If you read a review of Kawasaki Mules, you’ll see that only a handful of models come flush with accessories.
Fortunately for Mule owners, aftermarket accessories and parts are plentiful for all Mule models and will really convert these slightly basic UTVs into some of the best-looking off-road vehicles out there.
But since most accessories aren’t cheap, it’s important to consider the functionality they provide along with the boost to your Mule’s appearance.
In this guide, we’ll cover the eleven most popular Kawasaki Mule accessories for 2024 that will transform your Mule into the best-looking UTV on the trail while also making it more off-road ready.
#1 – Front Winch
A front winch is one of the very best accessories you can add to your Kawasaki Mule.
The Kawasaki Mule Pro models give you decent ground clearance of around ten inches, but some of the smaller Mules offer much less than that.
Read a review of the Kawasaki Mule SX for example, and you’ll see that it experiences consistent bottoming out in uneven terrain.
And if you get stuck and high-centered, your only real hope of getting unstuck is from the help of a winch.
Recommended Winches
- Warn 4,000 lbs winch from Amazon (steel cable)
- Super ATV 4,500 lbs winch from Amazon (synthetic rope)
I’m team synthetic rope winch these days, as they offer a number of benefits over steel cable winches in my opinion.
That said, there are still arguments for steel cable winches.
Both the Warn and Super ATV options above are as good as you’ll find for your Mule, though both do offer heavier-duty options if you feel you need that.
You’ll also need to add a winch plate to mount a winch on, as Kawasaki Mules that aren’t already pre-installed with a winch don’t have one.
Recommended Winch Plate
The KFI winch plate mount will sync with both of the recommended winch brands and also gives you the added benefit of being able to mount a snow plow to the same frame should you want to.
#2 – Front LED Light Bars
One of the biggest gripes with Kawasaki Mules is that many of them come standard with halogen headlights and not LED headlights.
Read a review of the Kawasaki Mule 4010 and you’ll see that you may as well hold up a BIC lighter to light your way in the dark with the lack of brightness from the halogen bulbs.
And while you can buy LED sets from Kawasaki, they’ll cost you an arm and a leg.
So grabbing an LED light bar to mount to the front of your Mule is ideal and will provide much more light when night riding.
For the price, the Nilight LED light bar is the best option for the Kawasaki Mules, though you may need to do a little finagling with the wiring on certain models to sync up the toggle switch that controls the lights.
#3 – Rear Bed Lights
If you drive often in the early morning, at dusk or night, adding a bed light is also highly recommended so you can see what’s behind you.
You can simply install an LED light bar on the rear roof area, or you can grab this set of Nilight LED Light Bars that come with both the LED bar and two LED light pods which you can install on either side of the rear.
The light from this combo of LED lights will turn night into day when driving your Mule.
#4 – Front Windshield
Even the top trim levels on models like the Kawasaki Mule Pro MX and Kawasaki Mule Pro FXT Ranch Edition don’t come standard with a windshield.
And that’s one of the first accessories I’d be adding as a new owner of a Mule.
The benefits a good windshield will provide far outweigh the drawbacks. And most are removable, so you can take yours off during the warm months if it’s heating up your cab area too much.
But that’s why you should give serious consideration to which type of windshield you’ll buy, as there are plenty that will tilt-out or come with built-in vents for better air circulation in the cab.
The top three options for Mules are made by Kawasaki, Super ATV, and Fortress.
Check out this guide to the best Kawasaki Mule windshields for help narrowing down which one makes the most sense for you.
#5 – Hard Top Roof
Most of the Mule models do not come with a factory roof installed.
As a roof (and windshield) are about as important as the engine and tires to me, this is one of the first accessories I’d recommend for those without one.
There are two main types of roofs for these vehicles:
- Plastic
- Metal (or aluminum)
I’m a metal roof guy for a variety of reasons, but most of the plastic ones will be half the price.
Kawasaki offers both plastic and metal roofs for most Mule models, which look great and work for the most part but do have a design flaw where the grooves up top can pool water and dump it down on you while driving.
They’re also quite pricey, so you may want to consider an aftermarket roof.
Aftermarket Hard Top Plastic Roofs
If you want a plastic roof not from Kawasaki, check out Super ATV’s Mule-specific roofs.
You can also find Kawasaki’s OEM plastic roofs on the Kawasaki site.
Aftermarket Hard Top Metal Roofs
Metal roofs are much sturdier than the plastic options and provide you the ability to store gear or cargo up top should you need to.
You do need to consider where you live, as metal roofs will lead to warmer temps in the cab on hot days.
And you’ll also need to consider whether you use the dump bed, as some metal roofs will restrict it from fully tilting up.
But with that in mind, the following three options make the best metal roofs for the various Mule models:
#6 – Elka Shocks
While the Pro Mule models feature a suspension system fit for off-road riding, most of the smaller non-Pro Mules do not.
And even the Pro Mules aren’t exactly built for trail riding or traversing harsh/uneven terrain, so there’s a tendency to get jolted around a bit in any of these models riding rough terrain.
If you live in a mountainous area or plan to traverse backcountry terrain often, upgrading your Mule’s suspension with Elka shocks will benefit you in multiple ways:
- Much smoother ride
- More ground clearance
- More suspension travel
The overwhelming majority of Mule owners who have made the jump to Elka’s will tell you it’s the best decision they ever made, especially when it comes to ride quality.
Elka shocks are offered in five different stages, with stage one being the least aggressive and expensive and stage five being the most aggressive and expensive.
You’ll want to consult a trusted Elka dealer such as Hester Motorsports about what makes the most sense for you as they customize these packages.
But even those who only want to spend on Elka Stage One will get a much better ride and a lift of somewhere between two and four inches.
You’ll be able to tell a massive difference in the ride quality at your Kawasaki Mule’s top speed, and while riding off-road.
#7 – Gun Rack
If you’re like many who use their Mules while out hunting or simply to exercise our 2A, a good gun rack to hold and keep your weapons in place while riding is essential.
My go-to for the Kawasaki Mules is this Classic Accessories QuadGear UTV Double Gun Carrier for a couple of reasons:
- It keeps your guns out of your way in the cab and helps you maintain cab space.
- It keeps your guns enclosed in the weather-resistant carrier and free from the dust in the cab.
It can carry two long guns and will keep them totally safe from the elements while riding, strapping securely to the rear of your roll cage.
If you want easy access to your guns while in the cab, there are some other great options as well.
The Seizmik UTV Gun Holder attaches to your seat and gives you easy access to both your long guns and pistols while riding.
You can also look at the following for easy access while in the cab:
- Kolpin UTV Gun Rack that bolts to the floor.
- Big Sky Overhead Gun Rack that bolts to the roof.
#8 – Bed Liner
The diamond-plated steel cargo beds on Kawasaki Mules are one of the biggest benefits of these models.
But what they won’t do is keep cargo or gear from sliding around in the bed while you’re riding, and the steel is susceptible to scratches and dings from hauling.
Putting in a bed liner will eliminate that problem, and there are three good options for installing a liner.
Roll-On Or Spray-On Liner
Herculiner Roll-On Liner is the go-to for Kawasaki Mules, as you can simply roll it onto your bed floor like you would paint and let it dry.
Once dry, it should last for a few years and will provide plenty of grip and protection for your rear bed floor.
Many will also apply it to the actual floorboards for added grip as well.
Rubber Bed Liner (DIY)
The least expensive and easiest option is to grab some rubber horse stall mat from Tractor Supply and cut it to fit your Mule’s cargo bed.
It provides good traction and looks plenty native once installed.
Like any bed liner that lays over the top of your steel bed, it will make your bed susceptible to moisture build-up between the liner and bed which can lead to rust.
So you’ll want to remove it every so often to clean and air out the actual bed floor to prevent that.
Plastic Bed Liner
Kawasaki offers a plastic bed liner that fits in each of the Mule models and looks awesome, resembling that of a pick-up truck.
It offers decent grip and protection, but it is my least favorite option because it also makes the steel bed underneath susceptible to rust, but is not as easy to remove every so often as it is usually bolted down.
#9 – Trailer Hitch
New Kawasaki Mules come standard with a two-inch hitch receiver in the rear to make it easy to connect a trailer.
But there are a few things to consider when considering which type of hitch to use:
- A short trailer hitch on an already short UTV like the Mule will take out a good bit of your turning radius and make it harder to maneuver your Mule and trailer.
- A short trailer hitch will also be at risk of coming in contact with certain terrain.
Hitch Extension
That said, a best practice is to use a eight to ten inch trailer hitch extension to give you more room to maneuver and navigate terrain with a trailer in tow.
The MaxxHaul Trailer Hitch Mount is highly recommended for Mules as it accomplishes all of the above.
Standard Drop Hitch
If you’re not a fan of using a hitch extension, you can get away with using a simple six-inch drop hitch with trailer ball, but I’d recommend flipping it over when using it which will offer you more clearance.
The CURT 6-inch trailer hitch works perfect for all two-inch receivers on Mule models.
#10 – Rearview/Side Mirrors
Mirrors come in handy for obvious reasons, and will make your Mule that much more convenient to drive.
Grabbing some fold-in side mirrors that can be adjusted when riding those tight trails or wooded areas is essential to avoid damaging them.
You can buy some OEM Mule side mirrors from Kawasaki, but the much cheaper and just as high-quality Chupacabra side mirrors are my recommendation for Mules of any kind.
The Chupacabra Offroad Deluxe Rearview Mirror also makes for a great addition.
#11 – Spare Tire
Carrying a spare tire is recommended as well, though it may seem like overkill…until you blow a tire.
Whether you have stock tires or aftermarket, grabbing an extra one to carry in the rear bed or to mount to your Mule will bring some serious peace of mind for those who ride in the backcountry or out in the middle of nowhere often.
Final Word
Kawasaki Mules are already some of the most reliable side-by-sides you can find in the industry.
But throw on any number of accessories on this list and you’ll see your Mule’s overall driveability increase even more.
