your prefered ATV brand

[Captain Clark]

The wife is wanting a SxS UTV more and more these days so I took her out to have a look. There are some nice rides on the market these days from all the manufactures no doubt! We have Honda and Kawasaki wheelers that have served us well but are going to do the side by side thing this time around it looks like.

My son that works for the US Forest Service has already weighed in on what they use and what they detest, but I won't taint the water at this point with his or mine opinions on different brands.

I will say the Can-Am Commander has caught our eye at this point!

 

So whats your experience both good and bad on the current crop of SxS ride?

 

 

[G W Wade]

My son has been running a Polaris Ranger for several years with no problems.  Even swaps it out  to a set of tracks for tough conditions   GW

[Assassin]

I have a Kawasaki Mule 610. It works well. Use it to set up matches and haul stuff around the house. It'll pull a pretty heavy trailer. As for getting into the cab, it's very easy to just slide in from either side, other units you have to step down into the cab and it's tougher to get out. It's not fast, if I want to go fast I'll break out my dirt bike. 

The 610 will fit between the wheel wells of a pickup. 

[largo casey #19191]

I just bought a Kawasaki Mule.Seats 6,.Works great for what I need.

                                                                                                                                Largo

[Trigger Mike]

I used to have a Kawasaki Mule 4410 but traded it for a John Deere Gator.  I have one for me and one for my wife.  some of the older models had a transmission linkage problem that seems fixed in the new ones.  If you are join got do a lot of deep mud riding then get better aftermarket tires but if through puddles then all it well.  deep puddles are fine, deep mud not so much.  on the road is excellent.  can go 45 mph.  had John Deere install blinkers and drove it from my house through a little town nearby and was fast enough to be at the speed limit.  fairly smooth ride.  the two seater holds 6 of us if the other 4 are children.  the Mule was too base for my liking.  the gator has more gauges and just seemed better.

[Shotgun Clay]

I have a Honda Pioneer 500 I use here at the ranch to move traps around and anything else that needs doing.  Love it.  It is small, and will go many places a larger machine can't (it will fit in the bed of a full sized pickup)  It also uses driveshafts instead of a CVT belt, so it is very precise at slow speeds (no jerking).  Also has a 5 speed transmission, which can be used in either automatic or manual mode (paddle shifters)  Uses the same motor as the Honda Foreman ATV if I recall correctly.  Only downside is it comes with a rear rack, not a dump bed, so it's not great for yard and garden stuff.

 

This said, many of our clay shooters have Polaris SXS and like them, Yamaha is also popular.  A couple folks have Can Am as well. 

[LawMan Mark, SASS #57095L]

Dad had an Artic Cat side by side ATV.  Extremely rugged and powerful, but pricey to work on.  I know the Polaris Ranger are good units.  Several friends have them.

 

[Tennessee Trapper Tom]

I have a 2006 Kawasaki mule diesel 3010 4x4. I use it here on my mini farm and down on my hunting property. It has the same engine as my 1998 Kubota tractor. I’ve never had a problem with it. Normal maintanance. It still has the original battery and starts everytime. Stays outside year round not garage kept. Seats are the only thing that shows wear. Main reason is our outdoor cat used the seat as a claw exercise. I’ve been many times in the woods with friends on ATVs and been able to negotiate going places they couldn’t . A few I’d them flipped their ATVs and got injured. Roll cages are wonderful. 

 

Drawbacks are enclosures. Good ones are expensive. They don’t come with a windshield which can be a problem thrashing thru the woods, but that’s true of them all.  I paid just over $10,000 for mine and don’t regret it for a minute. 

 

The market is is full of new stuff, most more expensive than what I paid. It really depends on what you want. If you want to rock and roll at 50+ miles and hour go gas. If you want dependability, and a workhorse go diesel.  Just my cents that I suspect you asked for

 

Note: any and all my opinions are based on personal experience and do not belittle the opinions of others. This is not an endorsement nor advertisement for a specific product. Refer all complaints to Yosemite Sam, my lawyer in all things related to the great outdoors. Specifically you will normally deal with the Roadrunner his assistant in all matters of calamity.

 

This opinion is based on personal experience and was requested by said requester requesting personal experience. This should not be taken as advise or recommendation. Alcohol use and pot smoking during the reading of this rendition of my personal experience will render all calamities null and void. 

 

Life is fer sure short. Enjoy while you can. Be safe

[Trigger Mike]

had someone tell me once the brand to pick is the brand that has a dealer nearest you to service it

[Perro Del Diablo]

Mahindra is building a Willy's jeep. will not be street legal but with diesel engine its got my interest.

[Happy Jack, SASS #20451]

I have 5 SXS units here.  2 Old Polaris Rangers. from back about 2000. Steel bodies. Can't kill them BUT the new ones aren't like the old ones. Have a Can Am Commander. Great bike. It has nice storage with the closed box under the bed and the open back. Very good off-road on the trails.  Have a John Deere diesel. Great bike. Sturdier and more storage in the bed than the Can-Am but not quite as trail worthy.  For off road serious trails have a Polaris 900S RZR. Absolutely amazing. Will go where you shouldn't be.  Newest bike is a 2018 Kawasaki Mule diesel. Slow, big, and wonderful here on the mine site. Bed is larger than any other one on the market. With the tailgate down is 4 X6ft. Can haul full sheets of plywood without falling out. Good off road but certainly not like the CanAm or the RZR. As for service: ALL of the bikes have done will. I expect the Mule to be the same.  On all of the SXS's we have a GOOD metal roof. Not plastic crap as the sun will kill them. Some have winches, but in 18 years have never REALLY needed one. A high lift jack, some rope or 1/4" cable, and a sling will do you fine.  For all of my single seat ATV's I only buy Honda. Have had 3. Still have 2. I don't care for their SXS though.  So my recommendation having put over 25,000 miles all together on SXS's is if you want a nice bike the CanAm Commander is a good choice. If you want the best off road a Polaris RZR.  If you just want a truck the Kawasaki Mule.

[Silvertip]

I have a Can Am defender cab that my wife and I 

love it. Has a big bed in the back for hunting or anything you need to haul and even has a heater for the colder months. We take the doors off in the hot months.

[Happy Jack, SASS #20451]

I will add a few more things to think about after many years of experience.

I am 6'1" my wife is 5"0".  Make sure BOTH of you can drive it. Things happen on the  trail, injuries, sick, etc.  Some of the bikes the driver's seat adjusts. Some do not. Also passenger leg room varies a lot.

Make sure you both sit in it on both sides before purchasing.

The "aw-shit" handle position varies. Some in the middle, some in front of the passenger. Some adjust for length others do not. I really like the one in the Polaris RZR.

On many of the large 1000cc units the rear axle is on swing arms. Fine on dirt and sand but rock crawling like we do a lot the arm can ride up on a boulder and you loose traction. Be aware of that when choosing the bike.

The new electronic power steering is nice especially after several hours on the trail. Also nice on rough rocky areas that tend to twist the tires. Not absolutely necessary but nice.

Plan on spending a LOT on aftermarket accessories. Roof, skid plates, A-Arm protectors, upgraded bumpers, spare tire and carrier if going seriously off road, mirrors, etc. etc. All of our bikes have from $600-$1500 of aftermarket stuff.  (not counting winches on some)

They are GREAT fun, and a lot cheaper than a boat.

[Matthew Duncan]

15 hours ago, Assassin said:

I have a Kawasaki Mule 610. It works well. Use it to set up matches and haul stuff around the house. It'll pull a pretty heavy trailer. As for getting into the cab, it's very easy to just slide in from either side, other units you have to step down into the cab and it's tougher to get out. It's not fast, if I want to go fast I'll break out my dirt bike. 

The 610 will fit between the wheel wells of a pickup. 

 

I also went with a Kawasaki Mule 610 SX.  Aggressive tires and sets up a bit higher.  Two setter so it will go on trails the wider three setters don't fit.   Black rubberized aluminum roof, Kawasaki front windshield.  Overhead (under roof) rifle mount with a winch  for pulling and lifting the snowplow.  4-wheel drive with rear axle lock.  Jut turned 100 hours.

 

As another Poster mentioned, keep in mind the distance the Dealer is from you.   My muffler broke at a weld with the first 20 hours.  Took pictures and emailed them to my Dealer (an hour away).  At my request they arraigned for a Saturday morning appointment.  I waited about an hour while they replaced my muffler, no cost to me. 

 

I added a CB SBB radio for just because.

 

Got a rear receiver on it too.  Hitch my utility trailer to Gray and load the mule.  Drive to the local SASS.  Unload Mule, unhitch the utility trailer from Gray and rehitch to the Mule.  Load the trailer up with steel targets and the Mule easily pulls them to where the Match Director wants them.

 

Mine is the black one in the middle.  The other two belong to coworkers.

 

 

[Shotgun Willie Nelson]

We've got the Polaris Ranger...About two months old now, No problems as of yet.

[DocWard]

9 hours ago, Country Wildman said:

Mahindra is building a Willy's jeep. will not be street legal but with diesel engine its got my interest.

 

I had to look it up. DANG!!! I WANT ONE!

 

https://jalopnik.com/the-mahindra-roxor-is-a-tiny-offroad-jeep-to-conquer-am-1823460351

[Captain Clark]

Thanks for the info so far.

I think that Happy Jack has verified what we like about the Commander. it seems to fit our needs!

We Own a Honda ATV so I know that they are hell for sturdy, but the newer styling doesn't seem to please either of us.

[JD Lud]

Kawasaki MulePro FXT was last one I bought new as we needed to hold six.  I believe it still has a 3 year warranty included....Polaris like 6 months and have to buy more coverage.

 

MulePro rode like a Cadillac...same 3 cylinder engine as the John Deere gator 825i.  Only bought the Mule over the Deere as needed 6 seats, but convertible bed would be handy.

[Perro Del Diablo]

10 hours ago, DocWard said:

 

I had to look it up. DANG!!! I WANT ONE!

 

https://jalopnik.com/the-mahindra-roxor-is-a-tiny-offroad-jeep-to-conquer-am-1823460351

yep be cool have a brand new cj2

[Colorado Coffinmaker]

Escalade.  Leather is standard.

[Lead Monger]

I have seen far too many Polaris sxs broke down or on the tail end of a pull rope in hard country to ever trust one. Honda has a record of reliability that can't be beat. That's why Hondas are not inexpensive.