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Posted by: CTATV
Thought you might want to check out this RTV Kubota Recall.
http://www.kubota.com/f/AboutKubota/2004_recall_rtv.cfm
Posted by: nuke
I can't BELIEVE Honda has not announced a side-by-side! Now we must wait until the next show in September of 2007. However, if Honda gets it's act together they could swamp the competition. How about a light-weight semi-sport 4x4 machine with FI, Rubicon tranny, electric power steering, and IRS? No belt, no carb! While they are at it, add manually lockable F&R differentials. Are you listening Honda? Naw! That would not be smart marketing, just trickle enough features out each year to keep customers coming back!
Posted by: tekneek11
I have sold both Yamaha and Polaris.My reccomendation is Polaris if your going to work with your machine.Rhino if spoert riding is all you will do.Leave everything else alone including fancy golf carts,Mules,Gators etc.
hope this helps,
Posted by: ajo771
I'm looking for a 4x4 utility side by side. I've looked at them all, but would like to here from people who have some seat time. here are some of my thoughts, are they accurate?
1. Kubota UTV: tractor like toughness, high torque diesel engine, expensive
2. Polaris Ranger: new model is fast with losts of ground clearance, pallet sized cargo box, belt drive
transmition, low torque engine.
3. Kawasaki mule: one of the originals, low speed
4. Yamaha Rhino: fast, narrow, sporty, can double as a trail machine for hunting and camping, lightest duty for work, low towing and hauling capacity.
5. John Deere Gator: Pricey, heavy, slow, diesel engine option
6. Bobcat: Heavy, pricey, front loader arm with quickmount attachment plate with aux. hydraulics
Any thoughts?
I'd even considering a Polaris ASL - a compact rubber track loader made by ASV - but I cant find one anywhere.
Posted by: ajo771
The new Ranger specs say it's the 500 HO engine. Where are you guys hearing it's the 700EFI? Polaris website only shows the new Ranger with the 500 HO engine.
Posted by: ajo771
I took a look at the artic cat. Looks good. Larger than a rhino, cheaper than a Ranger. I'm really considering this one.
Posted by: Slinger
700VTwinman, where did you get a replacement gov? BTW, I was born at San Jacinto Memorial.
Posted by: AZSAND
I own a 05 ranger its the xp it dose 43.5 mph on gps its is very quick and super aggressive it rides like a caddy and i love the color keys so i can give the kids and friends a slower ride i have a gorilla 8" lift and 28" blackwaters on order this is going to be fun!!!!! i inspected the rhino and the Jhon deers and i can tell the ranger is a better built unit by far. And the efi is limitless posability's
Posted by: DesertBum
What about the horse power and torque comparisson? I see the Mule has 38lbs of torque how much horse power? Is the ride really that bad? The diesel seems nice. I own a '03 powerstroke now and wouldn't look back. This is why I am looking at this too. Anyone?
Posted by: BigBadScrambler
The 500 HO motor in the Polairs has great low end torque. They also just released a Ranger 4x4 XP with IRS and the 700 EFI powerpant
Posted by: JonC
I had a little mule 2X4, single seater. It was nice enough but had no power but I liked it so decided to get a 4X4 mule. I got the top of the line at the time, it was a POS. We would drive it off the trailer and it would start making clunking noises that sound like they were coming from the rear end. It ate belts like crazy and also chewed up the clutch. The Kawasaki people tried to say we were abusing it. We drove it through deep plowed fields. Its an off road vehicle, seems like that is off road to me. I got no satisfaction from my dealer or Kawasaki so I called the AG and they said file a complaint under the Texas Lemon Law. I did and when we got ready to talk to a judge, I learned it was not covered under the Lemon Law because it is not a licensed titled vehicle or something like that. I knew some people at a golf course who had 2 or 3 mules and they told me they had similar problems and when they got it fixed after warranty was unavailable it was pretty high and wouldn't last. Kawasaki may have rengineered them, but I think the old mules were underdesigned. They were also really slow although as somebody said they were governed and could be doctored with to go faster, but that would void your warranty (which didn't seem to mean much for me) I traded mine in on a 6X6 Polaris Ranger which liked a whole lot more. That Polaris did have 1 problem the steering sucked. You had to do a lot of backing and turning. I kept that Polaris for about 3 years then traded it in on a 2003 model with Bench seat (I think it is rated as a 3 seater). They really did a good job improving the steering. The older gators were really slow, slower than the Mule, but that may have changed. I haven't messed with any of the others, but the Ranger is way superior to the Mule in my opinion.
Posted by: JonC
Like I said, the mules are WPOSes. They may be OK as toys, but about useful as tits on a boar for work.
Posted by: Dragginbutt
Surpised to see so many comments when you haven't said how the machine will be used. A lot of your satisfaction factor is going to depend on purchasing a machine that meets your needs... On one end, you have the Rhino that is a pretty decent fun machine and trail monster.. but on the other, you have the bobcat and Kubota which are designed for working.. If you buy one from the one end of the gene pool expecting to use it on the other and be satisfied with it.. you are going to set yourself up for a great disapointment.
You really need to decide the usage part first, then narrow your choices. To tell you the truth, although many here talk about top speed.. Many will never take a machine to it's limits more than once or twice. If all you do is heavy work around the house.. then speed is not so important.
I'll say one thing though.. although I really like the Kubota, and am amazed by the bobcat... I feel a small tractor would be much more efficient in many cases. Put a back hoe and a bucket on front and you have a very capable machine....
A modified Rhino is a great trail monster. Early models had issues with CV joints.. so don't buy anything prior to an 05. If you want speed, the C.D.I. from the Grizzley is substituted to allow for a higher top speed. You are seeing more and more "Stuff" coming out for them too. Look around, there are several sites on the web that cater directly to this class of machine and delve deeply into the meat of the subject...
Lastly, to the young man who takes great pleasure in tearing up the fields at his local school... I hope you reconsider your actions.... You are giving ATV riders a very big black eye with your hooligan antics...We are not impressed, and don't find the humor in actions like this. It is actions like this that get ATV's banned.. and turns public opinion against us all. Please stop!
Posted by: Dragginbutt
I think with many of the machines you need to manage your expectations. You are basically looking at nothing more than hopped up golf carts when you look at older models... The new stuff coming out now is a whole lot better. I agree the Yamaha Rhino has sort of set the bar a whole lot higher than what it was before. The Kubota is a work horse for sure... but don't expect to be getting air with it.... In fact, it is a good idea to not think about getting air in any of these.
Buy them, and use them in the way they were designed, but remember they are NOT sport quads, Dune buggies etc.... Oh sure, you will find guys modifying them for more speed, better suspensions so they can fly and land safer etc.. but just remember when the parts start breaking.. that you have no right to complain when abusing the crap out of it and exceeding it's design capabilities.
If you are looking to be bashing around and pushing the limits.. .then the Rhino is about the only one that is made to take that... and make sure you get an 05... the previous ones had issues with durability of major systems like steering knuckles, and half shafts... Yamaha has beefed up the parts in later models...
Lastly, pay close attention to your purchase decision process. Don't buy one model because it is cheaper knowing full well that the word on the street is that it can't take it.... what makes you think your model is going to be any different. There is a lot of information available these days for you to educate yourself... take advantage of that and get the one that matches your riding characteristics, and the job function you need to use it for.... Not the one that some dealer will make you a "special" deal on...
Posted by: Dragginbutt
Nopain.. not sure 14 hours is a realistic measurement. Hope your experience is better than the one above. Good luck and enjoy.
Posted by: Dragginbutt
Gee, and I was thinking stump broke mule....
Posted by: joechum
you may know this but the mule is also available in a diesel too, but we have a mule 3010 (gas burner) n we have had well over 1000 lbs in the bed n it didnt struggle at all to haul it. Also we have pulled alot of things with ours n it is really strong. My cousin has the new kubota that thing is about the same speed wise as the mule but id say its a lil stronger than the gas mule but i dont know about the diesel but u cant go wrong with hardly any of them. As far as the polaris they pretty much seem all speed to me.
Posted by: ElectricShift
I have a gator 2wd, it's not fast and doesn't have very much suspension at all but you can load it down pretty heavy and it won't complain, get the deere for working. If you're playing around get the rhino.
Posted by: crazy22
i would have to agree the polaris break down a lot . i was looking at all three and the rhino is what i am getting
Posted by: extremerider2811
Kubota, if it has a diesel engine, that means its built tough and can go longer with out a rebuild and or maitenence
Posted by: ktmguy70
Quote
Originally posted by: somebeach
If you want the best ATV/RUV/4X4 get a Pinzgauer. Its street legal and will go places it has no business going. They were designed 30 years ago for the Swiss army. Todays 4x4's are just starting to use the technology they developed. Pricey.... but what the heck clean out the garage and get one vehicle that can do it all...BR>And a Polaris MV7 fits nicely in the back for those lil' side trips if you have to have something different...
Actually the Unimogs are a bit better!
Posted by: Polaris500HO4x4
i would choose between the ranger 700EFI and the kubota... the kubota has hella engine breaking so watch out when u let off that throttle. the kubota is much slower then ranger... the ranger is a nice machine both for work and for a casual ride.
Posted by: Polaris500HO4x4
there is the 700EFI out there with IRS and higher ground clearance... do a search online for it
Posted by: Polaris500HO4x4
Quote
Originally posted by: 700vtwinman
Just remember the top speeds posted by the MFG's are not actual. The polaris ranger 500cc says it tops out at 41mph, and it is fairly close to that......about 37. The kawasaki mule 617cc motor says it tops out at 25mph, BUT it is govnered down. We have one for our ranch and we adjusted the govner and now it runs in the high 30's. The companies govern them down to limit their libalities.
my friend al has a ranger 500 for his farm goes a good 45 down the road
Posted by: rldbobcat
We used to have a gator, no problems with loads or kawi motor in them. Only downfall is very rough riding, only thing that changed the ride was air in the tires. Then we went to a cub cadet big country, better suspension, electric lift bed, but a crappy honda engine that was built for generators to run wide open all the time, so it would load up all the time and not run for crap until you run it wide open. We ended up having so many problems they actually replaced it with another entire machine. The new one does the same thing. So next week they are replacing that one with a new machine, the new ones have kohler engines instead of the hondas. Other than the honda engine in the big country it has been a good machine. We use it for farm use. Oh and also the big country has very flimsy fenders that are expensive to replace. The front fenders on both old machines broke and my step dad is the one who usually drives it and he is not hard on stuff at all and he broke the fenders on both machines.
Posted by: alwaysride
hi, my family has a mule. That thing is used constantly and works great. He uses it on the farm and plows with it on his mile long road to his house on a mountain. I would suggest the mule because they will last forever and are great work vehicals. just use low range and they can do tons of stuff.
Posted by: 700vtwinman
Just remember the top speeds posted by the MFG's are not actual. The polaris ranger 500cc says it tops out at 41mph, and it is fairly close to that......about 37. The kawasaki mule 617cc motor says it tops out at 25mph, BUT it is govnered down. We have one for our ranch and we adjusted the govner and now it runs in the high 30's. The companies govern them down to limit their libalities.
Posted by: 700vtwinman
We have had a 1998 kawa 2510 mule on our ranch has never had any problems with it other than I just replaced the orginal tires (well over due) with ITP mudlites. We used it daily, so that equals to many many hours. The main thing is general maintainance just like everything. BTW, we changed the governer and now it runs 39mph.
Posted by: 700vtwinman
My brother got it and put it on, but I can ask him where he got it if you want one. The reason kawie governs their mules is for legality issues. They should be able to go much faster since it is a 617cc v-twin motor. The polaris ranger "says" it runs 41.5mph with a 500cc single, so reason goes that the larger motor of the kawie will do that too. BTW....I was born in Gulf Coast Hospital in Baytown....which is not a hopsital anymore but doctors offices. Do you ever ride at Soggy Bottoms in Crosby, Texas??? If so, let me know when and you could ride with us.
Posted by: pwillie
For my use, the Rhino works well for me.I like the small bed and the dump ability.Its easy to trailer,and very comfortable to ride in with the bucket seats,I also like the braking. I wish Ford or GMC would build a small vehicle like it! I just don't like the build quality of Polaris anything...
Posted by: weez440
i am so excited i finally got to drive the rhino today it was an 04 and well i drove the rangers alot. my findings is you want a clumsly lumber wagon to get around with but can haul a buick get the ranger you want something fun and you can still haul alot i believe 400 pounds and in the mean time have a blast on get a rhino you won't be dissapointed there is nothing a ranger can do that a rhino can't and yet have more fun on a rhino only downside is that even though more uncomfy a ranger can hold 3 and a rhino 2
Posted by: 86LT250RFatty
OMG! Get a Gator!!!! The school has 2 Gators and when we ride our quads on the feild Gene Buckner comes out in his gator 4X6 and tries to chase us its soo funny! he even has a little police light on top of it!!!
Posted by: jcdc04atv
Most popular in my area are the Mule, Gator, and kabota. Mainly because of dealer support. Gator's for those that bleed green. Mules because they were practically indestructible and at one time the leader of the pack. Now Kabota's are popular in our area because of a great dealer and their larger capacities, etc.
When you are shopping these machines, get one that does the job you want, don't cut corners to save a few bucks.
Posted by: spyder6
its a limated production (its not going to stop being built, but its not mass produced)
its called the Ranger XP
its the same thing as all the other rangers but it has a 700 EFI motor, its detuned further then what the 4 wheeler engine is, so theres alot of power upgrades you can do to it.
Posted by: spoRtRax450R
well u basically have all the info, so decide what ur gonna do and pick it. the ranger 700 is nice, but it has a touchy throttle that u get used to. id pick the rhino
Posted by: Sportsman6004X4
I sell Rangers to Farmers and Ranchers, they love them and have not had any problems. THey bring them in for the break in period oil change then again at a 100hrs and continue to buy accesories for them. Some have even bought more machines. One customer just loaded two XPs and took the family to Moab in June after I told him about my trip to Utah in March. I got him turned onto the PRC forum and he plans on attending the Windrock ride in Sept.
As for Unreliable,,,, We have not had any problems outside of customer abuse, lift kits large tire kits etc. I have a ranger out there with over 600hrs and no problems.
THe KUBOTAs are what are Unreliable, that fully Hydrostate system is unproven and unreliable, it is not the same as what is in the tractors it is made by someone else also... Rhino,,,, good sporty machine,, do not plan on towing or hauling anything other than a cooler....
Gator,,, well you may as well buy a tractor...
Mules are nice, ride rough however and are slow.
Prowlers, slow, rough and small cargo. In addition all the above units excluding the Ranger, take alot of effort to steer.
Posted by: Ross6500
Howdy,
look at this months Dirt Wheels magazine. It has a shoot out between the Rhino and Ranger 700 XP. The ranger didnt fare too well in the test with problems like smoking belt, engine braking that is dangerous going down a steep hill, and a piece of the foot throttle broke and was later fixed. I have had a Rhino since last May and it hasnt had a problem yet. I changed the c.d.i. and can now top out at 50 mph, checked by a g.p.s. Down here in Texas the Polaris brand isnt too popular. Have a goodun!!
Posted by: BigShep
I have the kubota and im scared to take it off road its just not built for it, but on the farm you cant get a better machine. If your lookin to have fun off road then i would get the rhino great power speed and 4x4 the ranger is not bad its just to bulky.
Posted by: Cordell
i have owned a 6x4 gator gas, 2x4 mule gas, and currently 4x4 mule diesel and kubota rtv 900. i havent ever owned a ranger but if i had the money now i would get the ranger 7000 efi, b/c the kubota is built very strong but has no power and is very slow and rough, the mule diesel has a lot of power but isnt built very strong, the gator i wouldnt reccamend to nebody, from my research the ranger is the best all around vehicle
hope this help
Posted by: msnunes
I'll second the idea about the older Mules. I have the 2510 4x4, first model year, use it on a ranch, and everything has gone wrong at least once before. I've always expected it to work like the "offroad" vehicle that it is (or should be), but I guess I was wrong. It's only used approx 300 hours per year, most of the last 11 years has been broken down 25% of the time, and costs roughly $2000 per year to keep up. Could have bought a whole new one almost twice along the way.... Now, after I've learned all the hard lessons and compensated for everything, I CAN make one last, but don't want to try anymore. Chronic overheating problems, can't drive it in mud withouit ruining all it's u-joints, and goes thru 1 or 2 belts a year. Remember, I only use it on weekends. I consider myself an amature Mule mechanic now, with all the problems I've dealt with. I even installed a second radiator under the seat to keep it cooler. But enough of that one....
Drove a Kubota, too utilitarian for my tastes. Drives like a tractor, the power steering is nice, as is the hydraulic dump. But I wasn't fond of the cab layout, and just can't get used to the hydrostatic transmission...
So I'm getting a Ranger 4x4 -- hopefully a more off-road friendly version of what I need. THe 500 has more that 50% more HP than the Mule and should ride a lot better. I don't need to haul a lot more than my normal gear, but I DO need to handle steep and rough terrain. Also has a nicer cab...
BTW -- According to a Ranger forum site, the XP 700 model has some serious overheating problems. Apparently that motor is just too hot for the vehicle. Owners report a lot of "melting" of various plastic parts, as well as a really HOT seat. Potentially dangerous I think...
Posted by: nopain
I bought a 2005 polaris ranger 700 xp this thing is a tank ! goes just about anyware! its a little big for trail riding but with sum classy driving u just make your own trail its awsome! it only has 14 hrs on it so far but great speed top end & low . i installed auto meter fantum gauges oil,water temp,volt meter. this thing has 52 psi for oil press. at an idle ,but it is still new . i have sume good stories about this thing but we will save sum for later!
Posted by: froggy68
well, it took me several weeks to chose, but i chose the ranger 500 4x4, the new 700efi was too jumpy off the throttle(wife didnt like it). i have a ton of kids 5 and 1 on the way, some already ride, so the rhino was out(2seater,small cargo) didnt care much for the finish on the rhino, plastic skid plates ,the bed was kinda cheap, and absolutly no protection over the radiator, the other models are ok but wont do what the rhino&ranger will do(recreational) no one mentioned ez-go, or the club car new4x4, their not bad, club car has an aluminum frame, ez has a galvinized frame , they may not ride or go as fast but they will last forever, honda air cooled motors, well thats my 2 cents. see ya on the trails Froggy
Posted by: froggy68
I have had my limited edition 700xp for about a year now-some things are impressive -some not,, power -impressive,,, ride - incredible,,,, looks-great, hauling-will pull a house down,,, reliability-well soso,, the belt drive broke a belt at 150 hrs leaving me on the side of the road with kids for about 2 hours....and I really dont trust the machine- they can't be trashed on like a 4 wheeler,, they are great for putting or crawling around-- but forget getting sideways in one--ahh smell the belt slipping-- it sucks for real hard riding(nothing beats a shee) ya if your a real putting around kinda person this is for you-it will climb up a freaking wall also.... the shifter in and out of gear is kinda clunky--- If they put a 5 spd with a shaft it would be one bad machine--but all belts suck- no matter how hard they try to play them up.....I m going to sell it- I am moving to indonesia(bali) in three weeks-- wonder what I can get over there? whatever it is it will be shaft drive! My sons 250ex has been beat on and beat on-still running...... hey is honda coming out with a machine? Frog
Posted by: somebeach
If you want the best ATV/RUV/4X4 get a Pinzgauer. Its street legal and will go places it has no business going. They were designed 30 years ago for the Swiss army. Todays 4x4's are just starting to use the technology they developed. Pricey.... but what the heck clean out the garage and get one vehicle that can do it all...BR>And a Polaris MV7 fits nicely in the back for those lil' side trips if you have to have something different...
Posted by: 06predss
I have a 05' Ranger XP 700EFI 4X4 and it does it all. I am so pleased with it. My friend has the Rhino and it is fun to play on but not so good when it comes to the chores. My 700 ranger is 2 MPH faster than his Rhino on top and they come out of the hole about the same. He has the Grizz. CDI and I have the Sportsman 700 CDI. My ranger tops out at 52 and his Rhino at 50. I work and play on mine but mostly hunt. He only uses his to trailride.
It all is up to the way you will be using it. The Ranger IS the best all around machine. Speed,power,work,play,EFI. If all you want is to play and trail ride get the Rhino. (just dont plan on taking more than one person with you)
Posted by: ajomulerider
I have owned a Kawasaki Mule 3010 4X4 Camo for 6mo and really like it. I use it alot and have hauled some heavy loads and even pulled a small motorhome about 1.5 miles . I street legaled mine and use it to go on service calls that dont require the use of a large tow truck. As for the top speed issue I disabled the gov and can run about 35 MPH but didnt reall buy it for speed but rather for its durability. I hope this info helps you decide what you want. If its for work there is nothing better then a Mule but for play you should consider the Yamaha Rhino.
Posted by: gervs1
The prowler is a nice machine, it's got 14" aluminum wheels, it's got a air/water tight bin under the hood to store stuff and it's got some cup holders...that the rhino doesn't have...but on the other hand it's 6" wider than the Rhino...alot bigger
Posted by: hillclimbingrecon
i have a 2006 john deere gator and al i have to say is that it realy depends on what you will be using your machine for because if you are all work like HARD work I would get a gator,kubotaormule but if you are in to play i would get any of them.Also what type of trails would you ride dunes,forests mud cause all of these machines are almost as big as a mid sized truck and trust me you do not want to be goin over 15 on any tight trails or else you will just put a big dent in your brand new machine.If you were riding dunes I would get a rhino or there is a new artic cat prowler its like a rhino just a diffrent engine .But if you were riding mud i would get a gator or a ranger.I have had my gator 2 and a half feet of mud and i got out.so what you have to do is see what type of riding you are goin to be doin and then choose the one that is best :}
Posted by: hillclimbingrecon
well what are your riding conditions.
Posted by: KJE
GET A RHINO THEY CAN PULL UP TO 1,200 LBS THAT IS PLENTY AND THERE RIDE IS AWSOME. NEVER BY A POLARIS THEY ARE UNRELIBLE
Posted by: TheBlackPearl
I used to manage a Kawie and Polaris shop.The mule is very reliable,and the ranger was always being worked on.When it came to my purchase I owned a Mule first and then realized it wasn't enough and bought a Rhino.I love it,I haul 800 lbs. in the bed all the time as well as trail ride in the mountains every weekend.It is the best UTV built to this point.Of course this is only my opinion,but keep in mind I worked at a shop for many years and saw the issues daily with Polaris.
Posted by: msieb
I have two kubota rtv's, one with 1200 hrs. & the other with 2000 hrs. I have had no
problems with either machine beside basic maintenance issues. The machines are worked
hard by people that do not care about them at all. If this is unproven to you I would love to buy
something you consider proven. Kubota is not a speed machine by any stretch of the imagination,
but reliable it is. The only recalls so far have been a fuel cap & front drive shaft yoke(because it
was rattling). I personally dont care which one you get it is just hard to sit back and read what
appears to be ill informed posts. Good luck, Oh by the way I love my grizzly.
Posted by: MULEDESTROYER
I OWN A MULE 3010 E3 I ALSO OWN A RHINO 660. MY UNCLE OWNS A GATOR 6X6 AND ANOTHER UNCLE OWNS A MULE 3010 TRANS DEISLE. WICH I HAVE LOGGED MANY HOURS IN ALL THREE. THE GATOR AND MULE ARE WORK HORSES PLAIN AND SIMPLE. THE RHINO WILL PLOW SNOW VERY WELL AND HANDLE A FAIR AMOUNT IN THE BED. THE MULE AND GATOR CAN REALLY HAULE AND SKID SOME STIFF.
THAT ASIDE THE MULE AND GATOR WILL BREAK YOU BACK IF YOU PLAN ON TRAIL RIDING. THEY ALSO HANDLE LIKE CRAP ON TRAILS BECAUSE OF THE SUSPENSION AND LACK OF HORSEPOWER. THE RHINO ON THE OTHER HAND HANDLES LIKE A RALLY CAR ON DIRT IT ALSO HAS GREAT 4WD. THE RHINO HAS THE REAR WHEEELS LOCKED AND HAS THE OPTION OF A PUSH BOTTON 4WD AND PUSH BUTTON FRONT LOCKER FOR MUD AND WATER. IVE GOT THE RHINO UP TO THE SEATS IN WATER AND IT JUST GOES, THE MULE OR GATOR WILL DROWN.
MULE AND GATOR = NO FUN
RHINO = AWSOME TIME
Posted by: MRKII
Here's a quick reference comparison chart on some of the most popular recreation utility vehicles, but it doesn't list the Kubota or John Deere RUV models. Recreation Utility Vehicles Comparison. Makes it a little quicker and easier to compare some of the main specifications & features between some models.
