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Anyone using or consider using Polaris RZR for grooming?
Topic Started: Jan 22 2010, 01:37 AM (1,111 Views)
Jake
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Jake
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I have been looking to switch from a Ski Doo Alpine II to an ATV/UTV for grooming. We currently are using a 6 ft trail tenderizer, and the Alpine works well, but we are borrowing the Alpine from a State Park. I am fairly new to the grooming world, with about 3 yrs under my belt, and I have found this forum very helpful. I have read many of the posts in regards to the UTV's with weight being an issue and getting the right tracks. I test drove a used Polaris Ranger with tracks and found that it did cut into the trail. The tracks were not wide enough I suspect, and I was not terribly impressed. I would like to get an ATV that we could use in the summer months as well. Vehicles that can be used for many different purposes are a plus when funds are low.
The problem I have with an ATV is that it is more dangerous than a vehicle with a roll cage and seatbelts. Anyone driving an ATV also needs to complete a training course every couple years. We have many different people driving the machines during the summer months, including some younger ones with little experience driving off road vehicles. We currently have a Polaris Ranger 500 (without tracks) for use during the summer months and we all love it. (No training requirements for UTV) I need a slightly narrower vehicle to get on our hiking and horse trails for maintenance purposes.
I have been looking at the Polaris Ranger RZR. This is a smaller version of a Ranger, only 2 inches wider than a regular ATV, side by side seating, 800 EFI engine, roll cage & seatbelts. A cab system is also available for it.
Has anyone ever used one of these for grooming? Do you see any problems with using one? Any suggestions/comments would be appreciated.
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HatcherPass
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I was considering one of these also, but in my research, I found that the transmission wasn't really designed for pulling lots of weight. So once I found out about that, I stopped looking at them, and went the ATV route, which I am really happy with.
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couchsachraga
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I'll add that there are a few ongoing lawsuits around how easily the side by sides tip over... so I'm not sure it's really safer.

That said, I think it may be a better groomer with the right tracks. I'd look at the Rhino, namely because of the transmission.... with the caveat that if I can put the funds together I may look at a japanese minitruck instead (built to work not play, heated cab, with tracks about the same price as an ATV (not UTV) with tracks. It IS used vs. new of course. If you decide to investigate that route minitrucktalk has a nice forum, and my .02 so far is a Hijet with diff lock and low range would be quite the grooming beast with Tatou tracks... IF it works track and weight wise. Hopefully someone will figure that all out:)
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arly
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couchsachraga
Jan 22 2010, 09:54 AM
I'll add that there are a few ongoing lawsuits around how easily the side by sides tip over... so I'm not sure it's really safer.

That said, I think it may be a better groomer with the right tracks. I'd look at the Rhino, namely because of the transmission.... with the caveat that if I can put the funds together I may look at a japanese minitruck instead (built to work not play, heated cab, with tracks about the same price as an ATV (not UTV) with tracks. It IS used vs. new of course. If you decide to investigate that route minitrucktalk has a nice forum, and my .02 so far is a Hijet with diff lock and low range would be quite the grooming beast with Tatou tracks... IF it works track and weight wise. Hopefully someone will figure that all out:)
Hummmm if the question is,, I roll over my ATV (no seat belt) and a UTV, which does come stock with seat-belts which we do use. Which accident is more likely to hurt the operator in a roll over?? The reason we went with a Rhino follows: Lots of folks were already using them for grooming. So we didn't have to do the testing! They have a box for summer trail construction . And they were smaller model in the UTV lineup for our narrow trails.

Hope that helps!
Edited by arly, Jan 22 2010, 06:58 PM.
http://keweenawnordic.org/ [/url] keweenawnordicskiclub.blogspot.com [/url]
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Jake
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Jake
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Thanks for the info on the transmission. I checked into it and the RZR does have a different transmission than the full size Rangers or ATV's. The belt is apparently much narrower as well. The RZR is mainly for sport and the dealer thought the RZR would burn up belts if used with tracks & pulling a groomer. So, I guess I am back to looking at ATV's. I think I want a 2 up machine though. Anyone checked out any two seater ATV's. Polaris makes a nice one with a box on the back. CanAm also makes many models of 2 ups.
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semntrails
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If you look at the top of the 2nd page of the ABR demo thread there's a 'grooming equipment.pdf" that lists the sizes and specs for a lot of the ATV's/UTV's.
The Yamaha Rhino seems to be the smallest of the work UTV's, with tracks it's 62.5" wide at the back tracks.
I like the two up CanAM's on and the Polaris Sportsman X2 on paper. The older version of the CanAM had problems with melting seats when working hard grooming. Supposedly they've changed the heat shields so maybe it's fixed, maybe not. The older Polaris had a report of melting plastic too but not sure about the newer versions. The Yamaha Grizzly seems to be working well for people but it only has seating for 1.
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Steve.M
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semntrails
Jan 23 2010, 08:18 AM
The Yamaha Grizzly seems to be working well for people but it only has seating for 1.
Curious....why would you need a two seater? More room? Another person on the sled would make grooming harder to see and move around checking things. Warmth? ;)
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semntrails
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95% of the time a 1 seater is all we need. If we have a new groomer it's nice to ride along a little to give them pointers or if we go out to do maintenance somewhere having two would be nice. We only have one unit at each park so we can't follow along with a second snowmobile or ATV. With the different problems of plastic melting I think I'd sacrafice the 2nd seat for an ATV like the Grizzly that has been tested in grooming conditions and is working well.
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Jake
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The reason I am looking for a 2up is because of the use it will get in the summer. We use the ATV's to check trails and most of the time that means cutting trees out of the trails after storms. We don't run a chainsaw unless there are at least 2 people present, for safety reasons. In the winter grooming there will generally be only one person on the machine. There is a 2009 Sportsman 800 2up, I can get my hands on for a reduced price, which is looking pretty good. I talked to another dealer about the Polaris RZR side by side and they did not think there would be any problem with the machine using tracks and pulling a groomer. The RZR is rated to pull 1,500 lbs, which is the same as the 2up Sportsman. In comparison, the Grizzly is 1,322, Rhino is 1,212, Mule is 1,100, and the teryx is 1,300 lbs........I'm still undecided.
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air19
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Jake
Jan 26 2010, 12:15 AM
The reason I am looking for a 2up is because of the use it will get in the summer. We use the ATV's to check trails and most of the time that means cutting trees out of the trails after storms. We don't run a chainsaw unless there are at least 2 people present, for safety reasons. In the winter grooming there will generally be only one person on the machine. There is a 2009 Sportsman 800 2up, I can get my hands on for a reduced price, which is looking pretty good. I talked to another dealer about the Polaris RZR side by side and they did not think there would be any problem with the machine using tracks and pulling a groomer. The RZR is rated to pull 1,500 lbs, which is the same as the 2up Sportsman. In comparison, the Grizzly is 1,322, Rhino is 1,212, Mule is 1,100, and the teryx is 1,300 lbs........I'm still undecided.
Hi Jake,

Good discussion and tough decision. Hard to find the perfect vehicle for summer and winter uses.

In your latest post you quote the towing ratings of the various ATVs. I would not put to much emphasis on this. They are simply numbers that the vendors assign to their vehicles for bragging rights. I don't think for instance that the Sportsman with a 1500 lb towing rating has any real advantage to the Grizzly 700 with 1322. Polaris just wanted to market a bigger number against the competition. And some vendors are very conservative - the Mule rated at 1100 can pull a lot more than that and has a strong reputation as a summer workhorse.

I would look much more closely at the transmission. How are RZRs geared compared to Sportsman? How does the 4wheel drive really lock in?

Your lead on a Sportsman 800 2up sounds good.

Another option might be to consider two ATVs - I know two vehicles to maintain. But consider one or both of them used. With two vehicles if you have a breakdown then at least you are still in business with the other. For winter use I would pick the best one and set it up with tracks. For summer you have both available for two guys to get around and do tree work.

Keep us updated. We not only give advice, but we also like to learn from those testing things out ahead of us.
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arly
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air19
Jan 26 2010, 12:48 AM
Jake
Jan 26 2010, 12:15 AM
The reason I am looking for a 2up is because of the use it will get in the summer. We use the ATV's to check trails and most of the time that means cutting trees out of the trails after storms. We don't run a chainsaw unless there are at least 2 people present, for safety reasons. In the winter grooming there will generally be only one person on the machine. There is a 2009 Sportsman 800 2up, I can get my hands on for a reduced price, which is looking pretty good. I talked to another dealer about the Polaris RZR side by side and they did not think there would be any problem with the machine using tracks and pulling a groomer. The RZR is rated to pull 1,500 lbs, which is the same as the 2up Sportsman. In comparison, the Grizzly is 1,322, Rhino is 1,212, Mule is 1,100, and the teryx is 1,300 lbs........I'm still undecided.
Hi Jake,

Good discussion and tough decision. Hard to find the perfect vehicle for summer and winter uses.

In your latest post you quote the towing ratings of the various ATVs. I would not put to much emphasis on this. They are simply numbers that the vendors assign to their vehicles for bragging rights. I don't think for instance that the Sportsman with a 1500 lb towing rating has any real advantage to the Grizzly 700 with 1322. Polaris just wanted to market a bigger number against the competition. And some vendors are very conservative - the Mule rated at 1100 can pull a lot more than that and has a strong reputation as a summer workhorse.

I would look much more closely at the transmission. How are RZRs geared compared to Sportsman? How does the 4wheel drive really lock in?

Your lead on a Sportsman 800 2up sounds good.

Another option might be to consider two ATVs - I know two vehicles to maintain. But consider one or both of them used. With two vehicles if you have a breakdown then at least you are still in business with the other. For winter use I would pick the best one and set it up with tracks. For summer you have both available for two guys to get around and do tree work.

Keep us updated. We not only give advice, but we also like to learn from those testing things out ahead of us.
Which machine is always a dilemma. We would have loved to have considered a Polaris or a Kawasaki UTV because we've got good dealers who sell them both. But we couldn't find any Mules out grooming so we could hear how they'd held up and that was pretty much the same for Polaris UTV's. We did find a volume of Rhino's being used and after much consideration, we went with that. Although I'm sure we'll find something less than perfect with it too! Just like work sleds, these machines aren't really designed for what we do with them and what might work well for you, then hardly work at all for the next fellow and his conditions. Ya its a crap shoot, but there's more and more follows using ATV's and UTV's so there's lots more user reviews to find, than even a year ago. If you read and ask enough groomers, I bet you can find someone using RZR. Good luck!
Edited by arly, Jan 26 2010, 10:14 AM.
http://keweenawnordic.org/ [/url] keweenawnordicskiclub.blogspot.com [/url]
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