Are the diesel rtvs really that slow?

[ItBmine]

You already got your answers, but here's my story.
I bought an RTV-X1100C because after owning a few Polaris atv's, I couldn't live with paying Polaris (or Can Am or Honda, etc) prices for a toy.
For comparison, here in Canada a Honda Pioneer and Talon are $36,000 and a Polaris with air conditioning is $50,000.
I bought my Kubota fully loaded with LED light bars front and rear, receiver hitch mounted winch front and rear, stereo, turn signals, rear protection plate, rear view mirrors and a Boss vee plow for $35,000 total.

Yes it's slower than the others but it's also built like a tank compared to the toy atv's. I can do 25 MPH on flat ground but it does drop to 7 MPH on my big hills. But it will also still do 7 MPH with AC on and a full dump box of gravel in it.

Wife and I love trail riding with it. It is loud in the cab on the road wide open at 25 MPH but it is way quieter than an atv on a leisurely trail pace.

I did end up buying a second side by side, a CF Moto Z-Force 950 HO EX just to have a faster machine when we go on our 100 to 150 mile trail ride loops, but I bought the Kubota and the CF for the same total price as buying a Polaris Ranger with cab and climate control

, LOL

 

[PortTackFarm]

@PortTackFarm What kind of fuel consumption(hours or miles) you see with that 1000cc engine? and more importantly what kind of boat do you have that inspired your screen name?

I really have know idea on fuel consumption. Most of our use of the Ranger is just running around he property, often 100-200 yds. at a time. We've owned it since 2021 and I think we have a total of 60 miles on it.

As to boats, we have several small sailboats (Sunfish, Highlander, MC Scow, Windmill). We have ~44 acres, mostly woods and built a 72'x36' barndominium on the property a few years ago. Half of the barn is being finished out as a 4 bedroom, 1 bath house and the other half is shop with another full bath. The shop is mostly for storing sailboats during the winter, along with inside storage for the tractor, implements, zero turn and Ranger. Doing 90% of the work ourselves we're about done with the house side. Once we're done with it, we plan to put up a 36'x32' "machine shed" across the driveway from the barn to store the Kubota, Ranger, etc., (basically anything that burns fuel), and the bardo shop will become a wood shop and boat shop. I'll probably retire in 5-7 years and plan to build a few boats. The first will be a 26' power boat to cruise up and down the Ohio river. Our property is just a 2 miles off the river. I sail on the river and travel to various regatta's throughout the sailing season.

 

[chris_the_wrench]

As to boats, we have several small sailboats (Sunfish, Highlander, MC Scow, Windmill).

I always enjoy talking sailboats!! We've got a Potter 15. I bought it last summer for a very low price, but its hull was cracked, no sails, and all of the rigging needed replacement. I've got it functional, but it needs a lot of help paint wise. That will be done this winter. Id like to get a larger boat for sailing in the Puget Sound, but the $$ for buying/maintaining/slip fees are a bit much for me. Im very envious of your boat shop!

But it will also still do 7 MPH with AC on and a full dump box of gravel in it.

Im assuming going downhill with that box full of gravel the diesel/hst provide decent engine braking to keep it under control?

 

[PortTackFarm]

"There is nothing - absolutely nothing - half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats"

We named our property Port Tack Farm because in sailing when you're on port tack, you're the burdened or give way boat, in essence sailing against the grain. Having a boat shop on a farm in the middle of Kentucky kind of fits the definition of going against the grain, so we thought it was fitting. I built my first boat, the Windmill, 35 years ago in my back yard and have been sailing ever since. It'll be nice having a barn to build in when I'm retired. Speaking of envious, I'd love to be on the coast somewhere. I've never been to the Puget Sound area but hear its fabulous. My wife and I will be spending a week along the southern Maine coast in October for our 40th Anniversary. She doesn't know it yet, but we'll be visiting a few "boat shops" while we're there. The boat I want to build is a like Gatsby, a variation of Bowler, a Doug Hylan of Hylan and Brown design (Brooklyn, ME).

 

[ChiefWebb]

I have an RTV900 with over 800 hours on it. It is slow but I only use it on my 40 acres, so its been great for what I need.

 

[ItBmine]

I always enjoy talking sailboats!! We've got a Potter 15. I bought it last summer for a very low price, but its hull was cracked, no sails, and all of the rigging needed replacement. I've got it functional, but it needs a lot of help paint wise. That will be done this winter. Id like to get a larger boat for sailing in the Puget Sound, but the $$ for buying/maintaining/slip fees are a bit much for me. Im very envious of your boat shop!


Im assuming going downhill with that box full of gravel the diesel/hst provide decent engine braking to keep it under control?

I NEVER touch the brakes.I love the braking effect of hydro's. I will admit my Polaris's had good engine braking clutches too.

 

[ItBmine]

I'm gunna mention this on all the forums too, in the hopes someone from Kubota reads it.
I wish they would have used a forward/reverse pedal in the RTV's, same as their tractors, instead of a shift lever.
Would have made them so much nicer for plowing.

 

[Sidekick]

Everyone seems to be cutting their hydro life short by not following the manual . Here's a shot of mine that says use brakes for to avoid damage to the hydro when slowing. It's actually hard to do and takes 2 feet on the pedals on mine. Let off the accelerator pedal too fast and it will put me through the windshield which the previous page calls it dynamic breaking from the hydro. So which one is it.

 

[AM28]

I have both and for 99% of the jobs I do around the farm I use my Polaris 850. The Polaris will make 10 trips to the RTVs one. For running around my property I’d rather take a bicycle than the RTV. I only use the RTV for very heavy work. The 850 will handle a lot and the engine braking on the 850 is superb. For slow controlled backing a trailer the RTV wins. The 850 gets the job done and puts a smile on my face and the RTV just gets the job done.

 

[fried1765]

maybe he's one lucky sob and has one of these...

Republic RC-3 Seabee - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

!!!!!!!!

I would be embarrassed to tell anyone if I owned a Seabee.

 

[AM28]

I would be embarrassed to tell anyone if I owned a Seabee.

With the right engine, they are a lot of fun, very sturdy airplane.

 

[jimh406]

My neighbor has a diesel. Yes, it is really that slow. I have a 2017 Polaris 570 midsize with a trailer. It does everything I’ve ever wanted, and of course, much cheaper. I don’t use that much fuel, so buying two five gallon cans a couple of times a year isn’t a big issue for me.

 

[mikester]

Everyone seems to be cutting their hydro life short by not following the manual . Here's a shot of mine that says use brakes for to avoid damage to the hydro when slowing. It's actually hard to do and takes 2 feet on the pedals on mine. Let off the accelerator pedal too fast and it will put me through the windshield which the previous page calls it dynamic breaking from the hydro. So which one is it.
View attachment 134267 View attachment 134268

Sounds like the HST on these RTV's are way under-designed or my HST tractor will be toast soon - I never use the brakes.

Maybe that's why the tow ratings on the diesels are lower than the CVT units.

 

[Sidekick]

Sounds like the HST on these RTV's are way under-designed or my HST tractor will be toast soon - I never use the brakes.

Maybe that's why the tow ratings on the diesels are lower than the CVT units.

That really surprised me when I first got it and read the manual. I have tortured my BX hydro for 800 hours slowing, stopping, and reversing. I figured this rtv would work the same way but it doesn't. The pedal on my BX will get harder to push as load increase but it keeps on pulling. The RTV going up a big hill will slow down if you keep pushing the accelerator. You have to let off the accelerator as load increases to keep a constant speed. Whole different animal that makes it feel gutless compared to my BX.

 

[fried1765]

With the right engine, they are a lot of fun, very sturdy airplane.

Probably,........the ugliest thing ever built to fly!
The Piper Apache was also "very sturdy"......,and also very ugly!
The Seabee was such a popular/fine airplane that it was actually only built/sold commercially for two years, after public introduction by Republic Aviation, in 1945-46.
Originals were built with 215 HP Franklin engines (under powered), but some were later repowered with Lycoming IO-540's, and more recently with other engine choices.
A friend of mine completely restored/modified a Seabee, .......and updated power with a Lycoming IO-540.

 

[ItBmine]

Everyone seems to be cutting their hydro life short by not following the manual . Here's a shot of mine that says use brakes for to avoid damage to the hydro when slowing. It's actually hard to do and takes 2 feet on the pedals on mine. Let off the accelerator pedal too fast and it will put me through the windshield which the previous page calls it dynamic breaking from the hydro. So which one is it.
View attachment 134267 View attachment 134268

Well I'll let you know when mine dies because I never use the brakes. Never used the brakes on my 2013 B2620 either.

I don't see how you could use the brakes? The hydro stops them so fast you would literally have to lock up the wheels with the foot brake, LOL

 

[ItBmine]

I think that would apply more to descending hills loaded or while towing.

 

[papajoe]

I hav

e a RTV 500 and a RTV X900. Both are solid work horses.

 

[chris_the_wrench]

Im pretty much committed to the diesel rtv platform. I think a couple of the models would work well for us.

Is the hst whine on the rtv chassis as loud as the L, or other series, tractors?

 

[woodman55]

Im pretty much committed to the diesel rtv platform. I think a couple of the models would work well for us.

Is the hst whine on the rtv chassis as loud as the L, or other series, tractors?

No. I hear the diesel more than I do the trans.