Broadly speaking, for a lot of people, the name Kawasaki will tend to bring one thing to mind: motorcycles. The Japanese brand has manufactured some two-wheeled wonders that are acclaimed and instantly recognizable around the world. The Ninja, for instance, has become one of the most famous motorcycles ever made. Motorcycles are one thing, but the brand also develops vital components for other vehicles, with Kawasaki engines also featuring in several different brands of lawn/garden tractor and ride-on mowers.
Because the terrain that these models will face can differ so much, in terms of the elevation, the range of hills or obstacles, the sheer size of the land, and so on, it’s important that they boast engines that can handle different challenges. Whether that engine is mounted in the front, as is typical with lawn tractors, or in the back, as with a ride-on mower, Kawasaki engines power the machines of some of the biggest names in the grass-cutting and lawn care arena.
From global icons like John Deere to the lower-profile but increasingly prominent Bad Boy Mowers, we’re going to take a closer look at five of these brands, which specific models utilize Kawasaki engines, and what they’re capable of.
John Deere
This brand is an enormous name in the world of agriculture. It creates formidable combine harvesters, and other heavyweight equipment of the sort. The world’s most famous tractors carry the John Deere name. The average household won’t have much use for a combine harvester in the yard, but especially for larger plots of land, ride-on mowers of different sizes, strengths, and price ranges are worth considering. Among John Deere’s offerings in this range are several that are powered by Kawasaki engines.
The brand’s wider X300 series — including the X350, X300, X300R, and X304 – is one example, with these models having been manufactured to include a front-mounted Kawasaki FS541V engine. This 603 cc air-cooled V-twin was widely installed in these machines, and though they have been largely replaced by more recent additions to the Kawasaki lineup, these particular engines were very common in the appliances during the 2000s and 2010s. During that era, though, they were actually at the center of a wide-ranging recall.
As reported by the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission in September 2011, the issue surrounded the mounting position of the engine on certain models from this series, as well as the relative proximity of the fan on top of it. The commission reported that a fan atop the engine could be vulnerable to breaking, and that “if the cooling fan is not operational, the engine can overheat causing the surrounding plastic to melt, creating the risk of fire and serious injury.” The commission noted that systems of the three different variants of the Select series listed above, that were manufactured between September 20, 2010 and July 21, 2011 among certain serial number ranges provided. This recall affected some 36,500 machines all in all.
Husqvarna
Swedish heavyweight Husqvarna has an enormous range of lawn mowers, from conventional push-along models, to robotic mowers that can complete the task with little input from the owner. If you have a larger property, you will typically be well served by a ride-on model. Husqvarna offers a broad selection of ride-on models and lawn tractors, and some of them are equipped with Kawasaki engines. Unsurprisingly, some of Kawasaki’s higher-end models are found on some of the more expensive ride-ons in the Husqvarna range.
Husqvarna’s TS 375XD, for instance, is a premium model priced at a hefty $5,199.00. For this premium price tag, of course, the customer can expect some premium features and components. Among them, the manufacturer notes, is a set of all-terrain tires that make it easier for the rider to tackle difficult weather conditions, an 18-inch high-backed seat to help make longer mowing sessions more comfortable for the rider, and a Kawasaki FR Series V-Twin engine. This model provides 24 horsepower, and is joined by a hydrostatic transmission from Tuff Torq, which eases control and complements the setup.
The TS 375XD isn’t the only model in Husqvarna’s line-up to sport, or have sported, a Kawasaki engine. The TS 275XD, weighing in at a less hefty $4,199.00, also has a FR-Series V-Twin, this time with 23 hp and a 4-gallon fuel tank. Husqvarna, like a lot of lawn mower manufacturers, is venturing more and more into the world of electric models, but these more conventional engine-powered models have some considerable Kawasaki power behind them.
Cub Cadet
This next brand is in a similar situation to Husqvarna, in that it seems to be Cub Cadet’s more premium mowers sport Kawasaki engines. These include the brand’s Enduro Series, which are positioned as being “designed for the expert gardener,” Cub Cadet declares. For the manufacturer, this means hydrostatic drive systems, advanced coatings to prevent corrosion on the body, and the brand’s Tight Turn xTreme technology, which allows for a 17-centimeter (6.6-inch) turning circle.
Even the largest plots of land require precise work in some spots in particular, and the wheels of ride-on models are somewhat notorious for gouging into grass during difficult turns. Because of this, as the manufacturer explains, the machine needs to balance power with control, and approaches this with a Kawasaki V-Twin it declares to be “the most powerful engine in its class.” This engine, furthermore, powers so many of the models in the Enduro series: The XT2 PR95, XT2 QR106, XT2 PS107, and most of the XT3 family all feature this Kawasaki engine.
This particular engine was chosen for its practicality as well. It has a lower fuel usage and, Cub Cadet claims, runs very smoothly, making the models it powers efficient. It’s a key concern with any gas-powered appliance, and one that a lot of buyers looking for such a model will be paying keen attention to.
Bad Boy Mowers
Kawasaki powertrains can also be found in newcomer Bad Boy Mowers’ lineup. In an interview with Talk Business & Politics magazine in July 2014, the brand’s founder Scott Lancaster noted that the company began in a garage with the development of what would become a prototype model in 2002, but, the magazine goes on, “Twelve years later, Bad Boy occupies an 800,000-square-foot facility and employs more than 400 people.”
It’s little surprise, then, that the brand’s offerings have become broader and more varied, to better accomodate a wide range of budgetary needs. Among Bad Boy Mowers’ selection is a lineup of premium machines that sport powerful engines courtesy of Kawasaki, just like some of the other brands we’ve seen so far. The range includes the Maverick, the ZT Elite, and the Rebel, each of which is offered with the option of a Kawasaki engine if the prospective owner desires.
The Rebel family is a particularly interesting case. With this zero turn mower, there are four different engine options for users to choose from, in different sizes and power levels. These range from the FX850V Air-Cooled V-Twin at 852cc, to the 999cc Air-Cooled V-Twin FX1000V. In between the two, there’s a pair of 822 cc options: The FX781V EVO EFI and the FX820V EVO EFI, offering 31 horsepower and 34 horsepower respectively. Elsewhere in the range, the ZT Elite Zero Turn Mower provides two different options, with one being Kohler’s 747cc Pro 7000 KT726 and the other being Kawasaki’s FR730V with a slightly lower 726cc.
Wisconsin Engineering
Wisconsin Engineering is OEM-partnered with Kawasaki Engines, and some of its most potent and popular products are created by them. These include the formidable W3600 Bulldog, a municipal lawn tractor that’s designed for professional applications and larger-scale mowing jobs. Under the hood of this heavier duty model is a Kawasaki FS730V, a sophisticated engine with a maximum power of 22.1 hp, 39.8 lb-ft of torque, and it holds just over 2 quarts of oil. The engine’s special features include advanced air filters, to better cope with the high volume of work it may be expected to perform.
Elsewhere in the range, Wisconsin Engineering also offers the W2900 Riviera, powered by another Kawasaki engine, the FS600V. The Riviera is a model that isn’t necessarily as tailored to heavy-duty applications as the Bulldog is, and so is a better fit for tackling residential plots of lands and yards, for instance. The Riviera’s FS600V offers up to 17 hp and up to 30.2 lb-ft of torque. It also has a round 2 liter oil capacity, advanced air filtration, and spherical combustion chambers like those of the FS730V.
On top of that, the addition of a grass screen and cleaning ports (where available with particular versions) will help to keep the machine running more efficiently and safely, with some added conveniences for the driver. All in all, while many of us are mostly familiar with Kawasaki and its engines in motorcycles, they provide ample power to a broad range of lawn tractors too.