How slow you can go is sometimes more important than how fast you can go

Maine

Member
Sometimes the ability to go slow and creep along is what matters, not top speed. However when looking for information about UTVs on the internet it is easy to get the impression that top speed is the single most important spec.

We've had our RTV X1120 for a bit over a month and it's gone 23.7 miles during 12.0 hours of use for an average speed under 2 mph. We live on 11 acres on the side of a hill, with the majority of the land being former pasture which we mow once a year. The grass and other vegetation is thick and up to 5 feet tall this year which obscures bumps, rocks and holes and makes it difficult to tell where the edge of a bank is. There are some mowed paths but even those have bumps and low spots as well as the occasional step grade. So we go slow, ready to stop if we get too uncomfortable, though that rarely happens. On one of our first excursions through the fields I did mis-judge our location and started to drive off a three foot high boulder. But we were creeping along and I realized where we were, stopped and backed up.

Use of our RTV has included moving tools, hauling plant debris and rocks, carrying supplies when working our bees, general inspection of the fields and woods, going to get the mail, and taking friends for rides. The hydrostatic transmission in the X1120 is wonderful for crawling over difficult terrain and through high vegetation, and the dynamic braking is appreciated. We are almost always in Low range except for occasional trip on the drive in High when going to get the mail. So far we have not experienced any lack of power.

The hydrostatic transmission was one of the deciding factors for the X1120 over a Gator. The dynamic braking of the hydrostatic transmission works at any speed down to stopped. We have a tractor with a hydrostatic transmission so I'm used to easing off the the "go" pedal to avoid stopping abruptly rather than just lifing off and expecting the vehicle to coast as in a car or truck.

Overall we are very pleased with the X1120 and its ability to go as slow as we want. It's also fun to use.
 

ovrszd

Well-known member
Good report!!!! It takes awhile to fully grasp the utilitarian ability of the RTV. They are truly a workhorse.
 

Cardinalcreek

New member
Yea we put a water wheel planter behind ours to plant pumpkin seeds. 1mph is about all you can do with it and keep up with throwing seeds.
 

mkc1962

New member
These were built for Work, with a side option of comfort and pleasure. Like I told a recent coworker, if you want to wiz through the woods at high speed, don't bother with a Kubota. But, if you want something that will do all you can throw at it from a work perspective and last a lifetime if well maintained, you made the right choice. I've had Kubota diesels for near 30 years. Never one problem. Cant say the same for some other equipment i've owned.
 
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