Thinking about getting a SXS UTV

[Crow Hunter]

I am sure some of you guys own or at least are enthusiasts of UTVs.

I currently own a 2007 Honda Rincon and my wife owns a 2009 Honda Recon.

Except when we go somewhere, my Rincon almost never gets used around the house. Occasionally I will use it to pull the trailer with stuff on it but not often. The Recon gets the most use. It is a pain in the rear to keep up both of the machines, especially since the Rincon, which is parked behind my mower, is used so seldom (it only has 500 miles on it).

It is also a pain when we go somewhere because I only have a 5X8 trailer. So when we go, I have to load her Recon into the back of the truck, then hook up the trailer and load my Rincon on the trailer and reverse it when we get where we are going.

If I can talk my wife into it (she really loves her Recon), I am thinking about getting some type of a SXS. It would be mostly used for low speed trail riding in the woods with the occasional creek ride or riding at Turkey Bay OHV park in Kentucky or riding along the Mississippi river but not as often as woods riding.

Having some storage on board would likely make it much more useful as that is one of the complaints that I have about my Rincon, if it won't fit in the rear bags, I have to try and strap it to the front racks and then it sometimes falls off. Or I have to hook up the 5X8 trailer and tow that around. Integrated storage would be really cool. I don't know that I need a dump bed though.

Well, anyone have any ideas/favorites?

[TXBK]

If you are looking for a machine that is mostly for pleasure, I would recommend a Canam Commander or Polaris RZR. I have a Commander 1000 that is mostly used for working, rather than pleasure, and it has performed very well for me. I prefer the Commander, because it has substantially more bed space and storage than the RZR.

[C-grunt]

They are huge out here as recreational vehicles for trail riding. Every weekend you'll see probably 5 side by sides for every Jeep and Toyota out on the trail. Amazing machines but damn are they expensive.

[Crow Hunter]

If you are looking for a machine that is mostly for pleasure, I would recommend a Canam Commander or Polaris RZR. I have a Commander 1000 that is mostly used for working, rather than pleasure, and it has performed very well for me. I prefer the Commander, because it has substantially more bed space and storage than the RZR.

How is it on durability/belts?

My brother had a RZR and I wasn't all that enthusiastic about it. It spent a lot of time in the shop and he didn't abuse it. First time he took it out, I had to tow him back and pull him onto his trailer in the first 30 min we were out... Left a bad taste in my mouth. I also really didn't like the fact that you had to stay in the throttle going down hill to keep from freewheeling. Some of the land I own has some fairly steep hills with bumps and when I would hit them, I would accelerate even faster down hills (tapping the throttle) or my foot would come off the throttle and I would speed up. I could use the brakes but I prefer to use engine braking with the brakes as a backup.

I have never ridden in a Commander, how does it do on hills?

There is a CanAm dealer that I drive by on my way to and from work. I may stop by in there but they don't have any hills I can drive up. :)

[soulezoo]

Based on your stated preferred usage, I will second the Can Am Commander. It neatly splits the difference between true work/utility and sport. There is a lot of customization that can be done as well.

All of them do get pricey. It's cheaper to buy and maintain an old Willy's!

On edit: Crow Hunter, the Commander has the most usable power in its class (I think it is 85 hp!). So compared to the other SxS's (in it's class) the hill climbing is very good. This is not to compare it to say a sport quad of course. I have to qualify it that way as when I am at Sand Mountain, one hears of all sorts of ridiculous comparisons.

[TXBK]

How is it on durability/belts?

I have never ridden in a Commander, how does it do on hills?

Mine is a 2012, and I picked it up second-hand in 2012. It came from Mississippi. The previous owner mainly had it in mud and water. Air intake and differential are both snorkeled, which is good for the engine and belt. It is lifted a few inches, with larger than factory wheels and tires.

I haven't had any mechanical issues, whatsoever. I certainly haven't abused it, but it gets worked fairly hard. I haven't performed any maintenance during the time that I have had it, but that is coming up shortly. I will be changing all of the fluids and the plugs, myself. Due to a lack of trust in dealerships, and to dodge the high dealership cost. I haven't had any issues with pulling hills, mud, or sand. The main aspects to not smoking the drive belt is to use the appropriate range for the condition, don't drive for extended periods at the same speed, and don't try to be too easy on the throttle when taking off.

As with anything else, there are specific forums for each brand of UTV.

[brickboy240]

We have both a Polaris Ranger and a Kawasaki Mule out at the family ranch.

Both do duties like hauling hay and pulling trailers full of brush and feed sacks. They also do double duty as hunting vehicles and hauling kids and friends around for fun.

The Polaris has been a little more troublesome than the Kawasaki but neither has had any real major problems.

I also, personally, own a Honda Foreman ATV and it too is worked pretty hard on the ranch, hauling things and being my personal get-around vehicle. The Honda has been the most reliable and is also the oldest of the bunch. Honda ATVs and motorcycles, in my experiences, have been the most reliable. I have owned two Honda dirt bikes and you could not kill either one. LOL

If I were in the market for a SxS....I would go to the Honda dealership first. Mostly based on my good experiences with Honda products.

[TXBK]

There is no doubt about the reliability and dependability of Honda powered small engine machines, but I'm not sure about their SxS offerings. Some features that you will definitely appreciate, other than space, is the performance of the suspension and the quality of the seats. You for sure want a machine with bucket seats if you are going to be riding for an extended period of time. A bench seat is great for working and getting in and out, but no good for trail riding.

[brickboy240]

True. It all depends on what you are wanting to do with the thing. One SxS is not going to be great at working AND playing.

In my experiences with two Honda ATVs and two Honda dirt bikes is this. Honda bikes are not the biggest or the fastest and they might not have the features of other machines...BUT...their build quality makes up for this. They will run forever and give you no troubles if you half way take care of them.

My Foreman 450 is a 1999 model and the damned thing still starts on the first try and runs great and had not had a major part replaced. It sees a steady diet of pulling hay bales, trailers full of brush and bags of range cubes and dragging dead tree trunks. In 100 degree weather and in the dust and the mud.

A Honda ATV is much like a Toyota pickup. Not the biggest or baddest but they have Glock-like reliability. LOL

[C-grunt]

I got a buddy that does mechanic engineering and destructive testing of here in Az. Basically things like "drive this motorcycle on the oval track at 120 mph for three full tanks of fuel" kind of stuff.

He tested the new Honda UTVs and was very impressed with its ability on the trails and it's reliability.

[GH41]

"It would be mostly used for low speed trail riding in the woods with the occasional creek ride or riding at Turkey Bay OHV park in Kentucky or riding along the Mississippi river but not as often as woods riding"

The Kubota 900XT is a hoss. Spent some time on a friends in NC hill country. A hill?? What hill! It's not fast but it will pull any hill.

[wildcard600]

True. It all depends on what you are wanting to do with the thing. One SxS is not going to be great at working AND playing.

In my experiences with two Honda ATVs and two Honda dirt bikes is this. Honda bikes are not the biggest or the fastest and they might not have the features of other machines...BUT...their build quality makes up for this. They will run forever and give you no troubles if you half way take care of them.

My Foreman 450 is a 1999 model and the damned thing still starts on the first try and runs great and had not had a major part replaced. It sees a steady diet of pulling hay bales, trailers full of brush and bags of range cubes and dragging dead tree trunks. In 100 degree weather and in the dust and the mud.

A Honda ATV is much like a Toyota pickup. Not the biggest or baddest but they have Glock-like reliability. LOL

Even better than a Honda, Get a toyota UTV !!!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v684/wildcard600/Yaris/9146c302-02bd-4ae8-a08d-3f9e3e019059_zpsiwntfyq2.png

[RazorBurn]

I worked as the service manager of an Arctic Cat dealer for seven years up until two months ago. We serviced all makes and models, and I've seen all all makes and models break down. In my professional and personal opinion, you can not beat a Honda, Yamaha or Kawasaki (pretty much in that order) for dependability and durability. I wouldn't hit a dog in the ass for a Polaris, and now that Arctic Cat has gone away from centrifugal clutches (2015 and up) I wouldn't hit one of them either. Can Am makes a pretty good product too. If you want raw horsepower then Can Am, Arctic Cat and now Yamaha offer it in their hot rod versions.

Now, if you buy one to submarine (sink in mud/water all the time), then you are playing with mechanical failure fire.