ATV or UTV-Help Me Decide

[soarkrebel1]

Thanks...

OBTW, as far as I know, Yamaha has won EVERY lawsuit that has come to trial so far. But, they've still coughed up mucho $$ on lawyers...

That's what I have heard about the lawsuits. If they are like most manufacturers they have a legal department to handle the suits.
I work for a major aircraft manufacturer and they have just that......they are always wanting to sue aircraft companies.
Once I was contacted by our lawyers in reference to a aircraft that a major department store had bought originally and sold. It was repainted and they did not install the placards on it.
Some bonehead didn't read the manual on how to dissipate the static electricity in the windshields and got shocked....knocked him off the ladder and He was trying to sue.
I released the airplane before delivery and they wanted to know if the placards were installed....yes they were.....but we have no control over what the owner does after they take possession.
Every time there is a accident with an aircraft regardless of fault the sorry lawyers come out for blood!!!!!!

 

[KentT]

I am in a debate between the 450 and 700 right now. And was ready to buy a 700 a few weeks ago but finding one that was priced right was hard.
I found many 450's for around $7800 in camo and have really thought about them even more......especially today in the rain at the farm wanting to get to one of stands and not wanting to get soaked.

Kent I am so gung ho I even have the shop manuals for all the Rhinos.......well I am a shop manual nut and have many others ..if I find them I save them.
I was leaning toward the 700's because I pull small trailers that I build for my ATV's. I go behind the timber cutters and cut the tops up for firewood. I really wanted that extra displacement for the pulling but have read that the 450's are just as or more capable of pulling loads.....

I had a sears yard cart that I wore out that had high speed tapered bearing axles that I installed....I rebuilt the thing......well really built another using the bottom axle portion of the old one....I put this thing through some rough stuff.......right now it looks brown with all the mud on it......lol
Here is a picture......

IMO, the 450 will likely pull anything a 700 will under most conditions... as I said, they'll outpull a 660.

The biggest limitation is tongue weight, not the weight of the trailer. I use mine to move my 14ft landscaping trailer all the time -- I have a hitch on the front that I "spot the trailer" with every time I use it... Of course, common sense comes in when it comes to trying to stop a heavy load with an 1040 lb machine.

Here's a link to an earlier post I'd made about a guy with a 450 pulling a F-250 Crew Cab Powerstroke with a RZR in the back and an enclosed trailer behind it...

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...640-not-recommended-but-impressive-still.html

Don't get me wrong -- if money were no object, I'd likely have a new 700fi Sport but unfortunately, money was/is an issue...

I think if you bargain hard, you might be able to find a new 450 in the $7200-7500 range, before taxes. I paid $7000 for my 2008 450SE, as a "holdover" last spring -- with an MSRP of $9199, I got it essentially at dealer cost to get it off his floorplan...

Note that camo is a $500 premium...

 

[KentT]

If interested, here's a photo album that shows mine, the trailer I haul it on and move with it, and some of the SMOOTHEST, WIDEST trails we ride.

SVTR with Eli, 7-3-09 - a set on Flickr

Here's some videos taken from it on the trails in MA and VT, plus climbing Mt Washington in NH:

YouTube - NQATV Club Ride, 7-25-09, Part II

Note that I re-routed the intake on it after the trail ride videos, but before the Mt Washington climb, so you can tell how much it quietened it down.

 

[camer]

I have a kawasaki teryx and my son has a rhino. both are really good bikes no problems with either one. the teryx has way more power and handles a lot better. my son has bigger tires and i would say the ride is equal or better then the teryx. i also have a mule i bought that has 17,000 miles on it. it was used a a golf course and was beat pretty bad but still runs good. you wont go wrong with any make they are all good.

 

[camer]

[]I have a kawasaki teryx and my son has a rhino. both are really good bikes no problems with either one. the teryx has way more power and handles a lot better. my son has bigger tires and i would say the ride is equal or better then the teryx. i also have a mule i bought that has 17,000 miles on it. it was used on a golf course and was beat pretty bad but still runs good. you wont go wrong with any make they are all good.[/QUOTE]

 

[jcummins]

ATV or UTV....to me it isn't even close. Get a UTV, you will enjoy it a lot more.

I driven Polaris, Rhino, and Teryx. I have a Teryx. I liked the Polaris bed etc...but the major reason I was drawn to the Rhino and the Teryx, was getting in/out of them, and how you sit in it when your drive it. The Rhino I know first hand is more tippy than the Teryx, and the little extra width of the Teryx was the final thing that sold me.

I use the Teryx in a cattle ranch setup...and have banged it up a bit, the plastic does how up well to the abuse, but I would be lost without this thing, it's a rolling work vehicle to me. I put a special drawer in the bed for fence repair tools, etc, and it is a good hunting vehicle when I want it to be. Everything is a compromise but if I bought again, it would be another Teryx.

 

[1bush2hog]

I have a 2003 Yamaha Grizzly 660, and was planning on upgrading to the 700 EPS, but ended up buying a Ranger XP instead. The Grizzly has worked great for pulling small trailer loads, mounting a 25 gal. sprayer to, etc. It was also used by my two kids, when it wasn't working. If you go ATV - please sign your son up for a rider safety course, for that matter take it with him.

No matter what choice you go with common sense, rider education, and proper operation will ultimately determine how safe your machine is. You may want to check and see which machines will allow you to govern the speed for other riders that may be using it. My Grizzly had a screw on the throttle that you could adjust to keep others from grabbing too much throttle. Not sure if the Rangers have this or not.

I bought a Ranger because it has room for my wife to sit beside me, and load tools, and dogs in the back, and still hook a trailer up to pull what I need to pull. I went with the 800 though. The Ranger does not have EBS like my Grizzly does, and this requires a different style of driving that some may not be comfortable with. I have steep hills, and haven't had enough time behind the wheel yet to really give a good review, but I don't think it will be a problem.

Another major reason I went with the 2010 Ranger 800 XP is because it now has a certified ROPS - I'm not sure about the 400 or 500's so check it out. I do not think the Rhino or any others have a certified ROPS at this point, but I really did not look at them too long as the seating on them was way to small for my big self. I liked the Mule, but as soon as I sat down, my knees were jammed under the steering wheel, so I never gave it any more consideration.

I do think in the long run your 12 year old son may end up using whatever you purchase alot more than you.

Good Luck with your purchase.

 

[farmboy12]

Most people that I know that own Rangers like them. The one thing for me would be the width. They are wide and might give some problems on some trails.
The Rhino is narrower and will go on those narrow trails between trees better then the Ranger.
The Rhino 450's are not hard to find it's the 700 FI's that are hard right now.
The 450's don't have the four wheel disc's all the way around and still use the disc on the rear drive shaft. They are not fuel injected and still have the old intake between the seats.
I understand that moving the intake from between the seats on the 700's made it a little quieter in the cab.
But if you want silence get a mule......on a 610 you can talk without yelling while riding and they say the transmule is even quieter......

Have you seen the new 400 Polarises? They are almost as narrow as the pure sport SxS out there. But, I don't want to get into fighting and hijack the thread.


Kyle

 

[KentT]

I driven Polaris, Rhino, and Teryx. I have a Teryx. I liked the Polaris bed etc...but the major reason I was drawn to the Rhino and the Teryx, was getting in/out of them, and how you sit in it when your drive it. The Rhino I know first hand is more tippy than the Teryx, and the little extra width of the Teryx was the final thing that sold me.

Is this evaluation before or after Yamaha put the 2" wheel spacers on the rear in their second voluntary repair during this summer? Each one coming out the dealer's door now MUST have them installed, and the swaybar removed (if it still has one). It's voluntary for any sold before, but they'll throw in a free helmet if you bring it in and have it done -- which I did.

I also added 1" spacers to the front of mine to better match the rear.

My wheel track is now 57.5" and I don't think it's any "tippier" than the Teryx I ride with. The Teryx is only 58.5" according to its specs, and I'm not sure it that is the body panels or the wheel track.

 

[nybirdman]

I own a 450 Rhino that I purchsed new Jan.o7.It currently has about 1800 trouble free miles.It is used for my business(some pleasure) almost every day.
If you check towing capacity;it is rated the same as the 660 Rhino,carrying capacity is the same.400lb.I traded a 660 Grizzley for mine,tho a good machine the Rhino has proven to be better for what I do.Compared to the 660 the 450 is a lot better on fuel.
The new Rhinos(700) are fuel injected ,that should be a plus......I am hopeing that Yamaha will put the 550 in the new Rhino.The new ones 2010(2011) will have power steering,fuel injection,and a back seat.......somewhat wider over-all.
We also have a Kawasaki Teryx;750 twin cylinder......a Rhino copy ,a little wider and longer.......but a bear on fuel.
Driven with common sense I beleive they are safer than an ATV.
Good luck with your choice.