Suzuki DR150 Designed for Practical Use on New Zealand Dairy Farms
While quads and LUVs are a major part of the rural landscape, on many New Zealand dairy farms 2-wheelers continue to be an important part of the logistics puzzle.
Keep an eye out at the Central Districts and South Island agricultural field days for the new range of Suzuki KingQuads.
Major upgrades are seen in both the 500 and 750 models following months of onfarm testing in New Zealand. This is on top of evaluations made by technical staff from Japan visiting NZ to test prototypes.
Suzuki NZ has also commissioned two test units for ongoing use on Kiwi farms for extended monitoring.
Other than changes to the machines’ physical appearance, the biggest changes to the new KingQuad are the way they ride.
Revised suspension and gas filled shock absorbers are connected to a chassis with greater rigidity, achieved by using thicker wall section for the main frame rails.
The rear sway bar set-up has also been redesigned for a more stable ride but still retains the smooth ride all Suzuki ATV’s are renowned for.
Improvements to the electric power steering system makes for less rider fatigue and raises comfort for long days out working.
The fuel injected, liquid-cooled, four-stroke engine remains unchanged on the 500 and 750; the only differences are in the CVT transmission on the 750.
Engine-braking is reckoned class-leading on all Suzuki ATVs, whether towing a trailer or descending a hill.
Towing capacity has increased to 600kg on the 500cc and 750cc – up 150kg from the previous models.
Growers and farmers are being encouraged to have an important conversation before the coming season starts: how to prolong the effectiveness of the crop protection tools they rely on.
A new digital assistant is now helping Ballance Agri-Nutrients farmers speed up nutrient information and ordering.
New Zealand apple and pear industry stakeholders are out in force for the annual conference in Queenstown.
Cameron Reed lives between two worlds.
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