Farm UTV/RTV Purchase

[Talkstogoats]

Some states recognize the Kubota rtv as farm equipment.
After I bought my Polaris, I found out I wouldn't have had to pay sales tax on it if I had bought the Kubota instead.
Might want to look into that in your state.

 

[GJohnson]

Here in Texas, you can do that with your Ag card. No matter the brand. My kubotas were bought as business but Kawasaki’s we’re farm use.

 

[ruffdog]

I never had a problem ripping up sod with my RTV. Even when the frost was coming out of the ground and the top was greasy...no spin.

 

[GJohnson]

I never had a problem ripping up sod with my RTV. Even when the frost was coming out of the ground and the top was greasy...no spin.

I think people believe kubota uses a locked rear. They use a limited slip with the ability to lock as does a tractor. You can also buy, stock, turf tires installed instead of their all terrains.

 

[schoeny]

Always had John Deere gators never had a problem with them and good resale value , great for fencing , dragging pastures , not that fast of a machine , but I really do not want grand children jumping on and taking off on a utv that goes 50 mph , a 2 seater will work how often are you going to be driving around with 3 other people , and when you need to haul 2 more put the end gate down room for 2-3.

 

[amish]

Couple of questions:
- what's more important, work or play? I find the most of the UTVs have ventured too far into the sporty space vs. the work space and it impacts things like bed space.
- How often do you need 4 passenger seating? That a lot of wasted bed real estate if you only need it infrequently.
- How big is the property? Yes, Kubota's aren't fasts but @ 25 mph, you can get places in a reasonable amount of time.
- Diesel or gas?

I wrestled with the same questions and ended up with a Kubota 1140 and haven't 2nd guessed the decision once. Easily swaps between 2 and 4 passengers seating. I don't have 4 passengers nearly as often as I anticipated. 90% of the time it's 1 person and a dog.

 

[etcm]

I have operated several "side-by-sides" over the years and in general have not found anything they are an absolute must-have for and found some other piece of equipment to do a better job at whatever I was doing. The bed capacity is similar to a wheelbarrow or compact tractor bucket on the smaller beds and a utility tractor bucket or hand-pulled utility wagon on the larger ones. None are anywhere near the volume or weight capacity of even the miniscule 5 1/2 foot half ton pickup truck beds of today. If you can get a two-row side by side somewhere, you can get a tractor or a pickup truck there too. But you are on only 22 acres of mainly open ground, so it's unlikely to be very far to walk to get anywhere on your property. If you are looking for something fun to ride around on, a dirtbike is a whole lot more fun than a side-by-side. You also get to dispense with the terrible slippy-grabby centrifugal clutches side-by-sides have in favor of an actual clutch you can feather in a dirtbike. If you want to ride around for fun on the back roads, an enduro/dual-sport motorcycle would likewise be much more fun than a side-by-side. If you want to ride around on the roads not strictly for hoots and grins, a pickup truck or Jeep would be far more sane.

For what most people would use a side-by-side for, a pickup truck is really a better tool, either that or a tractor. If you don't already have a pickup truck or it's a newer/fancy/expensive one that you don't want to use on your farm, I'd personally recommend a farm truck- a well worn pickup truck that still runs well enough to go around on the farm but isn't too nice that you worry about getting it dirty or beaten up. You will probably be in it about what you pay in sales tax on a two-row side-by-side if you don't/can't get an ag exemption (I am not familiar with Texas laws regarding this.) When it dies, haul it off to the scrapyard. That's what everybody used to do before the toys started to show up in any quantity, first ATVs in the '90s and then side-by-sides in the 2000s.

LOL , I'm thinking you must be young. No way I would be riding and ATV or dirt bike..

 

[shadowm77]

check out the Kawasaki mule pro fxt you can make it a 3seater so you have a big bed for hauling or you can make it a 6 seater and take the whole family and still have room in the bed to haul stuff plenty of power top speed is 46 mph it has a speed governer on got over 8500 miles and no problems yet and you can trail ride with it very dependable same motor as the john deere gator

 

[Olefart]

Perhaps some of you very wise farmers out there can direct me to determining what UTV/RTV to purchase for my new farm. It will need to have 4 seats (Family) and a lift bed. Kubota is an interesting one. Any help would be appreciated. A couple of things. Farm is 22 acres of pasture, few trees in North Texas. Plan to have cattle, orchard, vegetable and berry farm.

 

[Olefart]

Didn't realize that about Kubota. Although, I have no hills to speak of, I hate to get neutered in the future.

I've had a 1100 Kubota for several years. Love everything about it except little sluggish on steep hills. Great to work out of. If you need speed (over 20 mph) get something else. Diesel engine, hydraulic, air conditioning in cab excellent. I'm old 20 mph is all I need. If you are working cattle it is too slow. Good luck! Recommend Honda.