UTV ? for you guys.

[Trav]

OK, Hear is the deal. On my lease I have 1 a couple stand in the woods and then I have 1 that is in a hay meadow that borders a 300 or 400 soybean field. Now all of these are a a fair walk from a quarter mile to almost 3/4 of a mile and I really have no problem walking to my stands when hunting in fact I kind of enjoy it. To get to these stands I walk along the bean field then peel of into the woods to get to those stands at different intervals. My issue is when it's time to fill the feeders or do work on the stands or shooting lanes or drag a deer out I have to drive my truck along the bean field and it gets pretty impassable when there is any moisture at all. So I have been thinking about some type of UTV, actually because of where my lease is I might could get away with driving it to my lease if I am sneaky. It's about 10 miles but mostly back roads.

My question is this, we have a few farm supply stores around here (Atwoods, TSC ect) and they always have these off brand UTV's for about half what a name brand (Polaris, Kawasaki, Yamaha Ect). These generally have name brand engines such as Kawasaki, Suzuki and Kohler so it seems the engine would be fine but what about the rest of the unit. would these be worth buying or would I be better off buying a 4 or 5 year old brand name?

[Bwana]

Sorry but I'm of no use on this issue. Then again that probably holds true on many issues. ;)

[BarryBobPosthole]

Me neither. But you shoulda bought Boh's when you had the chance.

BKB

[Niner]

I've looked at the one's outside our TSC. Home Depot has gotten a couple of orange ones out there now also. From what I can see of them just sitting there, they look very cheaply made.

My BIL has a diesel-powered Kawi Mule. It's a nice machine, and has served him well for a number of years now.

[Captain]

No help here sorry. I've always had John Deere Gators. I'm on my 5th one now. I've had 4X2's 4X4's 6X4's and I can tell you all of them have been horses!

Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner

[Big Muddy]

Depends on your budget and how much you plan to use it.
If occassional use, and not real muddy, then go with a good solid used one....preferably, from someone you know and trust.
Otherwise, if you're planning to use it a lot, and in a lot if mud, and keeping it for a long time, then you might want to pop for a new one like the Polaris, Gator, Kubota, or Arctic Cat. I haven't seen the Kawasaki's hold up too well down here in our type mud.
If you plan on using it in any mud, at all, stay away from the battery-run types like the Bad Boy.
All those batteries make them VERY heavy, and easy to bog down and get stuck. They're great for what they were designed for, however....dry roads, to ride on quietly, during turkey season.

When buying anything mechanical, new or used, I always consider the ease of finding parts and service, too....that's a major consideration.

[LW]

If you arent going to be using it for anything but running around a hunting lease then probably any of them with a decent engine would be fine. My only first hand experience is at work with them. We have a 6 wheel gator and a 6 seater polaris ranger. Both are good rigs and have been used extensively and both have been very dependable. But the Ranger is just preferred by most of our guys. They havent torn up either of them and if a group of firemen cant tear something up then it is solid. On a side note, avoid the polaris razor. Total death machine. I brought it to the station after we bought it and quickly took it back and traded for a Ranger. Way too fast.

[Buckrub]

Trav, go to the drugstore and get ATV Magazine. They honestly rate them all, and do a good job.

[Big Muddy]

LW, funny you should mention the Razer....saw an old guy with his young girlfriend, riding around the lake bank a few weeks ago....they were flying like a bat outta hell, prolly 50 mph, and hit a wash-out.
They went straight up in the air, but fortunately, did not flip end-over-end.
Looked like they were gonna bounce forever, but he finally got it under control.
His girlfriend was still cussing him, when I left. ;)

[Buckrub]

I want the gator, but I want the 825i...........the little fast one. I don't want fast, I want nimble.

You guys with big farms and open fields, a big heavy machine is good and sturdy. But for us that have to go through deep and thick woods, nimble is the key.

[Niner]

Another consideration.....depending on your terrain.....might be a jacked-up gas-powered golf cart.

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