Kubota RTV x1100c first impressions after 10 miles test drive

Doc

Doc

Admin
Staff member
GOLD Patron
Yesterday I purchased a 2015 Kubota RTV x1100c. Today I got to take her out on my back roads / trails for a little test. Tires are worn pretty bad so I stayed on less challenging terrane for this ride.

So impressed with this machine. Having owned a 2006 RTV900 and a 2009 RTV 1140 I've spent plenty of hours in the seat of an RTV. This 2015 version has quite a few improvements from teh older RTV's I have owned.

Some of the pluses:
1. Split seats instead of bench seat.
2. Hydrostat quick stop is practically gone. The letting off the throttle on the 06 would throw you on your nose. I do not recall the 09 1140 being as bad but I was used to slowly letting off throttle so I might not have really tested this 'feature'.
3. Gearing is better. H and L forward and R reverse. No M needed. One reason I sold my previous RTV's was I could not easily drive a ridge road to my sons house to see the grandkids with either RTV. I would have to come to a complete stop, shift to M to make it up a hill, then stop at the top to shift to H so that I could go along a bit over 20mph. Constantly shifting like that was frustrating. I drove that same road today in the 2015 RTV x1100c, I put it in H and never had to stop to shift to L. H took me all the way out the road hills and all. I did slow down to 10mph a couple times but then it picked right back up to 20+. Not having to stop and shift was extra nice on the 10 or so miles I drove.
4. Cab's are easy to get used to. This is my first enclosed cab version. I drove today in rain drizzle and 43 degree temps and was nice and comfy. Ahhhh
5. All my previous RTV's had plastic windshields, because I'm cheap. My fault. This x100c has a glass windshield with a wiper. Very nice. So clear. Love it.

Room for improvement:
1. in dash or underdash storage. There is none. :(
2. Wife complained because windshield wiper did not clear her side of windshield. Hoping I can adjust the scope of the wiper arch to go a bit further. Happy wife happy life as y'all know.
3. I would love a little more speed. On flat pavement I was able to top out at 24 MPH. As expected but I will look into the improved speed adjustments that aurthuritis spoke of in another thread.
4. There was some body sway. Might need firmer shocks or something to stop the sway.


That's all I can think of for now. I wanted to get my first impressions down and plan to add to both the good and the bad as time goes on and I get more seat time.
 
if your getting 24 mph then your machine is probably set up about right. one thing is keep the air pressure set to 20 psi and that could help a bit. when you get your bigger tires on it will improve the speed some also but the speedo won't change. i checked mine with a gps and i get about 3 mph more with larger tires.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Doc
Wish I had thought to check with GPS today. Duh. I have not checked air pressure either. I'll do that before the next run.
 
Doc one of the first things I would recommend you do address dust infiltration by sealing the cab a bit better. There is a tread on here with pictures explaining what was done. Makes the cab quieter and practically dust free.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Doc
Mork said:
Doc one of the first things I would recommend you do address dust infiltration by sealing the cab a bit better. There is a tread on here with pictures explaining what was done. Makes the cab quieter and practically dust free.
Click to expand...
I will have to dig up that thread. Thanks Mork!!!!!!
 
All the RTV 900's / no door units have that bar you have to climb over to get into the cab. It is up enough so you do not slide off the seat and out of the RTV. To my dismay the x1100c also has that same PIA bar. It is a pain to climb over. Any hints on how to make getting in the cab easier? Getting out isn't bad but getting in I have cracked my tailbone more than once. Ouch.
 
Mork said:
Doc one of the first things I would recommend you do address dust infiltration by sealing the cab a bit better. There is a tread on here with pictures explaining what was done. Makes the cab quieter and practically dust free.
Click to expand...
I would be interested in seeing that thread. My cab is so tight I have to crack the window in order to shut the doors without slamming. The wiper sucks in range of throw also it is either on or off. You can tighten the shocks up, this should help with sway. The only problem I have with dismount is that in the summer my shorts catch the Diff lock or Throttle lock every time I get out (cant remember which one it is). My radio is possessed.
 
You are probably getting shorts stuck on the hand throttle. Sounds like you took off that side safety bar. I see that it does unbolt but I have not taken it off yet.

My cab is similar to yours, have to close the door twice many times or open the window a bit to get it to close easier.
 
Doc said:
You are probably getting shorts stuck on the hand throttle. Sounds like you took off that side safety bar. I see that it does unbolt but I have not taken it off yet.

My cab is similar to yours, have to close the door twice many times or open the window a bit to get it to close easier.
Click to expand...
Yeah funny how tight the cab is . get used to the window being cracked a bit to close door .,. Then one day the windows all the way down & BOOM . closes way easy .
 
A little more seat time and I'm liking this new to me RTV. The side bar beside the seat does in deed unbolt. But ...so far I have left it in place. I used to be 5'11" but have shrank to barely 5'10". I was hitting my tail bone on that silly bar. I've had major back issues since Sept so this was a major pain to me. But .... I am getting better at getting in without hurting myself so I hope to leave the bar in place for now. As with many things part of the solution is learning to work around it / deal with it.

I'm Loving the cab in this colder weather. I was out in shirt sleeves on xmas day making tracks in the snow simply because it was there. Ahh so nice.

Tonight I was out for a bit and turned on the lights but no dash board lights. The LED display lit up but no backlights for any of the dash switches.
 
That bar is about as useful as it is in the way ,. I would trade my bar for a "Ohh :poop:' handle like on the passenger side.
Yes sir that heat is sure nice aint it.. But on warmest setting makes my unit smell like silicon inside. lol
Must be the vent ducts offgassing or something ?
 
HBTexas said:
That bar is about as useful as it is in the way ,. I would trade my bar for a "Ohh :poop:' handle like on the passenger side.
Yes sir that heat is sure nice aint it.. But on warmest setting makes my unit smell like silicon inside. lol
Must be the vent ducts offgassing or something ?
Click to expand...
Yep, I agree with that. I've even looked for a way to add an oh shit grab handle myself. I'll post if I come up with a solution for that.
 
Doc,

You are blazing a trail for my Wife and I. That is the model we eventually want. I was going to suggest adjusting the shocks. Mine came set on the middle detent. I planned to stiffen them, hoping it would reduce body roll but haven't got round to it yet. One tip a neighbor gave me. Pavement running those Blackwaters can wear the tread quicker. We spend most time in the field and gravel township roads to/from but occasionally, use the county blacktop to get to someone elses field to help out.

In addition to an 1100, I am lusting for a longer bed like you had on the 1140.

Tony
 
Hey Tony, funny you mention the 1140. I was so close to a deal on one. Had the guy agreed i would have driven to KY to pick it up on the 19th. He was he hawing around so I kept looking and this x1100 came up. I would prefer the extra bed length of the 1140, and the extra seating of the 1140 .....but to have a cab with heat and a/c, I could not say no.

Now I'm trying to find or improvise a triangle shaped piece to attach to the rear of the tail gate to direct gravel to each side when I dump a load. A primary use of this machine will be to lay gravel on key parts of the trails on the back 40.
 
I have the exact same issue. I can put three loader buckets of gravel in the RTV but you can't really direct the gravel when you dump it. For instance, I have one steep trail that has developed wheel ruts. I only need to fill up the ruts with gravel, not the whole trail.

I have been looking for an excuse to buy a used pan break. In the absence of a commercially available solution,I'll bet I could fabricate a contraption to redirect gravel flow where it is needed. Maybe a swinging sluice.

Regarding your purchase, I believe everything happens for a reason and you are in a better, safer and more comfortable RTV with that 1100.
 
Hmm I have had same issue with any dump ,.We put 2k every couple years of rock on my road (its @ 1500 ft)
And I have always only wanted the rock where the tire path is. Not on the whole drive . hmm fabrication time ?
Interested to see what ya come up with .
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top