This ought to be a fun thread!

I bought my Rhino back in Nov right before deer season. I bought it because of my deer huntin buddy. He has had one for over a year. I'd driven his a number of times and liked everything about it except the noise. I never looked around / shopped around for other brands. For hauling deer out of the woods and cuttin some firewood for deer camp the Rhino fills my needs just fine. I know little about the Rhino yet and less than nothing about all the others. Now to the BIG QUESTION: RZR's seem to outnumber the rest on the board by a good bit. What is it that you guys like about YOUR brand best? And what made you buy what you did over all the others out there. Not just RZR riders but for everyone. This should be very enlightning for me.

Your right... this will be a enlightning topic...

I've had all brands of wheelers so I'm not brand specific.

I bought the RZR because I am a very aggresive rider plus I grew up racing motorcycles and 4-wheelers. So the RZR was a perfect fit for me. Then I bought the Ranger to do the things you mentioned plus it has the full bench seat so 3 people can ride in it, also it has plenty of leg room for me... So without getting into alot of detail thats my take on why I bought what I did.

It was a toss up for me, I have never been a big Polaris fan but I am not brand loyal either. Who ever has the best product for me at the time is what I go with. When I got my Rhino the Rzr's were starting to show the problems with the top ends and I didn't want to be a test rider. The Rhino had been out for several years and was proven. I also like that I could turn it into a 4 seater (which I did). I will be the first to admit the Rzr is a great machine and I wouldn't mind owning one knowing what I know now about them...........SNORKEL it before you ride it and you will be fine.

I don't regret buying my Rhino and I will be in it for another 2 years or so, then pass it to my daughter and get what ever is best on the market at the time.

You will find a lot of teasing and picking with people bashing brands but most of us are just having fun with it. I will be the first to point out the weakness in any machine I own. With the Rhino, its under powered and the stock suspension sucks for my type of riding (somewhat aggressive).

:152:

Well i used to be an aggressive rider on anything i rode until broken body parts on my body ,age,and a " little bit" of wisdom hit me in the face real hard a time ago.I too am not brand specific.But i do an awful lot of riding by myself with no spcific destination in mind and not knowing where ill end up...just sort of exploring with tent and any needed survival gear in tow.So the rzr was the perfect machine for me.The single most important thing about the rzr was the fact that it is the ONLY sxs with a 50 inch width that gives me the capability to go pretty much anywhere on trails that the narrow atvs have created and places where there are no trails,just close trees.Yet at the same time it has the "gitty -up and go" underneath it for when i have those aggressive "FLASHBACK MOMENTS". The problems with those air intake issues are real but seem so common because people that have that problem report them . But you dont see all the others report that they dont have a intake problem.Ive never had that problem or any other major problem with mine and it is still completely stock.My compression is still RIGHT ON just as it was when i bought it. I LOVE MY LITTLE MACHINE!!!!!I bought this machine 15SEP07,My name is Kevin and im a ride-a-holic.

i bought my rhino back in december.went with it for a couple of resons. i can hall feed and hay out to the barn.i like the doors although small do help with mud. reliability is pretty good. price is right. the smallest with a dump bed utv. and availablity of aftermarket parts to make it do most of the things the rest will do.power down alittle but if i can't keep up out hear its not a power issue its susp.and handling.if i was still in the deserts of arizona than its all about horsepower and top speed. i like the polaris but damn there expensive. i could have got a good deal on a carberated kawasaki in texas but it was the wroung place at the wroung time. so the yamaha it is and it fits us just fine. i just need one of each and that would suit all my needs.oh ya forgot the ranger the best of all! it can haul the most beer!

I had a big Ranger for a year to ride so I could take my 2 boys and ride 3 people when they got tired of riding and wanted their own machine I sold it.I bought the RZR and them both a atv.I bought the RZR because I just trail ride and did not have use for a big bed for hauling and working I liked the smaller size of the RZR and the power and I'm not brand loyal.The RZR is the funnest machine I have ever owned :152:

Bobby D wrote:

I had a big Ranger for a year to ride so I could take my 2 buys and ride 3 people when they got tired of riding and wanted their own machine I sold it.I bought the RZR and them both a atv.I bought the RZR because I just trail ride and did not have use for a big bed for hauling and working I liked the smaller size of the RZR and the power and I'm not brand loyal.The RZR is the funnest machine I have ever owned :152:

Same here! It's funnest thing I have ever riden. My 68 year old dad loves riding in it with me. I thought I would scare the hell out of him but I guess he trust me lol...

I bought my full size Ranger in 2005 and just won't part with it. It has been dependable and worked and played hard without any issues. As much as I like the RZR, if I must be a one Ranger family, it will be with my full size. They are all good, but for different reasons.

When I switched from dirt bikes I bought a Sportsman 400 2 cycle, as I got more involved with 4 wheelers I stuck with Polaris and a 4 cycle Sportsman. Later I bought a full size Ranger, after riding the trails in the moutains, I got more aggressive and went and bought a RZR. Kept the 4 wheeler and the Ranger for working the trails and hunting. The RZR is for play.

After 30 some years of racing motocross two kids and a close friend begin paralized
I bought a ranger xp to mellow out a little. but got bored and bought a crf450
after a crash at 44 and 9 months of pain and one of my friends son begin paralized
I went back to the ranger then 2 of my friends bought rzr's they did not have the rzr out when I bought the ranger Running thru the tight woods with the rzr's my rollbar got tore up replaced it and several months later it was tore up again not counting my son rolling it twice. was jumping it on motocross tracks it was getting really messed up. So I went out and bought a RZR-S now I have the badest UTV made (stock) Love the thing it's a little tight on tight trails but in the rough it's BAD! I have rolled thru 1ft. whoops at 35mph with no problem the faster you go the better the shocks work just like a Honda CR . I love the trill of smoking thru the trails at speed or hammering a motocross track I just can't get it out of my system
The UTV just slows me down a little. Just wish I was 20 years younger

i first bought the rhino almost 5 years ago. at the time it was the only sxs other that the 500 ranger.i got it for trail riding and to use on the farm. it is still the best trail/work sxs made IMO.

i bought the rzr for a pure trail sxs. its fast and very fun drive. if i didt have a rhino i think i would would have bought a rhino over the rzr because i us it on the farm. but i love the rzr and im glad i got it. like others have said i think its the funnest thing i have owned.

People I worked with had quads. Always tried to get me to buy one. No time.
I moved in may. I now own ten acres (I live in the woods). Bought my 08 ranger xp to move my dad around when I bring him up (he can't walk and is in a wheelchair). Also, needed it for moving snow and working the property. I have a 72" glacier plow on the front and a 3 point cat. 0 hitch on back. Work the snot out of it and have a blast riding dad around. Just a little note; I was wiping the seat off on day and noticed the build date. It was built in 07 on my dads b-day. Weird huh. I specifically bought a ranger for the ease of my dad to get him in and out.

I was right! I know I've learned a lot from this thread already. With all the viewership I just wish more guys would chime in about what they like best about the rig they bought. I, like many others rode a quad for a lot of years before getting my Rhino. While they called my old Honda "4 wheel drive", as we all know it was really only "3" wheel drive. I don't know if Honda ever did come out with a front diff lock. But I gotta tell ya, there are places I really do think my Rhino would go that my quad wouldn't just for the difference in the front locker. Perhaps I don't have enough miles under my belt on the Rhino to make a statement like that but right now that's how I feel. I love this thing! The roll cage, 3 point seat belts, and that bucket seat sure make an old fart feel a lot safer than the saddle of a quad, whether I really am or not. I'm too old to have a whole lot of "Go Fast" left in me, so I don't miss all the speed. Comfort in King now! ha ha ha. Just like camping. I've slept on all the rocks and roots under a tent floor that I care to. If I can't get my trailer there, and sleep in comfort, I no longer need to go! Hardest part about all this is admitting to ones self that he's reached that point in his life where either his age or health or both have sneaked up on him to make him feel this way. Gettin old ain't for pussies, but it sure beats the only other choice I know of. HA HA HA. Thanks guys and I hope this thread keeps goin.

at 45 years old. you took the words right out of my mouth woodtick. that just summed up exactly how i feel about my rhino and sxs in general. due to expierance i could probly hang with most. but now its about comfort and fun. love the feeling and comfort of a vehical around you without the size and bulk of a jeep. another great plus on my rhino is the folks i have met on this forum in general. can't wait for warm weather and hook up with ya'll and do some trails and socializing. oh ya how is the Beer Hunting in wv? i've been honing my tracking skills. looken forward to slaying a few coor lites. or whatever is in season at that moment.

Here is my perception/opinion so take that with a grain of salt. These opinions are just kind of how these vehicles seem to fit my needs.

The Rhino is getting slightly and do mean "slightly" dated, but it still holds its own well. It is a solid compromise vehicle for utility and sport riding. It does both very well, although there are others that do each task specifically better. I am am a hunter and have a hunt club where it does work/hunting very well. Primary role is a trail rider though and I really like it for that too. My biggest beef is in the power department. It certainly has adequate power, but I would like to have more. Coming from ATV's you get used to a certain amount of power on tap. The 660 is great in a Grizzly but merely acceptable in the Rhino. The ride is still very good and ground clearance is also very good.

The RZR appears to be a better sport trail riding vehicle if for no other reason than power. It is also narrower and lighter. It appears to be more nimble and I'd guess probably handles better. To me it looks like it is lacking in storage space but I did see a nice big diamond plate box recently (I started a thread in the RZR section) that probably would carry whatever you wanted. I still would be apprehensive about the air intake without snorkeling it.

The Ranger's are excellent work and utility vehicles but to me have been lacking for trail prowess.....at least the older models. My brother has 2 of them and around his farm for hunting and work they are great. I've never been a big fan of them for just riding. Now the new one's like Simoniz's might be a whole lot better. They certainly look the part. I know he can still go most places the other SxS's can go. He and I got in a pickle one night where we had to cut our way out with the chainsaw, but this affected my Rhino too. I still have to hit Mark S up for a ride in that new Ranger.

The Teryx to me appears to be a pretty solid alternative to the Rhino since it is basically a slightly larger clone with more power. My biggest apprehension on this vehicle is how the 750 Brute engine seems to have eaten belts on the quads and I think as well on the Teryx. I think they improved this some but it is a concern to me. This is still a vehicle I will consider when I make my next purchase sheerly because it has more power. I want to see what Yamaha's new SxS is like and if the rumours are true about a new Can Am SxS. For now the Rhino serves very well.

See, this is just the kind of "Meat & Taters" kind of info I was hoping to get. One other one that for some reason we don't hear much about on here is the is the Prowler. I just looked up some stats on that bad boy and they have a 951cc V Twin that I didn't know about. Sounds like it ought to be a world beater. But dang, it's about twice the price I paid for my Rhino also. Anyone on this board have one yet? 1500 lb. tow rating and 600 in the bed were both pretty impressive.

What I like about this thread is everyone is speaking on machines they know and own. No brand bashing and no BS'ing just facts. Maybe thats why no one has mentioned the Prowler, not as many of them around. I know the main reason I didn't look at them is just the size.

I have not even seen one on the trial.... (Prowler)

Woodtick wrote:

See, this is just the kind of "Meat & Taters" kind of info I was hoping to get. One other one that for some reason we don't hear much about on here is the is the Prowler. I just looked up some stats on that bad boy and they have a 951cc V Twin that I didn't know about. Sounds like it ought to be a world beater. But dang, it's about twice the price I paid for my Rhino also. Anyone on this board have one yet? 1500 lb. tow rating and 600 in the bed were both pretty impressive.

I know Bobby D rode with one the other week and I was asking him about it. I totally forgot about the Thundercat Prowler since I haven't seen one in person yet. About all I remember about Bobby's comments were that it looked like it has the power to get you into some trouble if you weren't careful. It will be interesting to see more about it and it's reliability.

I hope no one takes this the wrong way (Bashing)... but you can have all of the power in the world but if it doesn't handle its not going to be any fun! Artic Cat has never made a good handling machine. I think they make good machine's for different needs (mudding) but not for trial riding compaired to other brands.

I just found this info on the Thundercat Prowler (I don't know the real name if that is incorrect):

http://southernsxsriders.forumakers.com/artic-cat-prowler-f9/some-prowler-1000-info-t2999.htm

Tigr Rag (and others): that link to the thread over at Southern SXS was pretty interesting. I guess that's why I did what I did for a living before I retired. Cause I wasn't smart enough to build side by sides! ha ha ha. But I DON'T understand. WHY make all the torque if you CAN'T use it? Wouldn't it have been a better to put a stronger rear end it the machine and not have to worry about it? I've never thought of myself as the sharpest tack in the box, so what am I missing here guys? And like Simoniz said, this thread was never meant to bash anyone else's ride. I learned a long time ago that's why they make all kinds of different stuff, because we DON'T all like the same things.

Woodtick wrote:

this thread was never meant to bash anyone else's ride.

Oh trust me a lot of bashing goes on around the but its all meant in good fun (at least from me it is) :113:

Woodtick wrote:

Tigr Rag (and others): that link to the thread over at Southern SXS was pretty interesting. I guess that's why I did what I did for a living before I retired. Cause I wasn't smart enough to build side by sides! ha ha ha. But I DON'T understand. WHY make all the torque if you CAN'T use it? Wouldn't it have been a better to put a stronger rear end it the machine and not have to worry about it? I've never thought of myself as the sharpest tack in the box, so what am I missing here guys? And like Simoniz said, this thread was never meant to bash anyone else's ride. I learned a long time ago that's why they make all kinds of different stuff, because we DON'T all like the same things.

Woodtick, I'm sure Arctic Cat used several reasons to have the "torque control" rear end or whatever it was called.

1) economics: to have a bullet proof rear end would be expensive
2) weight: to have a bullet proof rear end would weigh a lot.
3) What they have is probably pretty durable in 90% of the situations. It is those of us on this board and similar users that are pushing the limits of their machines that cause the largest percentage of the failures. It is also users like us that you are going to hear from on failures. This is similar to those that have had air intake issues with the RZR. That is probably not a large percentage of users, hence they probabaly feel like the expense to re-engineer it and re-tool their manufacturing would far outweigh the cost they would have to outlay for simply repairing vehicles under warranty back to stock specifications until their warranty runs out. Fair or unfair, large manufacturing organizations are greatly influenced by what the accountants say produces the most profit. The big caviat is if the machine deficiencies affect safety like on the Rhino, hence the recall for doors, grab handle and a dash sticker.....we can thank lawyers for the price of the Rhino's going up.

Anyway, that is my guess on the rear end with Arctic Cat. It will be interesting to hear how they hold up.

neuromax wrote:

Woodtick wrote:

this thread was never meant to bash anyone else's ride.

Oh trust me a lot of bashing goes on around the but its all meant in good fun (at least from me it is) :113:

Agreed, I generally don't mess with folks I don't know. If I'm picking on your machine, it probably means I like you. :afro:

I have not seen a machine that is perfect. Some do one thing well, some another. That is why their is a niche for different style machines in the market place.

It was a no brainer for me...I knew that my main use would be trail riding. In Ohio & PA there a width restrictions on the state parks of 50". Bingo...50"sold me the RZR!