RTV, Gator, Mule, by Nov.'07

[mikeyd]

Since you have until November to make your decision you may want to consider waiting for Kubota to release the new RTV1100. I have a deposit on one already and am told it should be here around april or may. Comes with factory cab, heat, a/c. As far as I am concerned your can't compare a belt driven machine to a hydrostatic transmission. The RTV900 is built like a tank and the new RTV1100 is even beefier. I've read where the RTV1100 is supposed to have a smoother transmission. Anyway, you will get used to the hydro quickly. Expect to pay 15k for the RTV1100 (not inexpensive but quality does not come cheap). I own a Kubota 5030 tractor, ZD28 mower, KX-41 mini-excavator, and a Bobcat skidsteer with a Kubota engine. I would describe all four the same way; Bulletproof.

 

[rox]

hunterridgefarm,

I do like that bobcat and i especially like the forks in front. A lot of times you jsut need to move soemthing, not lift it real high. I hope you have a chance to demo the Bobcat on your property and post back here what your evaluation is. I think that Bobcat looks liek a real nice machine.

 

[rox]

Have you ever visited this website?
ATV Illustrated

 

[TOMMYHPX4X4]

Tommy: You suggested getting an old mini van seat. I thought about that but did not want all that weight. We had a Ford Expedition about 9 years ago. The 3rd row rear seat in that thing must have weighed a jazillion pounds. I took it out only when absolutely necessary. There must have been enough steel in that thing to build another small car. There is no way I want to be moving that kind of weight. The rumble seat weighs something like 37# with the aluminum frame model. Do you know of a 2 person mini van seat that weighs less than 100#?

If all goes well with my new welder, I may weld up my own version and put some JD yellow bucket seats on it and hit the junkyard for only the seatbelts.

no i said mini van seat. not suv seat.but it might weight 50 lbs at the most. if you want i can get a weight for you i have two in my shed that i use . i have a red and a grey one. the grey one came out of a dodge caravan and it has two built in car seats that pop out of the seat itself if needed .but as for weighing 100lbs they are far from that.

 

[gordon21]

I will be off to the junkyard looking for a Dodge Caravan. Should $50 cover it? I will not be picky about color or model year.

 

[hunterridgefarm]

hunterridgefarm,

I do like that bobcat and i especially like the forks in front. A lot of times you jsut need to move soemthing, not lift it real high. I hope you have a chance to demo the Bobcat on your property and post back here what your evaluation is. I think that Bobcat looks liek a real nice machine.

Rox,

Thanks for the website. I am not sure I will have a need for the Bobcat with the front attachment. But will let you know if they let me demo. I do like the ride and "fit" of the Bobcat. I am trying to get in touch with my contact at ClubCar so he can give me a contact at Bobcat to see if I qualify for the vendor discount which is the same as an employee discount. ClubCar, which is an IR owned company also has a UTV very similar to the Bobcat and you can get the Kubota diesel in it also. So I was needing to make a sales call there in April but may try and reschedule for later this month and take a test drive of the Clubcar UTV!

 

[MessickFarmEqu]

After about 10 min of starting and stopping the Hydro almost gave me a headach. Question, does it ever loosen up on the stops?

Yes it does. It really softens alot after the machine breaks in, however before this ever happens you'll learn to drive smoothly. At this point, I really prefer the ones that stop the hardest. It takes time to get used to it, but you have an amazing amount of control once you get used to feathering off the pedal.

 

[TOMMYHPX4X4]

I will be off to the junkyard looking for a Dodge Caravan. Should $50 cover it? I will not be picky about color or model year.

i don't see why wouldn't cover it infact it might be too much. i get mine for free from the dump. but i have people throw them away like crazy so that tells me that ythey are not a very big selling item so the junk yard is probably full of them .and the best part of useing them is you can get seat covers at walmart or any auto parts store and they will fit them cause they are van seats .i'm gonna mount mine in my hpx tomorrow and snap a picture i have a red one that is plain and i have a grey one that came out of a caravan and it's the one with the fold down baby seats in it . i'll take a picture of both to show you how they fit and look.

 

[rox]

I have no idea why but for some reason your psot sticks in my mind. For waht it is worth, if you often times have the need to take 3 to 4 people, especially wth you mother in law moving in, i jsut liekt he fact of a 4 person vehicle. I wouldn't want to face backwards in a rumble seat. Whent he time comes I am going to check out the Mule, ro any other UTV that converts to a 4 person vehicle. during the olvie picking season it sure woudl be nice to drive our volunteers (we pay some and some are freinds and family) to the fields and back and forth for lunch. I am facinated by the 4 person Mule concept.

 

[hunterridgefarm]

Hi Rox,

The Bobcat also comes in the 4 seat version like the Mule and you can get the Kubota diesel in it. It may be longer, have not had time to look at the specs. I have a call into my contact at Clubcar to see if I can get a discount on the Bobcat. He has not called me back...most likely knows I'm going to ask for the discount...don't think he reads TBN do ya?

The rumble seat I was thinking about fits in the bed and faces forward. I've seen one on a Gator, just looks like it would be hard to get into.