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Posts: 469
Location: Downers Grove, IL | Although my wife says I'm crazy, I'm seriously looking at buying a side by side. Anyone out there have any recommendations on brands, types, etc? I've been checking out the Polaris Ranger 800 EFI for both sport and utility. How do they handle on the ice, slush, deep snow, etc? Also, do you know of any local dealers that are overstocked with these things? Thanks in advance. |
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Posts: 366
| My best friend has the Ranger Crew 800 with a full enclosed cab, heater, and Camoplast Tatou tracks that he can put on in the winter time making it virtually unstoppable. He pulls ice houses around with it and trailers, etc. He loves it, other than with the full enclosed cab it is very loud inside, and with the tracks the speed is fairly limited. The Ranger and all the accessories was pretty pricey.
We have two John Deere Gator 825i's that I drive a lot. They'll go through more than I originally expected them to. I haven't tried them in more than about 10" of snow, but they went through it like nothing. I did get one stuck in some serious wetland swamp mud last spring, due to the fact that I ran out of trail and had to turn around in tight quarters. With the winch on the front and my wife at the wheel we were out in a few minutes, but needed a serious hosing off. Other times, I've powered through many other spots that I thought we might get stuck. They'll climb some pretty serious hills. The center of gravity is pretty low considering the ground clearance. I've had them up over 40 mph, which doesn't seem like a lot, but feels like your flying on those aggressive tires and gravel roads. I've launched my Dad's 16' boat with one in a pond with some pretty soft soil.
They are a lot of fun and enable you to do quite a bit with them that a 4-wheeler won't. There are still times I prefer tearing around on the 4-wheeler, but if I'm doing anything more than messing around I'm behind the wheel of the gator.
Ryan
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Posts: 4053
Location: Land of the Musky | Won't have the money for a few more years but I have done a lot of research into the 900 rzr 4 seater and 2 seater. Fantastic reviews. If I can find a used one with a set of tracks I will get those too but new tracks for these are $5000 alone. Yikes but you can go almost anywhere with the tracks and with a winch you can go anywhere. Drove one earlier this year and I was in heaven for about 10 minutes 
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Posts: 2865
Location: Brookfield, WI | Wait. You're married?
Kevin |
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Posts: 477
Location: Iowa | We had a Polaris and John Deere on our construction right of way this summer. The John Deere would haul more payload, easier. Seemed like more of a workhorse. The Polaris was fun. It had more speed and was just funner to drive. They both went through the swamps and muddy areas pretty good. It took a pretty bad spot to get either one stuck. If I was getting one for work it would be the John Deere. Play, would be the Polaris. |
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Location: Eastern Ontario | In Ontario ATV's are legal on the roads except for major highways but side by sides are classed as utility vehicles and are not so a lot of guys around here after getting tickets are going back to ATV's |
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Posts: 3240
Location: Racine, Wi | MuskyHopeful - 12/14/2011 5:17 PM
Wait. You're married?
Kevin
I tried to warn him, but he wouldn't listen. 
Dude, we're looking at double wides. Is that comperable? hehehehe |
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| Side by sides are way overpriced in my mind. You can spend virtually the same on a jeep wrangler and go pretty much the same places and drive it on the roads. my buddies have atv's and side by sides we do an atv run every year and I use my wrangler and have yet to go anywhere they do |
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| Has anyone used one for plowing? Looking to retire in a couple years to where we have a cottage by Rhinelander and several people have said this would be a good all around tool, use it for hauling firewood, using the winch to pull out the lifts, taking it on the ice for fishing and finally, for snow plowing. However, a guy I work with used to sell ATVs when he first got out of college and he feels they are a poor choice for plowing. However that was over 15 years ago and I am guessing some things have changed. |
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Posts: 425
Location: Roseau | Plowed all last winter with a RZR, worked great. Cant stop the things, will push snow right into the cab! I liked it more than a 4-wheeler, body more protected from the wind. |
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| Thanks, I appreciate the information. Since that would be a big part of what I would used it for, with a long drive way, glad to know they work. |
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Posts: 131
| I've had experance with the RZR Robbie Gordon edition fast as heck but not made for the woods , the 800 EFI , the Ranger 6x6 its a tank and I personaly have the big boss 6x6 which I love for getting around in the woods with . The 3 side by sides I mentioned above have a habit of burning out belts . If you carry heaver loads in low it helps but it still happens . If I were to get a side by side I would check out the rhino or can-am . |
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Posts: 13688
Location: minocqua, wi. | i like the razrs too and am an ice-fisherman first so not interested in any of the trail riding. i'm told you can run them on some trails though, so for sure an impressive machine. i've done the same research and my conclusion has been for an ice-fisherman the most aggressive unit for getting into and out of rough stuff and pulling power in ice/ice-house situations are to buy the 700-800 atv's with tracks. still a big $$ ticket ... |
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Posts: 373
Location: Maine Township, MN | Check out the Ranger XP HD (heavy duty) and add the Polaris accessory Boss plow and you'd be set. If $$$ were not option, add a cab and tracks! |
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| As luck would have it, I stopped for gas at a truck stop near Sun Prarie on Sunday and they had a Kobuta 4X4 on display. 2 cylinder diesel. Thing was huge, built like a tank. Now, if I would somehow win the lottery, and have an extra $15 grand, that would be one to consider.
Edited by North of 8 12/19/2011 9:23 PM
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Posts: 167
Location: Ontario | Polaris RZR or Canam Commander |
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