Quiet UTV / Side by side?

[Pelagic]

A main hesitation I've had in picking up a UTV / SxS is how loud they are. Seems like you'd always be running the risk of blowing any animal out of whatever area you took the things into. But this Textron UTV seems to be seriously quiet. Wondering if anybody out there has experience with these. My worry would be since it's not a major ATV/UTV brand like Polaris or Honda that these may not be as reliable or hardy on the trail. Although they are connected to Arctic cat, so perhaps there is some reliability from an experienced manufacturer here.

 

[HuntHarder]

Hmmm. In my research, the stampede is one of the louder UTV's. I went with a pioneer 1000 and it is one of the quietest tested in most tests.

 

[Riplip]

I don't have any experience with the Textron but have ridden in a friends electric Polaris, which was incredibly silent and capable. Obviously the draw back is having to charge the battery vs. using gasoline. They work great If you are in a scenario where the vehicle can be charged at night or you aren't using it for extended periods of time.

 

[Pelagic]

I went with a pioneer 1000 and it is one of the quietest tested in most tests.

I was considering the Pioneer as well for the same reason. Seemed to be what I would say is the least loud of the bunch, not necessarily quiet to the point of game not hearing you, though.

And yes, the electric would be the quietest of the bunch but has drawbacks as you mentioned, Riplip. This Textron at first look seems to have the best of both worlds for hunters - quiet to the point of game not hearing you (almost seemingly to the level of an electric), but still giving you the range and reliability of gas.

I would strongly consider going that route if I knew more about their dependability. Couldn't see too much on them in ATV forums but I haven't looked too hard yet.

 

[rodney482]

I have a ranger for work and lifted electric cart for hunting

 

[TravKatQ]

I picked up a Honda pioneer this year for that reason, they are the quietest in their class and have the honda reliability!


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[shootbrownelk]

Does anyone make an aftermarket muffler that actually works? I've seen some You Tube tests and there wasn't much of a difference after they were installed. A fella could probably make one that would work, the only fear would be creating engine destroying heat from too much backpressure.

 

[Blockcaver]

I installed a Kolpin Stealth second muffler on my 2012 Polaris RZR 800 about a month after I bought it. I removed the spark arrester, then installed a short section of pipe belween the factory mufffler and the Kolpin, reinstalled the spark arrestor in the Kolpin (perfect fit), then attached the Kolpin with the provided clamps to the rear bumper guard. Using an iPhone decibel meter, at 3,000 rpms in high gear, it cut 7 decibels off the noise level. Forget the starting and ending data, but it is a huge difference. Pulled it off last year when doing some maintenance (painted the Kolpin as it was getting rusty) and yup, the Kolpin still works very well as the stock machine is very loud, and the Kolpin muffled machine allows you to talk with a passenger. Just an option to quiet down another brand.

 

[CDK]

I’ve had a Textron prowler pro for about 5 months. I’ve got a lot of hard miles on it ice fishing and plowing snow on my half mile long drive way. On one of my ice fishing trips many of the Polaris machines didn’t start, got to -30. The Textron popped right off. They are very quiet unless you really are hammering it. They are a slow torquie machine but is great for what I use it for (In train gundogs and have a hunting preserve).
They are going back to Arctic cat branding this year. Same machine.


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[Pelagic]

I’ve had a Textron prowler pro for about 5 months. I’ve got a lot of hard miles on it ice fishing and plowing snow on my half mile long drive way. On one of my ice fishing trips many of the Polaris machines didn’t start, got to -30. The Textron popped right off. They are very quiet unless you really are hammering it. They are a slow torquie machine but is great for what I use it for (In train gundogs and have a hunting preserve).
They are going back to Arctic cat branding this year. Same machine.

Great to hear from someone who has been using one, CDK. I'd also be using it to plow snow, and pull a lawn mowing attachment. One other thing I noticed on these Prowlers is they've got lower ground clearance than some of the other UTvs out there - 10.75" vs 12.7" for the Pioneer. Since my use would me more for forest and backcountry roads, anybody know if this would be a potential issue? I'm sure I could lift it an inch or 2 but don't want to mess with it too much, or void any warranty.

Thanks for the info on that Kolpin 2nd muffler, Blockcaver. Something like that would definitely be needed if I go with the Pioneer or similar.

Also, I spec'd out the Prowler and for similar options, it came in about $5k cheaper than the Pioneer.

 

[CDK]

Thing is a beast pushing snow. I can’t believe how much it pushes.
As for ground clearance, I was a little worried about that in the beginning but so far hasn’t been an issue.


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[Pelagic]

Was just in at the local bass Pro yesterday and saw that they are in the process of marking down the Textron branded UTVs and ATVs they have because BassPro and Textron have worked out a deal that will allow BassPro to brand the Textron vehicles under their Tracker line. I saw the spec sheet and everything looks the same as under Textron. Pricing looked lower too.

I still have to check out a Pioneer, but if I don't decide to go that route, a "Tracker Offroad" might be the ticket for me.

The salespeople there told me that the Textron ATVs are just as loud as others, whereas the Prowler Pro UTV is noticeably quieter than competitors. Is this right? Did Textron not make an equally quiet ATV?

 

[MinixJT]

I love my pioneer. Compared to Rangers that all my family have its very quite for a big UTV

 

[Pelagic]

Here’s an in depth video on the new Tracker off roads if anybody is interested. Very same as the Textron Prowler Pro. They seem well made and I’m still strongly considering it -

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[Beendare]

My buddy has one of the Pioneers on his ranch and the passenger seat gets hot. There is some serious hot air coming up between the seats blowing on the passenger...not good on 100deg days.

 

[deerlick]

I have a rhino and it is very quiet outside a little noisy on the inside of the cab enclosure i have but very tolerable. My buddy bought a new pioneer last year and it was quiet but rode like a 3/4ton truck. Rhino rides like a caddy

 

[Sled]

A main hesitation I've had in picking up a UTV / SxS is how loud they are. Seems like you'd always be running the risk of blowing any animal out of whatever area you took the things into.

most animals hold tight when vehicles come by if they aren't close (>50yd). that is unless you're way back in the wilderness and they've never heard one. if that's the case then you might have an fine coming your way.

 

[bowieknife50]

For what it's worth if you're driving on gravel roads with it I wouldn't worry about being quiet. You can still hear the tires from an electric one crunching on the rocks from about as far away as you can hear the mirror on a normal one.


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[MallardSX2]

I have a pioneer 500. I wouldnt call it quiet by any stretch of the imagination. But its a great machine.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Between me and my two hunting buddies we have a Kawasaki mule (quiet), a Kubota (medium) and a razor (loudest). Running trails on a big chunk of private land I have driven / ridden past deer in each of them back east in NY /PA and they have just looked blankly at us. A caretaker cruises around 2-3x a week on an ATV also and they don’t seem to mind. I think they are habituated to them and don’t view them as any more of a threat than a car. I have seen them crouch a bit but they usually don’t blow out.

My buddy got a nice buck last year heading in from a stand sit. He rolled past it. Hit the breaks. Jumped out and got a quick shot off.

Not saying this applies to all circumstances but in our neck of the woods the deer don’t seem to blow out from UTVs or ATVs regardless of noise level.