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View Full Version : Not a spyder, but Kawasaki's first experiment in 1992



blacklightning
09-20-2018, 02:45 PM
This is being advertised as a proto type that Kawasaki came up with in 1992 (I believe). The owner decided to paint it green. It is for sale now for the low, low, price of $1200 somewhere in Colorado.
I just came across this on one of the sites that I frequent on facebook, and couldn't think of a better place for this to be displayed:yikes:. I am sort of glad that it is too far from me, as I might would just buy it to ride around the neighborhood and piss people off:D.

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ARtraveler
09-20-2018, 02:46 PM
Cute--but I don't need another riding lawnmower. :roflblack:

I will stick with my Vulcan 900 LT. :yes:

Bob Denman
09-20-2018, 02:48 PM
:D I was just gonna mention that I thought it looked like a mower deck between the front wheels! :roflblack: :clap:

2Paw
09-20-2018, 03:29 PM
Looks like it should say John Deere on it, except the color is a little off.

Lew L
09-20-2018, 03:54 PM
No thanks ( even though for years I bled Kawasaki green ) I'll stick with my black ZX-11.

Lew L

SpyderCruiser
09-20-2018, 04:00 PM
This is being advertised as a proto type that Kawasaki came up with in 1992 (I believe). The owner decided to paint it green. It is for sale now for the low, low, price of $1200 somewhere in Colorado.
I just came across this on one of the sites that I frequent on facebook, and couldn't think of a better place for this to be displayed:yikes:. I am sort of glad that it is too far from me, as I might would just buy it to ride around the neighborhood and piss people off:D.

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Do you remember where you saw this. The reason I ask is because it looks street legal and has a plate on it. Had to sell our atv years ago due to NJ outlawing atv's on State land. That bugger looks like it could go off road and if it is registered as a motorcycle, could legally drive it off road.

Bob Denman
09-20-2018, 05:02 PM
I think that the apparent lack of ground clearance could be an issue: unless you take a saw to that "lawn mower deck"! :thumbup:

asp125
09-20-2018, 06:11 PM
Experimental model my a$$. Looks like the experimental part began with a case of beer and half a John Deere. FYI Strasburg is out in the farmlands, where John Deere parts are plentiful.

https://denver.craigslist.org/mcy/d/unique-1992-kawasaki-ninja/6697229917.html

canamjhb
09-20-2018, 08:13 PM
Looks to me like it is off-road capable. (Off road and on the lawn for a fresh cut)

Bob Denman
09-21-2018, 07:22 AM
I used to have an old Boa Ski snowmobile that had a hood on it which looked suspiciously familiar to the nose on that thing...
(Worst sled that I ever owned! :roflblack:)


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ofdave
09-21-2018, 07:35 AM
Chain driven and it looks like it's based on a motorcycle frame/chassis.
I think it was homemade, not a Kawasaki effort at all. A real Kawi prototype would be worth a lot more.
The tiny front wheels don't look "off road" worthy. And the front seems to be as low as a Spyder. A real factory effort would have used larger front wheels. And a factory would not have gone with the monochrome paint job.
"Off road", no. Just because the front tires are have an aggressive tread pattern doesn't mean it's ready for the logging road.
A well maintained gravel road, maybe.

just read the ad. The only "prototype" aspect is that the lady's husband bought it from a snake oil salesman.

Bob Denman
09-21-2018, 08:00 AM
:agree: "Prototype"?


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SpyderCruiser
09-21-2018, 08:15 PM
Experimental model my a$$. Looks like the experimental part began with a case of beer and half a John Deere. FYI Strasburg is out in the farmlands, where John Deere parts are plentiful.

https://denver.craigslist.org/mcy/d/unique-1992-kawasaki-ninja/6697229917.html

Thanks for the link. It is only a 250, will never haul me and my wife around the woods. Still waiting for a REAL off road Spyder like vehicle. Ryker is close but needs much more ground clearance for the sugar sand roads NJ has. Side by sides are not allowed in NJ woods either or we would own one.

NJ the "No Fun" state.

Bob Denman
09-22-2018, 07:33 AM
With the prices of GS models becoming so reasonable: just build your own! :thumbup:



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SpyderCruiser
09-22-2018, 06:23 PM
With the prices of GS models becoming so reasonable: just build your own! :thumbup:



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That is a way cool idea! Wonder where I could find info on how it was converted?

Peter Aawen
09-22-2018, 07:27 PM
That is a way cool idea! Wonder where I could find info on how it was converted?

I don't think there's much to that conversion?! Fender delete up front & new 4 stud hubs to carry the larger rims & tires; swing arm extension up the back to allow a similar wheel tire size increase, with (I think) a chain conversion for extra noise, servicing, & durability thrown in; and maybe a juice box or ECM re-map to unleash just a little bit more of the power hidden in these engines, and awaaay you go!! :ohyea: Altho tuning & setting up the suspension to better suit rougher roads instead of leaving it a 'highway marshmallow' soft & spongy might become a priority pretty quickly there-after! And being able to add the Ryker's Rally settings would really make it a fanbloodytastic package!! :2thumbs: Maybe BRP could sell all the necessary as an upgrade kit? :shocked:

The Nanny as is really doesn't mind too much just so long as the front/drive tire size increases are kept fairly similar, as those of us fitting different sized tires have found & tested extensively already; the extra power available from these engines via an ECM Flash is phenomenal, even without exceeding the 'known & tested safe & fairly reliable' parameters used by the same motors on other factory endorsed products; and a/mkt hub conversions are a dime a dozen.... Now if only the suspension upgrade stuff had more aftermarket support & wasn't quite so hard to get 'right' for the 'home spanner-spinner', the whole modification thing could be a weekend project costing little more than a few thousand $ max!! Or maybe BRP could package a few different levels of upgrade as kits & open up a whole new & I suspect extremely popular & quite profitable market, even if they kept the prices down to reasonable 'weekend project' levels?! :thumbup: Yeah I know, that last bit was reaching a little far, but a fella can dream, can't he?! :dontknow: :opps:

And what if they also offered an optional turbo?!? :yes::yes: :dg1::ohyea::clap::firstplace::2thumbs: Shame that really IS dreaming!! :opps:

Bob Denman
09-23-2018, 08:08 AM
Yup! :thumbup:

Rattlebars
09-24-2018, 12:31 PM
There are front wheel trike kits for lots of bikes: >CLICK ME< (https://www.google.com/search?q=front+wheel+trike+kits&num=40&newwindow=1&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiv3PXJlNTdAhV[url=B44MKHY9AB_MQsAR6BAgCEAE&biw=1366&bih=695)