Farm UTV/RTV Purchase

[hayden]

I had a Mule Pro FXT for a number of years and traded it for a Kubota X1140. The Mule pro was much faster, but also much harder to control slowly over technical terrain, which is mostly what I have. It was also very loud, as all these machines seem to be. Ear plugs are a must for anything other than a short run. And it was just a cheaply built machine with open undersides that would catch branches, collect mud, etc.

The Kubota is a substantially better built machine. Much more rugged, tractor-like components rather than go-kart-like components, much better under body protection, more metal rather than plastic, etc. The Mule always seemed like a flimsy piece of crap. The Kubota is a solid, respectable machine.

As for speed, yes, the Kubota is a dog. 25 mph on flat of down hill, but down to 15-16 on any real hill. So if you are looking for a sport vehicle, the Kubota is NOT your machine. Also if you have long flat stretches to cover adn want to move faster than 2025 mph, the Kubota is NOT for you.

But if you are looking for a rugged machine where 15-25mph is acceptable I think it's MUCH better than the other stuff out there. The accessories are much higher quality too. And for any sort of carefull picking your way through rough terrain, the HST is just fantastic giving excellent slow speed control to move, brake, and stop. This was an important criteria for my land, and the Kubota is vastly superior to the Mule Pro in this regard.

Were people fail to bond with a Kubota, it seems to be attributable to one of two things.

1) They are looking for a sport recreational side by side. That's not what the Kubota is, expect perhaps the gas powered belt driven model now available. That's a different beast much more like other side by sides.

2) They haven't gotten the hang of operating an HST. HST controls how much load the drive train places on the engine, not how much power the engine delivers to the drive train like a conventional drive. More HST peddle will make the machine go faster UNTIL you have loaded the engine to it's max power. Beyond that, more HST peddle slows you down rather than speeding you up because you are overloading the engine. You need to back off the peddle to back off the load. Anyone who has owned an HST tractor or lawn mower will have mastered this, but it takes some practice and obviously leaves many people flummoxed.

Success with an HST also requires that it be adjusted properly, and that seems to be elusive in many cases. Pressing the peddle simultaneously increased engine RPM so more power is available, and increases drive train load to move the vehicle. To work well, the engine speed increase needs to lead the HST load so there is always enough engine power to match the HST load. And you need to be certain that the engine ultimately reaches full throttle so that it develops full power. Despite dealer setup, mine was NOT set up correctly and I had to tweek it to get max performance.

Do I wish the X1140 had more power? Yes, I do. Another 10-20HP would be really nice so when I do want to make time on a smooth trail or road, I can. I do spend a fair amount of time with the peddle to the floor, waiting to get where I'm going.

 

[broadsword6]

We run a 100 Acre forage crop farm in Eastern Ontario, Canada. We have two tractors, a 70Hp gear drive cab tractor with loader and a 35Hp open station HST with a loader. We recently acquired a Polaris Ranger 1000xp as a farm work vehicle to replace our aging (2000) Bombardier 500 Traxter. The Bomber still works, but it is seriously too small as a work platform in the sugar bush. So, it lives on a set of Camoplast tracks and pulls a ski track setter in the winter. When we were shopping for the UTV/SBS we looked at everything on the market and our decision finally came down to the Human Factors Engineering in Polaris. While Kubota is a fine piece of machinery and will no doubt go forever, like most things Kubota, it is an HR nightmare if you are over 5'10, as both of us are. In the passenger position your knees are nearly in direct contact with the dash. On a serious bump or in a crash that could cause a nasty injury. And, as we all know, trees have a habit of jumping out at us on the trail! There are a host of other HF issues but not as serious as that.

That really leaves Polaris, Canam and John Deere in the full sized, full featured work/sport category available to us up here. John Deere lives up to its reputation...Why pay Less? Expensive, and unremarkable was our impression. So, it came down to Canam Commander and the Ranger. The prices are similar here and the features are more or less equivalent for a farm UTV. Both have tilt beds and four pax versions and both have similar power options. What tipped it for us again was the HFE. The Commander is not as generous in the cockpit as the Ranger, and in general the Ranger seems better laid out. We do not "love" our farm tools and we don't have any particular loyalty to one brand or another, so there is no bias in this analysis. If you are not particularly tall and don't care about HF,E and general engineering and design (says the engineer trying hard to mask his bias) then you have more viable options. But when you have to consider piling into the UTV at minus 20 with parka, snow bibs and snow boots with dogs and assorted tools, for a trip over rough ground to do just about anything, HFE becomes important. You don't appear to have those constraints, but even so I would encourage you to consider the overall design and "feel" or form factor of the options you are considering. You will live with your choice for some time and being irritated every time you use the UTV will wear on you. Considering the price you will pay for a full sized four seater with a lift bed, that could translate in to serious buyer regret.

Hope it works out for you.

 

[mo1]

Now don't start knocking us people that still use a wheelbarrow. It is one way I get my exercise.

I was knocking the people who were knocking those of us "still" using wheelbarrows.

 

[wawajake]

Broadsword6 mentioned headroom in Kubotas......I am not sure where that concern came from. I am 6 ft 2 and 230 lbs and have both a Kubota RTV and a BX2660 tractor......sit in them no problem for hours at a time. For a few years now. Now I might of shrunk half an inch due to the old age burden of taxes and lazyboy chairs but still have otherwise been comfortable.

 

[ArlyA]

We run a 100 Acre forage crop farm in Eastern Ontario, Canada. We have two tractors, a 70Hp gear drive cab tractor with loader and a 35Hp open station HST with a loader. We recently acquired a Polaris Ranger 1000xp as a farm work vehicle to replace our aging (2000) Bombardier 500 Traxter. The Bomber still works, but it is seriously too small as a work platform in the sugar bush. So, it lives on a set of Camoplast tracks and pulls a ski track setter in the winter. When we were shopping for the UTV/SBS we looked at everything on the market and our decision finally came down to the Human Factors Engineering in Polaris. While Kubota is a fine piece of machinery and will no doubt go forever, like most things Kubota, it is an HR nightmare if you are over 5'10, as both of us are. In the passenger position your knees are nearly in direct contact with the dash. On a serious bump or in a crash that could cause a nasty injury. And, as we all know, trees have a habit of jumping out at us on the trail! There are a host of other HF issues but not as serious as that.

That really leaves Polaris, Canam and John Deere in the full sized, full featured work/sport category available to us up here. John Deere lives up to its reputation...Why pay Less? Expensive, and unremarkable was our impression. So, it came down to Canam Commander and the Ranger. The prices are similar here and the features are more or less equivalent for a farm UTV. Both have tilt beds and four pax versions and both have similar power options. What tipped it for us again was the HFE. The Commander is not as generous in the cockpit as the Ranger, and in general the Ranger seems better laid out. We do not "love" our farm tools and we don't have any particular loyalty to one brand or another, so there is no bias in this analysis. If you are not particularly tall and don't care about HF,E and general engineering and design (says the engineer trying hard to mask his bias) then you have more viable options. But when you have to consider piling into the UTV at minus 20 with parka, snow bibs and snow boots with dogs and assorted tools, for a trip over rough ground to do just about anything, HFE becomes important. You don't appear to have those constraints, but even so I would encourage you to consider the overall design and "feel" or form factor of the options you are considering. You will live with your choice for some time and being irritated every time you use the UTV will wear on you. Considering the price you will pay for a full sized four seater with a lift bed, that could translate in to serious buyer regret. Hope it works out for you.

The Can-am work machine is the defender were as the Commander is sport. I used a defender for years and liked it. I'm 5'11 and had lots of room in it.

 

[hayden]

Broadsword6 mentioned headroom in Kubotas......I am not sure where that concern came from. I am 6 ft 2 and 230 lbs and have both a Kubota RTV and a BX2660 tractor......sit in them no problem for hours at a time. For a few years now. Now I might of shrunk half an inch due to the old age burden of taxes and lazyboy chairs but still have otherwise been comfortable.

Me too. I'm 6' 3" and find the Kubota X1140 quite comfortable.

 

[Milo]

....As for speed, yes, the Kubota is a dog. 25 mph on flat of down hill, but down to 15-16 on any real hill. So if you are looking for a sport vehicle, the Kubota is NOT your machine. Also if you have long flat stretches to cover adn want to move faster than 2025 mph, the Kubota is NOT for you.....

To this I'll add the experience from the local Kubota/Polaris dealer as it related to large company who basically worked for the power company doing their right-of-way work. That company negotiated a deal directly with Kubota for a number of RTV 1000's (maybe 1100's I can't recall which). The initial 6 units were delivered from Kubota to the dealer who received $100 each to prep them for delivery. The company picked them up but within a few days complained to the dealer that they didn't have enough power to make it up the same right-of-ways their old Honda ATV's they had been using did. Two representatives from Kubota were flown in from GA. They, along with a dealer rep, were taken out to the sites and shown how they couldn't make it up many of the right-of-ways. A few days later Kubota told the dealer to take the 6 units back and refund their money.
The dealer loaned the company a Polaris which had no problems going where the RTV couldn't and saved the contract, only through Polaris.
They said the problem Kubota's had not going up steep grades was not only the lack of speed and torque to the ground, but poor suspension performance over rough terrain.

 

[paulsharvey]

We have the Honda 700-4. It has 4 seats when you need them, with virtually no bed, or 2 seats with a decent sized bed. Normal 3 speed transmission, no belt. We only have 3300 miles on it so far, but we like it. The Honda is pretty light on extras. Gauges are small, only 1 12v cigarette lighter plug, 1 cup holder in each front door. No radio, winch, ect. Decent top speed, of 43mph. It won't fit on a 5 ft wide trailer, need like 5'4" x 10 ft, if your gonna trailer it. Some people mention the seats getting warm, and they do, but not hot. We got ours pretty stripped down, no wind shield, no roof, ect. We did add a aftermarket soft roof, and i do wish we would have gotten a windshield, but the Honda dealer accessories are dang expensive.

 

[Hay Dude]

When I needed a wheelbarrow a few months ago it took a few weeks to find a decent one in stock. The local Lowes and Home Depots were getting robbed. Thieves drove up and cut the cables, took all of the steel handled ones. Store managers said they think it was construction crews.

Good thing you didn't buy one. The steel handles bend under heavy loads.
Went back to Jacksons with heavy wood handles.

 

[Milo]

Honda makes nice stuff (I own 3 Honda's myself). It was a while ago when I compared (may have changed) but things I didn't care for on the Pioneer 700 was no rear differential (skidding around turns in grass, gravel, dirt trails, etc.) and only 3 gears with no high/low range.