UTV thoughts

[gump]

I am considering purchasing a UTV for around the woodlot...more of a working toy.
Really come down to two machines  Honda Pioneer 1000 or the Polaris Ranger 1000.
My only two thoughts are Price..Polaris way cheaper, but I am worried about reliability. Honda is direct drive and proven to be tough as nails.. Anyone own either one or have any thoughts. Any input is appreciated.

[wisconsitom]

Son had the Polaris.  Sold it after 2 or 3 years to support a new baby.  Thing was fast, powerful, very comfortable ride on bumpy ground (far beyond say, my Toyota 4Runner!).

We had no mechanical issues with unit during that time.  Very nice machine from what I could tell.

Haven't looked at the Honda.

tom

[Randy88]

I'd be glad to sell a used polaris with heat and a cab, so I could go buy a good used or new Honda, if that tells you anything, so if your interested in my used Polaris, don't read any further, if your considering buying someone else's Polaris, then by all means keep reading.  

Around here the Honda has the reputation of the machine to buy, nothing else compares to the quality and durability of a Honda.   

My Polaris I bought used, the dealer had it more in the first six months than I did, when the warranty went off, I took it somewhere else to be fixed, been in about every shop around at least once, a couple shops it knows its own way to get there, a total lemon from the word go.  

We take care of our stuff, don't abuse it and service it regularly, the Polaris is just not a very well designed machine, my son used to work on them and fix them, he warned me not to buy one but I didn't listen, a big mistake on my part.     Don't think mine has much over 400 hours on it or about 5000 miles at most, must have spent about what I've paid for it now in parts alone and its back in the shop yet again with a coolant leak this time, think its trip number four on the same coolant leak issue, two different shops.

My old Honda four wheeler has over 3000 hours on it and other than regular service and many starter rebuilds, its all original, know a few Honda's with over 15,000 hours on them, not miles, hours and they are still going strong.        

Every Polaris around me has had issues, most are gone now and traded, those remaining will be traded for as one told, anything else, just as long as its gone from his property he didn't care what else came back, it wasn't going to be a Polaris, my sediments exactly.    

Not sure what your planning on doing with it, but Polaris would be the last brand to consider, Jd gators are good, Kubota's are also descent, Honda's are what is liked around here for those using them, and Yamaha is also well liked for those using them.     A few guys like the CanAm's and my service shop loves that brand it seems, they claim they are the best built besides Honda, have no clue, just what my fix it shop is trying to get me to trade for, but they don't sell any of them new, they only fix all brands.    Best of luck on whatever you get, for the price of them, I'd consider a good used pickup.  

[Old Greenhorn]

If those are your only 2 choices, I would go for the Honda. For myself, I run an old Kawasaki Mule and love it. Steel dump bed, carries 800# pounds easy, skids 2,000# logs, has a full cab, some heat (enough), winch, etc. It's my logging truck, 4WD, locking diffs, etc. It ain't fast, but it does what I need and more. The Kubota's are nice too, but pricey. I am cheap, got mine for $500.. The engine was in 4 cardboard boxes. took a few weeks to figure that out and some new parts, but it runs like a top and plows well to boot. (Pics in my Gallery.) Just look at what you want to do, and then find the best fit for that.
 Good Luck!

[wisconsitom]

Love them Bobcat, Kubota, Deere units.  Just make sure you get the tires/suspension for your intended use.  A lot of the gators, Kubotas, etc. I see are set up for pavement, packed gravel, etc.  Not all, but many.

tom

[WV Sawmiller]

   I don't know about the mule but I use and badly abuse my Kawasaki 650 Prairie 4 wheeler and it has been a real workhorse. I rolled it more times than I want to think about and flipped it end over end twice, not something I'd recommend BTW, and every time I righted it and kept on driving. I've replaced the plastic body on it twice. I snaked out a bunch of basswood logs off a steep slope yesterday and moved a bunch of them today with the log arch behind it till I killed the battery on the arch and had to quit for the day.

   If their Mule is anything close I'd sure give it a look.

[whatwas]

We looked at them all and it was between the Mule and polaris. We wanted something that was 90% work and 10% play, than we went to look at the Kubota's. 500cc twin liquid with a narrow enough wheel base to fit in a pick-up, hydra-static trans and its a kubota.  

 

[Tin Horse]

I'm also considering a change to a UTV. Right now I have a BRP 500 Outlander. It's been great. However my son has a mule and I've gotten to like it a lot. I really only use it for work. You can throw lots of stuff in the back and it we take a heavy load.As I age and hurt it's even easier sliding off that seat to open and close gates. The Mule rides pretty hard when empty though. Price wise it's better than others.
A buddy let me try his new loaded 800cc Deere a few  weeks ago. Great machine and incredible ride but it cost over $20,000.
The wife said no. At least for now.

[snowstorm]

in march of 17 i bought a new polaris general. after looking at all the others. 3 honda dealers said i would not be happy with there 1000. this is what they said . its down on power. the ride isnt as good. the dual clutch trans in auto mode hunts gears all the time. use the paddle shifter its not quite as bad. and they didnt like the seats. the kawaski was kind of interesting until i watched the video of changing the belt. and it didnt have the hp i wanted. the only thing that has been done to my general is polaris replaced the drive line. that got rid of the front end noise and they replaced the doors because some had problems. we also have a 15 ranger 900 xp that has heat and doors with power windows . i dont care for the seats and yes there are heated. 4500 miles tires gas and change the oil . thats it nothing wore out or fell off. as far as but its belt drive. nothing wrong with that. they stand up to a 168hp rzr and the same with snowmobiles. could a belt break yes it could. they are $200 and takes 20 min to change. the honda i was told if there trans broke it had to be shipped to japan to be fixed. polaris owns the sxs market around here there only competition is can am 

[randy d]

We have had a John Deere Gator 625 I and it was a very good utv my nephew has it now and it is still going strong. We now have Polaris Ranger 900xp a lot faster has great power we run the heck out of it in the woods hauling fire wood skidding logs big logs hauling saws chains gas just about any thing you can fit in the box. the bad it had the most annoying whine when we went slow between 5 and 10 mph the dealer finally got it fixed I think if we were to buy a new one John Deere would be the first pick don't know who would be second. hope this will help you decide. Randy

[Mooseherder]

If dust is an issue the John Deere with cab is a great machine.  The price is up there though.

[Pine Ridge]

I have always ran honda 4 wheelers, currently have a 350 rancher I bought new in 2002, put gas in it and 4 or 5 new sets of tires , change oil once a year, no problems whatsoever, good machines. We bought a 700 honda pioneer in September 2016, so far no problems with it either. I have several friends that have the 570 Polaris , they all like them. We looked at the 1000 Hondas before we bought our 700, decided the 700 was big enough for us. We test drove the Hondas at the dealer, I would test drive the honda and Polaris at the dealers before you buy and pick the one you like the best, I don't think you will go wrong with either one of them.

[gump]

Thanks for all the input. Although this would be mainly a work machine, i will want to play a bit as well ( 60/40). I too have a 2001 Honda 450 foreman which all I did was change oil filters & tires brakes!! Hoping that Hondas new side by sides would be as durable. For the play part of me I am ruling out the Kubota and Gator. I will now also look at the mule and BRP defender. They are all a lot of money!! Easily can add up over $30,000 canadian $ fast! 

[snowstorm]

just buy a ranger northstar. that way you will have heat and ac

[Dakota]

I bought a 2018 Pioneer 1000-5.  I love it.  Before, I had a Pioneer 500 for use around the ranch, and a Can-Am Maverick 1000 for ripping on the trails.  I wanted one machine that would do both, so I bought the Pioneer 1000-5. It does really well on the trails and is fun to drive with the paddle shifters. 

[petefrom bearswamp]

my work horse, Kubota rtv900.
Notice my custom roof and plexiglas windshield
No heater or other gewgaws, just plenty of power, and load capacity.
Sips fuel, cost 12g in 2012.
Not for you speed demons tho only about 25mph tops, but cant achieve that in the woods anyway.

[gump]

Pulled the trigger on a new Can Am Defender XT HD10. I added a few options and wanted the Camo edition which was not in stock. Hopefully pick it up next week! Revisited the other brands again and  decided on this one. I'm sure I will be happy with it. Thanks for all the input and getting me out looking at other options.

[Tin Horse]

Pulled the trigger on a new Can Am Defender XT HD10. I added a few options and wanted the Camo edition which was not in stock. Hopefully pick it up next week! Revisited the other brands again and  decided on this one. I'm sure I will be happy with it. Thanks for all the input and getting me out looking at other options.

Good for you. I'm sure you'll love it. That's the machine I'll probably trade up to with my Outlander if/when the wife lets me. ;D

[Dakota]

That's a good looking unit.  Does the bed tilt?

[randy d]

Sounds great keep us posted on how you like it we have a Can AM dealer about 30 miles away never know that's what we may buy when the  time for a new one comes.  Randy

[Warbird]

Pulled the trigger on a new Can Am Defender XT HD10. I added a few options and wanted the Camo edition which was not in stock. Hopefully pick it up next week! Revisited the other brands again and  decided on this one. I'm sure I will be happy with it. Thanks for all the input and getting me out looking at other options.

You'll like it.  I picked up a 2016 Defender XT HD10 a few months ago from the local dealer.  He was receiving the model year 2019's in and made me a very good deal on the whole package (UTV, trailer, + snow plow + all assembly).  The thing is a beast and a great workhorse - plowing snow, hauling wood, towing whatever.  Also fun to take hunting and fishing.  
Did you get one with a cab?  I just couldn't justify the added cost so just got a half windshield.  I eventually plan to get a snorkel kit for it, cause we sometimes ford creeks up to a couple feet deep.

[TreeStandHunter]

Polaris will serve you well if you do moderate work with it. My brother in-law has one that has broken 1 time but he was attempting to skid a tree, not a log...a tree. Failed at the clutch and was a $800 fix. Other than that he has beat the hell out of that thing and it has been great, has been sunk once in a deep mud hole and literally had the intake fill with water while running, we pulled it out and drained the soup from the oil pan and let it dry out for a day, that was 4 years ago and it's never had an issue still. I'm sure the Honda would be a more powerful and reliable unit if you are planning on doing serious work with it, but for what the ranger is made to do it can't be beat.

[gump]

Warbird, I did not get the full cab, but I did get a full windshield (hard coated) with half doors. I was leaning towards 1/2 windshield, but after last weeks cold weather ( -20 ) I decided on full windshield with the rear soft window. I also added a dome light, USB port, LED light bar and the back rest/ bed wall extender.
I found that the bed did tilt more easily than the Honda. Looking forward to getting it.

[Old Greenhorn]

If you got the full windshield, you should Won't regret it. Rain comes in through the front when you drive in the warmer months, snow and cold in the winter. Does it come with a wiper? If not, start looking for something. Rain isn't too bad, except at night, but if you are out in the snow, or plowing, visibility gets to be a real problem. For me, it's not so much 'where am I going?' and more of "where is the edge of my plow and where is the edge of the drop off?"
Good luck with your new machine, it can make life a lot easier, I love mine and it's an old war dog. DO yourself a favor at some point and buy the shop manual for it. These guys charge like crazy and not all of them to top flight work. It's not rocket surgery. :D

[bigred1951]

Has anybody had any experience with the mahindra roxor they look like the old Willy's jeeps. A dealer close me has a few.