Kubota RTV XG850 Sidekick Experience?

[Fl cracker]

Hi. New member. Just traded my 2017 x900 on a 2019 xg850 new. Scoured posts and watched videos before trading. So I was aware of the gas pedal issue before purchasing but was not at all deterred as I heard there was a pedal upgrade. My dealer hasnÂ’t heard of it. So I get the machine home and first had some fun. But I soon understood what was previously posted about the foot hovering and felt fatigue in my leg. The pedal is poorly positioned and it is too easy to press which contributes to the jumpiness. So I removed it, put it in a vise, straightened it at the bend, repainted it(the bending caused the paint to crack), waited a few minutes, and reinstalled. The pedal was now at a much more natural position. But in my opinion, the spring is too weak and too easy to press, especially when starting out and going over bumps. So I stopped at tractor supply and purchased a 3/4x3-3/4x.105 extension spring. The stock spring is 4 inches but they did not have that in a length that would work. I had to bend the bottom tang in order to install it but it went on with relative ease. So the result. It definitely felt a lot stiffer. But, for me it worked great. I feel I have much more control when taking off because I have to push as opposed to the weight of my foot causing jumpiness. Also, itÂ’s nice being able to rest your foot on the pedal without causing a surge. Im happy with this new setup. But for those who find the stock pedal annoying, there is an inexpensive option thatÂ’s diy. U could even try various springs to customize the pedal to you. Hope this helps someone.

I recently got a 2023 rtv xg850 and experienced the very touchy gas pedal problem also. Very tiring on my ankle.
swapped out the gas pedal spring for the c-191 spring at tractor supply as other member did. Night and day difference. Kubota should do this. Tractor supply normally stocks these springs and sold in a 2 pack for 5$ at time if this posting. Thanks to the member posting the fix. A phillip screw driver sliding spring onto upper part of pedal bracket works great too. Takes about 30 seconds to fix issue.

 

[1111]

I am looking to purchase a UTV and was wondering if anyone here has first hand experience with the RTV XG850 Sidekick and what your thoughts are regarding reliability and performance compared to other UTVs on the market? I am looking for a machine to work around the farm mostly. Thanks!

I bought a 2023 in April and traded my 2020 kaw mule pro. 4 years 3 clutches so I was looking at a diesel hydrostat. I do like trail riding so went with the sidekick. The throttle is awful for comfort, but fixed. Kubota changed the seat foam in 2023 and it is very soft and plush. You will find your butt sitting on a plastic seat pan in less than 20 hours. Kubota paid to have mine redone ,but has broken down in less than 100 hours. I feel the sidekick is much more robust than the kaw but lacks comfort, yet with a good seat and the throttle fix it is a very nice UTV.

 

[Brazos]

Thinking about buying one of these. It’s more for working around my place, no trail riding really. I would rather have the RTV-X but they cost more. I have been using a couple old Yamaha gas golf carts for years and they have been fine (and as reliability has been perfect, they don’t break). I figure if the golf carts worked ok for me the sidekick should be 10x better. After reading all the post it sounds like the big complaint it the touchy throttle that can be fixed in 30 seconds with a spring from tractor supply. Anyone have any major issues? My other option would be a 4000 series Kawasaki Mule. I have experience with them. They have been around forever and seem pretty reliable (Ugly though)).

 

[mikester]

Some guys have reported subaru engine problems with fuel flooding the crankcase. Others complain about the twitchy throttle.

I bought a new 2021 to replace my clubcar and I've gotten used to the throttle. It's more of an issue for my kids and uninitiated. Overall it's been a good machine on the farm knock-on-wood.

My biggest complaints are poor fuel economy and getting in and out of the machine feels like a tight squeeze for my knees. I do miss the auto-start-stop feature of the golf cart.

My other complaint is the mud tires supplied with my machine are prone to punctures between the treads. I recently replaced my rears with the GBC Mongrels 10-ply after one of my patches over a 2" gash failed. I find the throttle and wheel spin issues have reduced with the new tires and the machine drives smoother and better on hard surfaces.

Mongrel SQ

Introducing the Mongrel SQ – the unstoppable force that takes your off-road exploration to new heights! This is not just an ordinary SXS tire upgrade; it's an upgrade of the original industry-changing Mongrel tire from GBC. The stronger square profile ensures maximum contact between your...

gbctires.com

I'd rather have a diesel motor and use farm diesel but the gasser has better towing capacity and has more zoom-zoom. If my motor blows up I would try to swap a diesel motor...probably cheaper than finding an electric conversion kit.

 

[Sidekick]

I and several others in cold climates had problems with serious fuel contamination of the crankcase oil on our Sidekicks with the original Subaru engines. Apparently they have a fix for that now and the 2023 / 2024 versions have changes. Kubota let me swap for a diesel just paying the price difference. I have 10 hours on the RTV X but am thinking about getting rid of it because of how slow it is and gutless on hills. Supposed to do 25 mph but a downhill run on the road only gets to 18. Not a fun machine like the sidekick but is very controllable at slow speeds. My Sidekick was he'll to try to back up to a trailer with the jerkiness. The sidekick is a fun machine with a terrible ride quality if you add anything that causes you to have to switch to the heavy duty shocks. It must be run a minimum of 20 minutes after each start to evaporate fuel that passes into the crankcase was what I was told was causing mine and others problem. Kubota had no diagnostic capabilities on mine other then switching parts was the worst part. The area warranty rep was useless and wouldn't allow swapping parts to find the actual problem so it spent 10 weeks in the shop and was returned with the same issue.

 

[ItBmine]

I and several others in cold climates had problems with serious fuel contamination of the crankcase oil on our Sidekicks with the original Subaru engines. Apparently they have a fix for that now and the 2023 / 2024 versions have changes. Kubota let me swap for a diesel just paying the price difference. I have 10 hours on the RTV X but am thinking about getting rid of it because of how slow it is and gutless on hills. Supposed to do 25 mph but a downhill run on the road only gets to 18. Not a fun machine like the sidekick but is very controllable at slow speeds. My Sidekick was he'll to try to back up to a trailer with the jerkiness. The sidekick is a fun machine with a terrible ride quality if you add anything that causes you to have to switch to the heavy duty shocks. It must be run a minimum of 20 minutes after each start to evaporate fuel that passes into the crankcase was what I was told was causing mine and others problem. Kubota had no diagnostic capabilities on mine other then switching parts was the worst part. The area warranty rep was useless and wouldn't allow swapping parts to find the actual problem so it spent 10 weeks in the shop and was returned with the same issue.

Something wrong with your diesel RTV-X because mine gets 25 MPH and has power. They are pretty complex to set up though with all the cables for the throttle and hydro. There are some good detailed instructions on how to do it on Net Tractor Talk forum. Luckily mine came set up perfect.
One other trait with them.....they need to be fully warmed up good before they perform to their peak.

 

[Sidekick]

Something wrong with your diesel RTV-X because mine gets 25 MPH and has power. They are pretty complex to set up though with all the cables for the throttle and hydro. There are some good detailed instructions on how to do it on Net Tractor Talk forum. Luckily mine came set up perfect.
One other trait with them.....they need to be fully warmed up good before they perform to their peak.

I spoke with the dealer about the issue and was told these new RTV X machines come from the factory set for optimum performance. You can make them go faster but loose low end torque by doing so. The ones they have sold all have been running slower then advertised and it should get a little faster over time so it's best not to change the factory settings. I am not going to touch anything that I know nothing about while under warranty with all the different linkages and cables that I could screw up causing problems. From 0 to 6 mph in low it pulls like a mule and is very smooth but not good on the little hill in my backyard if trying to go faster. If it doesn't speed up by spring, it will be replaced.

 

[ItBmine]

I spoke with the dealer about the issue and was told these new RTV X machines come from the factory set for optimum performance. You can make them go faster but loose low end torque by doing so. The ones they have sold all have been running slower then advertised and it should get a little faster over time so it's best not to change the factory settings. I am not going to touch anything that I know nothing about while under warranty with all the different linkages and cables that I could screw up causing problems. From 0 to 6 mph in low it pulls like a mule and is very smooth but not good on the little hill in my backyard if trying to go faster. If it doesn't speed up by spring, it will be replaced.

Okay, mine is a 2020. it will go down the road 25 MPH no problem with AC on. I even checked it with my Garmin.

And it will do this hill with this load at 7 MPH with AC on. 9 MPH empty.
.

 

[ItBmine]

One thing I find odd is, even though it has same engine as my B2620, my RTV's exhaust has a really strong diesel fuel smell. But I never had it checked just because it runs so good I didn't want them changing anything.

 

[Sidekick]

One thing I find odd is, even though it has same engine as my B2620, my RTV's exhaust has a really strong diesel fuel smell. But I never had it checked just because it runs so good I didn't want them changing anything.

My sidekick used to stink like raw gas from the exhaust all the time. The RTV has very little smell. It's a 2024 that was supposed to be the 900 replacement with a bigger engine. If it did 25 mph my wife’s golf cart wouldn't smoke it and I would be happy. My granddaughter named it Sloowpoke.

 

[PaulL]

My sidekick used to stink like raw gas from the exhaust all the time. The RTV has very little smell. It's a 2024 that was supposed to be the 900 replacement with a bigger engine. If it did 25 mph my wife’s golf cart wouldn't smoke it and I would be happy. My granddaughter named it Sloowpoke.

My view is the RTV has a particular use - for someone who wants a machine that can pull, that is economical, and wants to run attachments etc. But has terrain that means they can't/won't go fast. If you want to go fast (or, to be fair, you don't want to go slow) you really need a gas machine I think.

 

[Brazos]

I am kind of wavering between the sidekick and the rtv-x. The rtv is the machine I always wanted. The sidekick is cheaper with better financing right now. Researching the sidekick, it does appear to be a heavy built work oriented UTV. I just don’t need the speed. I just want a heavy duty SOB that will last a long, long time and get me around my place (@ less than 25mph) Hauling feed, some baLes of hay, manure, firewood, and move a trailer around here and there for the next 20-30 years. A few more thousand on the front end for a RTV may be better in the long run. Just don’t want to spend the extra money right now. Not trying to be political but the last 4 years really screwed stuff up.