Kubota vs Ranger

[pizzaguy]

I have a 2013 Ranger 500 and have plenty of power. I have never compared it to the Kubota RTV 500, but it has done everything I have asked of it. I know the Ranger is quite a bit cheaper than the Kubota. I had a Ranger 400 but did not like the carbureted engine for starting,especially for the wife. I guess it depends on what you plan on using it for.

 

[PapaPerk]

I have a Ranger 400. It's a nice machine. Smooth ride, tons of power and good top speed. It's a work machine and fun all in the same package. My only gripe is the shifter is hard to move occasionally. Best thing about it is the unlocking rear diff!!! The honda pioneer does not have this feature. Big oversight by honda. The Kubota has excellent fit and finish. It uses a hydro trans. It runs at lower rpms... This is why hp rating is lower. The Kubota runs like a sewing machine. And is a fine work machine. Suspension travel is much less than ranger. So it depends on what you do with it. I picked the ranger. Normally I will go with best quality machine. However the ranger had features I wanted and the price was right. It's been a handy machine and has been trouble free so far.... Only 75 hours though. Good luck

 

[DIXIEDOG]

ishhhh, I was hoping to see a Kubota drag a Ford Ranger around the yard when I clicked this thread!

They started that video but then there was a quick rain shower....the true 4WD in the Ranger shined so the Kubota needed to wait for another day.:confused3:



Of those two I would pick the Ranger, the RTV 500 I owned was good at plowing snow and it could drive down gravel roads decent...the first season it wasn't bad at all because it was extremely dry up here and I didn't get stuck too frequently. The following spring we had a wet spring so there was a bit of mud.....I spent more time winching than riding....the suspension on the RTV also sucks out loud...there is no suspension travel and it takes it out on your body when you do try to offroad with the RTV. The two other issues I had with my RTV in my less than 2 yrs of ownership was the paint all peeled off the inside of my bed revealing rust underneath it and the front frame bent from plowing snow..neither issue made the machine inoperable but it was also a good reason I looked at other brands and got rid of the machine in less than 2 yrs.

 

[Rod in Forfar]

I'm still on the fence between a Kubota RTV 500 and Polaris Ranger. Can someone answer me a question??

How can both the Kubota and Polaris have 500 cc engines but have so much difference in horsepower??

The old Polaris Ranger 500 had almost 30 HP (the new 570 engine has a reported 40 HP) yet the Kubota 500 engine gives an advertised 15.8 HP?

How come so much difference?? I guess I just don't want to buy something that's underpowered??

I own a 2004, 640 cc Ranger TM which produces 18 hp from its 2 cylinder Robin engine. Last year my friend bought an ancient 2003 Ranger 500 (1700 hours) which gets about 30 hp from a single cylinder Robin. The single is a much higher quality engine, specifically designed for Polaris ATVs. The 640 twin was borrowed from a lawn mower. At 700 hours, though, it's doing a fine job around the property and on the lakes in winter.

But the old Ranger 500 is just amazing on rough terrain in winter. On paper the 4WD system doesn't look like much. When diving through cattails and over rocks to get off a lake and across an island in a foot of snow, though, it gives substance to the Ranger's reputation as the most capable UTV. My friend puts quite a few hours on the 500 booting down back roads. Its 30 mph+ speed counts there, as do its windshields and roof. Without a tractor to do the heavy work, my friend uses the Ranger far more than his 4Runner for work around his property and boat launch.

 

[art]

So is that a vote for or against the Kubota??

If you are more inclined for joy riding then a machine that can go faster might be good for you. If you need a machine to do work and like longer life then the Kubota is right. I don't know the mileaqe of a 500 but the average on a 900 diesel is about 40 hours of use per tankful. One thing we did have with a 500 that towed trailers of plants in a green house. The hydro took off easy enough they never dumped the plants because of the smoothness of the hydro!

 

[foggy1111]

I have a Ranger 400. It's a nice machine. Smooth ride, tons of power and good top speed. It's a work machine and fun all in the same package. My only gripe is the shifter is hard to move occasionally. Best thing about it is the unlocking rear diff!!! The honda pioneer does not have this feature. Big oversight by honda. The Kubota has excellent fit and finish. It uses a hydro trans. It runs at lower rpms... This is why hp rating is lower. The Kubota runs like a sewing machine. And is a fine work machine. Suspension travel is much less than ranger. So it depends on what you do with it. I picked the ranger. Normally I will go with best quality machine. However the ranger had features I wanted and the price was right. It's been a handy machine and has been trouble free so far.... Only 75 hours though. Good luck

I've got a new Honda Pioneer 700-4. I agree with your assessment about the unlocking rear differential. I wish Honda would have it too….and not too sure why they eliminated it?….cause they had it on the Big Red. I suppose it has to do with price points. For my land I will get along with it...as I am not concerned with grass. My question tho?.could an unlocking differential be added as an accessory-type item. Cost of doing this? (I assume it's prohibitively high) If it were cheap enough?.I can see this being of value.

I don't know of another 4 place machine that is nimble and sells for a price like the Honda Pioneer tho. With my savings over the other brands I have bought a full hardtop, glass windshield, wiper, winch, and more.

 

[PapaPerk]

I've got a new Honda Pioneer 700-4. I agree with your assessment about the unlocking rear differential. I wish Honda would have it too….and not too sure why they eliminated it?….cause they had it on the Big Red. I suppose it has to do with price points. For my land I will get along with it...as I am not concerned with grass. My question tho?.could an unlocking differential be added as an accessory-type item. Cost of doing this? (I assume it's prohibitively high) If it were cheap enough?.I can see this being of value. I don't know of another 4 place machine that is nimble and sells for a price like the Honda Pioneer tho. With my savings over the other brands I have bought a full hardtop, glass windshield, wiper, winch, and more.

You maybe able to install a Big Red rear diff on the pioneer. It certainly could be done with machining and welding. I'd love to have a Pioneer but the lack of rear diff shut me down.

I think Honda did poor market research on the rear diff issue. I also think most buyers don't understand that most machines don't have rear diffs. Well untill they get home and rip the yard to bits, wear the tires fast, and take an acre to turn.

 

[DIXIEDOG]

If you are more inclined for joy riding then a machine that can go faster might be good for you. If you need a machine to do work and like longer life then the Kubota is right. I don't know the mileaqe of a 500 but the average on a 900 diesel is about 40 hours of use per tankful. One thing we did have with a 500 that towed trailers of plants in a green house. The hydro took off easy enough they never dumped the plants because of the smoothness of the hydro!

I'm not positive what the actual miles per gallon is on a 500 but it sips fuel...that is one thing that the RTV 500 crushed my Gator 825i on..the fuel economy is outstanding. It would take so long to go through a tank of fuel that you'd think the gauge was broken on your fuel.

 

[PapaPerk]

I'm not positive what the actual miles per gallon is on a 500 but it sips fuel...that is one thing that the RTV 500 crushed my Gator 825i on..the fuel economy is outstanding. It would take so long to go through a tank of fuel that you'd think the gauge was broken on your fuel.

That's because it's only making 15 hp at max throttle. Of course that's all most people need. Those gators are fuel hogs

 

[DIXIEDOG]

That's because it's only making 15 hp at max throttle. Of course that's all most people need. Those gators are fuel hogs

My 825i isn't terrible...it's getting over 18 mpg. On the trips I've taken up here with friends it's not any worse on fuel than their Sportman's and it's much better on fuel than my friend's RZR.....it's all relative I guess.