ATV vs Side by side

I boight a Yamaha Viking for 3 main reason's

1- i have a 7yo daughter that would be tossed off or hurt if i rolled a bike with a rear seat option. The only safe solution was a side by side with a seat belt to get ny daughter out trails and to the cabin etc.
2- the viking has 3 seats to give options for passengers and a bike truck bed in the back to sore lots of stuff for the drive in without needing a trailer.
3- it comes with a steel skid plate standard where many competitors eequire that as an upgrade making their bikes more expensive if needing skid plates.

Only upgrade i might do is to upgrade to larger tires eventually. Some of the rock and waterways are harder on the bike with the stock tires.
 
Gatehouse said:
It always depends on what you want.

I'm not interested in sporty stuff, I like utilitarian. I don't care about quadding into tight spots or "sport" applications. Mostly use my side by side for logging roads, spur roads, deactivated roads and chores around the property, like firewood and snow plowing. I can get my sxs anywhere I would personally go with a ATV and in hunting season you are often moving in the very dark and cold mornings and evenings. Nice to have a heater and cab in those cases. Set up like I have it, my SXS cost about the same as a new pickup truck but it will likely last me for decades.

Bench seat in the front, two pop up seats in the back, and a dump cargo rear makes it a pretty versatile workhorse and fun machine.

26167563_10155804455475516_3959225617264817365_n.jpg
Click to expand...

that pioneer is begging for tracks.i just put mine on last week.it already snowed the first week of oct.
 
chappy said:
sold my quad a few years ago and built a 4dr tracker after pricing out a side x side. lifted,front and rear receivers for winch, bull bar,lots of led lights,big tires,modified bumpers for clearance. i'm into for about a quarter of the cost of a side by side and i have a heater and a licence plate so i can drive on roads..
Click to expand...

I've had similar thoughts. One could build a Ford Bronco II or short box Ranger into a more capable offroad vehicle for less money than a SxS costs. Atv have the size advantage, but that's mostly lost on a SxS.

philhut said:
I boight a Yamaha Viking for 3 main reason's

1- i have a 7yo daughter that would be tossed off or hurt if i rolled a bike with a rear seat option. The only safe solution was a side by side with a seat belt to get ny daughter out trails and to the cabin etc.
2- the viking has 3 seats to give options for passengers and a bike truck bed in the back to sore lots of stuff for the drive in without needing a trailer.
3- it comes with a steel skid plate standard where many competitors eequire that as an upgrade making their bikes more expensive if needing skid plates.

Only upgrade i might do is to upgrade to larger tires eventually. Some of the rock and waterways are harder on the bike with the stock tires.
Click to expand...

Oh I know that feeling, but I've got 3 little ones so only the big sxs are going to work for me, at which point I'm practically at compact truck size...
 
any of you guys think a modified truck is in any way,shape or form comparable to a sxs you're dilusional,and have obviously never owned one.do you even realise how big the tires need to be to match the ground clearance of even the most basic sxs?or the suspension travel? a sxs will run circles around anything you can cobble together,i know,i've owned almost every type of mainstream offroad vehicle.i can fit 5 in my pioneer 1k and i can run almost any trail a quad can run.and it's only 116"x63".not long or wide compared to most 4 seaters.barely a foot wider than your average quad.do a little research.every manufacturer makes a 50"trail sxs.
 
Last edited:
hemifoot said:
any of you guys think a modified truck is in any way,shape or form comparable to a sxs you're dilusional,and have obviously never owned one.do you even realise how big the tires need to be to match the ground clearance of even the most basic sxs?or the suspension travel? a sxs will run circles around anything you can cobble together,i know,i've owned almost every type of mainstream offroad vehicle.i can fit 5 in my pioneer 1k and i can run almost any trail a quad can run.and it's only 116"x63".not long or wide compared to most 4 seaters.barely a foot wider than your average quad.do a little research.every manufacturer makes a 50"trail sxs.
Click to expand...

A 1992 Ford Ranger is only 66.8" wide.
 
Suzuki samurai and sidekicks are becoming extremely common on the trailers of hunting rigs out here in BC.
It's driving the price of them up but they are extremely capable in the bush when set up right.
The down side is that if you don't know your way around a 4x4 with tools and a welder it's just no feasible for average guy to build out their own "side x side"

My hunting rig for a few years was a modestly upgraded and lifted jeep yj and my Yamaha grizzly. These days we have a 89 Cherokee xj that has been properly lifted, locked and refreshed and the same Yamaha grizzly. The Cherokee will crawl into almost anywhere it will fit but it is certainly no side x side that's fer sure. The wife can drive it so that's why we have it.
anyhow, because I have the tools and fabrication knowledge, I'd build out a Suzuki samurai or sidekick before I'd buy a side x side for hunting. If I needed the vehicle for more than hunting and as a multi purpose "play thing" and utility machine for the family ….. I'd look at a side x side.
 


SxS for a fraction of the price
My brother has a Kubota 1120 diesel and being 6'4" every bump bangs my knees against the dash unless I sit side saddle all lady like. I prefer to take my king quad as far as I need to and walk the rest. As I get older if the weather is that crappy out, I'll stay home and wait for a better day.
 
Last edited:
Nice thing (for me anyway) about a SXS vs jeep/truck/sidekick etc is that I find driving off road in a ATV or SXS to be fun, whereas it's annoying in a a truck or jeep. I use vehicles for transportation, going "off roading" or mud bogging etc don't interest me.

Everybody I have known that uses a Samurai or modified jeep instead of a ATV or SXS seems to spend as much time working on them as driving them, this also doesn't interest me. :)
 
Gatehouse said:
Nice thing (for me anyway) about a SXS vs jeep/truck/sidekick etc is that I find driving off road in a ATV or SXS to be fun, whereas it's annoying in a a truck or jeep. I use vehicles for transportation, going "off roading" or mud bogging etc don't interest me.

Everybody I have known that uses a Samurai or modified jeep instead of a ATV or SXS seems to spend as much time working on them as driving them, this also doesn't interest me. :)
Click to expand...

the only time my YJ let me down was on the hwy blowing out a rear driveshaft u-joint at 110km an hour just outside of cache creek. Other than that it never left me stranded in the bush.
I sold it at 411,000 km for 3800 bux and it is still on the trails today. But you are right, these vehicles don't get any younger and if you want one for real hard trail use as a hunter or you are an offroad enthusiast, you have to always have a couple grand laying around and know how to use the tools to save yourself on any labour required.
Ripping around offroad like can be done in a sxs or atv would not be wise in a jeep or side kick/samurai an would certainly lead to repairs after each adventure. The side x sides are nimbler and lighter so for rippin around I'd want a side x side. Buddy of ours goes to Baja with his motor bikes and a tricked out side x side with sand dune tires. I've been invited a few times but never can fit the trip in. Be a blast though LOL
 
hemifoot said:
any of you guys think a modified truck is in any way,shape or form comparable to a sxs you're dilusional,and have obviously never owned one.do you even realise how big the tires need to be to match the ground clearance of even the most basic sxs?or the suspension travel? a sxs will run circles around anything you can cobble together,i know,i've owned almost every type of mainstream offroad vehicle.i can fit 5 in my pioneer 1k and i can run almost any trail a quad can run.and it's only 116"x63".not long or wide compared to most 4 seaters.barely a foot wider than your average quad.do a little research.every manufacturer makes a 50"trail sxs.
Click to expand...

You guys must not have very fun trails in your area if you can run that pioneer on almost every trail an ATV can....
 
I had a hard time deciding on what to buy. In the end I went with the 50” wide rzr 570. I am very happy with it. Carried my gear and my hunting partner comfortably and went into som very tight trails. Fits in my f150 box no problem with the tailgate down. I use tailgate supports to make sure it’s secure
 
A couple locals bought them and they do look like fun. A dump box was one reason I stayed away and went with the Ranger. Spend way more time in the bush during lousy weather these days with the sxs, so that is a big plus. Hate using age as an excuse for any of my shortcomings but the cold does seep into the bones these days.

Bare said:
I had a hard time deciding on what to buy. In the end I went with the 50” wide rzr 570. I am very happy with it. Carried my gear and my hunting partner comfortably and went into som very tight trails. Fits in my f150 box no problem with the tailgate down. I use tailgate supports to make sure it’s secure
Click to expand...
 
canadian hunter312 said:
You guys must not have very fun trails in your area if you can run that pioneer on almost every trail an ATV can....
Click to expand...
that statement makes no sense whatsoever.it's the same as "that racetrack must not be fun if you can drive your truck on it"."or "that hiking trail must be no fun if you can ride your mountain bike on it."
 
Last edited:
i was watching the grand tour on amazon a few weeks ago.the guys were giving clarkson a hard time for driving a jeep.apparently,it's like #3 or something on the most popular list of vehicles the lgbtq?community love to drive. not that there's anything wrong with that...just sayin.:stirthepot2:
 
I bought a 2016 Yamaha Wolverine and decked it out with a DFK cab and heater. I didn't buy the bike specifically for hunting but for all around usage. I'm not gonna pretend that it was the best choice for all trails/scenarios, but there's a few advantages that I like for my hunting use.
It's dry and warm when I want it to be. The side windows slide open and front windshield tilts up to open 3" (like a vent) or fully. The rigid doors come off for the warmer months and the OEM units go back on.
It has the box, which is not super big or dumping however it has proven more convenient than a rack from the standpoint that I can fling loose tools, gas cans, etc, etc in there and not tie them down. When I need to carry more stuff, I build up the sides with plywood and/or strap it all down.
It has tons of room for clothing, tools, first aid kit....think stuff I want to keep dry or warm, on the passenger seat/floor area of the cab. Plus all the console and cubby hole room in the cab too. I installed kolpin grips on the dash, and they'll hold pretty much any of my rifles. Guns in hard or soft cases can be stood up in the passenger side.

Now, I'm not bushwhacking into super rugged territory where I hunt either. That being said, I've been on some trail tours with ATV buds and they are astonished as to where my SxS will get to unassisted. I am continually amazed at where this buggy will go (also amazed at what it will get stuck in too!), and will certainly tell you that full skidplates are a requirement for rugged, rocky trail. The extra wheelbase (length and width) and shorter shock travel mean a lot more touch downs than an ATV.
This model came with power steering and the Fox gas shocks, and the trail manners are incredible. They need to be like this, or riding rough terrain would be slow and painful.

There is lots of differences between them, but lots of extra money too. Two different animals for sure. My observation? I want both, but am so far happy with my choice.
 
hemifoot said:
i was watching the grand tour on amazon a few weeks ago.the guys were giving clarkson a hard time for driving a jeep.apparently,it's like #3 or something on the most popular list of vehicles the lgbtq?community love to drive. not that there's anything wrong with that...just sayin.:stirthepot2:
Click to expand...

Sounds like a delicious sandwich:dancingbanana:
 
oh,my.not a sandwich i'd be interested in trying.gergis,it's all about how the machine fits your personal needs.i wanted the talon,but i needed the pioneer 1000,so that's what i bought.i've added a windshield and rear window for a little more comfort.i'm on the fence about a roof because i don't think it would survive very long.i rub trees with my cage constantly because i'm always going a little too fast.last week i jumped the trail and missed the turn and went straight down an embankment,luckily i kept my foot in it and made it up the other side.because of the way i ride i may yet get a second sport model of some sort if the price is right.my p1k doesn't have the best suspension or the most hp but is still a heck of a lot of fun when it's playing instead of working.i can always upgrade the shocks and seats at a later time.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom