Gator vs Kubota RTV

[kuboman]

To further the comparison....

The gator has a CHINESE built aftermarket engine, the Kubota has an industrial diesel

Actually my gator (2007 850D XUV) has a Japanese built Yanmar diesel. Not sure what the new ones are but think they are still the Yanmar.:thumbsup:

 

[timswi]

I am still totally lost on the supposed superiority of the JD..They both have their purposes in life but to say that the JD has a superior build over the Kubota is stretching the realms of reality...And to keep saying it's 10K cheaper is comparing apples to limestone.

If you don't like the Kubota, that's fine...Just come out and say it...We generally don't hammer other people's likes around here.

 

[Martian]

I am still totally lost on the supposed superiority of the JD..They both have their purposes in life but to say that the JD has a superior build over the Kubota is stretching the realms of reality...And to keep saying it's 10K cheaper is comparing apples to limestone.

If you don't like the Kubota, that's fine...Just come out and say it...We generally don't hammer other people's likes around here.

I think the Kubota is a nice machine. I think it has a lot of benefits, a standard cab, standards hydraulic lift, and a much more luxurious interior. All of which you can get on the Deere except the interior. I don't want to hammer your likes but for what I do I can't justify the extra cost of the Kubota. If you added all of the options the Kubota has to the Deere it would be a better comparison out of the gate, no question buy the Deere would still be cheaper. I drive my gator through woods where trees and brush and trees and if I had a cab it would be scratched and broken all the time. So the cab is really a turn off for me. If I wanted a cab the Kubota is definitely the best cab. For my uses and for what the OP describes the cab would limit the where I can go and with brush and a lot of times I have to squeeze out by a tree where I have to park and a cab door would not open. As for the hydraulic lift I would prefer hydraulic but the electro hydraulic works great for me. As you may have heard me say before I don't hate/dislike Kubotas in any way, the only reason I don't own one is my local dealer burned a bridge with me while my JD dealer would drive half way across the country just for something simple. I still do my homework. If a Kubotas ever to good of a deal to pass up I will got the near 250 miles to the next dealer. The savings on a normal Kubota tractor to a John Deere would not make sense to me just because of the distance would make it more expensive to own the Kubota over time. When considering to buy a new tractor or in this case UTV I still check both out. And a Kubota RTV 1100 is a really nice machine but for my purposes it makes no sense to spend the extra money on a Kubota. If you felt as though I was hammering Kubota in anyway I apologize. Kubotas are great machines. I just don't like my Kubota dealer and sense have had a good relationship with my Deere dealer and have became fairly loyal with him. He always gives me a fair price. There are plenty of machines that Kubota makes better. I would take a M59 TLB over a John Deere ________. John Deere doesn't make a TLB that size and I would LOVE one. I would even consider a L39 over a 110. I think Kubotas compact TLBs are nice and if my Kubota dealer wasn't a *ss, who knows what could've happened. I guess I should say that if the OP is going to be using the Kubota for something like a lot of snow plowing where a cab would be really handy, maybe a 1100 could work for him. But I wouldn't find myself buying a Kubota. The RTV is a nice machine and if I offended you I am sorry.

 

[timswi]

No offense taken..Just level setting the issue...I get it you were burned by a dealer...A JD dealer treated me the same way...He treated me like dirt, so I went a few miles down the road and bought a Kubota TLB in 2004..Still have it and bought 2 other RTV's from him as time went on.

I harbor no ill will toward JD becuse of the dealer..If I want a JD some day, and I probably will..I'll just go somewhere else.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

I think the Kubota is a nice machine. I think it has a lot of benefits, a standard cab, standards hydraulic lift, and a much more luxurious interior. All of which you can get on the Deere except the interior. I don't want to hammer your likes but for what I do I can't justify the extra cost of the Kubota. If you added all of the options the Kubota has to the Deere it would be a better comparison out of the gate, no question buy the Deere would still be cheaper. I drive my gator through woods where trees and brush and trees and if I had a cab it would be scratched and broken all the time. So the cab is really a turn off for me. If I wanted a cab the Kubota is definitely the best cab. For my uses and for what the OP describes the cab would limit the where I can go and with brush and a lot of times I have to squeeze out by a tree where I have to park and a cab door would not open. As for the hydraulic lift I would prefer hydraulic but the electro hydraulic works great for me. As you may have heard me say before I don't hate/dislike Kubotas in any way, the only reason I don't own one is my local dealer burned a bridge with me while my JD dealer would drive half way across the country just for something simple. I still do my homework. If a Kubotas ever to good of a deal to pass up I will got the near 250 miles to the next dealer. The savings on a normal Kubota tractor to a John Deere would not make sense to me just because of the distance would make it more expensive to own the Kubota over time. When considering to buy a new tractor or in this case UTV I still check both out. And a Kubota RTV 1100 is a really nice machine but for my purposes it makes no sense to spend the extra money on a Kubota. If you felt as though I was hammering Kubota in anyway I apologize. Kubotas are great machines. I just don't like my Kubota dealer and sense have had a good relationship with my Deere dealer and have became fairly loyal with him. He always gives me a fair price. There are plenty of machines that Kubota makes better. I would take a M59 TLB over a John Deere ________. John Deere doesn't make a TLB that size and I would LOVE one. I would even consider a L39 over a 110. I think Kubotas compact TLBs are nice and if my Kubota dealer wasn't a *ss, who knows what could've happened. I guess I should say that if the OP is going to be using the Kubota for something like a lot of snow plowing where a cab would be really handy, maybe a 1100 could work for him. But I wouldn't find myself buying a Kubota. The RTV is a nice machine and if I offended you I am sorry.

I see your also over here looking over the fence at our Oranges and since I posted my opinion to your ramblings over in the ATV forum I'll bring the same opinion over here.
I'll have to say your one of the worst I've seen on the TBN forum in putting down a brand (Kubota) even though you try to slip in a slight reluctant good point rarely about the Kubota to imply your not prejudice against Kubota. To obvious. Anyone can see it.
Maybe you should always preface your input with "WARNING: I HATE MY KUBOTA DEALER AND LOVE (OR ARE A JD DEALER) MY JD DEALER". Then the reader could know up front where your opinions are coming from.
I shopped brands before buying with no feelings for Orange over Green (Actually was leaning more toward Green since they have all the toys and other Brand Advertising Stuff) or Blue. I decided after evaluating price and features to go Orange and have for 13 times. Can I possibly be wrong 13 times?? Maybe in my mind and absolutely in yours but you don't operate or pay for my purchases so your opinion isn't worth much to me. Especially since your prejudice against Kubota, the industry standard.
Now, keep on hating your Kubota Dealer and Loving your JD dealer and keep on looking over the fence to our side and continue comparing every thing to our Oranges. Do you wonder why you keep comparing every thing to Kubota?:laughing::laughing::laughing: Maybe you should.

 

[roamerr]

Both are good machines but built way different. It's a matter of how you are gonna use it and what you want.

I ride ATV's as a hobby and am not scared of belts. The belt on my 71hp Can-am ATV lasts for years but I don't tow logs and heavy trailers with it. I don't really want a belt on anything I will do lots of towing or pulling with.

If you want a sturdy transmission with no belt and a lower price than Kubota I would look at a Honda Big Red.

2012 Big Red Overview - Honda Powersports

I know -- I went off-topic. I see Kubota as a great engineering company. I view Honda as the same.

 

[mmorisoli]

Just to add my $0.02 worth to the conversation. A few years ago I went through the same process of Kubota vs. JD. When I went out and looked at what neighbors had and drove both I was disappointed with each for various reasons. So I started fresh and did a lot more research and settled on a Polaris Ranger Crew that has been absolutely amazing.

Now each of my friends and neighbors have been trading their Gators and RTV in on Polaris Rangers. They have 9 inches of travel and ride like a dream. I use the dump bed all the time but since I have a Kubota tractor I don't try to use the Polaris as a tractor.

You might want to take a look at other options.

FYI Bobcat is rebranding the Polaris ranger as their own.

 

[Martian]

FYI Bobcat is rebranding the Polaris ranger as their own.

I really think Bobcat has to start making there own stuff. First time I've heard of this but I really don't like rebranding. They aren't offering anything new to the industry, just another color and price tag. I'm all for options but we don't need two of the exact same things with the different paint and price tags. That's just my opinion though. Polaris does make some nice equipment, they have a really wide range of UTVs/ATVs. I have a 2000 Polaris Sportsman 500 and it's a nice machine, never seen used a Polaris UTV though.

 

[curtisfarmer]

The Kubota is so much better built than a Gator. this is apparent to anyone who drives or really looks at one. Night and day. Sorry, but it is what it is.

 

[Martian]

The Kubota is so much better built than a Gator. this is apparent to anyone who drives or really looks at one. Night and day. Sorry, but it is what it is.

Kubota is definitely a stronger heavier built gator on most applications, it is more expensive though and a XUV is more of a crossover where they are faster but still push numbers close to a RTV and even beat it in stuff like towing.

Both are excellent machines if I wanted more of a straight workhorse that is built super industrial I probably would have gone with a Kubota. For my purposes I was going to be both traveling through my ~10 acres through the woods and then go drag my ~15 acres of pastures quickly. The 44 MPH of the gator suited my needs better. I never have had anything near 1000# in the bed and have only really hauled empty trailers to the back of my property, there for the Kubota's slightly higher specs where not a big deal to me. I put brush/gravel/sand/horse manure - none of which even come close to pushing 1000#s. And I drag my pastures with about a 25 year old spike rake that may weigh 250-300#'s. I also use my gator to plow my driveway, well it shares the duty with my tractors, but it does just as good of a job in any of them. I've plowed with it in 2.5' of snow with no problems.

The hydraulics of the RTV and the cab on the 1100 are nice, just not what I want or need. Both are excellent machines for different reasons. My gator works excellent for me. Your RTV may work better for you. If I was looking more at a straight work machine I would probably have gotten a Kubota, or even a bobcat UTV. The bobcat is really nice and heavy duty and love all the bucket and stuff that I can put on it. I like the RTV but it just my uses as well as my gator does.