How Fast Does A Kawasaki Mule Go And Is It Good For Off-Roading?

The Kawasaki automotive brand is best known for its motorcycles, such as the speedy Ninja and the beefy Eliminator. However, motorcycles aren't the only thing that Kawasaki makes. The brand is also well-established in the fields of jet skis, ATVs, and hefty side x side vehicles. The side x sides in particular, while not as proficient at carving up paved roads as the motorcycles, are given more robust, muscular bodies designed to handle rougher, uneven terrain. Kawasaki loves its side x sides so much, they were the main subject of its 2024 Super Bowl ad.

One of the headliners of Kawasaki's side x side offerings is the Mule family, a massive lineup of souped-up carts that can safely and comfortably haul drivers and passengers across all kinds of bumpy paths. The purpose of the Mules varies a bit depending on the model you're driving, but in general, they're surprisingly speedy vehicles that can handle all kinds of different terrain. If you're interested in getting a Mule, though, it wouldn't hurt to know exactly what it's capable of, especially if you're getting one for either work assistance or off-road racing purposes.

As there are eleven different vehicles in the Mule family, that means there's quite a range of available engines and, by extension, speeds. Generally, though, the speed of your Mule will depend on how big the vehicle is and how much it can physically haul, including both passengers and cargo in the rear bed.

The smallest, simplest Mule is the SX model, a compact side x side so pint-sized that it can fit comfortably in the bed of a pickup truck. The Mule-SX features a four-stroke, single-cylinder engine rated at 401cc, with a maximum torque of 20.6 lb-ft at 2,200 rpm. It's not going to win any races, but when it comes to making tracks around a large worksite or ranch, it's definitely a time saver.

On the far end of the Mule spectrum, we have the Pro-FXT 1000 model, an absolute beast of a side x side that's large enough to comfortably haul up to six passengers at once. Naturally, a beefier vehicle needs a beefier engine, packing a 4-stroke, 2-cylinder engine rated at a mighty 999cc. That comes with a max torque of 61.5 lb-ft, giving it a top speed of around 65 miles per hour. We're talking highway speeds here, for when you really want to get from point A to point B in a hurry.

Considering the wide breadth of engine speeds offered by the Kawasaki Mule family, you might be tempted to just grab a powerful-sounding one and enter it in the nearest off-roading race. However, putting the raw speed aside, the different members of the Mule family are intended for slightly different purposes. All of the Mule family vehicles are intended, first and foremost, to be work vehicles, designed primarily to be ridden at large-scale construction sites or on large swaths of unpaved road like a farm or ranch. All of the Mules have a degree of ruggedness, of course, but some may handle naturally rugged terrain like a dirt track better than others that can only manage a simple dirt road.

The lower-end Mule models like the SX and 4,000 can handle a modest degree of work-centric off-roading, but might stall out when faced with a steep natural hill or intense, bumpy terrain. The members of the Mule Pro series, however, such as the Pro-MX and Pro-FX, are much more robust and better able to handle the rigors of wilderness travel or even racing. These models feature wider, more flexible frames and stronger transmissions, all to keep the vehicle balanced and under control even when the terrain gets weird.