ATV vs Side-by-Side

Wife wakes me up Sunday am, telling me "we need an ATV."

Cool!

She wants it for our property in the mountains, I'm hoping this means she is getting more comfy with the idea of moving.  She likes the idea of for hauling a picnic up to the high point on our land.

I was thinking I could use it to move firewood, maybe plowing(?) but also secretly thinking about ripping around our trails having fun.

I think NARROW is good, lots of places on our trails that might require cutting some trees to get through. Is the such think as a single seater with a bed? Regular ATV with a trailer?

I looked and was stunned to find these things cost as much as a crappy econobox car.

Pros and cons of each style? What brands do you like? Any input welcome.

I've had both an ATV and side x side. IMO get a side x side but not a full sized one, go mid-size. Of all my ATV's (had every make you can imagine) for utilitarian use Polaris makes the best one. If you were racing I'd say go Honda. My side x side is the Polaris 570 mid-size. Why I feel Polaris is the best: they have grease fittings, disc brakes all the way around, framing is tube vs boxed (tubed is stronger), have skid plates as standard, reliability and durability. My machine truly is punished and it's never let me down. Being the mid-sze I can ride all the snowmobile trails around me as well as go anywhere a ATV can go. The widths are virtually the same. The usefulness of the dump box is endless. I'll never have an ATV again, side x side only here.

Mine is a 2017. It was 10K out the door including front and rear windshields, a roof, and a under seat storage box. A couple things I wish I had done different are: I got the plexiglass windshield, get real glass. Mine are scratched to hell. Also, with glass you can get a windshield wiper. Now I wish I had one. I'd also recommend power steering as that would come in handy while plowing and tight maneuvering. I'd also recommend the nylon vs the steel cable for the winch. I put a bigger and more aggressive tire on for hunting. I got stuck in a swamp once and swore that was never going to happen again. So far it hasn't.

https://ranger.polaris.com/en-us/ranger-570/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIjIqzp_vy6QIVhorICh0IIARvEAAYASAAEgJ3GPD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

I have seen used Tacoma's for under 8k and the A/C still works..Just saying

One thing I forgot is side x side can not be registered. It's some grey area w/ DMV. Put a orange triangle on the back and you're good to go. I run mine all over the place. It's my main source of transportation when I'm home. I take it skiing, to Trax, to the store, etc etc.

That's my dream ride

I worked around a John Deere gator and a Kabota RTV.  The RTV did a really good job plowing. For the money I think a little loader backhoe will give you more work time. Fun factor gator was great.  I have none so I think camp probably knows what's best.

The Gator and Kabota are 💯 true work horses. I have one neighbor with a Gator and another with the RTV. We ride and have work days together so I'm very familiar with them. If you want a true work machine then get one of those. They suck ass for trail riding, but if all you do is cut and haul wood with it that's the machine you want. I think they top out at 25mph. The ranger will do all the work they will do and it goes 51mph. They can pound the trails too.

I think when Harv moves to the North country full-time is when he should get a tractor. Then he'll realize it truly is a must if you have land.

JasonWx wrote

That's my dream ride

I had a 1984, just like that one but red w/silver stripes. It also had a triple chrome rollbar, KC lights, a 3" suspension lift,  w/33's runnin tall 💪

Great truck!

4yrs old w/2K for miles

Great info all.

Shaman said this one was the schizz for my needs, I think the mrs is smitten:

https://atv.polaris.com/en-us/sportsman-6x6-570/

Nice machine right there. Only one passenger, ranger will handle two. I'm glad he recommended the 570. The newer 570's have the same hp as the old 700's. It's all you'll ever need.

Agree with Camp on everything. If you got property in the country there’s a few things that are a must. A chainsaw a UTV and tractor with bucket. I’ve had a UTV for 20 years, my first being a Polaris 500 that’s still going. My second a CanAm 1000, all you need is a 500. Hardly a day goes by I don’t use one or all. Don’t know what you would likely use it for but I put a electric dump on mine, saves on my back.

scrundy wrote

 Hardly a day goes by I don’t use one or all.  

That is SO true!

Shaman has a tractor and swears by it. Our lot is 99% wooded so not sure how much use I'd get out of a tractor.  The UTV could roam.  Would need some trail widening in spots I think.

Passengers... hmm.

scrundy wrote

Don’t know what you would likely use it for

Moving firewood, bringing the chainsaw around the trails to clear deadfall, maybe plowing(?), riding for fun.

Harvey wrote

Shaman has a tractor and swears by it. Our lot is 99% wooded so not sure how much use I'd get out of a tractor.  

 

That's where you'll use it. You'll skid logs with it. You'll also mow with it. You'll end up with one, Harv. I just know it.

I mean I'm not disputing it since many adk friends have a tractor. But I have maybe a 10th of an acre of grass, the septic field might be half of it.

No plans to log our land. Wood heat will remain for the cabin, but house will probably be propane and something else. The amount of wood that falls on our trail will be enough for firewood.

Question, do these vehicles have reverse?  Like if you come to a dead end and you need to turn around.

Also I see some atvs that have "descent control." Is that where the engine engages to slow you down on a downhill?  If so, I like that.

scrundy wrote

Agree with Camp on everything.

Hahaha. Sig worthy.

Yep, you'll have reverse as well as a high and low range. Most of the time hill descent = engine brake, so you would be correct. Mine will "freewheel", just like a snowmobile does when the clutch isn't engaged. When I'm going down a steepish hill in high range I tap the gas to keep the clutch engaged which then acts like a engine brake. If I'm in low range it's a non-issue. I wouldn't let a machine having or not having hill descent be the deciding factor for a purchase. Tapping the gas will accomplish the same thing. IMO.