Successful Farming Ultimate UTV Evaluation

[pwright]

The moral of the story is they have to be tested the way you would use them. Riding around on roads and trails doesn't cut it.

So are you saying that you don't think they did a proper evaluation? Have you read the full article (not just the excerpts on the web site)?

Some of the comments about what each reviewer was looking for:

"No farm or acreage is completely flat so she looks for a machine that can handle the uneven terrain with ease, especially when loaded down."

"However, she hasn’t had as much experience riding utility vehicles so she will particularly pay attention to ease of use and comfort. She is also looking for a machine with a little get up and go."

"As an engineer and designer, he looks at how well the various design tradeoffs (cost, ergonomics, performance) were managed and when driving, how well the components function as a system."

"One important feature to Joe is how the machine handles at high rates of speed and on varying terrains. Does it turn easily into corners? Does the machine feel stable when the terrain is uneven? Does the machine handle well in loose terrain like sand or mud?"

"He will focus on the ease of use and driving. In particular, Michael is interested in how easy it is to get in and out of the vehicle and using the bed for chores."

"He will look at how the vehicles perform with a load and the comfort of the rider."

"He will place a particular emphasis on the comfort of the vehicle and its ability to handle technical terrain."

"He uses the machines everyday working on the ranch, in particular for hauling feed and supplement. Given his experience, Chad will focus on the capability of the machine on rough terrain with a load."

"Works on the ranch and uses utility vehicles to haul feed and for working cattle. He is especially interested in the load capacity of the different vehicles, and the speed the vehicle can move with a load to accelerate chores."

"He is interested in how the machines handle rough terrain and ease of use."

Seems like they covered the bases pretty well. Most of the reviewers are working ranchers.

One thing I didn't really like about their methodology is that for load testing they went with half the manufacturer's rated load capacity but the Gator RSX and the Viking have pitiful (400# & 600#) load capacities compared to the 1000# & 1100# ratings of the others. Would have thought their scores in that part would be a bit lower lower than they are. If it takes you 2x or 3x as many trips with feed or whatever that's not good.

 

[aczlan]

One thing I didn't really like about their methodology is that for load testing they went with half the manufacturer's rated load capacity but the Gator RSX and the Viking have pitiful (400# & 600#) load capacities compared to the 1000# & 1100# ratings of the others. Would have thought their scores in that part would be a bit lower lower than they are. If it takes you 2x or 3x as many trips with feed or whatever that's not good.

Same with the Prowler. How does the Prowler (which has what looks to be a 24"x36"x8" bed that is rated to carry 600# and probbaly sits most of 4' above the ground) get a 4.6 and a 4.11 for "Cargo and Storage" while the RTV900 which has a 52"x46.7"x11.4" bed that is rated to carry 1105# and sits 31" off the ground get a 2.8 and a 3?
It would have been better (IMO) to have chosen a weight that was within the capacity of all the machines (ie: 400# of feed) and compared them based on that, or used their 1/2 payload measure and then used a multiplier for their score based on their relative cargo capacity.

Aaron Z

 

[houstonscott]

You would need the test to last ten years to get your answer. An F150 will tow a max load for a test at its limit just fine when new, but the F 350 can do it routinely with reliability year after year, long after the F150 would have failed. HS

 

[pwright]

Same with the Prowler...

It would have been better (IMO) to have chosen a weight that was within the capacity of all the machines (ie: 400# of feed) and compared them based on that, or used their 1/2 payload measure and then used a multiplier for their score based on their relative cargo capacity.

Forgot about the Prowler. Should not have scored anywhere near that well in that category.

Something along the lines of what you suggested Aaron would have been better.

 

[DIXIEDOG]

My commercial observations here are with the RR, BNSF uses RTV's. When I lived in Houston just outside Ellington Field, where the man space program was, NASA used RTV's at the airfield. You want a light duty vehicle to jet around your property on, speed and longer distances to cover, the other guys have that covered. You want a piece of HD farm ranch machinery equivalent to a tractor in longevity and build, then an RTV is what you want. If you have ever really put your hands on on RTV it's immediately obvious you are looking at a whole different machine in an RTV. HS

I owned a RTV 500 for a bit under 2 yrs and wanted a lot more....then I tried out a 900 and it had the same things I didn't like about the RTV 500......lack of power and poor suspension travel. It was down to the Gator 825i and the Ranger 800...the Gator won by a narrow margin and it was more the warranty and closeness of the dealer....if I lived closer to a Polaris dealer and they had the same warranty as my Gator I would have likely bought one of them instead. I use my Gator on fence lines, hunting, and trail riding. I can fill the bed with cedar fence posts and still go through virtually any terrain, I"m not out running my winch all the time like the RTV....I can also cruise at much higher speeds without punishing myself with the rough ride the RTV had.


The RTV isn't for everyone and just because someone owns another brand it doesn't mean that they have not checked out or owned and RTV. I've seen 2 other newer RTV's sitting on the used lot at the local John Deere dealer in the past couple months, I've yet to see any XUV Gator at the Kubota lot.

 

[houstonscott]

I owned a RTV 500 for a bit under 2 yrs and wanted a lot more....then I tried out a 900 and it had the same things I didn't like about the RTV 500......lack of power and poor suspension travel. It was down to the Gator 825i and the Ranger 800...the Gator won by a narrow margin and it was more the warranty and closeness of the dealer....if I lived closer to a Polaris dealer and they had the same warranty as my Gator I would have likely bought one of them instead. I use my Gator on fence lines, hunting, and trail riding. I can fill the bed with cedar fence posts and still go through virtually any terrain, I"m not out running my winch all the time like the RTV....I can also cruise at much higher speeds without punishing myself with the rough ride the RTV had. The RTV isn't for everyone and just because someone owns another brand it doesn't mean that they have not checked out or owned and RTV. I've seen 2 other newer RTV's sitting on the used lot at the local John Deere dealer in the past couple months, I've yet to see any XUV Gator at the Kubota lot.

I think about those other machines every time I get in and put on the AC. HS

 

[timswi]

I think about those other machines every time I get in and put on the AC. HS

Me too and the heat when there's negative wind chills. He's confusing speed with power. I had an RTV500 and Have an 1100 now. I have NEVER run out of power on either..Some speed, yes but never power. He makes it very clear that he loathes RTV's. That's fine. He doesn't own one anymore as he reminds us almost daily. Personally I have nothing against the other brands and would never harp on their shortfalls, and they all have them including mine. Even after reading the out takes posted earlier, these people really wanted a high speed, high comfort touring UTV..That's fine but they never made that their primary basis...Hauling 400-500 lbs isn't even close to a load. Some quads can almost handle that.

 

[houstonscott]

Me too and the heat when there's negative wind chills. He's confusing speed with power. I had an RTV500 and Have an 1100 now. I have NEVER run out of power on either..Some speed, yes but never power. He makes it very clear that he loathes RTV's. That's fine. He doesn't own one anymore as he reminds us almost daily. Personally I have nothing against the other brands and would never harp on their shortfalls, and they all have them including mine. Even after reading the out takes posted earlier, these people really wanted a high speed, high comfort touring UTV..That's fine but they never made that their primary basis...Hauling 400-500 lbs isn't even close to a load. Some quads can almost handle that.

I don't like the plastic beds, get real. HS

 

[timswi]

I don't like the plastic beds, get real. HS

Me neither, that's why we have what we have..A little more speed would be nice but the other benefits massively outweigh that. Don't know about you but I've slowed down in high range but never ran out of momentum regardless of the hill. I don't know what the reviewers were doing...Assuming they didn't either.

 

[DIXIEDOG]

Me too and the heat when there's negative wind chills. He's confusing speed with power. I had an RTV500 and Have an 1100 now. I have NEVER run out of power on either..Some speed, yes but never power. He makes it very clear that he loathes RTV's. That's fine. He doesn't own one anymore as he reminds us almost daily. Personally I have nothing against the other brands and would never harp on their shortfalls, and they all have them including mine. Even after reading the out takes posted earlier, these people really wanted a high speed, high comfort touring UTV..That's fine but they never made that their primary basis...Hauling 400-500 lbs isn't even close to a load. Some quads can almost handle that.

No I'm not. Power isn't trying to start up a high and needing to shift from high to low and then idle up the hill so the machine doesn't bog right down.....power isn't hitting a mud hole and continuing to lose wheel speed until you're machine is completely stuck and unable to get out without winching. I understand the appeal of the hydrostatic transmission but the amount of power loss between the already small engines of the RTV and the wheels is just too much. I also think that even the 25 hp on the flagship RTV is a bit on the low end.


I don't loathe the RTV I owned or the ones I've tried out, I just find it humorous that so many brag on the RTV as the only "REAL" working side by side. The RTV 900...1100's can't do any more work than a Ranger or Gator can.