At Home on the ... Ranger
by James Milnes.
Date: 26 November 2014
Having ridden a Polaris Sportsman quad in the USA back in 1995, getting into the Ranger was like being re-acquainted with a pair of comfy slippers. Within minutes of being on-board I was at ease with the controls, their layout and function.
For someone like myself who is a casual user and spends more time photographing these types of machine rather than using one, it is so easy to use which is a major selling point over other similar types of UTV.
The model on test was the Polaris Ranger Diesel 900, with a new Diesel 1000 model recently launched since this version was tested. Don’t be dissuaded by the 900 as this machine has got the power where and when required from its punchy engine.
Viable Option
On road speed is very good giving versatility between on and off-road movements when required. The simple rocker switch takes it from 4-wheel drive when off-road to 2-wheel drive for the tarmac sections to make it more efficient in driving the tyres and keeping the forward rolling momentum. Off-road speed is controlled and therefore limited to approx. 20mph with the 4-wheel drive engaged which makes it a viable option over a quad for farmers and contractors alike who want a slug pelleting vehicle.
I spoke with a local contractor who said that with a vehicle like this he could have not 1 but 2 de-mountable pelleters and have enough payload space and capacity to carry refills to allow him to cover a greater area in pellet spread whilst not having to return to “base” as often. I also spoke with an agronomist who said that they would consider a vehicle such as this for their workload.
For its size, the Ranger is a nimble character with a good compact turning circle and changes of direction are not a chore. We tested the vehicle across a range of surfaces including field margins, farm tracks, bumpy fen roads, stubble fields and woodland rides to give an informed opinion on its performance.
In the past I have seen UTV’s suffer from “Throttle Bounce” when on un-even ground, not so here – it gave a smooth response with no jerky movements. It offers good all-day comfort with its 3-seater bench seat arrangement which puts it ahead of the specific 2-seater offerings on the market. I was able to take myself and my 2 children in complete safety both on and off-road because of the extra seating and the seatbelts. This for me was a major plus point and would be for me a criteria that I would look for.
Accessibility is good as the steering column moves up to give greater access by the use of a simple switch on the column itself. I opted to test the version without a cab to get a real feel for it, visibility without the cab is very good but this is not compromised with a cab which can be specified along with other extras through your dealer.
The Ranger has appeal to many different roles from Farmers, Contractors, Equestrians, Foresters and Gamekeepers alike with an ever expanding range of accessories available from both the manufacturer and specialist companies such as Martin Lishman with its sprayer systems.
All this change is possible due to the series of holes around the payload area known as the Lock & Ride system which means that you can lock and un-lock the accessories you require for your day ahead very simply.
Key Features
1 Ton towing capacity
On-demand true AWD
Lock & Ride cargo system
Independent Rear Suspension
Certified Roll-Over Protective Structure (ROPS)
In order to keep your Ranger legal if it doesn’t come with the required lights and number plates etc for road use, Bendabit offer conversion kits for this vehicle.
NFU members have a discount scheme available to them for the Ranger, speak to your local dealer for more information ( burdensgroup.com ) AND the New Ranger Diesel 1000 is available NOW!!
