I want to buy my first utility ATV. I need it for getting to and fro on hills with tools and will drag trees and use a winch. Dumping fire wood is also part of it.A dump box is very appealing. I will set up and maintain feed plots. I am a lousy mechanic and want maintenance free use. Mostly will use on own land. From what I have read on the forum I need a very low starting gear and should avoid belts and Polaris Rangers.
What exactly would I be losing by buying a side by side in comparison with a "motorcycle" type ATV; I would hate climbingoff and on one of the latter all day. I have only spent about an hour on an ATV.
Is there some reason that hardly any one refers to the Gator when talking about ATVīS?
Jim

 

If width is not a problem then a Mule or Rino are really good. The Bomb traxter is very easy to get on and off. I think you can get a box style in the back but it might become back heavy if you have something heavy in it and you are climbing a steep hill. Belts really shouldn't be a problem. The Rino is quite new in concept but engine is not new so the reliablity should be very good. Mules have been around for a while and I know of no problems with em. An ATV and trailor works well too. Gators? John Deer? Is that a lawn mower? LOL (Lots of Laugh) Sorry no help there.

Welcome to the fourms.

 

I hava a Gator and I have to agree that it is over priced and not much of a machine! I would never buy another one. Take a look at the Ranger.

 

I would compare the boxes on all; ask yourself how much you really need to haul and then ask yourself if the ride is important (I'm 40 and have already made 4-wheel independant suspension a must on any off-road vehicle I'll ever buy in the future).

Don't let folks convince you how much they enjoy getting beat up on a straight axle, how much more work it'll do and all of the other excuses people make up because machines like the Grizzly and Rhino have revolutionized their respective markets (we've got a 300 Four Trax that was great in its day......that day has simply 'passed' [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]). While the other utilities mentioned are capable performers..........don't kick your butt at 70 wishing that you weren't so sore after a day's ride on the farm.

Convince yourself that, at 65, you deserve a decent ride, with decent power and "2004" style suspension between you and the ground........and if it takes you two trips to haul a load.........you'll love every second of it on that plush riding Rhino. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

John
'04 Rhino

BTW, We just demoed 3 Rhinos at one of the largest riding areas on the east coast for Ranger riding law enforcement and rescue personnel who actually USE utility machines.........I don't thing I need to go into what they said afterwards. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

 

Have you checked out the new Gator. Lots of improvements, suspension front and rear, improved ground clearance, four wheel drive, no chains. This is the 4x4 gator turned out due to the John Deere- bombardier partnership, I believe it will be a good unit. Also 2-speed trans (25 mph). Still not as fast as mules but Deere doesn't want to deal with roll bars and the added liability issue.

 

Jim write down all the things you want/need out of a atv/ruv than start getting the FACTS. No one makes the perfect machine, they all have their pros and cons. I own the Ranger and use it for 70% heavy duty work and 30% fun, if it was the other way around I think the Rhino is the way to go...JMO

 

The SAE Bear is a combination of the Rhino and Ranger rolled up in one. The 800cc engine is very strong and was recently introduced at the show in Las Vegas. It is a 4 x 4 product and is built by the Kazuma Group. It is worth looking into.

Don H.

 

Sounds like what I use a quad for - hauls me and fencing tools around my farm, and hauls a lot of firewood in the fall and winter. Dang, sure wish they'd had these things when I was a kid working in timber.

Dump beds - You can't load the dump bed up too much, or the quad becomes unstable. Too much weight up high. I use a trailer to haul firewood, much better. I routinely haul 400-500 pounds of cut oak in the trailer. Get a trailer with fat tires - the skinny ones will hang up on rocks with any sort of load. I bought an Arctic Cat trailer, works great for hauling wood. Been through two firewood seasons so far, still in good shape. I ended up passing on the dump bed and getting a rear rack. Better choice, because I usually strap my tools to the racks, and use the trailer for loads.

Don't know that you lose much with the side by side. They're wider, so they need a wider path. Not as sporty, but it sounds like that's not high on your list of concerns. If you're mostly on flat ground, any of the side by sides are good. If you're crossing rough ground, you probably want to look at the Rhino - it has good ground clearance.

Try to get IRS suspension if you can, the ride is a lot better. Also clears the ground better. I went from a solid axle quad (Big Bear) to IRS quad (Arctic Cat 500i), and the difference was very noticable. Much easier on my 47 year old butt. I used to hang my bear every so often - my farm is pretty rough - so far I have yet to get the Cat stuck on a rock. It just rolls over everything.

Manual vs belt - I just don't know. I got the Arctic Cat with a manual 5 spd, and I guarantee you it has no slipping problems with even the heaviest load. Trouble is, most large utility quads have belt drives, except for Cat and Honda.

Pulling trees - don't get your hopes up. My experience is that a quad is no match for a truck or tractor. With the winch, you can move a downed tree a bit, but it's better at shifting position than actually hauling a tree any distance. I've cleared trees off of fencerows using the quad to move the logs, but that's sectioning the tree up. Don't plan on moving a 16 foot oak log over rough ground. Used the winch to free a pinched saw bar a few times. As a tree mover, quads are kinda wimpy. As a tool and winch carrier, they're great.

Also, they don't control a heavy load very well - a neighbor's kid put a grizzly through a fence, trying to haul a round bale - hitched the carrier to the back of the quad. He got it moving, but couldn't stop it. Barbed wire fence, too.

Gators have no ground clearance to speak of, and not much power, so people around here don't pay attention to them. They're for use on established dirt roads and flat pastures. Not good for what you have in mind.

 

Rhino I with you...That bear thing is a rip off.

 

I looked at it but I couldn't tell if it was IRS or not. But I do wonder who is making a 3 cylinder 800cc motor.