Rhino 4x4??

[saltamontes]

went to Off Road Expo and these things were EVERYWHERE.
lots of aftermarket.

they seem capable off road due to their light weight.
limited by tire size however.

less of an "expedition vehicle" but maybe a great trailered out-and-back explorer type vehicle from base camp.

anyone have opinion on these things?

[articulate]

They are everywhere. And you can pimp them out to your pleasure. So that's pretty cool.

I'm only shooting from the hip here: Due to the "fun size" factor, I'm concerned that many users may take liberties with trail ethics - they'd be awfully fun to spin 'em around making donuts on top of vegetation and that sort of thing. I'd do it if I were too young to know better or care. Hell, I DID do it.

Dang, bro. I don't mean to stomp on your fun. They're sweet little machines for sure.

[jkam]

One from Kawasaki has a 3 cylinder diesel available, that would be a cool platform for a Baja explorer.
Plenty of torque and a payload of something like 800 lbs with 2 people.
It's transformable from 2 seat to 4 seat so once you get to your basecamp, you can unload and then have room for a group to go out and explore.
They are very pricey, once you get it and fix it up with all the requisite goodies, you'd spend as much or more than a street legal rig. I have a friend that wants to take some quads to Baja for a month or so and I thought one of these would make a great suppot vehicle.
http://www.kawasaki.com/Products/Detail.aspx?id=146

http://www.kawasaki.com/ImagesMain/Products/Action/146_KAF950C7F_40088_A.scale.jpg

http://www.kawasaki.com/ImagesMain/Products/Action/146_KAF950C7F_40088_D2.scale.jpg

[OutbacKamper]

I really wanted a Rhino when they first came out, but for half the price of a Rhino you can get a good used Samurai and modify it. The Sammi can go 90% of the places a Rhino can go but seats 4 and is (or at least can be) street legal. So as much as I like the Rhino I am saving for a samurai.

Cheers
Mark

[Scott Brady]

too much money for what you get IMHO.

Money would be better spent on a late model Wrangler.

[flyingwil]

too much money for what you get IMHO.
:iagree:

I am sad to say that I am prejudice against ATV's. The main reason is lack of education for most of the riders. Every commercial shows them doing things that are not trail friendly. The only company I have seen that helps promote good trail ethics is Bombardier on their 30 min infomercial on at 03:00 (yeah not too much to watch on TV that late at night).

But the manufactures contribute to the problem in their advertisements, and monkey see, monkey do, until they are educated otherwise.

[calamaridog]

The Rhino is very cool and the design is way ahead of all the other side by side ATV's for sure. They are insanely expensive for what you get, as pointed out by others.

And BTW, ATV's don't kill trails, people kill trails;)

[whistler110]

Summer patrol at Whistler mountain has a Rhino and it works great, the power to wieght ratio is good and it is much smaller then a sammi making it easier to access the back country with doing too much damage.

[calamaridog]

I really wanted a Rhino when they first came out, but for half the price of a Rhino you can get a good used Samurai and modify it. The Sammi can go 90% of the places a Rhino can go but seats 4 and is (or at least can be) street legal. So as much as I like the Rhino I am saving for a samurai.

Cheers
Mark

Mark,

The side by side ATV's are about as narrow as a regular ATV and can be used on ATV only trails which no Samurai can legally use. Of course your Samurai is street legal, but a built one will probably be trailered around anyways.

[OutbacKamper]

Mark,

The side by side ATV's are about as narrow as a regular ATV and can be used on ATV only trails which no Samurai can legally use. Of course your Samurai is street legal, but a built one will probably be trailered around anyways.


That is a good point, but I was not planning to travel on "ATV only" trails, just explore the rougher trails that my truck is too big to negotiate and for hunting. Where I live there are not really many "ATV only" trails, at least I am not aware of them. Also, eventually, I would like to tow the vehicle behind a larger expedition camper (I would really like a 4x4 Mitsubishi Fuso/Canter with a Unicat style pop-up hardside camper on the back) and having something that is as small as possible but street legal (rather than a Rhino that is not) would be a huge advantage.

Cheers
Mark

[Kermit]

You can make those things street legal in Arizona.

They are cool machines, sad that mostly boneheads own them. They can carry more beer than a regular ATV can, hence the bonehead ownership.

[rygo72]

Rode/drove my Rhino 1250 miles from Gonzaga Bay to points south in Dec last year. The thing was Perfect.

http://www.putfile.com/rygo72/images/68298

[PCRover]

You can make those things street legal in Arizona.

They are cool machines, sad that mostly boneheads own them. They can carry more beer than a regular ATV can, hence the bonehead ownership.

I own a Rhino and have never carried a beer in it. I know several Rhino owners and they are all sane normal folks that don't drink beer and do donuts.

I have seen many boneheads in TACO's drinking beer and raising hell where as I have not yet seen that kind of activity from a Rhino owner.

[ujoint]

I agree wih the cost issue, I have friends that have them. They're awesome little machines.But you give me a 12-15K budget, and I will build something allot more fun!!

[PCRover]

I agree wih the cost issue, I have friends that have them. They're awesome little machines.But you give me a 12-15K budget, and I will build something allot more fun!!

$15k is not necessary, you can get them for less than $8k out the door.

I see a major stereotype going on here. All Side-by-side owners are not beer drinking boneheads who just want to go fast and tear up the terrain. Some of us tread lightly and use them to enjoy the wilderness by getting a little closer to it then always being isolated by walls of steel and glass.

[ujoint]

yea, but stock is no fun, right?:D

[Scofco]

Rode/drove my Rhino 1250 miles from Gonzaga Bay to points south in Dec last year. The thing was Perfect.

http://www.putfile.com/rygo72/images/68298

Great photos and trip!
I just purchased one today and was looking for others opinions on them. You use yours exactly how I want to use mine.

[Martinjmpr]

Funny, I saw some kids driving one of these along a street near Roxborough Park this weekend while I was out on my motorcycle. Illegal as hell in this state but Roxborough is in the far edge of unincorporated Douglas County so they probably figured their chances of getting caught were pretty small.

I'm a bit conflicted about ATVs in general. When I went hunting this past November in NW CO you couldn't swing a dead cat without hitting 15 of these things, buzzing around all over the place. Had the same experience when I went 4-wheeling up in Summit County at Saints John and Radical Hill over Labor Day weekend. ATVs everywhere.

Yes, I know the argument is that 90% of the users are responsible, that there are irresponsible 4x4 drivers out there too, blah, blah, blah. All I can say is that I cringe whenever I see these things zipping in and out of traffic on forest service roads, driving off of established trails, etc, (and that happens a lot) because it's easy - very easy - for non-motorized trail users to lump ATV drivers, dirt bikers and 4x4 owners in one big category and we all suffer by the actions of the few.

Fair? Maybe not, but that's the world we live in.

[The Adam Blaster]

In Alberta the 4x4 truck/Jeep/etc. crowd is apparently viewed as much worse than the ATV crowd.
Access is being closed to fullsized, yet being left open for the quads.

Last year there was a few newspaper/magazine/e-zine articles how a few 4x4 clubs had cleaned up a large area after a holiday weekend. That publicity was followed up with some cameras that went out in the area and filmed vehicles and stated that the "big 4x4 trucks" were damaging the land etc.
It was pretty brutal, and they almost immediately closed down the area to full-sizes, yet the partiers that destroy the area with garabage left behind, random fires etc. are still allowed to go in there, but we aren't allowed to go in there and clean up... :shaking head:

[Scofco]

http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k200/Scofco/IMG_8526.jpg

I have done 150 miles in this past week on mine, I have also been using the bed to pick up garbage, mostly beer cans from snowmobilers. It's not a big problem here, but it's better to clean it up before it becomes an issue.

I can use the 4Runner to tow it as far as is comfortable, then drive the Rhino the rest of the way in. I think it's fantastic, even with the price tag.

[jayshapiro]

One from Kawasaki has a 3 cylinder diesel available, that would be a cool platform for a Baja explorer.
Plenty of torque and a payload of something like 800 lbs with 2 people.
It's transformable from 2 seat to 4 seat so once you get to your basecamp, you can unload and then have room for a group to go out and explore.

http://www.kawasaki.com/Products/Detail.aspx?id=146


Does anyone know if the Diesel versions of the 4 passenger Kawasaki Mule ones have the same ULSD issues as the 'mainstream' 2008+ diesel emissions trucks?

I have to admit I'm tempted to get a 4pax 4x4 diesel as a run-around vehicle allowing us to leave the main expedition truck set-up at the 'campsite' for those quick 'runs into town' and exploring all the small places that you couldn't take an F-650.

Of course, the bigger issue is "where?" at 1600lbs it might be a bit much to hang off the back of the truck. Not really keen on towing a trailer for 2 yrs though.

So far, we've been leaning towards a small dirt bike, with a removable aluminum sidecar. (2 adults, 2 kids) - but these Mules, are an interesting option...

Jay.

[IronSmiles]

I've seen and driven the Rhino's and they are pretty cool IMO.. and in theory seem like a pretty good exploration tool from a "base camp" setting. But for some reason to me it seems like the only way that would really be worth it is if your main ExPo vehicle is something that can't really explore.. like if you are using a RV or truck style camper that is not very nimble or capable.

I do really like the dirtbike idea, because then you could keep everything seperate, yet together.. For instance if you had your main vehicle as like a Jeep/toyota/mog hooked up to an offroad adventure type trailer to match with all goodies, and then had a mount on there somewhere for a dirt bike to seperate on short exploring trips?

That to me would be a near perfect set up next to having something just rediculously wicked like this ~~> http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=11614

But as far as a Rhino being an ExPo vehicle by itself? I just can't see it. :smiley_drive:

[DAJA]

ATV's and Rhino's could make great EV. Look at what this couple from Quebec did with two ATV's and a home made custom built trailer. Traveled from British Columbia straight threw the US, into Mexico and through Baja and back over a one year period. You can follow their entire trip here: (click english and "lets go" to view their detailed trip report with great photo's)
http://quadtrek.net

[R_Lefebvre]

I strongly considered the SxS thing before I got my truck. I ride dirt bikes, but I want to be able to bring my wife and kid along now. I thought a Rhino with a seat in the back and extended cage would be just the ticket. But then a few problems popped up:

1) It's not street legal like my dual sport is. That limits use somewhat.

2) Would need a trailer to carry it around, it won't fit in my existing 4x8 trailer, and if I get a 5x10 with that machine on it... it starts to get to be a lot to pull behind a Focus.

3) They are not allowed on most ATV trails here. The quad clubs won't allow them. Also being non-street legal, use is really limited!

4) They're expensive. In Canada they are $14-16k for a Rhino, and I got my 2004 Discovery for $19k, it's street legal, warm and almost dry, and can carry a lot more, tow my track car if I ever get to that point, etc.

[T.Low]

We're finally getting married. Our best friend is going to perform the ceremony, which will be held on a 20x20 deck, that sits at the end of a relatively short, up hill trail . The deck sits above the bank of a creek, in the forest, next to a lake, in northwest Washington. The creek flows from a 50ft waterfall about 50ft away, right by the deck, and into the lake.

My buddy sells/rents light equipment. He will be shuttling our Grandparents up the trail in one of his rental 4x4, 4 seat Rhinos, outfitted with wedding gear.:smiley_drive: