Best Review Yet for Kubota 850 Sidekick

Doc

Doc

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By best, I'm meaning most informative. Here is a link to the review:

https://opereviews.com/heavy-machinery/utv-atv/kubota-rtv-xg850-sidekick/

After reading this review I am much more impressed with the Kubota team for adding the 850 sidekick to their RTV lineup.

This new RTV will go up to 40mph without the need to stop and shift from H to L when you encounter a hill. The frustration with the stopping and shifting along with the top speed of just 25mph for the RTV 900 was the reason I decided to add a Honda Pioneer 1000 to our stable. The Kubota Sidekick will compete with the Honda Pioneer and Polaris General for work / play UTV options. It makes me wonder about how long Kubota will produce both the RTV 900 and the RTV 850.

If I was in the market for another UTV / RTV machine I would be giving the Kubota 850 Sidekick a very very hard look.
 
Doc, I am a big Kubota fan, but I don’t think the sidekick will compete with 100hp general. It looks closer to the ranger 570. The general I had would hit 70mph. Had 12 inches of ground clearance, basically a rzr with a dump bed.
 
I have the Honda Pioneer 1000 and I tend to agree with you 71Chevelle. But for those who have not ventured outside of the Kubota family and want Kubota dependability might go for an 850.

IF I was buying new today I would go for the 850 over the 900 for speed considerations alone. I be able to get from site one to site two a little quicker can mean a lot. The majority of the time my Honda is cruising in the mid 30's which would be perfect for the 850. So I predict it will bump the RTV 900 to the side and take over the Kubota RTV market for that size vehicle.
 
Thanks, Doc, good review! One line really jumped out at me:
"The included clutch keeps tension on the CVT belt at all times, allowing for engine braking at all speeds."

Now THAT is interesting. I had a John Deere Gator 620i XUV and although I loved it overall, one thing I really DIDN'T like was its CVT and the absence of engine braking. My land has a bunch of very steep ridges and although the Gator could climb them just fine, you had better be wearing your Depends when it was time to go down those ridges.

In fact, that was one of the things that led me to the Kubota RTV-X and its hydrostatic transmission. I know not everybody is a fan (and I've even seen people selling something called a "Coast Kit" to defeat it), but I love the fact that when I let off the "go pedal" the Kubota stops almost immediately.

I wonder if the Sidekick will provide that level of engine braking? Guess I'll take one for a spin at the dealer one of these days and find out.
 
Thanks but I'm not in the market right now or for the long term unless something changes. Just wish Kubota has done this sooner for potential customers with similar needs as me.
 
RKP in SB said:
Thanks, Doc, good review! One line really jumped out at me:
"The included clutch keeps tension on the CVT belt at all times, allowing for engine braking at all speeds."

Now THAT is interesting. I had a John Deere Gator 620i XUV and although I loved it overall, one thing I really DIDN'T like was its CVT and the absence of engine braking. My land has a bunch of very steep ridges and although the Gator could climb them just fine, you had better be wearing your Depends when it was time to go down those ridges.

In fact, that was one of the things that led me to the Kubota RTV-X and its hydrostatic transmission. I know not everybody is a fan (and I've even seen people selling something called a "Coast Kit" to defeat it), but I love the fact that when I let off the "go pedal" the Kubota stops almost immediately.

I wonder if the Sidekick will provide that level of engine braking? Guess I'll take one for a spin at the dealer one of these days and find out.
Click to expand...

I had an Arctic Cat Prowler 1000(a total piece of shit) that used a sprag bearing on the centrifugal clutch. It worked well for engine braking but a delicate component. The whole machine was a toy and makes me appreciate the Kubota. The Cat was fast, but not so much when I was pulling it home, which was a lot. A damn gas hog also. I had about 15 grand into that piece of junk and only got a couple years out of it before it became too undependable to go anywhere. I use my Kubota daily, for over three years and the only problem was the front crank seal due to extreme cold weather starts.
 
I was looking at the 850 when the boss gave me approval to replace the x900. After reading what you guys do with your kubotas I could of kept my x900 for 10 years and not gone through half of what you guys do.

But anyway I looked and got the best deal on a 835M gator with Hvac. It is supposed to run 46 miles a hour, I can’t see myself going that fast in it but it is a lot better than going 15 mph up a hill in the x900.

Haven’t really noticed issues going down hill with the 835 so I will have to pay a little more attention, I guess I’m enjoying the heated cab too much.

Now if and when the 850 comes with a cab and heat that will be a machine to look at.
 
You know, when I was shopping around a couple of months ago, there was nothing on the Kubota website about cabs for the Sidekick. I really love the factory cab (with heat, defrost, and A/C) on my new 1100C, but now look at what's available when you do the "Build Your Own" thing for the Sidekick!

This would have been a consideration, definitely.
 

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