At the top of the Prairie 650's feature list is the ATV industry's only V-twin engine. The purpose-built 650cc powerplant is liquid-cooled, with cylinders set at a 90-degree angle for smooth running and, more importantly to ATVers, enormous torque that greatly dwarfs anything on the market. And despite the large 650cc displacement, engineers say the new Prairie will weigh less than the comparable 500cc models.

Mark Kelly, the VP of the ATV and Utility Vehicle Division at Kawasaki's Irvine, Calif., headquarters, said that as engine displacement increases, the 90-degree V-twin has numerous advantages over a single-cylinder design.

"It has twice the power strokes of a single-cylinder design, it has superior counter balancing, and because it was designed specifically for an ATV, it has a lower center of gravity," said Kelly. "Best of all, our testing has shown it to have torque figures that run right off the chart."

In addition to the industry-leading V-twin, the Prairie 650 will also utilize a new-generation of continuously variable transmission (CVT) and selectable four-wheel drive combined with a unique front differential, the first ATV with a handlebar-located control that allows the operator to maximize power to both front wheels.

To stop the Prairie 650, Kawasaki has combined powerful dual-piston front disc brakes with another industry first: a sealed multiple disc wetbrake system in the rear. Borrowing the idea from the heavy equipment used in construction industry and agriculture, the sealed brake system consists of a number of discs that ride in an oil bath. The system provides superior stopping power and almost unlimited service life.

"In fact," said Kelly, "the system is so powerful that our engineers actually had to detune it in order to make the braking application more linear."

Production for the Prairie 650 is scheduled for early 2001 and Kawasaki expects to hold media introductions in late 2000 or early 2001.

Kawasaki spent considerable time researching the big-bore ATV market before deciding to move forward with the V-twin powered Prairie 650.

"We spent a lot of time at ATV jamborees and similar events talking with enthusiasts to find out what features were most important to them," said Kelly. "At the top of their wish list was the need for torque, selectable four-wheel drive and engine braking. The Prairie 650 incorporates all these features in a design we think is going to revolutionize the big-bore market.

"The bottom line is that this machine is going to give ATV riders the ability to meet and exceed any riding challenge."