I'm just starting to look as I will need to acquire one in the next year or so and am not familiar with them.

No maintain climbing or such just rolling/hilly wooded acreage.

4x4 definitely wanted
side by side seating with rear box?
gas or diesel?
minimum engine size preferable?

Manufacturer with good service network?


Anything else I might need or want to know?

Thanks in advance!

How much actual work? Hauling heavy loads, pulling heavy things? Just riding around? How many passengers?

No heavy work. Mostly recreation with me and dog but, I will want to pull a small trailer and or log splitter.

How fast do you want to go, how deep water do you pass through, do you have mud or generally dry conditions, dirt roads or do you need to go over rocks, or are you dealing with less rugged conditions, do you need to carry stuff or just get around, will you be getting in and out, or on and off or will you generally be staying in the vehicle...

There are a million questions for this stuff, because the capabilities of the different vehicles are so varied.

I have a Kawasaki diesel mule 4010 Trans 4x4, which is 2 or 4 passenger, 1300 pound carrying 1200 pound towing capacity, high range, low range, and locking rear diff. Very capable vehicle.

On the other hand, it's loud, has a governor that keeps it to 25 mph, has relatively small diameter tires compared to other off-roaders, and between its tires and suspension, has lower overall ground clearance which limits its true off road capability and limits water fording capability (unless modified, or you do a LOT of maintenance afterwards). And it weighs 1500 pounds with no one and nothing in it, which means if you get it stuck, or need to move it somewhere you can't drive it, you need real muscle or a real trailer.

Don't get me wrong, I have gone through some pretty mean stuff with this and really love the vehicle, but it is not a mud bogger.

We use it as a utility vehicle on a horse farm and to get around for shooting and hunting. We don't do recreational off-roading in it.

I've been looking a little at four wheeler side by sides. It looks like you can buy a decent Jeep, depending on how you define "decent" for quite a lot less. The starter side by sides seem to start around 9k and there are a lot of CJ and Wrangler jeeps out there for 4k to 6k. I realize the side by side would be new but the guarantees are pretty short. The Jeep would be a lot more versatile. 10k gets you into real nice Jeeps.

I see you replied when I was typing my longer response.

Given your requirements, I'd look very seriously at a Kawasaki Mule 610. Two passenger, gas motor, no doors, truck bed, good towing, 4x4, and not too expensive.

https://www.kawasaki.com/products/2016-mule-610-4x4

quote:

Originally posted by ArtieS:
I see you replied when I was typing my longer response.

Given your requirements, I'd look very seriously at a Kawasaki Mule 610. Two passenger, gas motor, no doors, truck bed, good towing, 4x4, and not too expensive.

https://www.kawasaki.com/products/2016-mule-610-4x4

Looks like it would meet my requirements well but, engine seems a bit small?

Definitely good dealer network.

I put it and any siblings on the must check out further list.

Thanks!

I have never driven one that I know of. I think that, since the 610 is also governed to 25 mph, it's probably fine if you don't plan to modify the vehicle. The mules are work UTVs, not sport ATVs so there isn't the premium on performance.

With the constantly variable transmissions, there is really pretty good pulling power at the expense of speed.

I'd drive one, rather than deciding that the engine isn't enough just on printed specs. It also depends on how hilly your area is. If you are relatively flat, there's probably enough power there to scare you if the ground gets rough. If you are trying to pull a trailer up a steep hill, you might want more grunt.

One of my buds owns this Honda Pioneer 1000. It has a 1-wheel drive option for turf, 2-wheel for pavement and 4-wheel for off roading. It's a lot of fun.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: 12GA,

Tom, Are you thinking new or used?

I recently picked up a used Polaris Ranger 700xp.

I got it for some work round the place. Kind of like you described. Will use in the back country and will ride it on gravel roads etc.

Have not had it that long or had a lot of time to use it yet. I it is pretty good size and has a nice wide footprint. Think the power is going to be sufficient and is efi.

I am looking at a Yamaha Rhino right now. It is an older 660cc carb'd. unit. A bit smaller. A bit more sporty than the Polaris but not a sport utv by any means. While capable of work, would be used less for work and more for transportation and play.
Not sure if I will pull the trigger on it yet.

I think a 500cc would be plenty of power unless you are a 300 plus lbs man. If buying new I would look at Kubota. The 500cc Kubota would be a bit over $9000.

I really wanted a diesel Kubota but it was just too much $.

The Polaris is most likely going to serve us well once I get a few things done I will have a better feel once I put it to work.

Good luck buddy.

I'm not overly concerned with top end speed. More just cruzin' and a little work.

I can only relate the engine size to my experience on motorcycles so what I need to figure out is engine/weight/gearing/torque thingys.

The Kawasaki really looks to fill the bill. I will have to hit up some dealers and check them out.

We love our Polaris Ranger. We have the big one that seats 6 in two rows. The smaller one might work just fine for you.

We were at a Motorcycle dealer a few years ago with our son who was buying a new motorcycle.

My wife came over to where we were and said she wanted to buy a UTV.(side by side)

We bought a Razor Special Edition Robby Gordon, XP 800. It is a 50" model so we can go on smaller trails, but it has all the power we need. It can tow a trailer and has a small bed, but is 4 passenger. It just glides over rough terrain.
We took it to Utah a couple years ago and had a great time. We are teaching our grandsons to drive on our property with it.

It is a gas model.

Thanks for all the input folks. Keep it comming!

I had a Mule 610 and loved that little thing. Except the 13.5 hp was just not enough to propel it up hills at anything other than slow slow. Not a problem in the woods or rough field but smooth ground or up a dirt road it would run full speed at maybe 10mph. 20 mph on level.
Now I have a mid-size Ranger 500 that has much better suspension and I think 30 hp or so. It'll go over 40 on level and has plenty of power.
I like the slide in bench seat for easy on off and the dump bed is so handy. It's also only about 56" wide so it fits on most atv trails and through the woods.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: ridewv,

If you don't require a name brand side by side you might want to take a look at Massimo. I bought this one a few years back and really like it. It's a 4x4 with a locking differential and I can tell you it will go just about anywhere. Plenty fast, I've had it up to 45 but backed off as that was as fast as I wanted to go. I have a BIL and a couple of friends who bought one after taking mine for some test drives.

Very dependable rig and I only paid $7400 just as you see it.

quote:

Originally posted by 12GA:
One of my buds owns this Honda Pioneer 1000. It has a 1-wheel drive option for turf, 2-wheel for pavement and 4-wheel for off roading. It's a lot of fun.

The advantage of the Honda is that is has a real transmission instead of the CVT belt that most all others have. That being said, my neighbor owns a Polaris and Kawasaki powersport dealership. He tells me the Kawasakis are much more reliable and better built.

He has been offered, several times, a Chinese line of vehicles. He has declined everytime as he does not believe they are anywhere near the quality of the Japanese machines and he has built a reputation he doesn't want challenged.

Having an open differential option, "one wheel drive", or "turf mode" (all the same) I believe is important for a couple reasons. It makes it easier to steer especially on hard terrain or pavement and the rear tires don't tear up your grass. Most ATV's don't have this feature but most UTV's do, including the Mule 610 and Polarises. I wouldn't want a UTV without this feature.

As far as Honda's automatic transmission vs the simpler more commonly used CVT I'm not so sure an automatic transmission is better? For one thing how many gears does it have? The automatic in Honda's Rincon only has two and many feel that is it's shortcoming. Polarizes CVT has a high and low range, both with infinite ratios, and has been proven in high powered snowmobiles for half a century now. My 6 year old Ranger uses a CVT and it's worked flawlessly still with the original belt and has no trans fluid or filter to service. If/when it begins wearing a replacement is only $25 and takes maybe 20 minutes to change.

My only gripe with my Ranger is how the 4wd system is designed. There is open diff, locked rear axle, and locked rear axle plus front for 4wd. However in 4wd on good surfaces it's being driven by the rear only until the rear starts slipping 15% more than the front at which time the front engages. This does allow it to be in 4wd on all surfaces though.

New, they are a ton of $. That is why i opted to go used. Not sure what your budget is.

I am to old and even in my younger days I would never think about doing what these youtubers do to their's. Entertaining though

I sold my atv's to get our Polaris. I will have about $8k in it. Which included trading one of my atv's plus cash for it. Could not of got it otherwise. Low miles, adult owned. Excellent condition.

I just can not see spending $10-14k for one. I believe I was quoted a tad over $9k for the Kubota 500. I did not go look at it because I did not have that kind of cash on hand. But wanted to. I am going to know just to compare the build quality of the two machines. I have to believe the Kubuta is a much better built unit. Not that the Polaris is bad. The smaller 500's are low on hp but people say they have lots of power.

As I said, my Polaris is big and heavy. As I said, I like the footprint. Seem's pretty well put together. Bolted not welded, which might be pretty common across manufacturer's. Not sure. The main components, engine, trans. rear end are solid I am thinking.

I have myself talked in to another one. The used Yamaha Rhino 660. It is used, but in good condition and less than half the cost of new and I am selling another vehicle to buy. I know they have their issues, but all of these do. Anything Yamaha is pretty darn good and for what I want it for it would be a good unit.

I would not buy a chinese knock off myself.

Report back what you find when you start looking. I would not be afraid to buy used to save several thousand. If you do your homework.

BRL here is a good resoure.


Good luck Tom. orc