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Is there ANYTHING sporty about the performance of a gas powered Gator HPX 4x4?

4K views 13 replies 8 participants last post by  jd.rasentrac 
#1 · (Edited)
Is there ANYTHING sporty about the performance of a 2005 gas powered Gator HPX 4x4?

I'm lookiing for either a quad or a SxS for hunting (trails) and use around the 30 acres with SOME play time for my 12/15 year old boys (dense woods, tight trails so top speed not really an overall concern)

Am I way off base thinking the estimated 25mph top speed would be "fun" or does it take forever to get there and mostly you're putzing around at tractor speed?
 

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#2 ·
Plenty fast enough



On 30 acres in dense woods 25 mph is going to be more than enough speed.

If your 30 acres was square, (unlikely I know) it would be about 1,140 on a side or almost 1/5 of a mile. Since you could theoretically go 25 miles per hour, it would only take about 30 seconds to go north to south in a straight line.

Mostly parcels aren't square and you probably don't want to go top speed on tight trails in dense woods so maybe it's 5 minutes. You can enjoy your property for five minutes instead of worrying about getting across it a minute faster.

If I was 15 again, faster was better but I've also seen too many reports of kids injured or killed because of speed on ATVs or SxS. They flip due to unexpected obstacles or hit mud and don't make a turn and meet a tree or fall out for whatever reason. Speed belongs on a track IMHO, that 25 mph would be more than fast enough for reasonable use. Now if you were in Alaska and needed to go 25 miles to get to your homestead, I might have another opinion but for your use it should be fine.

Treefarmer
 
#3 ·
That's what I'm thinking treefarmer. My trails are fairly tight and none of them are straight so I think that will limit the "speed" anyway, but I want it to at least FEEL fun to drive for them. It would also be a good slower "starter" off-road vehicle that they couldn't get into too much trouble with.

Most likely this is just my deer/feed/tools hauler, BUT I'm planning a trip to WV for hunting and it's all off-road trail driving (26,000 acres and this would be the vehicle to get me everywhere once on-site) Would this have the power/capability of getting me out there and back or would it get stuck fairly easy.

Looks like ground clearance is decent, it's 4wd.....I don't need to go fast but it's gotta be faster than walking AND it can carry a deer (so that's a plus)

700 hrs and asking price is $4K.
 
#4 ·
Seems ok but what do I know



I've never owned a SxS or an ATV so I don't really know much about price or capabilities but with 4wd and decent ground clearance, it will probably go anywhere a reasonable person would try to take it. I would put a winch on it if you are going to that trip in WVA. Lots of S x S owners on here and some of them probably can give you first hand experience.

I know that I've hit hidden groundhog holes on a tractor going 5-6 miles and hour and thought I was going to flip the tractor, bust an axle or pop a tire. Hitting one at 25 mph would be way more exciting than I need in my life.

Treefarmer
 
#5 ·
Missed it....went to drive it last night to see how it performs and apparently someone bought it Tues night.
 
#6 ·
Utility side by sides are more useful and less sporty. The 4 wheeler alternative will have more sport but be less useful.

In my inventory (for sale) right now is a Suzuki Kingquad 700. It is a great 4wd utility 4 wheeler with winch and racks but will still get after it for fun. But it is less useful than a gator for hauling and working.

I do believe the 15 year olds will get bore real quick with the sport side of a gator.
 
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#9 ·
And long term I intend to get a Polaris ACE or something similar for the boys to truly play with (or maybe some used, beat up 2wd 4-wheelers), but I'm trying to get functional transportation for my WV hunt while still getting the utility I need on the new property while not breaking the bank (in the finishing stages of building my "last" house.....so finances are a little tighter than normal)

I was a little slow on the trigger on this one I think and so I missed it. Also looking at Ranger 570 and the like.
 
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#7 ·
My 2 cents, had a Gator top speed 29 maybe on a good down hill. Fun yes, Grandkids loved it and would drive it all over the place . Wide open most of the time.

Fast forward to Honda Pioneer, top speed 47+ - .. .. Grandkids still run it wide open ,just not as much as before .

Biggest thing , going on trails in the woods top speed most of time ,at least around here, maybe 10mph.. Yea wide open speed is in open fields, one day our granddaughter all but put me thru the windshield. Going across a plowed field and she found the beginning ending of a plowed fielded . To this day I can still hear her laughing, , me to after I figured out me and Pioneer was OK .:laugh:

and Yes get a winch.. even you only use it 1 time a year.
 
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#10 ·
25 mph is more than enough unless you are on the road or have wide flat areas to ride on.
 
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#11 ·
The thing that scares me about Gators is the lack of a roll cage. We had a young man tragically killed in my neighborhood when he took a turn a little too fast, slid off the road and hit a tree stump. The Gator flipped landed on him. I know they are not fast but stuff happens and it doesn't take much speed to roll one. I know the newer JD SxS has a roll cage but just food for thought.

The dad in me is coming out more and more as I am thinking about safety and what possible things my son could/will do. :unknown:
 
#13 ·
Ended up finding a 2016 Polaris ACE 570 single seater with only 670 miles/70 hrs on it. It fits in my truck (easy to transport for my hunting trip) and provides more fun/protection for the boys. They put almost 40 miles on it in just a couple days on my 30 ac property. I think it's a hit. (Picked them up a helmet as well)

At some point in the future I'll get a more utility type vehicle but this will still help winch stuff out, carry chainsaws, bait, etc. Not as much utility, but WAYYYY more fun.
 

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