Opinions on Side by Sides
 

Been looking at buying a side by side. On kijiji its mostly the polaris RZR's but there is some Arctic Cats, CF moto etc.

Whats everyone got? And whats your suggestions?

Cheers

I have a ranger and a Kawasaki teryx 4, The ranger are tough and great utility machines but the Kawasaki teryx is a lot more sporty and versatile. I put some larger tires and a lift on it and it goes places I really shouldn't. I have three kids so its nice that we can all ride together in one machine when my kids don't want to ride their quads. My neighbours at the lake have canams and rzrs and honestly I don't think you can go wrong with any of them. I got to test out the new can am maverick x3. Its unreal how powerful it is and the suspension set up is crazy. 120KM/HR is fast!

What's your budget? We can talk about the latest and greatest but if you're looking at a $5,000 used machine off Kijiji there's really no point.

10-12k but obviously the lower the better

First decide if you want a sport or utility model
Second no off brands (cf moto) or arctic cat


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I have a Honda pioneer 700-4.
Not the fastest or smoothest. But reliable as the day is long.

I have had the Rzr , the Ranger, both mid size and full size and the Yamaha Rhino. they were all good machines and reliable . I now have a Honda P500 and it seems to be pretty good although I haven't put many kms on it yet . It can be had brand new from within your budget though . Not the fastest machine out there but fun to drive with the paddle shifters on the steering wheel. Honda has a good rep for reliability.

Where are you in the province? I have a CanAm Maverick I could let you try if you are around GP.
Ton's of power and a real sweet ride as well.

I'm running the 18 Ranger 1000. Might be out of budget but its got tons of power, will haul anything and comfortable for hunting in all weather.

Arctic cat would not be considered an “off” brand.


I own a teryx4 and it’s built like a tank. If you need 4 seats this is the best 4 seat option in your budget.

Hence the "or". :)

Make sure you are looking at the right SXS for the application. Sport vs utility, What is the primary purpose, hunting , fishing, trapping, plowing on the farm 85%, pure sport 15%, probably wont be happy with a RZR type SXS more suitable would be the Ranger style. But the other way 85% sport vs utility the RZR type SXS is top notch you wont be happy with a Ranger type( used RZR as an example, each manufacturer builds sport vs utility, don't start typing RZR are junk)
you have to look at each, Yamaha may have leg room issues if you are a bigger person for example. if you budget can afford it go to a core manufacturer , Polaris AC or Yamaha they each have build pretty solid machines. it becomes personal preference and somewhat dealer preference.
I am a Polaris guy as my experience with them have been excellent for many years both snow and ATV, Friends and Family have had good Yamaha experiences and of course Honda but as I age I could not handle the ride, but they have improved a bit the last couple years to become a market contender.

I’ve got 13 thousand Kms on a Yamaha Rhino trouble free except for constantly having to change wheel bearings. Honda will be my next purchase.

I used a new Honda 700 Pioneer in Fort McMurray in 2016. I did not like the automatic downshifting of the transmission as it was abrupt and very jerky. Also, it seemed to have no interior room to me.

Much prefer the Polaris or Yamaha offerings.

Correct. And as I said. Not offbrands OR arctic cat


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What do you plan of doing with the unit? I've had a Ranger but am now in a Japanese mini truck with a small lift and quad tires.

I asked the same question few years ago after I totalled my Honda Rubicon 500. I wanted to have a SS and went with Honda Pioneer 500. The reason I got 500 is that it is 50" and it will fit on the back of my Tundra without any trouble. Also, most of the trails allow maximum of 50" and you can take it on them.

I have pulled whole moose and elk with this Pioneer 500 and had zero trouble.
I am extremely very happy with it and I used it for hunting and fun with kids. Lots of fun with reliability.

Later they come out with 700 and 1000 also. They are even better but for my purpose, they were too big as I don't want to haul them in a trailer. If you are in Edmonton, you are welcome and try it.

Good luck

Awesome to see guys offering test drives. Big thumbs up boys! A SxS is a big investment.

Any belt problems and do you need to upgrade the clutch? This is the unit I’ve decided to buy.

None what so ever, only issues I’ve had have been my fault. Hit a rock and broke the power steering. Easy fix tho.

You can get a brand new teryx for under 20g with three year warranty. That’s what sold me on them. I bought the Limited edition model and put a lot of extras into it for about 25g

Lol. Agreed. I’d go one step farther though and say I’d take my chances with any off-brand before buying another Arctic Cat... You may get lucky with an off-brand but every Arctic Cat I’ve been around, whether quad or sxs has had its issues.

My buddy had a tyrex with 31” tires. Thing was a tank and went anywhere, can’t remeber what was done to it but it wasn’t stock. It also blew a belt every time we’re out too. Even the warranty covered belts stating they won’t break. That kawi was a piece of junk in my mind, pulled that thing off talleys and out of ravines all the time. Always decided to blow when we’re were in a ravine or bottom of a hill.

stock clutch with big tires = blown belts. no matter what machine you buy.

I’m sure it had a clutch kit because it was chipped and had an exhaust. But still when you start building the toys for skeg and mud holes, you’re gonna break stuff.

Love my 2009 Yamaha 700 Rhino. Went from a 1999 Honda 450ES. The Rhino has been a great unit-still have it. I had two young boys that wanted to go out with Dad and how do you put 3 people on a quad?

Bought it used with 2000km and it had LOTS of accessories back in 2014 -rear roll cage, rear seat, aluminum roof, 1/2 size windshield, white carbon fiber plastic hood/box fenders, led headlights, 2" lift kit, radial tires and aftermarket wheels, heavy duty axles, 4000# Warn Winch, electric power steering (this was not an item on SxS units at the time but its sure nice-now its like a factory option), tool box, Koplin Gun mounts and scarabs, roof mount speaker bar, Fox Shocks (this unit's ride is incredible).

My friend is a Yamaha dealer and this was his personal machine and I been on the unit when at moose camp a few times prior to buying it, plus my Honda snapped a rear axle and then other damage limping it back to camp the one year, so the next year my friend offered to sell me his Rhino at the end of the hunting season. I was looking initially at a new Viking back then but to accessorize it to what the Rhino was it was a no brainer for the Rhino.

Only thing I have done was added a 52" LED light bar and heated seats. I have used the unit for work and in the fall/winter, its nice having the heated seats to warm up the body core and the light bar for working in the dark on remote sites. I also bought a used once snow blade and mounting kit for the rhino for way less than 1/2 price a couple years ago.

If I was to buy new, the new Yamaha Wolverine 2 seater with the new 850 motor as now my boys want to be on their own quads or drive the RHino than ride with Dad. They hit the mud holes where I am smart and go around if I can...lol. I do like the Viking as well.

Maybe you need the 4 seater Wolverine.

The Kawasaki Teryx would be another unit to consider. Not the fit/finish like the Yamaha but I have drove one a few times and its nice.

Sounds like a lemon from the factory. I had an Actic Cat Crossfire 1000 that would eat belts like popcorn. I had 2 M8’s after that that never blew a belt the entire time I owned them.

As far as side by sides are concerned, I bought a ranger 900xp new in 2014, put a 3 or 4 inch lift on it and some 28 Zillas on it and haven’t had any issues yet. There is a rattle noise coming from the rear end every now and then that I haven’t been able to locate but there hasn’t been any mechanical issues or changes as a result so far. I don’t like to let things go until they fail but I don’t know the source of the noise :confused:

I gotta say that the 900 is very fuel efficient compared to my grizzlies 660 and 700 and renegade 800.

I’ve got a 2016 can am defender HD8.
I love it. Tons of power, very smooth, goes anywhere.
Big box. I put full elk in the box.
Lots of cab room. Tons of great accessories.
Mine has been great so far. No issues.
I had a Prowler 700 before this. And yea it was a pos.
My hunting partner runs a Polaris ranger, after seeing mine he will be buying a can am next go around.

:scared0018:I forgot to mention I have a little over 3000 miles on this machine right now.

My friend was hard on his machines but he did do maintenance.

My fiancé’s parents bought a new Viking last year and other then it being so big, i like it a lot. I always joke about buying it from them. I just use it on there farm. I haven’t used it on trails but I doubt it will be good being so wide.

I've got the 2017 Teryx 4. Love the room, handling, climbing, going through muskeg and on snow covered lakes. I've had 4 large men in it and had no problems playing in the bush and on the lakes ice fishing. Great fuel mileage as well. Driven the Can Am and rhino as well. The Teryx 4 has been great but I did like the ride and zip the Can Am had. Now if someone had a good line I could use on the wife so I can get tracks on it please feel free to add.