I am looking at a ranger to replace my 600 sportsman... The reason for this is that they seem to do all that a sportsman can do plus some more... I love my 600 but can see where it would be really nice to be able to safely take up to 2 other people with me on trail rides... Also we are always lacking a mothership to carry lunch and supplies for the preadators in the group.. Now I am well aware that the top speed is lacking and that I will not be able to keep up in that respect but more and more I enjoy just being out riding and not scorching the earth... We ride mostly trails and mud.. Has anyone had good or bad with the following 1.Power (any word of a 6 or 7?) 2. Will these proform on a trail? (Going up and down hills.) 3. Has anyone rolled one and how safe are they??? 4.How does the blade kit work?? (At 1500$ it had better!!) Mostly looking for good or bad on this idea before shelling out a bunch of $$$$... I am going to test drive one this week and have been told by the dealer that I will be suprised.. But I have learned to do my homework and then buy.... Thank you!!! (P.S. I am only intested in the ranger not the yamaha or kaw... That brand loyalty-- Really Dealer loyalty!!!!!)

 

I have a ranger and I love it. It doesnt do one thing great, but it does all things pretty good. I mostly do trail riding and hill climbing. These things can climb some pretty impressive hills. I know that you are brand loyal, but I personally think that the yamaha rhino is better from an offroading standpoint. The ranger will be able to outwork any machine, but the rhino definitely has it beat on the trails.

 

the rhino also has a bigger engine..
but a ranger cant do what a 600 can do...
can you go thru a deep mud hole with a ranger... no..
atv's are also smaller.. better handling and go thru tight spots easier.

 

I dont know about you, but I would think that a Ranger 6x6 with 28" Outlaws would be one bad azz mudder[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img][img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img][img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img][img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

 

6x6... maybe.. but ive had a sportsman disapear in water and come out fine.. i dont know if a ranger could do that... they dont have the power that a quad does.

 

The 6x6 is a beast in the mud. I have never seen any machine better at mud. The 4x4 can still go through some pretty good mud. I have seen pics of a 4x4 going through a stream with water coming up over the hood. If I were to put a bet on one machine for mud, the 6x6 would be it.

I think the ranger is great because you can do 90% of the stuff you can do with an atv, but you can bring two friends and a big enough cooler and gear for a weekend of riding.

 

My dad uses his on his farm every day man that thing is a work horse..

 

I agree. I traded my sportsman for one. I use it mainly to work with but I have had it on trails also. I put my blade off my sportsmans on it instead of the 1500 buck one. It pulls and rides great. I have KC lights on the roll cage, a cd player mounted in the dash and a winch. It is also a great camping and party machine. I fixed a bench seat in the back so i can hall 5 people easy .

 

sold my sp700 and spent 2months looking at all the pros and cons of RUVs, I picked the 4x4 Ranger. It fit my needs best(heavy utility work, mild trail riding) I tend to push things to a limit so I loaded the Ranger bed with 1100 lbs of sacked cement hooked up my trailer with 2000 lbs of sand and water plus tools and me and three other men got in and drove 2 miles at around 25-30 mph with no problem. I have been told that I should replace the factory belt and go with the 700 belt for heavy duty work. No problems yet and trust me if I have any I will be the first to let anyone and everyone know about it. I take that back, I do have one problem...I cant get my wife off the darn thing so I can go play.

 

Thanks everyone for the replys and the links... Please keep them coming... Wind and snow here so maybe today will be test drive day... As for the 6x6 I have to vote down... I have some plans for this that get kinda crazy... Lets just say I have 27" outlaw radials on my sportsman and I don't plan on buying new tires!!! The cd player was another add on I thought of.. How and where did you mount speakers?? I had the Idea of getting a Jeep sound bar from a wrangler and cutting it down... Also the battery seems to be a weak link with winchs ect.. What have others done I was thinking optima type battery.. But where to put it is next??? I am to the point where I am getting nervous (Happens when I am about to shell out this much $$$$$...) Has anyone gone with larger tires?? How did it effect the power I spend 89% of my time in low so I am used to that... Thanks agian guys--Polaris owners do stick together the best!!