Why are there so many Yamaha Rhino To Polaris Ranger Converts?

wildbill23c · 01-27-2012, 12:26 AM

I have noticed a ton of people on here who used to own Yamaha Rhino's and have moved over to the Polaris Ranger. What is everyone's reasons? I have a 2011 Yamaha Rhino 700 right now and love it, except for the lack of cargo capacity and towing capacity. What other things should I expect to be lacking or have issues with to give me a better reason to kick the rhino to the curb?

VictoryRider · 01-27-2012, 07:39 AM

I think you hit on it with the cargo and towing capacity. I have driven but never owned the Rhino. It was a nice enough machine but I got the Ranger because I wanted the greater cargo capacity. Mine primarily gets used for firewood collection duties. I even built a rack for the bed so the wood can be stacked higher without falling out. The small bed on the Rhino would mean double trips for me to the woodlot.

bigdiggerman · 01-27-2012, 10:56 AM

My hunting partner just got a 2007 rhino 660 sport with a big bore kit and fancy exhaust system installed, and I just bought a 2012 Ranger 500 efi 4x4. After I had finished the 25 hour break in period we got together and rode for a day. At the end of the day I figured I would let him show me how badly his sport machine would thump my farm machine in a 1/4 mile drag. Boy, was he surprised when I thumped him but good. His bottom end acceleration took him in the lead for about 20 yards, but from then on he was done. My top end speed of 80 km/h beats his top end of 67 km/h. That was proof positive I made a wise purchase with the Ranger. And at $4000 less than the new rhinos, my new Ranger rocks.

Russ Chastain · 01-27-2012, 11:20 AM

Cargo capacity, towing capacity, bench seat instead of restrictive buckets - these are the reasons I chose Ranger over Rhino when I was shopping around and comparing specs. Never owned a Rhino, but I love my Ranger.

Slacker · 01-27-2012, 09:48 PM

We had a Rhino before we moved and now have a Ranger Crew. Outside of the above sited reasons I can't see why you would change. The bucket seats are way better on a long day. The throttle pedal on the Ranger sucks, there's no engine brake, and Yamaha has a WAAAAAY better clutch that will not eat belts or have buttons to wear out. The Yamaha has a single cylinder engine so the power, and potential power, is a bit low by comparison. The Ranger does ride better and have more room but the Rhino is smaller overall and gets around far better, not to mention it fits easily in the back of a truck. Bottom line for me is if you like the Rhino I'd stick with it, it's a fine machine with a bomb proof reputation some great features, if you need bigger and heavier hauling the Ranger is an option.

Russ Chastain · 01-27-2012, 10:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slacker

The throttle pedal on the Ranger sucks...

Not always true. A friend of mine does have one that sucks so I know what you mean, but when we get together we have 3 Rangers and all the gas pedals are different - and only one of them sucks.

wildbill23c · 01-27-2012, 11:44 PM

My main decision about possibly changing, is the local place where I used to buy firewood closed down, so now I'm on my own for having to go up in the hills and cut and haul it myself. Yes, I have done this with my rhino, but I can tell you that its very limited on the amount you can haul due to the small bed, and the limited weight capacity. If I had a trailer I would have the same issue, so I'd much rather be able to pull a small trailer and haul some wood in the bed at the same time to make less trips to and from the truck. The trails in the area for cutting wood are not exactly full size truck friendly which is part of the reason I have the UTV over an ATV. The other reason for my idea about changing to a Ranger is that the Ranger's have a turf mode, the Rhino does not, and my mom and I both use the UTV for yard work, and I'd like to keep my lawn as a lawn not a huge mud hole due to the Rhino's lack of a selectable rear differential it really destroys the lawn quick when forced to make really tight turns when spraying, applying fertilizer, etc.

However, Polaris seems to have a horrible drive system compared to the constant tension CVT belts on the Rhino. Also have read somewhere that the transmission and engine in the rangers are actually separate unlike the rhino which is a one piece unit. I like the capacities of the rangers, and was actually starting to look at the ranger HD 800 due to having power steering and the air suspension system which would be great to maintain ground clearance especially on trails when loaded with firewood, which the rhino will bottom out in a lot of places when fully loaded.

Russ Chastain · 01-28-2012, 09:25 AM

If you are concerned about the drive system, I know you can get an older Ranger that has a proven system. I have a 2006 and my buddy's 2002 (both 500 4x4s) has pretty much the same drive system. His machine has more than 600 hours on it doing hard work and the biggest repair he's had to make has been to replace the brakes.

I think newer ones have a different system which looks a lot less durable.

wildbill23c · 01-28-2012, 09:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russ Chastain

If you are concerned about the drive system, I know you can get an older Ranger that has a proven system. I have a 2006 and my buddy's 2002 (both 500 4x4s) has pretty much the same drive system. His machine has more than 600 hours on it doing hard work and the biggest repair he's had to make has been to replace the brakes.

I think newer ones have a different system which looks a lot less durable.

Looking for something that's fuel injected for sure though. Hatted my yamaha grizzly 450 in winter, damn thing never wanted to run.

I mean I don't mind replacing a belt here and there but sounds like its a real common replacement every few hundred miles and if that's true that's pretty pathetic.

Russ Chastain · 01-29-2012, 12:18 AM

My buddy's 2002 was built in 2001 and has more than 600 hours on the original belt. The older ones don't have speedometers or odometers so no telling how many miles he has on it.

His and mine are both carb and they run well in winter - southeastern USA winters, anyhow. He's in middle Georgia and I use mine there also.

01-27-2012, 12:26 AM	#1
wildbill23c Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 71	Why are there so many Yamaha Rhino To Polaris Ranger Converts? I have noticed a ton of people on here who used to own Yamaha Rhino's and have moved over to the Polaris Ranger. What is everyone's reasons? I have a 2011 Yamaha Rhino 700 right now and love it, except for the lack of cargo capacity and towing capacity. What other things should I expect to be lacking or have issues with to give me a better reason to kick the rhino to the curb?

01-27-2012, 10:56 AM	#3
bigdiggerman Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: British Columbia Posts: 11	Why switch to Ranger My hunting partner just got a 2007 rhino 660 sport with a big bore kit and fancy exhaust system installed, and I just bought a 2012 Ranger 500 efi 4x4. After I had finished the 25 hour break in period we got together and rode for a day. At the end of the day I figured I would let him show me how badly his sport machine would thump my farm machine in a 1/4 mile drag. Boy, was he surprised when I thumped him but good. His bottom end acceleration took him in the lead for about 20 yards, but from then on he was done. My top end speed of 80 km/h beats his top end of 67 km/h. That was proof positive I made a wise purchase with the Ranger. And at $4000 less than the new rhinos, my new Ranger rocks.

01-27-2012, 09:48 PM	#5
Slacker Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Bakersfield, CA. Posts: 127	We had a Rhino before we moved and now have a Ranger Crew. Outside of the above sited reasons I can't see why you would change. The bucket seats are way better on a long day. The throttle pedal on the Ranger sucks, there's no engine brake, and Yamaha has a WAAAAAY better clutch that will not eat belts or have buttons to wear out. The Yamaha has a single cylinder engine so the power, and potential power, is a bit low by comparison. The Ranger does ride better and have more room but the Rhino is smaller overall and gets around far better, not to mention it fits easily in the back of a truck. Bottom line for me is if you like the Rhino I'd stick with it, it's a fine machine with a bomb proof reputation some great features, if you need bigger and heavier hauling the Ranger is an option. __________________ 2008 Ranger Crew 700 Limited Edition 10,000 miles and counting

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01-27-2012, 07:39 AM	#2
VictoryRider Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Upstate, NY Posts: 6	I think you hit on it with the cargo and towing capacity. I have driven but never owned the Rhino. It was a nice enough machine but I got the Ranger because I wanted the greater cargo capacity. Mine primarily gets used for firewood collection duties. I even built a rack for the bed so the wood can be stacked higher without falling out. The small bed on the Rhino would mean double trips for me to the woodlot.

01-27-2012, 11:20 AM	#4
Russ Chastain Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 850	Cargo capacity, towing capacity, bench seat instead of restrictive buckets - these are the reasons I chose Ranger over Rhino when I was shopping around and comparing specs. Never owned a Rhino, but I love my Ranger.

01-27-2012, 11:44 PM	#7
wildbill23c Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 71	My main decision about possibly changing, is the local place where I used to buy firewood closed down, so now I'm on my own for having to go up in the hills and cut and haul it myself. Yes, I have done this with my rhino, but I can tell you that its very limited on the amount you can haul due to the small bed, and the limited weight capacity. If I had a trailer I would have the same issue, so I'd much rather be able to pull a small trailer and haul some wood in the bed at the same time to make less trips to and from the truck. The trails in the area for cutting wood are not exactly full size truck friendly which is part of the reason I have the UTV over an ATV. The other reason for my idea about changing to a Ranger is that the Ranger's have a turf mode, the Rhino does not, and my mom and I both use the UTV for yard work, and I'd like to keep my lawn as a lawn not a huge mud hole due to the Rhino's lack of a selectable rear differential it really destroys the lawn quick when forced to make really tight turns when spraying, applying fertilizer, etc. However, Polaris seems to have a horrible drive system compared to the constant tension CVT belts on the Rhino. Also have read somewhere that the transmission and engine in the rangers are actually separate unlike the rhino which is a one piece unit. I like the capacities of the rangers, and was actually starting to look at the ranger HD 800 due to having power steering and the air suspension system which would be great to maintain ground clearance especially on trails when loaded with firewood, which the rhino will bottom out in a lot of places when fully loaded.

01-28-2012, 09:25 AM	#8
Russ Chastain Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 850	If you are concerned about the drive system, I know you can get an older Ranger that has a proven system. I have a 2006 and my buddy's 2002 (both 500 4x4s) has pretty much the same drive system. His machine has more than 600 hours on it doing hard work and the biggest repair he's had to make has been to replace the brakes. I think newer ones have a different system which looks a lot less durable.

01-29-2012, 12:18 AM	#10
Russ Chastain Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 850	My buddy's 2002 was built in 2001 and has more than 600 hours on the original belt. The older ones don't have speedometers or odometers so no telling how many miles he has on it. His and mine are both carb and they run well in winter - southeastern USA winters, anyhow. He's in middle Georgia and I use mine there also.