UTV - Trying to Decide

[FTG-05]

Recently picked up a new RTV-XG850 Sidekick. Used are pretty much non-existing in my area and the same price as new. K has 0% financing for 48 months on right now.

How do you like your new Sidekick? I ordered one in late March and it just finally got to the dealer last week.

Prolly still won't see it until next week.

 

[mikester]

I got lucky and my local dealer had one still in the crate. No problems so far - tons of towing power, smooth on the fields, fast, seems very stable on hills and at speed. Turning radius could be better. The electric steering is very good. The only complaint would be a twitchy throttle and it has a major thirst for gas, I'm only getting about 70+ km per tank when the fuel light turns on. The throttle is fun for spinning tires and letting it rip. Hard to do fine slow work i.e. backing up to hitch a trailer.

 

[FTG-05]

Thanks! I've heard about the twitchy throttle; apparently it's about the only negative thing about the Sidekick.

 

[Zebrafive]

I got lucky and my local dealer had one still in the crate. No problems so far - tons of towing power, smooth on the fields, fast, seems very stable on hills and at speed. Turning radius could be better. The electric steering is very good. The only complaint would be a twitchy throttle and it has a major thirst for gas, I'm only getting about 70+ km per tank when the fuel light turns on. The throttle is fun for spinning tires and letting it rip. Hard to do fine slow work i.e. backing up to hitch a trailer.

How much fuel is used for 70km?
That's 43.5 miles for us not using metric km.

 

[FTG-05]

I got lucky and my local dealer had one still in the crate. No problems so far - tons of towing power, smooth on the fields, fast, seems very stable on hills and at speed. Turning radius could be better. The electric steering is very good. The only complaint would be a twitchy throttle and it has a major thirst for gas, I'm only getting about 70+ km per tank when the fuel light turns on. The throttle is fun for spinning tires and letting it rip. Hard to do fine slow work i.e. backing up to hitch a trailer.

Twitchy throttle my butt!!!!!!!!

I consider it a major safety issue, personally. I was ready and - I thought prepared - for it and I was still surprised by it. It is very easy to have an out of control forward or rearward acceleration with this thing. Furthermore, doing fine work - like spraying around buildings, trees etc. or moving it to service it on the rack - is extremely difficult and frustrating.

There is simply no excuse for this condition to still exist after almost 3 years of production. There is simply no excuse for having such a sensitive throttle that it's almost impossible to have controlled and steady 1-5 mph operation.

A replacement foot pedal is $35 from Messicks (plus their outrageous shipping cost); I might just buy one to experiment with to see if I can seriously reduce the pedal sensitivity. One solution I've heard is to simply replace the return spring with a stronger spring. That's the first thing I'm going to do.

One way or another, this "twitchy" foot pedal design flaw is going to be fixed. As it is right now, there is no way I'm going to let anyone else drive this machine. While it probably isn't dangerous to a human (especially if they are seat belted) it sure as heck is dangerous to my brand new $20,000 machine!

 

[mikester]

I think it was purposely designed that way to satisfy those customers wanting zoom zoom instead of put put normally associated with K UTV's.

I think they need a drive-by-wire solution and either a switch or a dial like on the K HST response. Kinda like my motorbike that lets you select Fast or Stupid Fast modes.

 

[Paystar]

I loving my new RTV-X1100C. Right now I have to keep my overpriced lemon junk Polaris's because I have two big rides planned this summer and my friends with their 180 h.p. turbo 1000's don't want to ride at 25 MPH with my Kubota, LOL But after this year they can ride without me because I'm not even interested in anything other than my RTV now. Might be slow, but cruising around looking at the scenery with the heat/AC and stereo on is priceless.
Then when I get home I can go to work with it.
All these Polaris/Can Am/Honda/Yamaha, etc toys are getting ridiculously priced for what you get.

I got my brand new RTV with front/rear receiver hitch mounted winch, turn signal kit, radio, heat/AC, spray in bedliner, hydraulic outlets, hydraulic dump box, LED lights front and rear AND a 6.6 Boss Power Vee XT plow for the same price as a Polaris Ranger XP1000/Honda Pioneer 1000 with no options.

Ya it's slow, but when all my friends toys break down I can line them up like rail cars and tow them all home. LOL

 

[Zebrafive]

It does sound like they go the spring or ratios wrong.
Maybe a hinge mounted to the floor and other side of the hinge a plate that goes up and covers the throttle pedal, would give better control?

 

[deserteagle71]

It does sound like they go the spring or ratios wrong.
Maybe a hinge mounted to the floor and other side of the hinge a plate that goes up and covers the throttle pedal, would give better control?

I believe these are all drive-by-wire systems now.

A lot of the manufacturers, on a lot of their models, are now including "drive modes" that change the reaction the throttle has to input. On the Yamaha Wolverine, for instance, they have 3 drive modes - one for "spirited" driving, one for general work, and a "crawl" mode that significantly dampens throttle input for those who use them as rock crawlers and need gentle input.

 

[FTG-05]

It does sound like they go the spring or ratios wrong.
Maybe a hinge mounted to the floor and other side of the hinge a plate that goes up and covers the throttle pedal, would give better control?

I'm looking for solutions as we speak. Pics of my XG850 foot pedal throttle are below. You can clearly see the direct cable control. I do not know where that cable ends on the engine - yet.

Two solutions I've heard of is to replace the OEM tension spring with a stronger spring. The other is to straighten that bend in the pedal that is right at the top of the pedal.