Side by side UTV's

teejk · Oct 4, 2016

Decided it's time...getting to the age where climbing onto the back of an ATV to get to a deer blind is painful. Plus I live close to where we can get onto a state trail system that will take us for hundreds of miles if we decided to do that. So looking at side by sides. I have local dealers on Polaris, Cub Cadet and Artic Cat. Would love the Honda but the dealers are 50 miles away and they seem to be premium priced. It seems that everybody and their dogs are getting into the market now (Kubota etc.) with brands I have never heard of so the "paralysis by analysis" is making my head spin. Any thoughts on stuff that works and won't break the bank?

ProjectKing · Oct 4, 2016

teejk said:
Decided it's time...getting to the age where climbing onto the back of an ATV to get to a deer blind is painful. Plus I live close to where we can get onto a state trail system that will take us for hundreds of miles if we decided to do that. So looking at side by sides. I have local dealers on Polaris, Cub Cadet and Artic Cat. Would love the Honda but the dealers are 50 miles away and they seem to be premium priced. It seems that everybody and their dogs are getting into the market now (Kubota etc.) with brands I have never heard of so the "paralysis by analysis" is making my head spin. Any thoughts on stuff that works and won't break the bank?

Buying an UTV is like buying an automobile. You need to decide what to do with it. Do you want a pick-up, a hatchback, an econo box or a sports car?

First thing to ask is how much money you want to spend? Next... what are it's uses going to be? Fun only? Fun and work? Work? How many people you need to haul? Do you need to tow a trailer? How wide are the trails you running on?

I strongly recommending getting a UTV with an unlocking rear diff. This makes operation much more enjoyable especially on grass and on pavement.

Out of the 3 brands you list I would not look at Cub Cadet. Also I would not rule out Honda. The Honda 1000 Pioneer is a fantastic machine... you can get a basic model for around $13,000 I think. That's not a bad price considering the features and its a HONDA!

Kubota's machines are more work oriented. Maybe not the best for exploring those hundreds of miles of trails. They are slow and very powerful... great for around farms.

There's not one machine that does everything great. Currently the Honda Pioneer 1000 is probably the closets in my opinion.

Another good option is Kawasaki Mules. They have a variety of them to fit your needs. And I believe they are extremely reliable.

I recommend sticking to main companies like.... Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki, Polaris, Kubota, Can-Am. The Japanese machines are generally more reliable. Polaris has a lot of love/hate followers.

fidowanttobe · Oct 4, 2016

Poor man's side by side on this site.

sdef · Oct 4, 2016

Pretty hard to get one for less than $$$$. I think they are terribly overpriced relative to what a decent automobile costs. But I bought one- 2016 Polaris Ranger XP900EPS. Runs great but has a LOT of plastic. I preferred the build quality (steel) and warranty of the Kawasak Mule Pro-FX EPS LE but went with the Polaris for the power and speed for the fun factor in the Ranger. And now the 2017 Polaris Ranger is 1000 CC and 80 HP. Wish I would have waited 6 months

I optioned mine to my minimum standards of 4500# winch, steel roof and glass front and back windows and high powered LED lights on the roof. The winch has been really handy stretching new horse fence and getting the wife's helpless truck unstuck.

teejk · Oct 4, 2016

ProjectKing said:
Buying an UTV is like buying an automobile. You need to decide what to do with it. Do you want a pick-up, a hatchback, an econo box or a sports car?

First thing to ask is how much money you want to spend? Next... what are it's uses going to be? Fun only? Fun and work? Work? How many people you need to haul? Do you need to tow a trailer? How wide are the trails you running on?

I strongly recommending getting a UTV with an unlocking rear diff. This makes operation much more enjoyable especially on grass and on pavement.

Out of the 3 brands you list I would not look at Cub Cadet. Also I would not rule out Honda. The Honda 1000 Pioneer is a fantastic machine... you can get a basic model for around $13,000 I think. That's not a bad price considering the features and its a HONDA!

Kubota's machines are more work oriented. Maybe not the best for exploring those hundreds of miles of trails. They are slow and very powerful... great for around farms.

There's not one machine that does everything great. Currently the Honda Pioneer 1000 is probably the closets in my opinion.

Another good option is Kawasaki Mules. They have a variety of them to fit your needs. And I believe they are extremely reliable.

I recommend sticking to main companies like.... Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki, Polaris, Kubota, Can-Am. The Japanese machines are generally more reliable. Polaris has a lot of love/hate followers.

Has only been 2-3 years since the trails here have been widened to accept side by sides but the trail system is the primary economic driver for restaurants and hotels in an area that can't support anything other than timber (a glacier thing...sand and gravel). Decisions decisions...

teejk · Oct 4, 2016

sdef said:
Pretty hard to get one for less than $$$$. I think they are terribly overpriced relative to what a decent automobile costs. But I bought one- 2016 Polaris Ranger XP900EPS. Runs great but has a LOT of plastic. I preferred the build quality (steel) and warranty of the Kawasak Mule Pro-FX EPS LE but went with the Polaris for the power and speed for the fun factor in the Ranger. And now the 2017 Polaris Ranger is 1000 CC and 80 HP. Wish I would have waited 6 months

I optioned mine to my minimum standards of 4500# winch, steel roof and glass front and back windows and high powered LED lights on the roof. The winch has been really handy stretching new horse fence and getting the wife's helpless truck unstuck.

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I agree totally on the "over-priced" part! But with the economy finally making it back (meager as it is) people seem to be willing to over pay. I only have 5 acres to play with here so my use would be limited to a high priced wheel barrow and a few trips in and out of deer/turkey blinds and maybe (probably) exploring our vast trail system (they just finished a tunnel system under the highway that connects the north trail to the south trail and my guess is that our system is now 1,000 miles or more).

nybirdman · Oct 4, 2016

I would have you check out Yamaha SXS.You didn't mention that a dealer was anywhere near.I am on my third new one(4,000 miles on the first two) with absolutely no problems other than wear items.
My 2016 is a 700cc,fuel injected with EPS(power steering) and rated at 46 HP.I certainly don't need any more.My machine are work machines first;they have to work when I need them.
Due some reading on the Honda;they have had transmission problems.I used to be a big fan of Honda but they have lagged behind the other Japanese manufacturers .Anything by Kawasaki;Mule or Teryx would be my second choice.We have a Teryx in the family and it has been good.The Pro FX also looks capable and durable.

teejk · Oct 4, 2016

nybirdman said:
I would have you check out Yamaha SXS.You didn't mention that a dealer was anywhere near.I am on my third new one(4,000 miles on the first two) with absolutely no problems other than wear items.
My 2016 is a 700cc,fuel injected with EPS(power steering) and rated at 46 HP.I certainly don't need any more.My machine are work machines first;they have to work when I need them.
Due some reading on the Honda;they have had transmission problems.I used to be a big fan of Honda but they have lagged behind the other Japanese manufacturers .Anything by Kawasaki;Mule or Teryx would be my second choice.We have a Teryx in the family and it has been good.The Pro FX also looks capable and durable.

Thanks! Yamaha was totally off my radar (I think they need a better marketing department) but I will certainly put them on the list...when boat motors morphed from 2 cycle to 4 cycle, Mercury was behind the curve. Honda jumped in ($$$), then Yamaha showed up and for a while ran the show. Never knew anybody that hated Yamaha.

Wacky · Oct 4, 2016

I have bought the MuleProFXT and could not be happier. Was a Yamaha man till I drove the Kawi. Try one before you decide. The warranty service is phenomenal itself.

RobA · Oct 4, 2016

I got a Polaris Ranger 570 Midsize 6 months ago for use around my property. I like it a lot. So much better than an ATV. My biggest complaint is the noise. Louder than I was expecting. I may look into an aftermarket muffler that will cut the noise level down a bit.

Sawyer Rob · Oct 4, 2016

I have a Kubota 500 and I like it, it's my work vehicle... If I was buying another S&S with a bit more speed in mind, my first choice by far would be a Yamaha...

SR

MF283 · Oct 4, 2016

I bought a 550 JD last year, top speed of 28 MPH, works great for when i don't need the tractor for hauling saws, checking fences, etc.
This is a XUV model, looks sporty as all get out, nice suspension, disc brakes & it is only 52" wide, which means you could load it in a pickup truck.
This was a DEMO unit with 60 hours on it, saved money that way, check your dealers & see if they have any DEMO unit's.
Agree with the loud factor, thankfully, i'm not just driving around all the time.

Reload5 · Oct 4, 2016

Just bought a 2017 MuleProFX EPS LE and added the windshield... First mule was 2005 and was a great product. Time for a new model and this new one is freakin' fantastic...

Oldtractorfixer · Oct 5, 2016

We have a Mule 610, Mule 4010 Trans, Kubota rtv900, and a Diahatsu Hijet. The 610 is not much bigger that a regular quad which is very nimble a little underpowered if you have hills and two people on board. The 4010 carries 4 people easily has a good ride and is nice. Ours is a diesel. It has good power but is very noisy. The Kubota is basicly a little tractor with a bed and extra seat. great for work not so much for just running around. The Hijet is a mini truck 4x4 with a jumbo cab. It has a closed cab with a heater and wipers. a little smaller than the 4010. You can get one for about the same price as the 610 by the time you add a top and windshield. Sure is nice on rainy winter days. What ever you get in Wisconsin a top and windshield will be a must. We got the 610 and the Hijet for the same reason you are changing. Good decision.

csquared · Oct 5, 2016

I have an older Polaris Ranger 500. Choose it because it had the most ground clearance, inportant on my rockey trails. I've abused it in about every way possible and it just keeps on going. Newer ones have power stearing which is a nice feature for us old buggers.

GregbkH · Oct 5, 2016

I have a 2007 Yamaha Rhino 450. Top speed is about 37 mph. It has been a great machine and have only had to buy a new battery for it. It has a dump bed and is a work horse for our 45 acres. I can't say enough good things about it. That said, my next one will have a bit more power. It would be ok to take the wife for a ride on the trails but I could not keep up with my friends who have RZR's. The 570 Polaris RZR is a good machine with good power (who wouldn't like a 1000 though?). Same boat as you, not sure what I'm going to do yet.

When you do get a new one be sure to drive it, via the trails, down to our bar in Millston! The Buck Stops Here saloon and grill. A good ride and a great place to take the little lady for a burger.

EddieWalker · Oct 5, 2016

It's been a few years since I bought my TransMule 4010, but will offer that it really makes a huge difference going and seeing them in person. I wanted to have an open mind before buying, but really didn't want to buy brand new, or something very fancy. A golf cart was really my first choice, but the more I looked, the more I saw in the differences between them, and how some where easy to get in and out of, others where a little tougher, I narrowed it down to just a few fairly quickly. One of the important considerations for me was ease of operating for my elderly parents, but I also wanted kids to be able to drive it, and friends that come over.

The final thing that really made the decision for me was the financing. They all had it and when you figure out the monthly payment over five years, it became obvious to me that I needed to get the one I liked the best and not worry about price too much. My Mule was $80 a month. I paid it off in two years by paying more each month, but knowing that it was only $80, made it pretty easy to live with the price of buying it.

Now that I've had it a few years, I wouldn't be without it. It's like having a FEL on a tractor. It's used for so many other things then what I thought it would be used for.

teejk · Oct 5, 2016

GregbkH said:
I have a 2007 Yamaha Rhino 450. Top speed is about 37 mph. It has been a great machine and have only had to buy a new battery for it. It has a dump bed and is a work horse for our 45 acres. I can't say enough good things about it. That said, my next one will have a bit more power. It would be ok to take the wife for a ride on the trails but I could not keep up with my friends who have RZR's. The 570 Polaris RZR is a good machine with good power (who wouldn't like a 1000 though?). Same boat as you, not sure what I'm going to do yet.

When you do get a new one be sure to drive it, via the trails, down to our bar in Millston! The Buck Stops Here saloon and grill. A good ride and a great place to take the little lady for a burger.

Millston is not far away. Btw, they completed the tunnel under hwy 54 in BRF. North trails will now connect to the south trails.