Kubota RTV vs Ranger vs whatever

[art]

I like the rangers, but when it comes to work load day after day, it's the Kubota hands down for work.

 

[radman1]

I only drove a Kubota 1100 once. Was seriously considering one before I bought my side by side. I thought it was the most gutless machine in a side by side I ever drove. High range was very poor. Vibrated way too much at idle and more noisey a idle. Yes, in low range and with all of its weight a Kubota would probably do ok at pulling a load slowly. A Ranger has nearly 2x the hp of a Kubota RTV. Yes, people with say the diesel has more torque but pure hp still rules in most cases.

 

[DIXIEDOG]

I only drove a Kubota 1100 once. Was seriously considering one before I bought my side by side. I thought it was the most gutless machine in a side by side I ever drove. High range was very poor. Vibrated way too much at idle and more noisey a idle. Yes, in low range and with all of its weight a Kubota would probably do ok at pulling a load slowly. A Ranger has nearly 2x the hp of a Kubota RTV. Yes, people with say the diesel has more torque but pure hp still rules in most cases.

Torque is what it takes to work and pull....if you go fast hp may be more important but for grunt it's all about torque.

 

[timswi]

I only drove a Kubota 1100 once. Was seriously considering one before I bought my side by side. I thought it was the most gutless machine in a side by side I ever drove. High range was very poor. Vibrated way too much at idle and more noisey a idle. Yes, in low range and with all of its weight a Kubota would probably do ok at pulling a load slowly. A Ranger has nearly 2x the hp of a Kubota RTV. Yes, people with say the diesel has more torque but pure hp still rules in most cases.

There must have been something wrong with the one that you test drove. Yes diesels are a little loud and vibrate a little, but that's the way it is if you want the amount of torque that the diesels produce.

As far as being gutless, I have to disagree. Mine runs great in high range. I only need medium or low for climbing very steep off raod hill climbs. other than that mine runs in high almost all of the time. This thing will run out of traction long before it runs out of power.

A polaris can go 45mph with a gas engine, and that's it's claim to fame.

Rangers are a hybrid sport work machine. RTV's are mainly designed as work/leisure cruising machines.

 

[radman1]

There must have been something wrong with the one that you test drove. Yes diesels are a little loud and vibrate a little, but that's the way it is if you want the amount of torque that the diesels produce.

As far as being gutless, I have to disagree. Mine runs great in high range. I only need medium or low for climbing very steep off raod hill climbs. other than that mine runs in high almost all of the time. This thing will run out of traction long before it runs out of power.

A polaris can go 45mph with a gas engine, and that's it's claim to fame.

Rangers are a hybrid sport work machine. RTV's are mainly designed as work/leisure cruising machines.

I have driven Rangers, Mules and Kawasaki side by sides. I own a Kawasaki Teryx and brother has old Mule. Both gas engines. The Kubota 1100 accelleration seems slow in high range and just too slow in low range. The frequent stopping, shifting range, stopping, shifting range ect was really annoying. It does not have the power to pull itself up any reasonable hill in high range and marginal in medium range. The top speed of the Kubota is so low, and it can only be reached in high range. Seemed like I was always changing range to keep the speed reasonable or otherwise run the motor WOT. That is the advantange of the CVT transmission. It just seems to be the in the right power range despite the speed. Yes, the belts can burn out in a CVT, but you need to be really harsh on them to do that. My Kaw ATV has been on the same belt for 10 years and the new belts are better at taking abuse. I beleive the unit I drove was operating correctly. It is just underpowered for my taste. A 25 hp diesel Kubota RTV, drives like a 25 hp diesel CUT. CUTs don't have any power traveling at 12-15 mph. Would should a 25 hp Kubota RTV have any good power at 25 mph?
The vibration of the small diesel is also annoying. Why do I want my RTV to shake at idle?
If I was going to use the RTV on a daily basis, and for heafty work that required short distances, put on a 1000 hours a year, needed a powerful hydraulic dump bed, and then it would be my machine of choice. 99% of us don't use our side by sides for a living or for heavy hauling ect. The big motored gas units do have the capacity to haul and pull heavy loads, smoother riding by a large margin, reliable, cost less, have the speed if you need it, and easy to operate.

One more pet peeve with the Kubota 1100. Put some sound reducton in the cab. The noise level was rediculous. No way to have a conversation in that cab. Noise bounces off those hard surfaces in every direction. Kubota, please add $100 of noise deadening when you sell that product. It did help take my mind off how slow it was going.

 

[timswi]

I have driven Rangers, Mules and Kawasaki side by sides. I own a Kawasaki Teryx and brother has old Mule. Both gas engines. The Kubota 1100 accelleration seems slow in high range and just too slow in low range. The frequent stopping, shifting range, stopping, shifting range ect was really annoying. It does not have the power to pull itself up any reasonable hill in high range and marginal in medium range. The top speed of the Kubota is so low, and it can only be reached in high range. Seemed like I was always changing range to keep the speed reasonable or otherwise run the motor WOT. That is the advantange of the CVT transmission. It just seems to be the in the right power range despite the speed. Yes, the belts can burn out in a CVT, but you need to be really harsh on them to do that. My Kaw ATV has been on the same belt for 10 years and the new belts are better at taking abuse. I beleive the unit I drove was operating correctly. It is just underpowered for my taste. A 25 hp diesel Kubota RTV, drives like a 25 hp diesel CUT. CUTs don't have any power traveling at 12-15 mph. Would should a 25 hp Kubota RTV have any good power at 25 mph?
The vibration of the small diesel is also annoying. Why do I want my RTV to shake at idle?
If I was going to use the RTV on a daily basis, and for heafty work that required short distances, put on a 1000 hours a year, needed a powerful hydraulic dump bed, and then it would be my machine of choice. 99% of us don't use our side by sides for a living or for heavy hauling ect. The big motored gas units do have the capacity to haul and pull heavy loads, smoother riding by a large margin, reliable, cost less, have the speed if you need it, and easy to operate.

One more pet peeve with the Kubota 1100. Put some sound reducton in the cab. The noise level was rediculous. No way to have a conversation in that cab. Noise bounces off those hard surfaces in every direction. Kubota, please add $100 of noise deadening when you sell that product. It did help take my mind off how slow it was going.

I understand where you're coming from, but I don't experience what you are saying with my 1100. It does exactly what I expect it to do and i'm not dissapointed at all. A little more top end speed would be nice, but 99% of the time i don't need it. 25-30mph is plenty.

I have nothing against the other makes, in fact I really like many of them. I just liked the 1100 better...Personal preference, that's all.

For one to spend nearly 2X the cost of the competition, there has to be a reason. Right?

I don't think the interior is that loud. I have normal conversations in it all the time. HVAC makes that even more possible given that there isn't all of the wind noise that I experienced with my last open cab model.

The reason I have this is because I have a disabled daughter that can't handle temperature extemes. It can go from 100 degrees to below zero around here and riding in the fields and woods is one of her favorite things. The open cab didn't work for me for that reason. I looked at the RZR and other higher speed machines, but none of them had anything comparable in terms of temp control.

I also need to be able to plow 700ft of driveway along with the other 9 driveways in the neighborhood. If the RTV500 took care of that, I would think ths would do even better given that I have a power angle now.

So for work needs and pleasure needs, this thing is perfect for me.

 

[Old Coot]

I really don't care about speed. I want something that keeps working. I had the Mule and liked it but it wouldn't work like the Kubota. My property is all hills and woods. The RTV pulls stuff out of the woods with no problem. I still don't like the hard shifting but that is a small problem.

 

[Dargo]

I only drove a Kubota 1100 once. Was seriously considering one before I bought my side by side. I thought it was the most gutless machine in a side by side I ever drove. High range was very poor. Vibrated way too much at idle and more noisey a idle. Yes, in low range and with all of its weight a Kubota would probably do ok at pulling a load slowly. A Ranger has nearly 2x the hp of a Kubota RTV. Yes, people with say the diesel has more torque but pure hp still rules in most cases.

How's that A/C working for ya? It's great never having to swat any bugs too, isn't it? BTW, after I added a turbo I not only have plenty of power but I can spin both rear tires taking off for at least 6 to 8' on concrete. Soon I'll switch over to the heater in the winter and enjoy my Sirius while out clearing snow.

 

[timswi]

How's that A/C working for ya? It's great never having to swat any bugs too, isn't it? BTW, after I added a turbo I not only have plenty of power but I can spin both rear tires taking off for at least 6 to 8' on concrete. Soon I'll switch over to the heater in the winter and enjoy my Sirius while out clearing snow.

You're right...I'll be plowing in a tee shirt this winter

 

[jcmseven]

The Kubota is strictly a work machine. One has to keep in mind that this UTV weighs well over one ton, and has a 25 HP engine. It essentially IS a CUT. Meanwhile the new Gator XUV 825I at 50 HP and 1500# and the Polaris Ranger 800 at 50 HP and 1265# both offer superior day to day performance and essentially the same work capacity except when hauling or pulling very heavy loads, when the Kubota is superior. I looked at an RTV before I bought and really liked them. But, with that poor of a power weight ratio I felt climbing my long steep hills pulling trailers and hauling my average load of 300-500 pounds I could probably get out of the machine and walk faster. For heavy hauling on flattish ground, they are tough to beat. I like the hydraulics, too.

John M