Looking for a work capable and light recreational UTV.

[lilranch2001]

Yeah, they are #1 on my list right now. I originally liked the FXT due to the 4 passenger capability with my family, but not sure about adding a cab to that. I know I can, but it gets pricey.

Before I bought my 2018 Ranger I tested an FXT, it was nice, but the engine had a serious miss in it, so the salesman ran it to the service department and they worked on it for a couple of hours while I ran to the store. I got back assuming they would have it fixed, the salesman stated to me the engine was running worse than when I test drove it, so I took that as a sign, I didnt want it!

 

[ArlyA]

Over the past year or more we looked for a used 6x6 and the few we found, at same prices as new. Our dealership didn't know if they'd get one for there floor, so we ordered a new one this fall. Oh well.

 

[51allis]

I'm looking at possibly purchasing a UTV in the next 6 months for light recreation, plowing (1/2 mile driveway...straight and quite flat), and light utility work. I own 25 acres surrounded by my father's 220. I know many don't recommend plowing with a UTV, but I have access to my dad's JD990 and his F250 with a plow if we get big snows (which are rare in PA). I don't like relying on others, and after living here for two years, it's time to get something for me to have to not only run around the property with, but to be able to do work with (again..light work).

I hate that UTVs all seem to be approaching the $20K+ mark once you start adding cabs (which I think I want with the snow work/winter driving). My dad has a mid size Ranger 570, and it's loud and slow. I don't need speed, but I also want something somewhat dependable. I know Polaris gets a lot of mixed reviews. I've really been leaning toward the Mule Pro line (mainly the MX series for the affordability and the ability to add a factory soft cab/heater at a reasonable price. I also really like the Can Am Defenders, but they get a bit pricey as do the Northstar Rangers.

I'm drawn a bit to Kubota as well given the fact that I feel like they way handle the work end of things better and with more long term reliability while sacrificing some of performance aspects some of the other brands have. I could probably get a new RTV 520 with cab, plow, etc., for well under $20k, but then again, I'm worried that might be a bit on the small side for the tasks I have. My driveway is straight and only has one little gradual incline before our house, but riding around on the rest of the property, we have some sections with some decent incline where engine breaking might be helpful as would wheelbase.

Anyways, suggestions from those with experience with any/all brands. I would love to hear it.

Thanks!

Like your father, I too have a Ranger 570 4x4 w/turf mode but its the full size (3 seater). I call it my "little truck" because I work with it all the time, it goes 50mph and thats fast enough for me on most trails as I am getting older and prefer reliability and safety over speed. I could send in the ECU to have it reprogrammed and it would hit 62mph from Gilomen and just might do that this year. From hauling firewood/hay and various farm duties, the awesome dump bed, this little UTV I have has held up just fantastic, trail riding is acceptable but real long trail riding such as 200 miles is hard on the back due to the basic seats it has. Bought new in 2018 for 8k right out the door. I also drive it on road quite a bit, back n forth to work as needed as where I live allows UTV's to be on county roads (but not highways). One of the best purchases I have ever made...so handy with easy in and out like a golf cart. Only issue I had was with tires getting worn out, 2200 miles and the tires were shot, upgraded to 14" steel rims and Kumho LT truck tires that will probably outlast the engine/trans. $500 for stock tires every 2500 miles is just crazy...new upgraded tires n rims as mentioned, came in at $725. I put my own aftermarket roof/windshield and rear windshield on it.

 

[Mattmotors]

Unimog

 

[dstriplett]

Before you pull the trigger on something, be dang sure exactly what it is you want to do with your UTV. I bought one a bit over a year ago and it's done all I ask of it and then some. (I also have a 45 HP 4 wheel drive tractor which handles any more serious work). After looking at many many reviews and visiting many many owners' forums, I settled on the Kawasaki Mule Pro MX. Couldn't be happier after a year or so of use here around the 25 acre homestead.

 

[Milo]

I'm looking at possibly purchasing a UTV in the next 6 months for light recreation, plowing (1/2 mile driveway...straight and quite flat), and light utility work. I own 25 acres surrounded by my father's 220.....

I hate that UTVs all seem to be approaching the $20K+ mark once you start adding cabs (which I think I want with the snow work/winter driving). My dad has a mid size Ranger 570, and it's loud and slow. I don't need speed, but I also want something somewhat dependable. I know Polaris gets a lot of mixed reviews. I've really been leaning toward the Mule Pro line (mainly the MX series for the affordability and the ability to add a factory soft cab/heater at a reasonable price.....

..Anyways, suggestions from those with experience with any/all brands. I would love to hear it.

Thanks!

I replaced a Polaris 500 EFI mid-size, which was the previous version of the 570, with a Pro MX. A few things I didn't like about the Polaris were the horrible AWD system, loud, a bit jerky trying to inch up to something, squeaks coming from the bed or suspension, made in Mexico, and I had to correct a few little things that I noticed early on. The Pro MX has the good features of a Polaris 500/570: good power and speed and nice suspension, only w/o the shortcomings, and better build quality. I've done nothing to the Mule Pro Mx other than routine services. It's much quieter and utilizes a traditional 4WD system with locking rear dif, all independently selectable.
I've used a 1/2 shield on all my SxS's sometimes removing it in Summer, sometimes adding a roof in Winter but haven't so far this year. If noise bothers you I'd suggest NOT installing a full windshield. roof, rear window, and full doors. Same if heat bothers you in the Summer.

 

[Snowflakes]

View attachment 731093View attachment 731125
Tiny Truck

I use a couple of different UTV/ATVs at work. I would take a Japanese MiniTruck with a dump bed over any of them any day for just putting around the place. it won‘t do as well on trails, but it is a lot nicer for plowing snow, making dump runs, moving rocks and dirt, etc. Heated and air conditioned cab, real doors and windows that close draft tight, and windshield wipers.

I’ve plowed snow a subzero temps on a Kawasaki Mule. Cold and miserable with two pair of Carhartt overalls and a heavy coat. Tiny truck, comfort table in shirt sleeves.

If your mechanically inclined and do your own work on things they make sense. Finding shops willing to work on them is kind of hard. But, the shop in town that sells Cycles, Sleds and Saws, said he’d give it a go if I need him to. And teh local suspension shop set the alignment up. The son who is buying out his folks, didn’t think he could do it, because it wasn’t ion their laser systems catalog. His dad went up int he loft, and got out the old turntables, and caster/camber gauges, and taught the son and other three guys in their 30s and 40s, how it is done with out the computer.

All in with the plow, lift kit, three sets of tires and wheels, custom bumpers front and rear, new upholstery, and a 4500-lb winch, I’m at about $13,000.

Regarding the Tiny Truck/Japaniese MiniTruck, we have a 2020 CanAm Defender and are happy with it, I wish we had known about these minitrucks first. How is the turning radius on these? It is much longer than our Defender which is a good thing (more bed room) and a bad thing longer. My other complaint about UTVs is the noise. When we shopped for a UTV, noise was a criteria and the CanAm seemed to be about the quietest. How is the noise? Also, is it street legal?

For the original poster, the CanAm Defender plows just fine, although I think a pickup would be faster.

 

[Bearsixty7]

On the CF Moto , Pay particular attention to the driveshaft universl joints. On farm work they were found to be weak, and got a bad name. This was about 5 years ago and earlier. My sister was 1 who found out by experiance.

From what I can tell, at least on the ATV side, they are often improving their models. We have a 2018 CFMoto CForce 500S and it has been trouble free and it operates just like our Yamaha Grizzly 700, most of it looks like it's a clone except for the fenders and the racks. I was looking for a used Yamaha first or a Honda second at the Yamaha/Honda dealer and he told me about the CFMoto they had been selling as well and said it was a lot less money for a very similar ATV and they had been selling them 3:1 over the other two brands.

On another Forum some people asked about CFMoto and I said my only complaint was it didn't turn as sharp as our Grizzly when someone else added that the 2019's had reduced turning radius and it matched the Grizzly's radius.

 

[jigs_n_fixtures]

Regarding the Tiny Truck/Japaniese MiniTruck, we have a 2020 CanAm Defender and are happy with it, I wish we had known about these minitrucks first. How is the turning radius on these? It is much longer than our Defender which is a good thing (more bed room) and a bad thing longer. My other complaint about UTVs is the noise. When we shopped for a UTV, noise was a criteria and the CanAm seemed to be about the quietest. How is the noise? Also, is it street legal?

For the original poster, the CanAm Defender plows just fine, although I think a pickup would be faster.

The turning radius is 12-feet. Which is roughly its overall length. Really tight, and comparable to most of the side by side UTVs.

Part of the attraction in the Japanese home market is they are designed for narrow congested streets.

 

[mudking]

I have a 2017 Kawasaki Mule Pro-FX, purchased new, gas engine. The only mistake I made was getting the full-coverage glass windshield. Being in NC I should have gotten the plastic flip-down for better airflow when it's hot out and just planned to replace it when it gets too hazed, crazed, or cracked. I also got the heater which is nice in the winter, but in the summer you can still feel it pushing heat toward the vents even though the two-speed blower is not running. I wish there was an actual shut-off flapper back at the origin-end of the duct.

Reliability has been perfect, servicing is easy except the oil filter is a little hard to get to but the right plier-type wrench (Tekton 5866) makes it managable. The suspension is amazing for the ditches and kinds of rough terrain encountered in my semi-mountainous farm use. This is not a racing machine, top speed on mine is around 40mph. It will not impress the kids with jumps, rooster-tails, or power-slides. It's just very very good at what it's designed for.

 

[Brily Farms]

Consider the Kubota RTV-X900. Even though it has an open cab, adding a windshield will help a lot. Many advantages:
Diesel engine longevity
Hydrostatic transmission operates just like a tractor
Hydraulic dump bed
Good operator space
Good resale value
Perfect addition to any farm

 

[Robo 52]

Bought a JD Gator 560 a couple years ago for the wife's retirement. She loves it, but of course I use it more than she does. Was a 2016, lightly used and paid about $5500. Still think it was a steal. It's a tough little bugger.
Pros; extremely utilitarian, 4X4, 4X4lo, diff lock, windshield, ROPS, easy center-tip* dump bed, tough and ready, carries 1,000lbs of fieldstone easily, can seat 3 on the bench, enough power to move my (empty) trailer around (*a must for your lady if she's going to be hauling dirt - the older 6x6 Gator beds are impossible to tip when full without power as they pivot at the back)
Cons; centrifugal clutch which is a PITA, pretty slow (perfect for the wife to putter around in), large turning radius, carburetor/injectors impossible to get at, no engine braking for downhill runs

My 4 tractors were my UTV's, but now I don't know how we ever got along without the Gator. Respect their limitations and they are invaluable.
For that kind of price you can buy 2 or more of different types for a $20k pricetag. One for fun, one for grunt work

 

[Paystar]

Consider the Kubota RTV-X900. Even though it has an open cab, adding a windshield will help a lot. Many advantages:
Diesel engine longevity
Hydrostatic transmission operates just like a tractor
Hydraulic dump bed
Good operator space
Good resale value
Perfect addition to any farm

Love my RTV-X1100C. My two atv's are sitting in the shed ignored because everyone wants to use the RTV.

Only downside is it's not fast enough for my turbo 1000 UTV friends. So I trail ride by myself in comfort now. LOL

Then I get home from a day of trail riding and put a DROP of fuel into it, instead of 5 gallons.

 

[mikester]

Love my RTV-X1100C. My two atv's are sitting in the shed ignored because everyone wants to use the RTV.

Only downside is it's not fast enough for my turbo 1000 UTV friends. So I trail ride by myself in comfort now. LOL

Then I get home from a day of trail riding and put a DROP of fuel into it, instead of 5 gallons.

My RTV-XG850 drinks gas like there's no tomorrow. I can burn in a day what my golf cart used to take 6 months to consume.

 

[mgaylo]

If you want farm/acreage utility vehicle you could look at the Mahindra Roxor. They have started sales again in the U. S. Lots of options to deck them out, Mahindra dealer support, diesel engine, and they don’t look to complicated to work on if you so choose.

 

[Paystar]

My RTV-XG850 drinks gas like there's no tomorrow. I can burn in a day what my golf cart used to take 6 months to consume.

How many miles do you normally get to a tank? I can get about 60 out of my gas Polaris's.

 

[deserteagle71]

How many miles do you normally get to a tank? I can get about 60 out of my gas Polaris's.

Wow! How big is your fuel tank? I can easily get 150 miles out of my Can-am Defender but then it has a 10.5 gallon tank.

 

[mikester]

Wow! How big is your fuel tank? I can easily get 150 miles out of my Can-am Defender but then it has a 10.5 gallon tank.

around 40 miles on about 6-7 gallons

 

[MGH PA]

I can build out an RTV 520 with full cab, heat, plow, and winch for well under 20K, but it worried me that it's only 17hp. Seems woefully underpowered for my needs.

I've been watching a lot of videos on YouTube, and it seems like quite a few people like their Ranger 570s. I always wrote Polaris off due to the horror stories, but maybe not. The new 570 can even be had in the Northstar edition which is appealing as well.

 

[jigs_n_fixtures]

I can build out an RTV 520 with full cab, heat, plow, and winch for well under 20K, but it worried me that it's only 17hp. Seems woefully underpowered for my needs.

I've been watching a lot of videos on YouTube, and it seems like quite a few people like their Ranger 570s. I always wrote Polaris off due to the horror stories, but maybe not. The new 570 can even be had in the Northstar edition which is appealing as well.

I guess the real questions are how soon do you need it, and what is actually available. Seems anything with a computer chip is on long delays for new equipment.

Some five year old cars are selling for more than their original sticker price. A few older cars are selling for four or five times their original sticker price. There seems to be a similar level of crazy for tractors. So, a similar market condition in the ATV/UTV arena wouldn’t be a surprise. One local ATV/UTV/Motorcycle shop has about 20% of the inventory they normally have, and their prices are up considerably. The other local just pain doesn’t have any new inventory of ATV/UTV or sleds. He has quite a few accessories such as trailers, ATV/UTV towed trailers, racks, etc. But no new, and very few used things with motors.