Hill Climbing with RTV900
Interesting thread. Only a few things to add that might be helpful/interesting.
Before buying my 2008 RTV900 I had a 2007 Arctic Cat Prowler. There is no question but that the Prowler was the 'fun' machine of the two. It was lighter, had more ground clearance, and would go near 60mph stock. And I did have some fun. I went through mud and across some streams that I would not attempt with the RTV. Not that the RTV would not make it--it might. But getting the 'bota unstuck would be a much more challenging enterprise in the contexts where I was playing ('playing' being the operative word here).
However, when it came to work, the Prowler was not up the task. My main frustration was with the CV belt transmission. Trying to plow my 2kms of driveway did a job on the belts and I was always worried about what I was going to break, even being careful. Long story cut short, I cut my losses, selling the Prowler and buying the RTV. I have not looked back.
With respect to hill climbing, all I can say is that last autumn when moose hunting I climbed grades with the RTV that I could (literally) barely walk up, following some old cat trails from mining exploration. My friend with his Kawasaki Mule could not make it up the same hills. He needed to depend on speed and high rpms which left him spinning tires and etc. The RTV in low just torqued her way up--tires slipping a bit every now and again, but even able to start again from a dead stop mid-grade. Moreover, the hydrostatic drive was a god-send both ascending and descending, not needing to depend upon heavy braking.
It was not muddy, so traction was as good as it could be. I could imagine hill climbing in mud in which the Mule, with a running start (or the Prowler or a Ranger or a Rhino) would leave my RTV spinning tires uselessly.
I have no idea what difference turbo-charging would make, but cannot imagine speed alone turning an RTV from a slow and steady work horse to the kind of fun machine being thought about. Even if my RTV could hit 60mph in 6 seconds, I still would not be taking it in the mud and water that I unhesitatingly would take the Prowler. My 2 cents...