UTV thoughts

[gspren]

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

Are they street legal?

[Magicman]

The Mahindra ROXOR is that brand-new sort-of-Jeep CJ3 you've been looking for

[John Mc]

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

Are they street legal?

No

[bigred1951]

From what I have read. They at almost street legal. All you have to do is install turn signals and tail lights and a couple other little things. Horn and windshields and other road legal stuff is already on it.

[gspren]

Probably wouldn't pass emissions to be street legal in most states, maybe it's federal.

[TKehl]

Or meet federal crash test requirements.

Not to say there aren't a lot of UTV's and ATV's running around on rural roads and 2 lane highways, but opens up a lot of legal liability.  

The words "gross negligence" comes to mind, which are words you never want to hear a prosecuting attorney say to you....   :( :( :(

[wisconsitom]

Kinda funny-whenever I'm up at my tree farm, an old Kubota UTV goes by down that road, one that needs a muffler.  I think I know which neighbor it is and this is an extremely relaxed area with regards to law enforcement.  Nobody cares, but yes, watch liability indeed!

We're near a trail-head, such that from a ditch in front of my land, one could drive trail all the way to Lake Superior.  Even though recreation makes up just .001% of why I want a UTV, it is a factor, given our location.  But I'd only ever need a slow-poke machine.  You can't go fast anyway on many sections of that trail, although there are some straightaway railroad grades.  Mostly work right on our property and ride the trails we have right there on our own land.

tom

[John Mc]

From what I have read. They at almost street legal. All you have to do is install turn signals and tail lights and a couple other little things. Horn and windshields and other road legal stuff is already on it.

It's also the EPA requirements. Different rules for off-road vehicles. They are street legal in other countries

[John Mc]

Kinda funny-whenever I'm up at my tree farm, an old Kubota UTV goes by down that road, one that needs a muffler.  I think I know which neighbor it is and this is an extremely relaxed area with regards to law enforcement.  Nobody cares, but yes, watch liability indeed!

We're near a trail-head, such that from a ditch in front of my land, one could drive trail all the way to Lake Superior.  Even though recreation makes up just .001% of why I want a UTV, it is a factor, given our location.  But I'd only ever need a slow-poke machine.  You can't go fast anyway on many sections of that trail, although there are some straightaway railroad grades.  Mostly work right on our property and ride the trails we have right there on our own land.

tom

If you are not trying to do rock-crawling or catch air flying over bumps in the trail, a work-oriented UTV will work fine for your recreation as well.

I own a couple of Coots - an antique UTV made in the '60s. Top speed is about 20 mph - it's geared for power, not speed. The only suspension (if you can call it that) is the fact that the tires are run at about 5 PSI. It does have about 12" of ground clearance and a smooth belly, which helps it get around. It's mostly a work vehicle for me, or checking out what is going on on my property, taking kids for rides, etc. It gets used when I don't need the power of my tractor, or want to show someone around who isn't up for a hike. I'm not saying this to convince you to get a Coot, just to illustrate that if your needs are not to fly through the air at 50 MPH, a "work" UTV can work out fine for recreational use.

[Woodpecker52]

I own a Kubota RTV 900 it is built like their tractors, well engineered, diesel, hydro trans, hydraulic bed, hydraulic hookups on rear.  It can pull a trailer load of firewood.  I use it mainly to haul a load of grandkids in the woods, since I like to walk where ever I go on my woodland. My dog rufus loves it. Bought it at an auction and replaced one strut on front end.  They make snow plows for the front, and disc, harrow for the rear.  It is tough as nails.  You do not shift the transmission but have L,M and H the top speed is around 25mph about like a tractor!, which it is basically a tractor with a different shell on.

[wisconsitom]

Thanks John Mc and Woodpecker-most helpful comments.  Just so you guys know, I've started a new "Best workhorse UTVs" thread, wherein I've mentioned that at this point-keeping in mind this is a dream for about 2 years from now...I've narrowed my search down to just Kubota and Bobcat.  My reason for this is that I've settled on 2 factors I want in any unit I end up with.  They are:

• Diesel powered
• Hydrostatic transmission

I appreciate John exactly what you say.....that without need to fly through the air on my machine, the work unit will also perform just fine in ride-giving applications.  And Woodpecker, like you, I prefer to be on foot!

Bobcat offers front-end PTO in their 3650 unit.  Pretty cool.

Thanks,
tom

[starmac]

I remember reading a comparison between a suzuki samari and all the utvs that were on the market at the time.
The little suk out performanned them in some areas, held it's own in the rest and was much cheaper and street legal to boot.

There are a couple of states that will license atvs utvs and those little foreign cabover pickup looking things. Montana is one of them, there is a guy up here that brought his up from Montana and goes everywhere in it.

[wisconsitom]

In my other UTV thread (sorry 'bout dat), I mentioned, we've been eye-balling Samurais and Trackers, etc.  It's another idea, but those things are getting older now....and maybe not much longer around?  If I'd see the right one, I'd probably check it out.  There's a guy right in my neighborhood's got one with no rear window, unit is all blacked-out.....pretty funky street ride he's got going there, with his ever-present cig wafting smoke out that open back window!

But yeah...that's another one to consider.  I'm just going to throw this out though....that compared to a really good UTV with knobby tires and proper suspension, loading, etc....the UTV would walk out of some mud or snow or rough stuff that would hang up the little street car.  Just conjecture....could be wrong.

tom

[gspren]

If you get the Trackor/Samurai get some aggressive tires and keep the air pressure down around 8-10 PSI, maybe lower. Much of the traction on ATVs and UTVs comes from running extra low PSI.

[wisconsitom]

Good point, gspren.  Baku in our Ranger days, I was impressed with the great ride that thing offered.  Much better than say....my Toyota 4Runner, which I often take down my lane and side trails.  Real low-pressure tires on that Ranger too.  Agree.

tom

[starmac]

I know a guy that has a (I may be wrong here) subaru justy. AT least I think that is what it is called, he has it stripped as far as possible, even doors, and is running atv tires on the thing. It is street legal other than the tires, but the last I knew the law has not given him any grief over them.

[gump]

Update: Windshield is on backorder!! Hopefully when all is said and done pick up around March 8th!! Disappointed and frustrated to say the least! I did switch out the windshield to glass with a wiper kit. 

[Old Greenhorn]

Update: Windshield is on backorder!! Hopefully when all is said and done pick up around March 8th!! Disappointed and frustrated to say the least! I did switch out the windshield to glass with a wiper kit.

This you will not regret. Glass doesn't scratch like plastic and that wiper is worth it's weight in bad weather or even when the dust gets bad (yeah, seriously, I have had that issue). Worth waiting for to get it right. Does the windshield flip open? This can be very handy in the summer heat because those little cabs can get pretty hot (assuming you have a roof). Best of luck with it.

[gump]

Yes Greenhorn, it does flip open. I am disappointed in timing, but you are right, at the end of the day I should get the machine I want & not regret the decision.

[Iwawoodwork]

as far as which utv,  we have a Suzuki Samari 4x4 that is as good as any of the quads-utvs we have, we have older used machines, 550 Kawasaki mule, 500 Polaris 6x6 atv, 700 Polaris 6x6 utv, 350 4x4 Yamaha warrier, and the 87 suzuki 4x4 samari which is street legal and was $1500 about 15 years ago when purchased and it will go where a utv will go.  What has been heard about  the cub cadet utvs? see that they have 3 sizes for sale locally, the  smallest 500cc at $10,000 then up for the larger 2.

[Crusarius]

the cub cadet is a hi-sun UTV. Rhino clone. It matches my Qlink frontrunner perfectly. and that is Hi-sun.

Mine has been a good machine for what it had to endure before I got it. When I got it the only thing holding it together was the 4" of mud on it.

[wisconsitom]

Yes those Cub Cadets look like another decent option.  I've talked myself into thinking I need diesel and hydrostatic for what I want to do with any prospective unit-haul logs.....so will keep looking at primarily Kubota and Bobcat at this time.....but my mind can change.

tom

[John Mc]

Yes those Cub Cadets look like another decent option.  I've talked myself into thinking I need diesel and hydrostatic for what I want to do with any prospective unit-haul logs.....so will keep looking at primarily Kubota and Bobcat at this time.....but my mind can change.

tom

I'm curious what convinced to to go with hydrostatic? I have it on my tractor and love it. They are expensive if you need to repair (Ive not had problems on my NH TC33D with about 1500 hours on it. I did abandon a Craftsman 26 HP garden tractor when the hydrostatic transmission started to go on it: too expensive to be worth repairing.) I'd have no major concerns with some of the CVT transmissions out there. I've heard other styles with belts that occasionally need replacing, but that is cheap and I can most likely do it myself.

To me, the big advantages of hydrostatic are: the ability to better match your drive ratio to the work you are doing, and do so on the fly (as compared to a geared transmission), and good engine braking on hills (the brakes on my TC33D are still in almost new condition, despite living in a hilly area). However, some of the other transmissions out there can provide similar utility, to me, it isn't so much the type of transmission as it is how well they've matched it to the equipment and the work it is expected to do (my Craftsman had far too wimpy a hydrostatic transaxle paired with it.)

[wisconsitom]

Engine breaking on downhills, ability to creep, better power transfer to load (at least, I think so) and the fact I've used primarily hydrostatic equipment for years now.  But you're right-higher initial cost as well as higher repair cost potential.  Most hydros seem pretty solid though.  Rarely seen that feature kick out on stuff I've used like Kubota tractors, loaders, etc.

That said, I do like the general aspects of the diesel version of Cat utv.  Has CVT trans.  Maybe I'm painting myself into a corner with hydrostatic.

One other factor is just what is available in one's area.  I go past a Kubota dealer every time I go to the farm.  Something tells me-and this is in my home-town-that I'll be stopping in to chat with those folks.

The unit I really like is the Bobcat 3600.

tom

[John Mc]

There is a lot to be said for going with a known good dealer. That can be as important as the brand - particularly for those of us who are not capable of rebuilding a diesel engine in our sleep.