Quad vs Side by Side

[Htm84]

Is there a disadvantage to belts?

I know the Polaris belt drives are shit if you gotta cross rivers

 

[mj23polaris]

Sxs all day twice on Sunday, yea you can get on certain trails with a quad bc of the width and you can put them in a truck bed and their cheaper but get a sxs.

Wife and I went through this last Sept and got a ca am defender. I'm at 5k miles since then and I just change the oil and drive it wherever I legally can, being plated and road legal the only places I can't go is the actual less than 50" trails.

Get a hard cab, heater, windshield wiper, and 30" tires on whatever brand you get and be done.

Sent from my motorola edge 5G UW (2021) using Tapatalk

 

[BCsteve]

Depends on how you planned on using them. I'm a quad guy. My hunting partner and I each have one. We take them to our spots in a 16x7 cargo trailer. A sxs wouldn't fit never mind two. Once we get to our spot we can split up and go explore different areas. With a sxs we would have to go everywhere together.

 

[jaytaylor]

I had a quad, and trailered in my converted cargo trailer/camper, and it worked fine. Could also put it in the back of the truck for maneuverability (no trailer mode). But I just don't like quads - don't like the handlebars, don't like getting rained on, don't like hard to carry anyone with you. I sold it, bought a used Ranger. 3 seater, dump bed, now can carry dogs and friends and go almost anywhere, but always in a trailer. This one is hard sided so also nice in the rain and when the wind blowing is cold. My two cents. Figure out what you are trying to do and learn from all the good comments on here. Good luck!

 

[packer58]

Is there a disadvantage to belts?

I don't like belt driven rigs due to the fact that if you blow a belt you could be in for a long walk. Although I believe Yamaha has a 5 year belt warranty.

 

[sf jakey]

If I did go the sxs route, it would probably be a pioneer.

I hope you like heat, dust, and a shitty ride. I sold my pioneer 1000 and got a can am defender. Night and day better machine.

 

[jmez]

I don't like belt driven rigs due to the fact that if you blow a belt you could be in for a long walk. Although I believe Yamaha has a 5 year belt warranty.

They are easy to change. Keep a spare in the machine.

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[BRTreedogs]

Compact trucks just are not big enough for long out of state trips imo and not as capable as a sxs or as good a ride.

But if anyone wants to buy they Toyota I posted a couple years ago I still have it.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

Compact trucks just are not big enough for long out of state trips imo and not as capable as a sxs or as good a ride.

But if anyone wants to buy they Toyota I posted a couple years ago I still have it.

You can trailer a little nissan as easily as a polaris ranger.

 

[idahodave]

Any UTV over 50” is a mistake if you frequent USFS lands on a regular basis imho.

They manage to a 50” width limit, and in spite of a previous posters response to the contrary, you will be excluded from thousands of miles of trails across the west.

Feel free to check here for yourself. This is just Idaho, but you get the idea.

Zoom in for greater detail...

Idaho trails

 

[BRTreedogs]

You can trailer a little nissan as easily as a polaris ranger.

I disagree a 16ft long 6k min trailer is much more then you would need for a sxs. And would require a much better tow rig.

My 05 tundra could easily pull a sxs on a 12ft trailer.

No way in hell its pulling another pickup.

 

[WeiserBucks]

Side by side all day every day if using a vehicle for access to an area, NOT road hunting. This pic is Idaho, Oregon in the background, bull killed deep in Hells Conyon and no reasonable access for a pickup. Try shoving all that shit and three guys on a quad.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

I disagree a 16ft long 6k min trailer is much more then you would need for a sxs. And would require a much better tow rig.

My 05 tundra could easily pull a sxs on a 12ft trailer.

No way in hell its pulling another pickup.

your truck can’t pull 3600lbs? I am not even going to go there. I think they all have their place. My truck could pull a 3600lb truck on a flat bed or enclosed.

I am a tall dude and I think side by sides are super uncomfortable. I have owned a couple different ones and ridden in several more. I’ll never own another. I would buy a jeep or tacoma or frontier and tow that sucker wherever I would a side by side.

 

[WeiserBucks]

your truck can’t pull 3600lbs? I am not even going to go there. I think they all have their place. My truck could pull a 3600lb truck on a flat bed or enclosed.

What Nissan 4x4 weights 3600 lbs? Really curious cuz I have no idea.

 

[BRTreedogs]

your truck can’t pull 3600lbs? I am not even going to go there. I think they all have their place. My truck could pull a 3600lb truck on a flat bed or enclosed.

I am a tall dude and I think side by sides are super uncomfortable. I have owned a couple different ones and ridden in several more. I’ll never own another. I would buy a jeep or tacoma or frontier and tow that sucker wherever I would a side by side.

A Nissan Frontier weighs 3600 lbs or are you talking about a samurai?

And your talking about road hunting.
No Nissan is going to have the suspension or offroad capability of a sxs

 

[BRTreedogs]

What Nissan 4x4 weights 3600 lbs? Really curious cuz I have no idea.

Probably a samurai.

I had one. They are completely under powdered junk. And super easy to roll.

Did it the first day.

 

[WeiserBucks]

Samurai=Suzuki.

Probably a samurai.

I had one. They are completely under powdered junk. And super easy to roll.

Did it the first day.

Samurai is by Suzuki, maybe Nissan makes Suzuki? Nissans that I'm familiar with are more like a Tacoma than anything else.

 

[CorbLand]

The pros and cons of each have already been posted.

My advice would be to look at the area you hunt, the way you hunt and determine what’s going to work best.

Where I live, there really isn’t anywhere you can go that you can’t take a pickup to. Very few width restricted roads/trails.

Where my brother hunts, there’s a lot of single track so he went the dirt bike route.

Other brother hunts late season deserts so he went with a side by side for the cab and ability to cover ground.

All comes down to what will fit your needs. Just got to determine what your needs and wants are.

 

[WeiserBucks]

Totally different scenario, a local kid called and was down to one evening to get a deer. By the time he called there was no way we'd get to the property he secured permission on in a typical vehicle. We hauled ass out there, total 100% road hunt, he killed his best buck to date and he talked me into shoot the dink. Couldn't have pulled it off with one quad or a pickup given the time frame.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

A Nissan Frontier weighs 3600 lbs or are you talking about a samurai?

And your talking about road hunting.
No Nissan is going to have the suspension or offroad capability of a sxs

The Pro 4x is pretty decent. And the OP already stated his use which didnt seem like tough off roading.