Posted: 25 Nov 2009 10:13 AM PST

IRVINE, Calif. – Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A. (KMC), announced the addition of four new Special Graphics Edition Teryx 750 FI 4x4 recreation utility vehicles. The new Special Graphics Edition Teryx offers a high quality finish featuring a clear-coated immersion graphics pattern.

These unique new immersion graphics packages offer a unique diamond plate pattern that is chemically bonded to colored basecoat paint. The finished product offers a durable, high-gloss, automotive quality surface that looks similar to anodized aluminum diamond plate, but is actually smooth to the touch and easy to clean.

Available exclusively on the award-winning 2010 Teryx 750 FI 4x4 model, through a new custom order program at www.kawasaki.com, this unique new look can be ordered in one of four different colors: Gloss Diamond Red, Gloss Diamond Blue, Gloss Diamond Black, or Gloss Diamond Silver, at an MSRP of $12,199.

The addition of the four new Special Graphics Edition finishes raises the total to ten different color combinations offered for Kawasaki's 2010 family of V-twin powered Teryx recreation utility vehicles.

Once customers have chosen the model and color of their new Teryx, the personalization options continue with a full line of genuine Kawasaki high-performance, protective, convenience and appearance accessories available from local Kawasaki dealers.

To order, or for more details on the new Special Graphics Edition Teryx program, please visit www.kawasaki.com.

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2010 Kawasaki Mule 610 4X4 XC - UTV Guide

Posted: 23 Nov 2009 03:13 AM PST

Newest Mule Offers Expanded Off-Road Capabilities
After more than 20 years of service, the Mule name has come to define a whole category of hardworking utility vehicles. For 2010, here's an entirely new take on everyone's favorite beast of burden: The Kawasaki Mule^™ 610 4x4 XC appears to have been crossbred with Kawasaki's Teryx™ RUV. Aggressive 26 inch Maxxis Bighorn 2.0 radial tires mounted on 12-inch wheels give it newfound off-road ability—and a slew of upgrades designed to complement its suddenly more aggressive nature, infuse the new Mule XC with something it's never really been known for: This Mule is cool.
The standard Mule 610 4x4 was nearly unstoppable, but the new 4x4 XC takes that a giant step further. Not only do those burly 26 inch Maxxis tires provide a bunch more traction, their greater width increases the Mule's track by 1.3 inches and their greater height gives the new Mule a full 8.1 inches of ground clearance. To accommodate that new capability, new 1.1 inch longer front and 1.5 inch longer rear suspension help the Mule climb over larger obstacles than ever, while standard skid plates protect vital systems.

To make room for those new tires, the new Mule's front bumper's been kicked forward about 1.2 inches, and while they were at it the Mule team added sporty new graphics—also a new, more comfortable seat covered in a more pliable material, and a smaller-diameter sport steering wheel lifted straight from the Kawasaki Teryx^™.
In spite of its new capabilities and the fact the XC looks like an entirely new vehicle on the outside, you can rest assured that its legendarily reliable and economical drivetrain remains intact on the inside. A durable, 401cc fan-cooled overhead-valve engine mated to a continuously variable transmission (CVT) feeds power to all four wheels as needed, and simple, automotive controls mean it couldn't be much easier to operate. An enrichening system partially opens the throttle for easy engine starts, hot or cold, and the Mule can be started in forward (Hi or Lo) or reverse gear, provided the brake pedal is applied. Select 2WD or 4WD, and away you go.
MacPherson strut front suspension and rack-and-pinion steering combine great bump absorption with light handling, and the Mule's mid-engine layout and swingarm rear suspension provide great traction at the rear. An upgraded braking system brings it all to a reliable halt.

Fun as it looks, the XC is all about hard work, with a new special black texture paint applied to its 400-pound capacity tilting bed for even greater long-lasting looks and durability, and 1,100-pound towing capacity that means you can bring whatever you need. Dual cup holders keep thirst at bay when you're on the clock, a capacious glove box can carry more than just gloves, and the front hood pops open to reveal more than 12 gallons-worth of storage. Popular accessories include an enclosed cab, snow plow, winch, and soft or hard tops, available through Kawasaki dealers.
Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A. (KMC) markets and distributes Kawasaki motorcycles, ATVs, personal watercraft, utility vehicles and recreation utility vehicles through a network of more than 1,475 independent retailers, with an additional 8,000 retailers specializing in Kawasaki power products and general purpose engines. KMC and its affiliates employ nearly 3,300 people in the United States, with 400 of them located at KMC's Irvine, California headquarters.
Kawasaki's tagline, "Let the good times roll.™", is recognized worldwide. The Kawasaki brand has become synonymous with powerful, stylish motorcycles for over four decades. Information about Kawasaki 's complete line of recreational products and Kawasaki affiliates can be found on the Internet at www.kawasaki.com.

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Honda Commemorates 50 Years of Innovation in America - SuperCross.com

Posted: 20 Nov 2009 03:55 PM PST

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Courtesy American Honda

Honda (NYSE: HMC) today marked its first 50 years in America, commemorating the establishment of American Honda Motor Co., Inc., in a small Los Angeles storefront on June 11, 1959. Honda associates observed the occasion with a brief ceremony at the company's Torrance, Calif. headquarters.

"On behalf of the tens of thousands of Honda associates in America, past and present, we offer our deepest thanks to our customers for placing their trust in Honda over the past 50 years" said American Honda President & CEO Tetsuo Iwamura.

"Today, in the face of new challenges, including the preservation of our environment, we renew our commitment to exceed the expectations of our customers and society."

Starting in 1959, with the fuel-efficient Honda 50 motorcycle, to the newly launched 2010 Honda Insight gas-electric hybrid vehicle, Honda has introduced new technologies and business strategies that have shaped the industry and the growth of Honda, including:

First automaker to meet U.S. Clean Air Act without a catalytic converter –Civic CVCC (1974)
First vehicle to top U.S. EPA list of most fuel efficient cars – Civic (1977)
First Japanese automaker to build motorcycles (1979) and automobiles (1982) in America – Marysville, Ohio*
First Japanese automaker to establish a luxury automobile brand -- Acura (1986)
First mass produced gas electric hybrid car introduced in America -- Insight (1999)
First government-certified hydrogen fuel cell vehicle -- FCX (2002)

Mr. Honda

Honda has steadily expanded its U.S. presence to encompass a broad range of products and operations. Today, Honda employs more than 27,000 U.S. associates engaged in the design, development, manufacturing, sale and servicing of Honda and Acura products including automobiles, motorcycles, ATVs, personal water craft, power equipment, and an advanced light jet.

Honda operates 10 U.S. manufacturing plants with two new plants under construction, along with 14 R&D facilities and more than 12 regional sales, parts and service, and finance offices around the country. The company's network of U.S. parts suppliers comprises 545 companies in 34 states with annual purchases exceeding $17.5 billion in 2008.

Honda History in America:

American Honda was the first overseas subsidiary of Honda Motor Co., Ltd., established eleven years after HMC's inception as a small motorcycle manufacturer in Japan. Honda entered the U.S. market in 1959 with the step-through Honda 50 motorcycle and helped spur the dramatic growth of the U.S. motorcycle market, as it became the best-selling brand in America.

The introduction of the fuel-efficient Civic in 1973 paved the way for Honda's entry into the U.S. auto industry. As America faced the first oil crisis in 1973 and then the U.S. Clean Air Act tightened air emissions standards in 1975, Civic became both the first automobile to meet the Clean Air Act without the need for a catalytic converter and was ranked number one on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's first list of America's most fuel efficient cars (1977).

Based on its longstanding commitment to develop and build products close to the customer, Honda established research and development operations in America in 1975, and U.S. manufacturing in 1979, starting with production of motorcycles in Marysville, Ohio. Honda became the first Japanese automaker to build cars in America with the start of Accord production at the Marysville Auto Plant in November 1982. In May 2009, Honda reached the 15 million unit milestone in U.S. automobile production.

In 1986, the company expanded into the luxury automobile market with the creation of the Acura brand, the first luxury nameplate from a Japanese automaker. Acura earned a top rating in J.D. Power and Associates' Customer Satisfaction Index for four consecutive years (1986-1989).

In the 1990s, Honda introduced the U.S. automobile industry's first low-emissions vehicles, meeting challenging new emissions requirements in California while also enhancing fuel efficiency. In 1999, Honda introduced America's first mass production hybrid vehicle, the Insight, followed in 2002 by the Honda FCX, the first fuel cell vehicle certified by the U.S. government for daily use and the first to be placed in the hands of an individual consumer.

In 2008, the company began leasing its next-generation FCX Clarity fuel cell sedan, the industry's most advanced zero-emissions vehicle. In March 2009 Honda introduced the 2010 Honda Insight, America's most affordable hybrid, with plans to launch another all-new hybrid within the next several years based on the company's sporty CR-Z hybrid concept vehicle.

"Looking to the future, we are committed to advancing Honda's legacy of environmental leadership to help address the twin challenges of global climate change and energy sustainability" said Iwamura. "Along with a renewed focus on quality, we begin our next fifty years by accelerating our efforts to develop and deploy new technologies that put Honda at the forefront of this global challenge, to create a cleaner and more sustainable future for generations to come."