About to get my first UTV...

avidday

New Member
Apr 11, 2016
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47
Kentucky
Hello, everyone. I'm a father of 2 small boys that lives in KY. I'm in the market for a UTV and I'm hoping to learn as much as I can from the experienced people here both in what to buy as well as maintenance, mods, and accessories.

Unfortunately, my wife has made it clear that I have to get a "utility" vehicle and not a pure recreation machine, "justifying the cost" etc.

See you guys on the trail one day!
 

underider

Member
Oct 7, 2013
48
1
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Welcome to the forum. Just what my wife told me to stick with a utility vehicle, I just keep saying every time I do some upgrade that is would help a lot and would make my work easier to have such upgrade to my utility vehicle.
 

avidday

New Member
Apr 11, 2016
8
0
1
47
Kentucky
That's my plan: get the machine, then add whatever upgrades I want over time. Once we've been out riding several times and I can guage how she likes it, maybe I can talk her into a used Rzr, Maverick, or whatever that 3-letter Yamaha is. I'd really like to do 2x50" trail machines so we can hit the National forest trails nearby, but that is likely years down the road.
 

avidday

New Member
Apr 11, 2016
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47
Kentucky
Unless there are already significant complaints that I am unaware of which haven't been rectified..or you don't necessarily care about resale value?
http://www.utvguide.net/honda-pioneer-1000.htm

If you decide to keep it and they come out with a sport version which can't be resisted you will likely have redundant parts as well.
I looked at the Pioneer 5-seater and I really liked how short it was for the number of passengers and it probably had the most room in it for the driver of any vehicle I sat in, but it had a few things I really didn't like:

1. First of all, the back seats fold down into the bed, which leaves significant sized cracks for debris, dirt, leaves, water, etc to fall down in and foul the seat mechanism or just dirty up the seats and floorboards. Of course, they'll sell you a bedliner to fix that problem. If you're out somewhere with the liner in and want to put someone in the back row, what do you do with the big plastic bedliner, because...
2. With the seats up, you have zero room for cargo.
3. The floorboard did not seem to be very far below the top of the seat, which leaves me wondering how an adult sits back there comfortably. I'm 6'2" and there's no way I could ever get in there.
4. The rear seats are entirely in a dump bed. I have to wonder about the safety of whoever is sitting back there should the bed latch mechanism fail or the handle gets caught on a limb or whatever and pops open.

Everyone I know that has a Honda ATV loves it and I almost bought one when I got my 2002 Sportsman (got a deal too good to pass up). I just think there are issues with the side by side configuration they have that makes it not the right machine for me. If they come out with a sport version in the future, I'd very much consider it, if I can convince my wife.
 

It'sYourLegacy

Banned Por Vida
Mar 29, 2015
371
21
18
A four seat PURE utility vehicle (as described earlier with your wife choosing the criteria) is a whole different animal all together in the UTV world.
Perhaps fast-wearing cheaply built belt drive systems vs gear drives or even a price range would help others help you (and your wife).
 

avidday

New Member
Apr 11, 2016
8
0
1
47
Kentucky
A four seat PURE utility vehicle (as described earlier with your wife choosing the criteria) is a whole different animal all together in the UTV world.
Perhaps fast-wearing cheaply built belt drive systems vs gear drives or even a price range would help others help you (and your wife).
I actually posted a big write-up of my criteria and current thought processes yesterday over in General UTV Discussion HERE. Feel free to go over there and give me your thoughts on the various models I'm considering.

Thanks!
 

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