Cupojoe

Wow. definitely won't be trying to save a couple bucks by going kawasaki anytime in the future.

How much do these run?

could just buy an after market muffler that fits, and weld it on ? same diameter etc (obviously removing the piece that you're welding from the mule)

as far as trail suggestions go, have you checked out hobble creek? there's a pass that goes around, and ends at squaw peak. it's basically a dirt road but there's a ton of riding in there and it's not well known/low traffic. other than that, west desert is your friend!

Sounds just like a short in the wiring. which can be hard to find, but luckily it's not a car... that's a lot more wiring to sort through

Ah man. I don't know. Have you tried calling a dealership and asking them? Depending on the place they can be pretty damn helpful.