I m just really getting started looking at utility vehicles I ve been getting by with a now 17 yr old 4 wheeler for many years. I really don t want one that goes over 30 mph because of the kids using it. I really like the Kubota Rtv 900 but the price is just more than I want to spend. Just curious what some of you have that have held up well. Some I m thinking of are the Kubota RTV 500, The Kawasaki Mule SX, Gator XUV 620. Maybe there are some m overlooking. I definitely want fuel injection on a gas model. I d like to stay under $8500 if I can. Thanks
- Thread starter JD720
- Start date
BarnyardEngineering
Well-known Member
- Location
- Rochester, NY
Can't go wrong with a Kubota. Every farm sale seems to have one. They'll have junk equipment, but always a shiny new Kubota RTV.
I sat in a couple of Mules. Not enough leg room. Smashed a kidney trying to get out.
I sat in a couple of Mules. Not enough leg room. Smashed a kidney trying to get out.
gene bender
Well-known Member
There is not any RTV that kids should be allowed to ride where is your thinking. There is even a sticker on them saying the same thing
Dan in North Houston
Member
We have the diesel Kawasaki Mule 4 seater, have had it about 5 years now. We only get out to the ranch on weekends, and there are no kids joy-riding around in it, but yet it has over 900 miles on it. Yes, it was expensive and I could have gotten an old small 4WD pickup for 1/3 the price, but it is small enough to be easily maneuverable, and with no doors, easy to get in and out of. More importantly, my wife likes it and is comfortable driving it.
We went with diesel since all of the tractors are diesel. It's been no trouble so far.
We went with diesel since all of the tractors are diesel. It's been no trouble so far.
Married2Allis
Well-known Member
Have to laugh at the local Tractor Supply that had some off-brand UTV sitting out front for months with a SALE sign on it at over $8000 with a tiny cargo area -- when most of the people shopping there pull up in vehicles worth a fraction of that.
We've got two Gator 825's in the family and they've became the go-to vehicle for all sorts of chores. They've more maneuverable than a tractor and trailer, can get into tighter spots than a pickup, and are much easier to load and unload than a truck for things like bringing firewood from the drying pile to the inside piles meant for winter burning. With, of course, proper supervision and in good conditions, they're also a great learning tool for teaching kids to drive--easy to get in and out of, a bench seat for comfort, much more stable than an ATV with roll protection and seat belts, a low range and gas-and-go controls--no clutching or shifting, and the bench seat allows an adult to be right there next to them. Obviously some intelligence on the part of the adults is called for in determining the responsibility level, but most farm kids are driving power equipment of some variation long before they're old enough for a driver's license and a side-by-side is one of the best ways of instilling good habits early. No experience with Kubota side my sides but there seem to be a lot of them around and the people I know that have them have been satisfied. Make sure you have a good dealer nearby--like anything, you'll need consumables quickly and parts eventually, and I know a few people who have been penny wise and pound foolish by buying an off-brand cheapie and then being stuck with it when something breaks and they can't get parts.
carvel minne farmer
Well-known Member
my vote polaris ranger, I have a 5 year old polaris ranger 400 an awesome machine for around the acerage or out in the bush! I have been places with that ranger I never should have been! make sure you get one with a winch, you do know what they call a guy who go's 4 wheeling without a winch?------pedestrian :lol: the only problem I have is starting in a week or so when all the snow is gone my wife will commandeer my ranger and the only time i'll see it is when it go's by from her garden sheds to her flower beds 
the grandkids love driving it around when they come out so grampa has to come up with some very important chores that need doing when they are here :wink:
the grandkids love driving it around when they come out so grampa has to come up with some very important chores that need doing when they are here :wink:ivan in michigan
Member
I have a 2006 Mule that I bought new. It has never gave me any problems and the grandkids had to be 10 before they drive it by themselves. They must wear the seatbelts. I had 2 4 wheelers before and still have one but I use the mule all the time. I made the hyd dump for it and I can back up to a deer and raise the bed with the deer in it. I have hauled wood in it loaded to the top of the roll cage and it just chugged right along. If I had know how handy they were I would have bought one years ago
I've really liked and got lots more use out of my '10 Polaris Ranger. It is probably over budget and too fast, thry do have a smaller version I think, but I'd hate to lose the three across seating and wide stability.
I started hearing maybe 3 years ago, lots of quality and design issues with all sorts of models from Polaris. That's a little troubling. They branched out and expanded a lot and wonder if they lost a little focus on the core quality they had?
Paul
I started hearing maybe 3 years ago, lots of quality and design issues with all sorts of models from Polaris. That's a little troubling. They branched out and expanded a lot and wonder if they lost a little focus on the core quality they had?
Paul
JD As a KUBOTA dealer I can tell you we sell 10 rtv900s for ever one 500 we sell. Now why folks just like the durability and performance of the diesel hydrostatic drive. Nothing wrong with the rtv 500s . I keep one around because I can haul it in the back of a pickup when I go to auctions. Have two rtv 900s here on the farm that have been bullet proof. Like all the other posters stay away from the off brands. Kubota, John Deer or Mule probably my pick.
Deere is the best, have four 825I's one for the wife around the farm, our mailbox is a 1 1/2 mile from the house second one is for pullin truck and tractors at the pull's, last two are for farm, one has a 50 gallon sprayer with 20' booms last one is mine,cross fields, farm to farm haulin everything.......power stearing and power dump beds are the best..gas motor, no vibration no smell and less noise than diesel
newhollandnut
Member
Last fall I was looking at a Kubota 500 but with mainly because i had a set amount I wanted to spend and was seriously looking at used but with Kubotas 0% financing it made no sense to not buy a brand new rtv900. I couldn?t be any happier with my 900. The ride on the new x series is much better than older ones and I could burn the $10,000 I was going to spend on a utv on other projects and implements
1939farmall
Member
I have the Kawasaki Mule. I Iove it. That thing is as handy as a shirt pocket! Far and away better for working with than a four wheeler. I was using an older Honda four wheeler which is a good machine and did everything it was supposed to but the mule is so much better to work with. For me it also came down to price. The smaller Polaris has about he same basic rating as the Mule SE, except for speed the Polaris is faster. The Mule will run about 30MPH which is fast enough for me and what I'm doing and the Mule had a better price point. I did buy a used one. Buy my dad bought a new one during a sales special for right around $8000. I think you'll be happy with any of the brands you listed, from the research I've done when we were buying they all seem pretty solid. For me the Kawasaki won on price point and durability. I had several people tell me " if you want to play and have a great time get the Polaris. If you want to get hard work done get the Kawasaki ". Good luck , have fun.
My RTV 900 will only run 25 on the road. My old Suzuki 400 would run 65. Yes I wish my Kubota would run faster but it is a 2011 and has one flaw. The key is on the right side of the steering collum and your knee will hit the key and shut it off. I am thinking about relocating it on the dash else where.
You get what you pay for.
You get what you pay for.
Diesel Gator.
I have been a fan of the Diesel Gator for a long time. I purchased a couple because they were slow, had the lowest center of gravity, and the Yanmar diesel was superior to the gas for durability.
The tractor dealer brought one out for me to try. I put two tractor weights in the bed of nearly 750 pounds along with my overweight neighbor and climbed a vineyard road that was nearly 45 degrees.
Later, my employer had one roll backward down a very steep hill (you could not walk this hill). It spun about, went through a field fence jumping a road, through another field fence jumping another road before coming to a stop after going through about 3 rows of vineyard. It covered nearly a third of a mile, never quit running, never rolled. It did bend the frame. You really have to work to roll one of those. For labor, I like them. They complain they are slow but I like that. We have had two deaths on ATVs and nothing serious with the Gator.
People will criticize them on this site but they are pretty dang safe.
I have been a fan of the Diesel Gator for a long time. I purchased a couple because they were slow, had the lowest center of gravity, and the Yanmar diesel was superior to the gas for durability.
The tractor dealer brought one out for me to try. I put two tractor weights in the bed of nearly 750 pounds along with my overweight neighbor and climbed a vineyard road that was nearly 45 degrees.
Later, my employer had one roll backward down a very steep hill (you could not walk this hill). It spun about, went through a field fence jumping a road, through another field fence jumping another road before coming to a stop after going through about 3 rows of vineyard. It covered nearly a third of a mile, never quit running, never rolled. It did bend the frame. You really have to work to roll one of those. For labor, I like them. They complain they are slow but I like that. We have had two deaths on ATVs and nothing serious with the Gator.
People will criticize them on this site but they are pretty dang safe.
jm, I'll ask you the same question that I asked NHN. I'll generally agree the rtv900 is a good machine but the I find the shifting is "kinky". Several times I've backed in to the shed against a stop. When I went to go forward it was a *%#* to get it in high. The rtv is too expensive to act like that in my opinion.
I have a Kawasaki mule 4x4 SE XC, it serves me well, we got my wife's Chevy equonix stuck in the mud and two different 4x4 trucks couldn't pull it out, the tread on the tires filled with mud, we hooked it up to the Mule with 4x4 and it pulled it out,like others said it's not much for speed,mine does 23mph top speed,but I didn't buy it for speed.it works for me. Just my 2 cent.
I use the 825i gator. I love the capacity. For picking sweet corn I can haul 40 dozen at a time. I use it to pull around my small kifco irrigator, move hay wagons, broadcast seed, and spread fertilizer. The most impressive thing is the off road capabilities. We use it to get through the woods in the spring to make maple syrup when there is mud, mud, and some more mud and it does not get stuck. The motor is impressive but that is probably with most modern fuel injected motors that all the manufacturers use.
We have 2 Mules, mine is a 2010 Trans and we have had clutch or fuel delivery problems, dealer is helpless. Son has the 2011 smaller Model and hasn't done anything but put gas in it. Moral.... the Mule is not bullet proof. We use, not abuse them daily. Except for the price the Kubota is great, We have hills and the hydrostatic would be great, as long as you remember it stops when you take foot off gas. Wouldn't have a John Deere, they are green for a reason and you can't get after market parts. Would think the Honda would be good but haven't any experience. Polaris is too fast, but they ride great. In NYS if your UTV won't go over 25mph, you are in regulation no-mans land. Just put a "Slow Moving" sign on it and it is farm equipment. Police don't know what to call it.
Regardless.....make sure your dealer is close and good!
Bill
Regardless.....make sure your dealer is close and good!
Bill
Traditional Farmer
Well-known Member
- Location
- Virginia
A long the same line I went to a farm sell out sale the tractors and equipment was beat and poorly maintained but they had 2 of those new side by side things and 3 pretty new expensive
4 wheelers there.And they wonder why they went bankrupt.
4 wheelers there.And they wonder why they went bankrupt.
Traditional Farmer
Well-known Member
- Location
- Virginia
Yea I have a GMC Sonoma and an Isuzu pickup that I use to run around the farm and can drive them on the road with no license that I have a fraction of the money in that one of those
gator things cost and either truck will do a lot more good on the farm.
gator things cost and either truck will do a lot more good on the farm.
Have 3 kawasaki mules and one kubota.... The diesel kawasakis are bullet proof and have around 3000 hours on them and have been totally abused and still go. They also work very well in wet season and will NOT get stuck...
We have one gas kawasaki, and often the carb is gooped up and need to be cleaned and reassembled. So we are not fond of gas versions that sit for 3/6 months at a time.
We have two kubota diesels and are also nice, ride very very soft and hydraulic dump beds and do well
the bad....
The kawasakis have stiff suspension and you can only run around 10 mph on rough roads or pastures.... BUt they can go through quick sand and not get stuck.
The kubotas are very very heavy and are no good in mud and will pretty much get stuck unless your drive around all the mud puddles... BUt the kubotas have long suspension travel, ride very very smooth and can run faster across rough pasture or roads. They also have the hydraulic dump which is nice on the few occasions that you need it. The kubotas require cleaning of the radiator screen twice a year or they will over heat due to grass and chaff getting in the screen and limiting air flow.
All of them have to have a quart of slime in each tire as the thorns are bad.
For heavy duty work, I would go with a full sized kawasaki mule every time for durability, first choice for heavy farm or Ranch work. we have to drive through a lot of brush and over logs, and rocks. The 'sakis are built like a rock in this aspect. You can get hung up if the logs are too big so they are not a caterpiller.
For a nice transportation vehicle the Kubota ride is excellent and great. One of the 'botas has cab and ice cold a/c, but sadly its hard to get any work done on it as its too nice in the cab to get out and work.
We have one gas kawasaki, and often the carb is gooped up and need to be cleaned and reassembled. So we are not fond of gas versions that sit for 3/6 months at a time.
We have two kubota diesels and are also nice, ride very very soft and hydraulic dump beds and do well
the bad....
The kawasakis have stiff suspension and you can only run around 10 mph on rough roads or pastures.... BUt they can go through quick sand and not get stuck.
The kubotas are very very heavy and are no good in mud and will pretty much get stuck unless your drive around all the mud puddles... BUt the kubotas have long suspension travel, ride very very smooth and can run faster across rough pasture or roads. They also have the hydraulic dump which is nice on the few occasions that you need it. The kubotas require cleaning of the radiator screen twice a year or they will over heat due to grass and chaff getting in the screen and limiting air flow.
All of them have to have a quart of slime in each tire as the thorns are bad.
For heavy duty work, I would go with a full sized kawasaki mule every time for durability, first choice for heavy farm or Ranch work. we have to drive through a lot of brush and over logs, and rocks. The 'sakis are built like a rock in this aspect. You can get hung up if the logs are too big so they are not a caterpiller.
For a nice transportation vehicle the Kubota ride is excellent and great. One of the 'botas has cab and ice cold a/c, but sadly its hard to get any work done on it as its too nice in the cab to get out and work.
gene bender
Well-known Member
dozers don't do wheelies and jump ditches ect too many kids are killed each yr on atvs leaving a scar on the parents lives forever
TURN the KEY off then place you foot on the brake mash it down for a second then restart should drop the hydraulic pressure and let you make the shift. BEFORE 2002 there is a dash mounted black knob to pull and drop the pressure but after that the release is incorporated in the brake pedal. IF it is still hard shifted after that you release is falling or needs adjusting.
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