ATV and forestry

[SwampDonkey]

Cost $$, don't need it. :D

[Walnut Beast]

I've got a Polaris General and it is a absolute workhorse. The downside is the box size 

[SwampDonkey]

Looks ideal for me because I don't want a heavy load, any more than a couple wheel barrows of wood when manoeuvring in less than straight cutting trails going around hummocks and wet spots.  Don't want to tear up the ground. ;D

[snowstorm]

The general box is smaller than the ranger

[snowstorm]

When we were in Alaska two yrs ago we went on a atv tour. This outfit had at least 50 rangers. They didn't have ps and they steered fine. They also had some new Kawasaki mules. They said they stood up good but were ruff riding

[SwampDonkey]

Only thing I see different on full size versus the straight 570 is the cab frame is a little different, 2" wider and 0.5" higher. But costs $200 less, no idea why. Must be a promo model or something.

[snowstorm]

There is a 2 passenger or a 3.  55or60 wide. Looks like the price is a bit higher on your side of the border

[SwampDonkey]

Last spring when I was cutting firewood along the road, a neighbor drove by in his pick up and said he has a side by I could borrow. I don't borrow anything. And I really didn't know what he meant either. :D But this spring I seen him running it putting out his bait barrels. Then now it finally comes together. :D :D

[SwampDonkey]

2020's must be wider cause on their site it's 58" for the basic model.


2020 Polaris RANGER 570 UTV | Polaris EN-CA

Exchange rate, but $2200 difference. Exchange rate is just another tax method in my book. :D

[Walnut Beast]

Looks ideal for me because I don't want a heavy load, any more than a couple wheel barrows of wood when manoeuvring in less than straight cutting trails going around hummocks and wet spots.  Don't want to tear up the ground. ;D

You would love it. It's comfortable just like a car. I've got aftermarket upper half poly zippered windows and they can be up or down in less than a minute. I usually have them rolled  down but if it rains or gets cold there up in less than a minute. The Polaris General heater has duct work just like a car if you get it. And your comfortable below zero easy. I sprayed my 70 acres with Grazon & Remedy with a 12 ft spray boom. Trees coming up are a problem. The trees I was spraying where small to many patches 1"to 2" and 9' tall and larger.  No problem! Put in low range and drive over and spray. I've got over a mile long trail through my woods and the General is a joy to work in and drive around in. I have had a Polaris Ranger, Razor, 2 Sportsman's and a Kubota RTV with full cab heating/air conditioning. The Polaris General is hands down the best all around unit by far. My German Shepard (Diesel) has pretty much got his name on the passenger seat. He is crazy about riding in the unit. 

[SwampDonkey]

No I was talking about the Ranger 570, I wouldn't over fill it. You can get heater and all the extra windows/hard doors for it to. I just want front, top, and possibly poly on back. I'm not going to be out in the winter here, only on foot or snow shoes. :D

[celliott]

If you aren't totally sold on a SxS, maybe consider a 6x6. They will considerably outwork a regular atv and come close to the SxS's in capacities. Same width as a regular atv, just longer. 
We use can am outlander 6x6's at work now. In the past have used Polaris sportsman big boss's. Very capable machines. Dump beds.
We've carried 100 gallons of diesel fuel/tank in them before. 700# spools of cable. 
I personally like the can am's better (better thought out and designed 6x6) but I think maybe Polaris did a better job with their latest 570 big boss. They definitely are cheaper than can am. But for awhile Polaris was the only game in town for 6x6's so they didn't need to try hard. 
They don't turn as nimble as a 4x4 but I don't really know how they compare to a utv for turning radius.

[SwampDonkey]

I believe the Ranger 570 SXS is going to do it. It's just going to be used to bring out firewood that is already cut up and split, then I just toss into the pickup. Now I can reach back further from the road and beats a wheel barrow. Will last me long enough to realize fire wood isn't fun anymore, in maybe 23 years. :D

[gspren]

I have my Kubota rigged like you describe, hard top and windshield, no rear window and working around the farm at low speeds I can't see that a rear window would benefit anything. I added 8" high wood side boards so when hauling split wood I could stack a bit higher.

[Old Greenhorn]

Hey Swamp, if you have changed gears to a ranger I think you will really like it. I went for a ride with Bargemonkey in his up his skid trails on one of his wood lots and the thing is a beast, much more power than my mule and great ground clearance. And those trails were not highways! ;D I had a good grip on the roll bar and my right foot jammed against the door frame. :D My Mule would not have done them just because of the depth of the water bars, the mud wallows, and  the steepness, such that you lost sight of the road at times. I remember thinking that Ranger was a really nice rig, but the box in back was smaller than my Mule. Still, a very nice rig. You should be happy with that.
 The doors and back window are really nice if you are out in the weather, for wind and rain protection. When I am out cutting wood on a 'not so nice' day, I take my breaks in the cab just to get a break from the wind. I wouldn't be surprised if you added something a year or two down the road and maybe look for soft doors. I take my doors off in the spring and put them back on in the late fall. Keeps the heat in when I am plowing. Good luck with it!

[SwampDonkey]

Yep. And I have all kinds of rail/fence post sized softwood around me to make curduroys across them mud zones. They aren't deep because I have drove a full sized pickup across them before. I don't want to tear the land all up. My thinning for firewood is to help the growth along but also get some new stuff coming. Right now the ground is bare of trees in under that dark canopy. I've thinned it all once and that was complete in 2011. Everything is closed in again. It needs another round. It works because the fir has rings the size of my pinky, so double that for diameter each year, even the ash grows fast. Sugar maple probably is the slowest in diameter, but sure grows fast in height. I take any stick of wood down to 2" so the brush is low to the ground and easy to toss off any trail if need be. A few years and brush is soil, mostly gone before 10. I do rather like cutting small wood, a lot less splitting. But fir and popple is easy. Spruce and tamarack splitting is a work out. I do have a hydraulic splitter at the house.  ;D

[thecfarm]

A sounds good.We all need a way to get wood out of the woods. 
I haul rocks into my wet holes. Seem like every time I make a new woods road, I find a wet hole. The rocks works for a uneven place too.
I too take my brush down small too. I try not to leave a piece of wood any longer than 2 feet. Gets it down on the ground so it will rot quicker. Than if I do have to drive through my brush, should not have a piece that is sticking up either. I even run the saw up and down the limbs at times too. Yes, does take more time, but it does look a lot better when I am done.
I do hate to tear my ground up. I hate and I do mean hate ruts.

[snowstorm]

i knew the general xp got wider for 20. didnt know about the ranger. usually its to make the a arms longer for more travel and a better ride. 

[62oliver]

Just a reminder, the OP was looking for something with budget of $2500

[SwampDonkey]

Yep, it's an older thread and has morphed into other options. ;) Made two posts in 2011 and ain't been back unless lurking now.

[mike_belben]

I went for a ride with Bargemonkey in his up his skid trails on one of his wood lots and the thing is a beast, much more power than my mule and great ground clearance. And those trails were not highways! ;D I had a good grip on the roll bar and my right foot jammed against the door frame.

Yeah i had a grip like that just riding in his service truck around town.  Drives like theres an armed husband on his tail!

[Old Greenhorn]

Yeah i had a grip like that just riding in his service truck around town.  Drives like theres an armed husband on his tail!

:D :D I am not suggesting he has experience with such things, however, it does make one ponder.  :D :D
 I did follow him from one of his working jobs down to the shop and was a tad pressed to keep up. It's different when you are driving roads you know in your sleep as opposed to going around that corner for the first time. 
 I am sure if you rode in my truck on the way to certain type of fire call you would have had a pretty strong grip on whatever you could grab. ;D Not always, but there are (were) some calls you KNEW time mattered and you could make a difference. They were rare and most times I would drive 'normal'. But I get it. These days I mostly just cruise so I can see what's going on.

[62oliver]

Yep, it's an older thread and has morphed into other options. ;) Made two posts in 2011 and ain't been back unless lurking now.

Ooops, sorry, didn't even notice that, haha. He must have it sorted out by now.

[SwampDonkey]

Bought the 570 Ranger SxS today, hopefully have it by next weekend, they had to order the better tires and won't be in before mid next week. 8)

[Walnut Beast]

Bought the 570 Ranger SxS today, hopefully have it by next weekend, they had to order the better tires and won't be in before mid next week. 8)

Should be a nice unit for you👍. Keep us updated