SxS UTV's

StG58

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Orygun, the wet side...
Went to the John Deere Dealership to pick up some parts with a buddy of mine over the New Years break. They, of course, had a zillion different tractors and implements out in the yard for sale. Off in a corner there were some Side by Side Utility vehicles that I was looking at while the buddy was getting his parts order squared away. Wow, just wow. I've ridden and driven some on various friend's and relative's places before, but they were all older and much more "used" shall we say.

I got to looking at some of the spec sheets laying around and they read like a TJ fantasy build. Continuously variable automatic transmissions, Diesel engines, 4x4 (or 6x6) drivetrains, front and rear electric lockers, armor, carrying and towing capacity, seating for two, three or four, front and rear winches, lighting, tires...

Anyone mess about with these things? I've never really looked at them outside of the context of agricultural or forestry use. They look like they'd rock off road. As in nasty, ugly no road places. A LOT cheaper than a JL Rubicon too.
 
Ahhh, speaking of continuously variable transmissions (CVTs), our 2015 Outback has one. I wasn't sure how I'd like it at first, but after living with it for a year, I have to say that it's the best thing since sliced bread. So smooth, no shifting at all, and just a joy to drive.

Slightly off-topic, but sort of related!

Now back to the matter at hand...
 
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Ahhh, speaking of continuously variable transmissions (CVTs), our 2015 Outback has one. I wasn't sure how I'd like it at first, but after living with it for a year, I have to say that it's the best thing since sliced bread. So smooth, no shifting at all, and just a joy to drive.

Slightly off-topic, but sort of related!

Now back to the matter at hand...
No, that's on topic... I've eyed CVT's before but never really worked up any interest in them other than "oh, that's cool". So the CVT in your Outback worked pretty well? Did it do anything that a good geared automatic wouldn't?
 
I have an 2009 Rzr. They are a blast! I use it for all kinds of things. They are opening up more Forest Service roads for them here too (hard to believe in California). Been on a poker run in Nevada, they let us drive through town to get back to our camp. Explored some ghost towns in Idaho, the really didn't care where we drove ( just don't get crazy). In some states like Utah you can make them Street legal...great for Moab.

IMG_20160206_163948951_HDR.jpg
 
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No, that's on topic... I've eyed CVT's before but never really worked up any interest in them other than "oh, that's cool". So the CVT in your Outback worked pretty well? Did it do anything that a good geared automatic wouldn't?

Oh, it works amazing. At first I was skeptical, but after living with it for a year, I love it more than any other transmission I’ve owned. It doesn’t shift, so it’s smooth and linear all the way to redline. It doesn’t drone or buzz either. I have to say in my opinion it’s superior to an automatic in every way. And the nice thing is that since it doesn’t have to shift, it leads to better mpg (one reason manufacturers are starting to put them in their vehicles). For instance, our Outback gets 27 mpg city and 32 mpg highway. That’s pretty outstanding for a vehicle that by no means feels underpowered, even with 4 of us in it going up a hill.

I guarantee if you get a chance to drive a CVT for an extended period of time, you’ll really like it.
 
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I have an 2009 Rzr. They are a blast! I use it for all kinds of things. They are opening up more Forest Service roads for them here too (hard to believe in California). Been on a poker run in Nevada, they let us drive through town to get back to our camp. Explored some ghost towns in Idaho, the really didn't care where we drove ( just don't get crazy). In some states like Utah you can make them Street legal...great for Moab.

Now if you could get that street legal, it may just be a decent substitute for a Wrangler, haha!
 
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I have an 2009 Rzr. They are a blast! I use it for all kinds of things. They are opening up more Forest Service roads for them here too (hard to believe in California). Been on a poker run in Nevada, they let us drive through town to get back to our camp. Explored some ghost towns in Idaho, the really didn't care where we drove ( just don't get crazy). In some states like Utah you can make them Street legal...great for Moab.
On our run to South Dakota last year we saw a ton of those things on the road. You'd pull up to get gas or munchies and there would be one or two parked out back and one at the gas pump. Well, OK, side roads, and we were traveling on two lane rural blacktop a lot. Didn't see law enforcement with any pulled over, so they pretty much just ignore them apparently. Variations of those things are all over farm country. Saw lots in the Dakotas, Idaho, Montana. Some are pretty beat, so they must hold up pretty well to constant long term use. The thing that intrigues me is you can snatch one up for less than half what the JLR is supposed to go for fully rigged out including a radio and a cup holder.
 
Here is a better picture of it.
View attachment 28110
One of the uncles had something like that. It had a cab and a tilt bed on the back. Used it to chase cattle on his ranch. I drove it a little, and it would go anywhere that you pointed it. No muss, no fuss.

Hey. Congratulations on winning TJ of the month! That was a good picture of your red TJ in the snow. Very appropriate for the season.
 
One of the uncles had something like that. It had a cab and a tilt bed on the back. Used it to chase cattle on his ranch. I drove it a little, and it would go anywhere that you pointed it. No muss, no fuss.

Hey. Congratulations on winning TJ of the month! That was a good picture of your red TJ in the snow. Very appropriate for the season.
Thank you!
 
My dad has a ranger, with a dump bed. It's pretty unstoppable...4x4, 900 cc winch, plow, cvt, etc.

You can make them street legal here in Michigan. They are all over in the upper peninsula. Everyone has one. Like even those people who can't afford their rent every month on their dumpy little trailer will have a $20,000 4 up side by side. I don't understand it, really. To me, a wrangler is a much better vehicle for anything i can do with a side by side. That's just me though...
 
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We have the Hatfield and McCoy trail system near us, 600 plus miles, mild to wild. Very ATV,UTV friendly towns all around that cater to that crowd.

The new Polaris RZR comes with a 168hp turbo :thumbup:..... crazy.

That's more than most economy cars and within 20 of my TJ. :confused:
 
We have the Hatfield and McCoy trail system near us, 600 plus miles, mild to wild. Very ATV,UTV friendly towns all around that cater to that crowd.

The new Polaris RZR comes with a 168hp turbo :thumbup:..... crazy.

That's more than most economy cars and within 20 of my TJ. :confused:
That's almost 40 more than my four angry squirrels. lol
 
A few years back I went with a group of friends to the Houghton Lake, MI area and rode quads and a RZR800 two seater along the snowmobile trails and the 48" clearance trails. The larger four seater or an S model (I think) have a wider stance and aren't rated for the tight trails, but it was a lot of fun in early April when we went. Funniest thing is watching someone try not to get their butt soaked when crossing a deep creek or flooded trail!
 
I have a friend that fixed up a Rzr 900 that would do 72 mph and he said that scared him a little. Now he sold it and just bought the Rzr Turbo 1000! I asked him "how fast do you want to go in the dirt!?". He just smiled. Crazy!
 
They sound like a blast but cost more than my TJ???....I know apples to oranges comparison. I know when I had a vacation house in the NE Poconos in PA, people where towing their wave runners with brand new ones...they were driving $35,000 worth of UTV and wave runners (sometimes X2) in their vacation homes.