Choosing a Side-by-Side

RobertJ · #1 07-14-2007, 09:11 PM

I'm looking at buying a side by side, but I have no experience with them. I currently have a Kawasaki Prairie 400 Atv and it is all the experience that I have with Atvs. I am looking for something to use around the farm to move trailers and check sprinklers. The trailers are not that big and I can move them with my Kawasaki just fine so I shouldn't need anything too big. I also want to be able to explore trails above a friends cabin. I have heard that the Polaris Ranger is good for farm work but not so good off road and I have heard that the Rhino is not so good for farm work but good off-road. Those are the only ones that I have heard about but I am willing to look at others.

dwaters · #2 07-19-2007, 12:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RobertJ

I'm looking at buying a side by side, but I have no experience with them. I currently have a Kawasaki Prairie 400 Atv and it is all the experience that I have with Atvs. I am looking for something to use around the farm to move trailers and check sprinklers. The trailers are not that big and I can move them with my Kawasaki just fine so I shouldn't need anything too big. I also want to be able to explore trails above a friends cabin. I have heard that the Polaris Ranger is good for farm work but not so good off road and I have heard that the Rhino is not so good for farm work but good off-road. Those are the only ones that I have heard about but I am willing to look at others.

You need to also look at the new Polaris RZR. It should be starting to show-up at dealers about now. The Polaris Ranger is definetly more of a work machine than a play machine. The Yamaha Rhino was built to serve both purposes, both sport and work. The new Polaris RZR is pure sport although it does have a 1" reciever hitch so you could potentialy hook up a trailer to it. But the rear bed is much smaller than the Rhino and does not have dump capabilities.

As far as trails the RZR is narrower than the Yamaha Rhino in stock form if your trails are not wide. But if you are riding on wider trails or roads either is going to fit just fine.

Just remember a side by side, even the smaller RZR, is not going to be able to fit on all the trails that an ATV will.

Billy Bob · #3 08-14-2007, 10:35 AM

a little more details about your *work* would help some. what kind of terrain do you ride? drove polaris's and i **PERSONALLY** dont care for the down hill freewheelin attitude they have. but im in eastern tn with mountains so the engine braking of the rhino and the smaller size was attractive for my family. I have had to mount a seat and rear cage in the bed for the daughter but thats a trade off of a 2 seater. the polaris is a bench seat with room for 3 if its needed. however, i do use the rhino for work everyday on the farm. if i put several hundred pounds in the bed on the rhino, it DOES make the front wheels light and makes turning harder because of the lack of traction on the front and the spool in the rear keeping it live drive. no spider gears in the rhino. yes it does tear up the grass when im in the yard, but i honestly do not worry about it, its just less to mow. wbhere are you located? best thing to do is go riding with somebody who has either one that your interested in and see which one better suits you. also check out RUV - Recreational Utility Vehicles - UtilityOffRoad.com, theres TONS of useful info there that im sure will help ya decide. if your close to eastern TN, come on buy with the quad, we'll go for a good ride, you can drive a 07 rhino and check it out...
BiLLy bOb

dwaters · #4 08-14-2007, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Billy Bob

a little more details about your *work* would help some. what kind of terrain do you ride? drove polaris's and i **PERSONALLY** dont care for the down hill freewheelin attitude they have. but im in eastern tn with mountains so the engine braking of the rhino BiLLy bOb

You know the engine braking is the ONE thing that I am not thrilled with on the RZR. Like the Sportsman machines it has a tendency to freewheel on steep down hills. The brakes seem to hold it fine but I sure would prefer engine braking. I can get the engine braking to kick back in if I give it just a little throttle but sure not the preferred method.

Billy Bob · #5 08-14-2007, 02:57 PM

dwaters,
your exactly right, with a little gas, it will spin up and then hold back. both are great machines as well as the mule, the bobcats, kubota's and all the other utv's out there.

robert,
how about a little more info on the trails you want to check out? kind of work you might do with it? riding style? for example, if your a 5-10 mph type guy, a kawi mule might be fine and dandy for you. if your a 30+ mph guy a ranger, rzr, rhino or prowler might be more along your line.

there is just too much unknown to me, for me to say go buy a rhino just cause i have one. researching your needs to the machines capabilities is the best way to decide. if you have access to some, take em for a test drive.
just my .o2.....
BiLLy bOb

RobertJ · #6 08-26-2007, 08:51 PM

The work that it is used for is an almond orchard in California so it is flat and there is no need for engine braking what I did need was low profile. I ended up getting a Rhino 450 since it had a removable roll cage for work in the trees and a $2000 cheaper price tags than any of the other ones. So far it has done everything I have wanted it to. I have not had a chance to take it on any trails yet but I think it will do fine.