Thanks rangerider, no we haven't bought one yet, the kawasaki is still there, I never demo'd it, we had a bad fall and so many unexpected expenses I ran out of my funds set aside for this project, we did demo the kubota and it was by far the roughest riding unit out there, it actually shocked us as to just how much we were jarred around in it, to the point of what we do and how we operate it over chisel plowed ground, I'm not sure we could handle being tossed around like a rock in a tin can all day long, otherwise it was a nice well built unit.
I think the kubota was the best built utv we looked at, the polaris was the roomiest and best ride, also the fastest, not that we do much speed or thats a big plus, most of the time its sitting idling anyhow, the gator is the most sure footed, fairly good ride but cramped for us to sit in and carry anything in the cab and the kawaski, we never ran it anywhere but the dealership. I'm not sure how anyone could sit in the kubota running over chisel plowed frozen ground and or over frozen ruts in the field and have any part of their body not bruised and banged up beyond recognition, it was our only single complaint, even the dealer made comment it was the only downfall of the machine and largest complaint, if your on solid smooth ground I'd say its by far the best machine out there, if your on rougher ground, I"m not sure about one. I have had several kubota engines over the years in machines and think they are pretty bullet proof units, all the rest of the makers, I"m not so sure of, I"ve had several kawasaki gas engines and they were all junk in my opinion, we never could keep them running ever, but I'd never tried a diesel engine of thier make before.
We have even looked at a few of the willies jeeps as of lately, the older military version with the four banger in them, haven't done anything about it yet, just looking and wondering.