Kawasaki's New UTV Is a Murdered-Out Machine Meant for the Night

5 months, 1 week ago - 11 June 2024, RideApart
Kawasaki's New UTV Is a Murdered-Out Machine Meant for the Night
Might as well be a ghost.

There's just something cool about speeding along under the cover of night in a UTV. I've spent a number of nights doing just that in my Can-Am, and planning to do more now that I have KC HiLites' latest Gravity Titan pod system attached to it. 

But I had to make a nighttime trail-running UTV. I couldn't just buy one from the factory, which though I enjoy doing the work myself, isn't everyone's cup of tea. Knowing that most folks just want to buy not build, Kawasaki has worked up something special for its updated 2025 Teryx KRX side-by-sides. A UTV designed to fade into the darkness. A veritable Batmobile. 

Say hello to the Blackout.

Neat, right?

Based around Kawasaki's Teryx KRX 1000, the Blackout can be had in either two- or four-seat configurations, and was "tailored for thrill-seekers who crave nighttime excitement in the desert or on the trail." That means an all-black exterior and interior, first and foremost, as well as an assortment of modifications and upgrades. 

Included in the parts list is a standard lightbar from K-Glow measuring 38 inches "mounted on the front roof with four floodlight reflectors and 24 spot beam reflectors for a total of 28 LED lights." The K-Glow bar has two light settings, which allow customers to choose a Kawasaki green glow a the standard light bar lighting.

Additionally, three 8-inch K-Glow LED light bars are mounted to both the front (one) bumper and rear (two) with the latter being attached to the roof. These offer the same two light settings as found the big bar up front. Kawasaki also added a roof and stereo system to the Blackout, which includes two 6.5-inch door speakers and a 12-inch subwoofer played through a Bluetooth/AM/FM/ 600-watt 5-channel stereo in the center console. 

Cause you know Kavinsky intensifies. 

Kawasaki also added steel bumpers both front and rear to both give the Blackout a more menacing vibe, add protection, and enable a Warn VRX 45 winch to work at the front of the side-by-side. The winch is a powersports unit with a capacity of 4,500 pounds and comes with a 50-foot steel cable. 

The Teryx KRX Black is still powered by the same 999cc parallel twin coupled to a CVT, and Fox Podium 2.5 shocks all around. The long travel suspension has 18 inches of travel at the front, while 21 inches of travel out back, making whoops or whatever else you encounter all the easier to dominate.