Howdy all,

We own a large parcel of forestland in the Berkshires and need a vehicle that will facilitate low-impact logging ... that is, fetching/skidding/forwarding saw logs that have fallen on grades too steep for heavy equipment. 

We have a fetching arch for this purpose that will either raise the log off of the ground completely or, conversely, allow one end to drag slightly -- depends on the terrain and the tree species -- so we're looking for a quad to pull the arch with.  I realize that a true utility type quad like the Mule would probably be better suited for our work purposes, but we would also like the UTV to serve for leisure as well.  We've never done any serious rock climbing or mudding with any type of ATV, but we do have a lot of established ATV trails on the property that are begging to be explored.

Other than research, we know very little about quads -- and even less about side-by-sides -- so we're trying to proceed cautiously into all of this.  Above our work/leisure needs, we need something that's reliable.  The machine will probably spend its entire life on our property (in the middle of nowhere) so we want something that doesn't require a lot of hauling to and from the dealer for maintenance and/or repairs.  I have worked on my own equipment since childhood, so I'm not afraid to work on any type of machinery -- I just try to avoid "exotic" machines that require dealer involvement and/or hard to acquire parts.

I really don't mean to pull anyone into a brand battle, but we're a bit torn between the Rhino and the RZR.  Polaris has published various specs indicating that it would work a bit better on the utility end, but I just don't know anything about this company.  On the other hand, we've owned various Yamahas in the past, so the idea of having a very old, established dealership network behind us does appeal to us.

At the end of the day, we need some objective advice for some of the UTV owners here.  As I already mentioned, my intention is not to knock one brand or the other -- we just want to make an informed decision.

Your thoughts and your time are greatly appreciated ...