RTV1100 Opinions

[thunderworks]

timswi: I have an RTV900. On my farm it's a work vehicle, not a recreational machine. It hauls rock, dirt, mulch, firewood etc. I need traction and power to haul firewood from the steep, rough woods. My RTV has enough of both that I have no complaints. I have read all the complaints about the various RTV models, but my unit has been fine. According to Kubota, it has a few less hp than the 1100 you've asked about. I bought my unit used and have absolutely no complaints. It's noisy . . . I don't care. It's not fast . . . I don't care. It hauls everything I put in it. Starts every time. I did install a coast valve which I recommend. I bought mine from Barlow Equipment (Kentucky) and am completely satisfied. I sold a Gator 4 X 2 which did not have either adequate power or traction for my purposes. Feel free to pm me if you have specific questions.

 

[timswi]

Are we out of opinions beyond the speed issue? Thought that there would be more 1100 owners out there.

 

[David_Kb7uns]

The 1100 could use some more power as it will run out of it in the higher gears on the hills and the AC bogs it down some.
The biggest key to running it is to get the feel and sound of the secondary motor kicking in and just to back off it a little to keep your speed up. I use the hand throttle a lot , when I am driving I pull it to the detent and leave it. If I need to take off on a hill with a load I will pull it out all the way and then feather the pedal in .
You have to remember this thing weighs close to a ton and you can get another 1500lbs in the bed (thats the weight of some UTVs). Awhile back hauled 37 loads of pea gravel (level to slightly heaped loads) up from the neighbors weighing probably between 1500-1700lbs per load Could not do it in M but was maxed out in speed in low and it did not have a problem with bogging down. I can heap the bed full of fire wood until it falls off and it does not even hesitate to haul it up the hill.
One thing that may not be a fair comparison among other UTVs is the Hydro lacks the ability to govern the load the engine has when it is over tasked, it can only go into relief and you waste power. With the CVT transmission the governor in the main pulley runs everything. If you have more than enough power the engine speeds up and the CVT speeds up to take the load. If you start stalling the CVT will downshift and shed the load to maintain the RPMs but you still keep moving.
You must evaluate each vehicle for its best use, I would not ask my CAN AM Outlander or my Polaris RZR to carry 1200 lbs and I also would not ask the Kubota to go rock crawling on trails (but when I have climbed steep stuff it does spin the wheels on the rims).
The last thing that their is no other competition among other UTVs is the comfort in the cab if it is 105 outside cutting wood or 38 and blowing a torrential downpour checking fence, you will be comfortable.

David Kb7uns

 

[Happyman]

Take a look at the Kawasaki 4010 Trans 4x4 diesel. It's tough as nails, very powerful, power steering, switches from 4 seats to 2, can get a power dump bed on it, cab, winch, skid plates, etc. I have an older 3010 trans 4x4 that gets abused, I mean worked really hard. It's still running like new and hasn't found a hill it can't climb.:thumbsup:

 

[timswi]

The 1100 could use some more power as it will run out of it in the higher gears on the hills and the AC bogs it down some.
The biggest key to running it is to get the feel and sound of the secondary motor kicking in and just to back off it a little to keep your speed up. I use the hand throttle a lot , when I am driving I pull it to the detent and leave it. If I need to take off on a hill with a load I will pull it out all the way and then feather the pedal in .
You have to remember this thing weighs close to a ton and you can get another 1500lbs in the bed (thats the weight of some UTVs). Awhile back hauled 37 loads of pea gravel (level to slightly heaped loads) up from the neighbors weighing probably between 1500-1700lbs per load Could not do it in M but was maxed out in speed in low and it did not have a problem with bogging down. I can heap the bed full of fire wood until it falls off and it does not even hesitate to haul it up the hill.
One thing that may not be a fair comparison among other UTVs is the Hydro lacks the ability to govern the load the engine has when it is over tasked, it can only go into relief and you waste power. With the CVT transmission the governor in the main pulley runs everything. If you have more than enough power the engine speeds up and the CVT speeds up to take the load. If you start stalling the CVT will downshift and shed the load to maintain the RPMs but you still keep moving.
You must evaluate each vehicle for its best use, I would not ask my CAN AM Outlander or my Polaris RZR to carry 1200 lbs and I also would not ask the Kubota to go rock crawling on trails (but when I have climbed steep stuff it does spin the wheels on the rims).
The last thing that their is no other competition among other UTVs is the comfort in the cab if it is 105 outside cutting wood or 38 and blowing a torrential downpour checking fence, you will be comfortable.

David Kb7uns

Thanks David for that objective opinion...Appreciate that....Still deciding at this point.

I have looked at the other units and I do like the perfomance of the CVT...I currently have an RTV500, so I am painfully aware of the pedal feathering that is needed for the HST. I'm just hoping that the 1100 behaves more like my BX..If it does, I'll be happy.

The cab is the selling point for me...I have a disabled daughter that loves riding in the pastures...Can't take her out in this weather. With the heated cab, I could.

I know..It's alot of jack just for a cab. But certain things are priceless.

 

[Dargo]

The cab is the selling point for me...I have a disabled daughter that loves riding in the pastures...Can't take her out in this weather. With the heated cab, I could.

I know..It's alot of jack just for a cab. But certain things are priceless.

A lot of things are trade offs. The cab with heat and A/C did it for me. Don't like frosty balls and hate heat and bugs in the summer. Otherwise, I'd have a Polaris 6X6. I don't regret my purchase of the RTV1100. I've probably looked at them all, and none are perfect. Get what suits you best.

 

[timswi]

A lot of things are trade offs. The cab with heat and A/C did it for me. Don't like frosty balls and hate heat and bugs in the summer. Otherwise, I'd have a Polaris 6X6. I don't regret my purchase of the RTV1100. I've probably looked at them all, and none are perfect. Get what suits you best.

You're right about trade-offs..if I didn't care about the cab..It would be a Polaris.

I do like the low end grunt power of the Kubotas...Just wish they would work on the top end.

 

[Sportsman762]

We got a RT1100 at work in November. I do grounds maintence for a university so we spend the winters plowing. We also use RTV900's and a BX2200. The RTV is great for plowing and pure utility work. The 1100 will max out at 27 miles per hour down hill in 4x4 or 4x2. On level ground it maxes out at 25. This is plenty fast enough because the speed limit is 25. Is it under powered? Depends. It has no acceleration at all in any range. But it will push a very large amount of snow. We used it as our main push back machine to move the snowpiles away from the sidewalks between storms. It has an amazing amount of pushing power however to harness the engines power you need to be in low. I got the blade stuck between two curbs in a sidewalk and it had enough low end grunt to rip a six foot section of curb out to free itself. (now I have something too fix in the spring ...bummer) Could an Ranger do that I doubt it. The cab keeps you so warm that you have to crack the door if its not below 20. The cab is also as quiet as a modern vehicle. We have not had it long enough to try out the a/c yet. It will bog down on hills in high so you might have to down shift before large hills. Also one of my favorite things about it is that it has a pressure release knob to take the pressure off the hydro so you can shift. This make plowing so much better than with the 900's. The jerky slowing down that happens with the 900's is not as bad with the 1100. I have made a 900's rear wheels chirp just from releasing the accelerator. The 1100 is not smooth but not as bad as the 900's. This machine is not for everyone it is pure utility not sporty at all.

 

[timswi]

Thanks Sportsman..What you describe would be my primary use. As close to recreation would be puttering around in the pastures and woods.

Against my better judgement, I bought one today...Waiting for the bedliner and work lights to come in and for them to install the snow plow.

I hope I like this thing..Won't be allowed to complain to the wife about it, that's for sure.

 

[Sportsman762]

You should love it. They are a real pleasure to drive and being able to have your daughter along will make it all the better. Work lights would be great the plow blocks a lot of the driving lights when raised and can lead to plowing in the dark. It is a great machine and you will never regret upgrading.

 

[2fast2]

Did you trade the 500?

 

[timswi]

Did you trade the 500?

Yes...Gave a pretty good number on it.

 

[2fast2]

Whoever gets it will at least benefit from your efforts to improve the drivability.

 

[timswi]

You should love it. They are a real pleasure to drive and being able to have your daughter along will make it all the better. Work lights would be great the plow blocks a lot of the driving lights when raised and can lead to plowing in the dark. It is a great machine and you will never regret upgrading.

Thanks...I did get the factory work lights, front and rear. (overpriced)

Found out about the plow blocking the lights immediatly on the 500, ergo the work lights on that one.

Also got a factory bedliner. Picked up a Kenwood AM/FM/CD for it yesterday.

Should be good to go. Being delivered Saturday, I believe.

Man, I hope I like it. This was a want not a need, and an expensive one at that.

If it's as durable as by BX, I'll have it for a long time.

 

[timswi]

Whoever gets it will at least benefit from your efforts to improve the drivability.

I think that anyone who has been test driving them will notice the difference. It has to be a full operating temperature to really appreciate the changes. I could really tell plowing this year compared to last. Like a whole other machine. never got to drive it with the plow off. That would be the fun part.

 

[Dargo]

You're right about trade-offs..if I didn't care about the cab..It would be a Polaris.

I do like the low end grunt power of the Kubotas...Just wish they would work on the top end.

Actually went to pick up a Polaris; literally with cash in hand. After looking all over it, under it, through it etc., I didn't buy it. I'm well aware that the Polaris will do a lot of things the RTV1100 won't. However, when looking at the pure strength of the units and figuring which would still be working for me in 5 years, 10 years, 15 years?, I had to stay with my RTV1100. Please don't take that as a knock on the Polaris, it's not. The Polaris just isn't built as durable as the RTV1100. And, on the flip side, the RTV1100 will never run 50 mph either.

 

[Dargo]

Thanks...I did get the factory work lights, front and rear. (overpriced)

Found out about the plow blocking the lights immediatly on the 500, ergo the work lights on that one.

Also got a factory bedliner. Picked up a Kenwood AM/FM/CD for it yesterday.

Should be good to go. Being delivered Saturday, I believe.

Man, I hope I like it. This was a want not a need, and an expensive one at that.

If it's as durable as by BX, I'll have it for a long time.

My only comment; I took the factory bed liner out after 11 months and gave it away. It drove me nuts! I had mine sprayed with Line-X, which is what Kubota uses. I wish I'd have gone back with Rhino Liner though. Line-X is far better than the drop in liner, but nowhere near what a Rhino Liner is. Oh well, Live and learn.

 

[timswi]

My only comment; I took the factory bed liner out after 11 months and gave it away. It drove me nuts! I had mine sprayed with Line-X, which is what Kubota uses. I wish I'd have gone back with Rhino Liner though. Line-X is far better than the drop in liner, but nowhere near what a Rhino Liner is. Oh well, Live and learn.

What drove you nuts about the drop-in?

 

[DIXIEDOG]

Yes...Gave a pretty good number on it.

That's good to know, I was wondering how bad these thing depreciated. Are they generally more concerned with hours on the machine like a tractor or by year like a normal ATV?

 

[Dargo]

What drove you nuts about the drop-in?

Rattle, rattle, rattle and everything sliding around.