Smaller side by sides?

/ Smaller side by sides? #1  

mkr7734

Gold Member
Joined
Jan 22, 2014
Messages
441
Location
The North Bluff above Marseilles IL
Tractor
John Deere 3203,
Looking to replace my 11 year old John Deere compact Gator CX that has 1,968 hours on the clock but everything is sooo big. We have under 10 acres so there is no need for 50 MPH and a huge machine. Who makes a smaller side by side that in not over 50" and will still fit in the pick up bed like the old CX??? 4x4 would be nice and power steering as I age.
 
/ Smaller side by sides? #2  
Kubota still make's a small UTV, I would of bought it but the front diff wont lock in, the rear end will lock and unlock, that I like. I went with Yamaha Rhino couple years ago because all wheels locked in and it was under 50" wide, but like all others, the Yamaha UTVs has gone wider bigger faster and has to be trailer-ed.
 
/ Smaller side by sides? #3  
610 Mule maybe?
 
/ Smaller side by sides? #4  
Honda has a small 500cc machine that looks nice.
 
/ Smaller side by sides? #5  
My 550 JD will fit in a pickup, haul it on a 5' trailer though. The new 590 is fuel injected with a 45 MPH i believe, same frame size though.
The 550 i have will top out at 28 MPH supposedly, i know the dogs can out run it.

Ronnie
 
/ Smaller side by sides? #6  
Honda has a small 500cc machine that looks nice.

yep, the Honda Pioneer 500 is a very nice little SxS. Fits in a regular size pickup bed; 50" wide, 4wd standard equipment. Fuel injected, disc brakes, shaft drive, and ton of other improvements over most other SxS'.

IMG_4980.JPG
 
/ Smaller side by sides? #7  
610 Mule maybe?

That's what I have been looking at. I have 10 acres also and don't need something crazy big or fast. Just something to run around in and take food and water to the chickens. I can buy a new 2016 610 Mule for $6,898 out the door. The XC is $300 more
 
/ Smaller side by sides? #8  
That's what I have been looking at. I have 10 acres also and don't need something crazy big or fast. Just something to run around in and take food and water to the chickens. I can buy a new 2016 610 Mule for $6,898 out the door. The XC is $300 more

Your needs are pretty much mine as well. Thirteen acres doesn't call for a 60 mph machine. And, I have bridges to cross that are 52", as well as trails. The larger SxS' simply won't work for me. My primary use is to just drive around the property, fill the deer feeder and bird feeders, as well as pull a utility trailer every once in a while when I cut up downed trees, etc. I added a cargo box on back of mine also to carry chainsaws, tools, and a poly water tank sprayer to water flowers and to spray insecticide and weed killer when I need to.

I tore up two EZGo golf carts by trying to make them pull too heavy of loads. The Honda Pioneer 500 has no problem at all doing that. And the winch comes in handy to drag out logs, and to pull out my mower when (not if) it gets stuck :)

I did a LOT of research on SxS' before I bought one. There are very few adult size ones out there within the 50" wheelbase size. The Honda was quite a bit more than Kawasaki and EZGo truck. But the Honda is light years ahead of them in technology. I'm not telling you what to buy for your needs, but I do encourage you to read reviews, and look at Youtube evaluations. Be sure to drive each one; do your research before you buy. Oh - and now is the time to buy, especially if you're buying a 2016 rather than a 2017. Good luck in your choice, whatever fits your needs.
 
/ Smaller side by sides? #9  
I have Honda taste but Kawasaki budget.
 
/ Smaller side by sides? #10  
I use a 48 V club car with off-road tires on it. It's not a race car but it sure is handy I have the fold down bed/seat on the back and a winch just in case I get into something too sloppy. Use it for everything. I think I paid like 2600 bucks for it in like new condition used.
 
/ Smaller side by sides? #11  
I use a 48 V club car with off-road tires on it. It's not a race car but it sure is handy I have the fold down bed/seat on the back and a winch just in case I get into something too sloppy. Use it for everything. I think I paid like 2600 bucks for it in like new condition used.

I sure understand... We also still have one EZGo golf cart with a cargo box in back, that we use for our mail box run, and just sight seeing around the place. Don't get me wrong about the Honda, I love my little golf cart too. Nice and quiet ride, jump in and go, no muss - no fuss. But, it's just not suited for hard work.

Yes, it will pull my little utility trailer loaded with 1200 pounds of logs and limbs. Once, twice, maybe even a dozen times. But it won't be long before I'm buying a $700 used motor for it, or a broken spring mount, or some electrical controller that was just over worked. BT-DT. My cart, although only a 36V, is a light duty utility tool. It simply isn't designed to be a work horse like a utility vehicle is.

If mkr7734 is replacing a JD Gator for something a little smaller in size, the EZGo fits that part, but will fall short in the utility department. Just for the record though, I'm also a fan of EZGo and wouldn't be without one. I've simply learned that they have their niche as does EZGo. On the other hand, I think he'll regret in short order if he goes Kawasaki...
 
/ Smaller side by sides?
  • Thread Starter
#12  
Lots of good stuff here; My Deer compact CX has been a good tool for our land of 8.2 acres and is still running well at 1,970+hr, So after beating my head in the wall I think a new set of tires and wait till it dies may be the best idea. I do like the Deere 560 and 591, but just because they are not as ugly as most on the market. I just can't see a 5 year payment for a side by side that would be above $250.00 a month. Just me,
Thanks for all of the great ideas.
 
/ Smaller side by sides? #13  
If you want it for work, then look hard at a Kubota 500...

SR
 
/ Smaller side by sides?
  • Thread Starter
#14  
Thanks for the ideas so far, Still looking. I like the looks of the JD 560 & 590I but you can not get power steering unless you buy the JD 590I and that pops the price over 11K bare, 14K dressed out. Also looking at the Cub line up. I also looked at the Kubota 500 and it seems they are as proud of them as John Deere is of theirs when it comes to price. 8.5K bare bones.
 
/ Smaller side by sides? #15  
I did a lot of searching on the side-by-sides...seems they are all pretty much the same now...9'+ long...50-60" wide (not a pick-up thing). I think the whole ATV market is going in that direction as the trails get wider and the users get older. In fairness, I know that Polaris offers some smaller models other than the Rangers and I didn't focus on them at all. I didn't like the smaller Polaris Ranger 500/570 (not much room for feet) although one dealer had a model of the Polaris 570 where they didn't build in that "shin-buster" of a tray on the passenger side...I didn't note the model but he said it was new to 2017 (something about "tubular style"). Likewise I didn't like the Honda Pioneer 500...cramped foot space and fuel capacity was only about 3 gals. or so...not a good thing if you want to ride trails). I checked Kawi and Yamaha but they seemed to be very pricey (and one of them is still an air cooled engine). When I started my search I started with Honda and thought their price was "premium". Then I realized that none of them come cheap...since then I talked to a lot of people and nobody slammed Honda. Not "sexy" in anyway but apparently solid machines. Waiting for the rain to stop to go get it.
 
/ Smaller side by sides? #16  
I've been real happy with my Linhai Bighorn 28 LX for the last 3 years. Its a chinese knockoff of a Yamaha with a history with Yamaha I've been told. At any rate I like mine although I wish it had power steering at times.

Linhai Big Horn 4LX Utv
 
/ Smaller side by sides? #18  
After looking for weeks and what I wanted to spend and my needs I ended up with this.

cart.jpg

And buying that left me enough money left over I had to buy this

newtruck.jpg
 
/ Smaller side by sides? #19  
After looking for weeks and what I wanted to spend and my needs I ended up with this.

View attachment 485788

And buying that left me enough money left over I had to buy this

View attachment 485789

A golf cart and a pickup truck, looks like one of them might be 4-wheel drive. that's odd, nice truck but I remember not's so long ago that I could tell what brand a truck was at a glance, now it's not so easy, magnifying glass is needed........ hummm, is it aluminum?........
 
/ Smaller side by sides? #20  
Fords are aluminum, but still have round wheel wells. Chevy's have square wheel wells and won't be aluminum until 2018... That is clearly a Chevy.
 
 
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