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WHAT’S NEW FOR THE TERYX?
Bore and stroke are shared on the
Teryx and T- 4, which got an upgraded
Brute Force-based engine in 2012 with
CVT centrifugal clutch and new cases.
New cam timing, head porting and
equal-length exhaust headers worked
with new, 12-hole fuel injectors to
provide arm-stretching low-end grunt
over the old Teryx engine, and the
upgraded T- 4 engine was stroked 3mm
and given higher-compression pistons
( 10.7:1 versus 9.3:1; the old Teryx was
8.8:1) for 2014. The slight increases
in displacement and compression
upgrade horsepower by 26 percent and
torque by 12 percent. The huge Teryx
airbox still sits under the tilt hood, and a
large plenum chamber rides above the
larger, 36mm EFI throttle bodies.
The new Teryx uses the T- 4’s
double-X frame, which places the
new engine mid-chassis for mass
centralization. Dual cross-members
provide rigidity not seen in old Teryxs.
The Teryx has the same 85.7-inch
wheelbase as the T- 4 (tested in
December 2013), but it has a dumping
bed with a 600-pound capacity, while
the T- 4 has a tiny bed like a RZR. Body
panels replace;the rear T- 4 doors, and
an awesome 48-gallon-capacity storage
bin with two locking lids and a center
section with tie-down points for a small
cooler replaces the rear seats. Also, the
new Teryx gets its sweet doors, which
are light years beyond the old Teryx
nets, from the T- 4.
The suspension has also been
reworked, with the torsion bar moving
to the front and long A-arms providing
8 inches of front travel. Rear travel is
8. 3 inches, and all four shocks are Fox
Podium X piggybacks with 24-position
compression adjusters (750 FI fronts
were HPG without reservoirs). Kawasaki
also adds EPS to all Teryx and T- 4
models. EPS reduces steering effort
and protects against bumpsteer. The
models all also have a three-year limited
warranty!
The base Teryx has steel wheels and
no roof, while the camo sports both
and a Realtree APG-HD dip. The;LE
sports a roof, special paint, matching
seats and lightweight aluminum
12-spoke wheels. We could go on and
on about how the steel frame protects
the plastic like nerf bars, the Maxxis
26-inch Bighorn 2.0 tires and other new
technologies, but let’s ride!
HOW DOES COST COMPARE?
Last year’s Sport 750 listed for
$12,599 without EPS. The base 2014
Teryx 800 EPS goes for $12,999, while
Realtree APG-HD camo models sell for
$14,299, and the Limited Edition with
automotive Candy Lime Green or Burnt
Orange paint and three-tone seats is
$14,999. The 2014 Polaris Ranger
800 EPS LE is $13,299. The Can-Am
Commander 800 DPS starts at $12,899
and jumps to $17,499, and the Arctic
Cat Prowler XTX700 EPS is $13,299 to
$13,599.
HOW’S THE NEW V-TWIN POWER?
It’s potent! The increased torque is
instantly detectable, as the CVT with
centrifugal clutch engages quickly and
smoothly, putting the low-end thrust
to the ground. Increased horsepower
builds speed quicker on the trail, and
the new 783cc V-twin pulls harder up
hills and through deep mud. The larger
Teryx still tops out in the low 50s, but it
gets there quicker and with more of a
fun factor.
WHAT ABOUT THE DELIVERY?
It’s top-shelf! The CVT tuning is
excellent, and the centrifugal clutch
keeps tension on the belt for faster
reaction and less slipping. The
2WD/4WD/diff-lock switch is a lot easier
to use than the old variable-lock lever
on the console, and EPS on all models
lightens steering in 4WD and diff-lock.
Kawasaki’s Engine Braking System is
among the best in the business, and
we’ve never seen a Teryx axle break.
Also, the old 749cc engine turns
29-inch tires, so the larger engine will
as well.
HOW’S THE NEW SUSPENSION?
It’s also improved. A half-inch extra
travel isn’t that big a deal ( 7. 5 inches
versus 8 inches), but the torsion bar is
moved to the front end, which gets Fox
Podium 2.0 piggyback shocks (only
the Sport Edition Teryx 750 got these).
Rear travel is 8. 3 inches, and the front
shocks are well balanced with the rear
Podium X shocks. Reservoirs fight heat
fade better than the old HPG front
shocks, so the ride is more controlled,
but it’s not as plush as a Polaris
Ranger.
Kawasaki completely scrapped the Teryx 750 FI and used the (2012–2013) Teryx4 as the foundation for the 2014 Teryx 800 FI, so
everything on the two-seater is upgraded, except for the brakes. All 2014 Teryxs and T-4s come standard with Kawasaki’s EPS.
