our home page for more articles and to subscribe HERE.