Brad Phillips
Age: 26
Years in the ATV Industry: 14
Profession: President of Premis Industries
Main Discipline: Motocross
Relevant Experience: Kawasaki Mule and lots of experience on a stock 2004 Yamaha 660 Rhino and a full motocross build Yamaha 660 Rhino.
The Kawasaki handled very similar to Yamaha’s Rhino and yet had its own distinct qualities. In the sand the Teryx seemed to suffer and get bogged down. I think this problem can easily be fixed by decreasing the air pressure in the tires. From the dunes we moved on to rock climbing. The Teryx had plenty of power and torque to get over nearly every big rock we pointed the wheel at. It was very stable and easy to control. It popped over ledges and the engine braking made declines a piece of cake.
The Teryx really shined on the fast, winding trails. It cornered like it was on rails, if you come up on a rut or berm there was really no need for a steering wheel. Powersliding was a blast. For our top speed testing we found a 25 MPH speed limit sign with a screen that tells drivers their actual speed. It was plenty fast at 48 MPH and only limited by its governor.
The mid-frame mounted 749cc 90-degree V-twin engine performed well.
The stability of the machine was incredible; it was very stable and very difficult to roll. In the interest of a thorough test I made sure to roll it at least once, although I succeeded, it was VERY difficult to finally get it to rollover. I think it scores big points for that.
The suspension seemed a little stiff for my tastes. This areas would be the first things I would adjust before using this for any kind of sport application.
Overall this is a great machine, I’ll even say I liked it better than the Yamaha Rhino for the average rider looking for an all-purpose machine. Note: I have yet to drive the new 700 EFI Rhino however. I am only comparing my experiences to the 660 Rhino. As for the more sport oriented rider who wants an aggressive dune and/or motocross machine I would call it a straight up tie between this and the Rhino, although the Teryx has more engine I feel the suspension needs some work.
