I have posted before about my 10 year old daughter who was a passenger on a Yamaha Rhino, driven by an adult on FLAT ground. The Rhino tipped over killing my daughter.

Many have said Rhinos just do not tip over on FLAT ground going at a moderate speed.

Many have said a Rhino is not intended for recreational use.

Many have said Yamaha has not been aware that they tip over.

Many have said they had doors put on for safety.

Here is my website with the results of my research. On it I will prove that Yamaha HAS know for YEARS they tip over, I will show you warnings and complaints from customers (on Yamaha's OWN letterhead) of them tipping over. A list of 150 lawsuits against Yamaha (on their OWN document). Their OWN advertisement, showing they ARE for recreational use (and high performance). Their OWN advertisement stating the purpose of the doors (not safety). And the US governments own investigation. No where could I find anything like this about any other brand side by side. My opinion is the problem is not with the side by side itself or the driver, but the way Yamaha made the Rhino.

Here it is: http://www.yamaha-rhino-information.com


Please check it out

 

I read her bio,and am very sorry for your loss.Atv's are dangerous regardless who makes them. I have a Rhino,and believe that can be tipped over.I drive mine with care,and never use it with the tires and rims that it came with.I like the bigger and wider tires.Thanks for your warning.

 

Correct......my point exactly. Wider tires OR spaces to make the tires further apart. Then the Rhino is A OK. Not just my opinion but that of engineers also.

 

What I am surprised about,is I haven't heard any one talk about the Polaris Razr! I know it could be dangerous because of its power.And its small also!

 

I personally have no knowledge of the Razor, I just know I cannot find ANY injury information, accicdent information, or law suit information on anything except the Rhino.

 

I believe the difference with the RZR is the lower center of gravity and I wouldn't take a bike of the lot with stock tires they suck anyone buying any bike be it an ATV or a SxS get some good aftermarket tires. johnsand I am sorry for your loss,I hope your efforts will help make this sport safer.

 

I hate to hear stories like this....sorry for your loss.....I had a rhino and they are very tipsy. I quickly added larger, wider tires and spacers so it was more stable. After that it would take a lot of effort to tip it over. Most 4wd utes are the same. So I do the same thing to them. As for polaris' Razor, this past spring a couple of local fireman, while off duty, took their razor to a local OHV park know as John's Peak. They climbed a very steep hill. No one knows for sure what went wrong as there were no witnesses, but they rolled well over 2,000 feet to the bottom. It took a day to find them by helicopter in a remote area. They were still seatbelted in. You could imagine the ride down.....the outcome is obvious, no one could survive that. Unfortunately, I knew one of them. Just goes to show you how quickly this sport can change your life if you're not careful. BTW, his rzr was stock (tires, rims, etc.)

 

John, I am also sorry to hear about the loss of your daughter. When I ride with my son and friend's sons, there is always that thought in the back of my mind that says: "How would I feel if the hobby I got my son into lead to his death". It is very sobering to hear your news. I don't think words can put it in perspective...

The Rhino and RZR are the two UTVs that are narrow and more geared towards a sporty outing. The difference, as Nightclerk has said, is that the RZR has a center of gravity probably about a foot shorter than the Rhino. But, anything driven beyond its limits will produce rollovers.

 

Just reading the side x side mag and there is a bit on the rzr. They said the rzr is just as bad if not worst then the rhino's in roll overs. They state the rzr has lower point of gravity, but the rzr is much more narrow and this is a bigger problem. The biggest fix is to install doors and long travel suspension. This will completly change the ride and safeness of the sxs you ride.

 

Johnsand,

This is really a difficult subject with which to deal and I truly am sorry for your loss. All motorized vehicles are dangerous to some extent. I have been told since I was eighteen that riding my street bikes, dirt bikes and ATV's would get me killed, but I was disabled in an automobile accident where I was a passenger.

I got a Rhino specifically because I feel it is "safer" than an ATV due to the roll cage and wider stance. I have stock tires, though I may go to aftermarket at some point. I ride primarily in the hills around my farm and have been in places that I would not even attempt with my 700 Grizzly EPS. I have never turned my Rhino over and I go on some pretty darned steep hills and ride sideways on them in order to get to certain parts of my farm. My wife routinely takes our grand children for rides on it, but of course at very slow speeds.

ANYTHING will tip over if driven improperly and beyond its limits. My father in law turned his lawn mower over fairly regularly. It is not uncommon to hear of a farmer turning his tractor over and being killed on older machines without ROPS.

You Tube is full of clips of various types of recreational vehicles over turning, but they are all being operated beyond their limits.

I have absolutely no idea how many times I have crashed on one of my dirk bikes and I have had four wrecks on street bikes.

I am happy with my Rhino and have found nothing inherently dangerous about it or its design if ridden within its limits. I think part of the problem may be in how some describe "recreational" riding. As far as safety goes, I will take my Rhino over my Grizzly or ANY ATV anytime any place.

My manual is also pretty specific about things you shouldn't do, at some point people have to accept responsibility for their own actions.