Work UTV ... narrow down some choices please

[RollingsFarms]

I've never owned a UTV before, but I'm pretty sure that a UTV is better except in Minnesota winter, where no heater means death by exposure. Anyway, I'm looking for a UTV for the maneuverability and small size.

If you want small size and maneuverability then you need to completely forget the Viking you want. It's wide. Very wide. And long. It's anything but small sized and maneuverable. If you want those two things go buy a Ranger 570 mid size or something like that.

 

[MinnesotaEric]

If you want small size and maneuverability then you need to completely forget the Viking you want. It's wide. Very wide. And long. It's anything but small sized and maneuverable. If you want those two things go buy a Ranger 570 mid size or something like that.

And yet, not as wide or as long as my tractor, and shorter and narrower than my truck.

 

[RollingsFarms]

And yet, not as wide or as long as my tractor, and shorter and narrower than my truck.

Very true. I was actually surprised at the dimensions of it when I looked at them in person. I know my local Polaris/Yamaha dealership sells 3 Rangers for every Viking for some reason.

 

[TSO]

I like all colors.Nice looking gatorTSO,great price IMHO.

Thanx! The wife and kids are very happy with it!


I may have used it a bit too

 

[coobie]

Better yet when the wife and kids get to enjoy the new JD gator,great pics.

 

[Hermio]

I bought the Crew version. Much to my amazement, it has been able to pull down trees with up to 4" trunk diameter. It really is a beast!

 

[TableRocked]

Suggest you look at the new Mule Pro FXT LE. Ride is super smooth. According to a couple dealers I talked with who sell multiple brands, traditionally, Kawasaki mules are one of the least trouble prone UTV's and Rangers being their absolute highest level of unreliability and recalls.

If the Honda had a different designed rear seat/bed, like the Kawasaki, I'd have likely considered it too. I saved a ton of $ over the Kubota 1140CPX and still have a great machine. Ride of the Kawasaki my wife loved drastically more over the Kubota 1140 and the old mule 4010 trans.

Lots of year end close out 2015's with good prices, $13,600 for a Pro FXT LE delivered, out the door, zero sales tax is what I paid.

Non EPS versions of the Kawasaki Mule Pro FXT can be had for around $1,300 to $1,500 less than the LE model.

 

[Hermio]

Suggest you look at the new Mule Pro FXT LE. Ride is super smooth. According to a couple dealers I talked with who sell multiple brands, traditionally, Kawasaki mules are one of the least trouble prone UTV's and Rangers being their absolute highest level of unreliability and recalls.

If the Honda had a different designed rear seat/bed, like the Kawasaki, I'd have likely considered it too. I saved a ton of $ over the Kubota 1140CPX and still have a great machine. Ride of the Kawasaki my wife loved drastically more over the Kubota 1140 and the old mule 4010 trans.

Lots of year end close out 2015's with good prices, $13,600 for a Pro FXT LE delivered, out the door, zero sales tax is what I paid.

Non EPS versions of the Kawasaki Mule Pro FXT can be had for around $1,300 to $1,500 less than the LE model.

I did look at that. I chose the Intimidator because it is far more rugged. It rides very well also.

 

[TableRocked]

Wow! I never even heard of those, but, wow, do they look pretty tough! Nice choice in power plants too and boy do those seats look comfortable.

 

[Hermio]

Wow! I never even heard of those, but, wow, do they look pretty tough! Nice choice in power plants too and boy do those seats look comfortable.

They are very comfortable. The company was founded by the same folks that make Bad Boy Mowers, but is an independent company. They are also being marketed by Mahindra as their Mpax (?) UTV.
They are built like a tank, relatively speaking. The Crew, which I have, weighs over 1800 lb empty. Surprisingly, the OEM tires have been able to take me anywhere I wanted to go, no matter how muddy or hilly. But I don't like to go into my woods when it is too muddy, due to terrain damage. The only thing I do not like is the nets. I would rather have real doors. The nets are clumsy, and they get torn easily by branches and briars.

 

[Hermio]

When I bought my Mule, back in the early 2000s there were scant choices in this market. Now everybody and his brother makes something like this. I am sure, they are all not created equal. But how do you weed out the good from the bad? A warning though. Repairs on these things are astronomical! They are a very usefull, fun and friendly means of getting around and performing chores. But heaven help you, if you abuse the thing or worse use it to move snow. The hydrostats are obviously better in the heavier use category, but there is still the issue of the front driveline.

Although I have a Diesel Mule, I am kind of sniffing around for an Electric Gator in addition to. The Mule (Diesel) is kind of Noisy, and after a day of listening to various Diesel Engines, it might be nice to have a nice quiet drive and sneak up on some turtles sunbathing.

Yeah, that is why I chose the Kohler gas engine on my Intimidator. That, plus a $3000 higher price tag on the diesel, and the fact that the diesel is liquid cooled instead of air cooled. That means more maintenance. For $3000, I can get the Kohler gas engine replaced when it wears out.

 

[biffnh]

I love my RTV X900. I've had it for nine months. 240 hours and 1200 miles. Use it every day. Hauling tools, lumber, ladders, firewood, gravel and plowing snow. Nice ride, great hauling capacity, fairly quiet, and sips fuel.

 

[ultrarunner]

^^^ Any glitches or warranty work?

 

[Hermio]

I love my RTV X900. I've had it for nine months. 240 hours and 1200 miles. Use it every day. Hauling tools, lumber, ladders, firewood, gravel and plowing snow. Nice ride, great hauling capacity, fairly quiet, and sips fuel.

Based on my experience with a Kubota B7100 HST tractor, I imagine the HST drive on the RTV X900 is probably more reliable than any of the belt-type CVT drives on just about all other UTVs, including my Intimidator. It is pretty bulletproof, and it is smoother, especially at creeping speeds. But I had several reasons for preferring the Intimidator: 1) price; 2) Ground clearance (11" vs. 7.5"); 3) suspension travel (10.5" vs about 4"); towing capacity (2100# vs. 1300#); 5) full-length armored underbelly for use off road; 6)Tire size (27" vs 25") and, finally, 6-passenger capacity vs. 2 or 4. In short, the Intimidator can meet my needs better. But I do expect its maintenance costs to be higher than the Kubota product.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I have a Kubota RTV500, my brother has both, a RTV900 and a Kawasaki Mule... We use them for hunting and work...

I really like my 500, it's a bit smaller than the 900 and I like that. My brother likes his Kubota much better than the Kawasaki, I don't think he would buy another Mule.

For hard work, the drive line is MUCH better/HD in the Kubota's and although the RTV's aren't cheep, I think they are worth the extra to get the better drive line.

IF I was buying one with more "playing" in mind, I'd without a doubt buy the Yamaha...

DM

 

[Hermio]

The way I use my Intimidator, the Kubota product just would not work. In particular, I would worry about how vulnerable the underside is to stumps and sharp objects.

 

[kwbretired]

I also have an Intimidator diesel. Haven't gotten to ride it too much though but will makeup for it in a couple of months when I retire again. I'm currently dabbing/installing guard rails all the way around. All I have left is the front then most all the plastic will be protected. I was blown away on how well the intimidator is built & the comfortable seating. Can't wait to get it up into Arkansas to break it in. I wish I could get solid half doors for it though but they aren't available yet, mat end up making my own.

 

[Hermio]

I also have an Intimidator diesel. Haven't gotten to ride it too much though but will makeup for it in a couple of months when I retire again. I'm currently dabbing/installing guard rails all the way around. All I have left is the front then most all the plastic will be protected. I was blown away on how well the intimidator is built & the comfortable seating. Can't wait to get it up into Arkansas to break it in. I wish I could get solid half doors for it though but they aren't available yet, mat end up making my own.

If you make your own doors, you have to show us pix!

 

[biffnh]

I find the ground clearance is significant on my RTV X900 and the entire underside is belly pan protected. I can't see that rough terrain would cause a problem. The only problem I have had with mine (1,500 miles and 260 hours since November 2014) is the muffler "weld" at the manifold cracked. As a result the increased vibration caused the forward muffler bracket to break. Kubota made good on it after a bit of a hassle. It sips fuel and the HST is fantastic - good engine breaking and creeping up hills is easy. It is a workhorse of a machine, as much a tractor as it is transportation. Love it.

 

[Hermio]

I have no doubt about its ruggedness. I had a Kubota tractor with HST for many years. But the price was too high for me, and the ground clearance too little. (The Intimidator has 11") I did not know the RTV had full belly protection.