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The BAT RSX.............

52K views 96 replies 17 participants last post by  Bwd_1995 
#1 ·
Well ladies and gents........I am finally getting around to adding some goodies from a vendor on here and another out there. Figured I would give the love over to the RSX instead of the RZR. Also I am using the RSX as a test platform.

Trying out some Tribal Whip Light Bars. I really like Rigid, but I don't have that kind of cash to throw towards them. Might eventually get some more for the RZR if I like how they work and last thru the abuse I put them thru.

Here is some mach up pics.



Tear down is real easy. I put all fasteners back where they came from so I knew where they went. A magnetic parts bowl helps. I am gonna do some special washing while the panels are off.



Figured I would install my winch from my old Sportsman 850XP. Warn XT30 with a new synthetic rope.


Gonna have some sweet switches when they get some more instock.


Got a surprise for right here.
 
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#2 ·
Got some sweet UTV, Inc. switches on the way!!!!!!!

STAY TUNED!!!!!!
 
#5 ·
Well I was going to finish it up this weekend, but a package of goodies has not shown up. I do have the rear surprise on there. I guess I could let that cat out of the bag for yalls viewing pleasure.
 
#7 ·
I am going to work on it today. I will get pics up and post up!!!!!
 
#8 · (Edited)
Well here is a what I have got done last weekend and this weekend. Waiting on parts to finish things up.

Here is the surprise for the rear!






Running lights



Brake Lights......these things might just blind ppl behind me, LOL!!!!!!!!!!!




Brake Lights and Running Lights





Got all my wiring hooked up, left my fuses out for my lights until I have my switches in place. Got my wireless hooked up for my winch and tied all the excess wire up and made sure nothing interfered with anything.







Getting the front end buttoned up. Cant put the bumper on, waiting on the fairlead. Need it to see if I am going to have to cut the filler plate any or just take it off.





After I get all the light bars on, I will take some pics of the light in the dark and maybe some vids. All these pics are taken with a iPhone.
 
#11 ·
Welcome to the forum Timmi!!!!!!

The light bar is made by Tribal Whips. Mr. Russell is a very nice guy and we talked about what I was looking for and he hooked me up. I am using the stock plug and made some connectors to slide into the plug. I am using the ground, brake, and marker/running light off of the plug.

The RSX is a new model and John Deere does not just make farm machines anymore, they are trying to get into this recreational riding sector pretty hot and heavy.

Thanks ff1221!!!!!!!! Just wait and see whats up when my box of goodies shows up.
 
#12 ·
Thanks for the welcome, Batman!

I found your post through a google search, believe it or not. Google knows as much about us as our gov't!

So you had that custom made? Very nice! I have looked at similar items made for trucks. Most of them are the square metal housing type.

Yes, I would say the RSX is quite different from any Gator I have seen! So, do you trail ride with it? I ride the Hatfield trails mostly. I have a rzr 570 and a Grizzly 700.
 
#13 ·
Tribal Whips sells the tail light bars, but you can change them up. The only stuff that was really custom was some things I will install and post up this weekend or first of next week.

I am surprised this is on google, I would say that is good for the forum!!!!!!!!

I have mainly used it for work and riding in the lake bottom. Gonna take it on its first trail ride in the Wolf Pen Gap and Fourche Mountain areas of western Arkansas next week actually. I will be reporting back on here about how she does.

I wanna try out Hatfield & McCoy Trail Systems so bad!!!!!!!!!
 
#14 ·
Thank you for the information! I see from your sig that you also have a rzr. You use the Gator mostly for work you say. So is it a sporty version of a previous Gator? Is it gas or diesel? I like the looks of it overall, but obviously I know nothing about it! :)

If you ever make it over to H/M, let me know, maybe we can meet up!
 
#15 ·
The Gator RSX 850i is the only UTV out there that is a true Sport UTV. For example, they said the commander was a Sport UTV when it came out, come to find out it was not. This Gator might look like a work machine and is very capable of working, but it can play and hang with the smaller rzrs.

It is gas. Ask questions, that's what we are here for. Also, look around and post up!!!!!

If I ever make it over there I sure will hit you up!!!!! Always like to ride with someone I know and someone that knows the area.

Oh..................well I get my package with my remainder of goodies to finish this project up, even thou I will be doing more later, and some SOB has taken the goodies and left the package. Thank god for awesome vendors like UTV, Inc. New stuff on the way shipped UPS instead of USPS.
 
#16 ·
Someone stole from a package after it was delivered to you?
Hey, thanks for the reply. There is a local JD dealer, I will go by and check one out.
So what drive train does it have? Do you have pics or vids anywhere available?
I could use something more utility at times when I am hunting for example. I have been looking at the Ranger.

By all means, let me know if you are coming to H/M. I ride Pocahontas, Indian Ridge, and Pinnacle Creek mostly.
 
#17 ·
I don't know if it was done before or after delivery, but it really screwed up my day.

It has a Piaggo motor and a CVT Transmission. It has plenty of low end torque, top speed of 56 mph (not the best top speed). Fox shocks on the trail and Fox Piggy back shocks on the Sport. I have a lot of pics, LOL!!!!!! I don't have any vids yet. Wardog has several vids.

Here is a thread with my money pits, LOL!!!!
http://www.gatorforums.net/forum/gator-videos-pictures/478-money-pits.html

Here is a thread with several pics.
http://www.gatorforums.net/forum/gator-rsx850i/304-gator-rsx-850i-photos.html

I need to just post a thread just to run pics in.

Go on YouTube and type in John Deere RSX, there is a lot of videos. Also check out some of WarDog's threads on here, he has some good vids.
 
#18 ·
Thank you for the links! One of the youtube links was of some one riding an RSX on the same trails I ride! Unfortunately, there was a music track, so I could not hear the gator.
The engine is a v twin from an Italian motorbike with a cvt. That is interesting. I assume the cvt is from the piaggo, also?
My concern is reliability, repairs, and parts.

The rear drive is also very unique. It is offset and there are spindles for the hubs.
The a arms are cast not tubular. The brake rotors seem small.
I would like to drive one.
 
#19 ·
So far so good on reliability, parts is easy and fast to get, and repairs are no problem if need be. John Deere has always been reliable and a lot times when you order parts early enough in a day, they are here the next day with no over night charge to you.

The motor is Piaggo, I don't know who the CVT is by. I know everything is built to John Deere spec.

Brakes are adequate. I have not had a problem yet. Have had a little problem with the parking brake, but that was a simple adjustment. The rear axles were weird to me at first also, but there was a lot of Can Ams back in the day with the same offset setup. The axles are set up just like most ATV/UTVs.

The only thing I wished it has was tilt steering and power steering. (Which I will add later)

No problem on the links, glad I could help.
 
#21 ·
Your welcome. If you have any more questions, please ask away.

Decisions....aren't they nice, LOL!!!!!!!!!! I prefer the gator rsx over a Teryx. Now I like a Polaris Ranger, so that would make a hard decision for me.

If John Deere comes out with a SXS that will hang with the RZR 900 or 1000, I will have one and the RZR might go up for sale.
 
#22 ·
Thanks, I have learned a lot already. JD does have a reputation for quality, that's for sure, and there's a dealer 4 miles from my house.
The teryx also has fox shox, plus ebs, p/s, and a 3 year warranty.

I'm going to take my time before deciding. I would like one machine to trail ride and work with, that's hard to do.
 
#23 ·
I would say the gator is more than capable to meet those needs. After the 27th of this month, I will have a trail riding report about the RSX.

Me and a few others will be riding the Wolf Pen Gap, Fourche Mountain, and surrounding areas of Western Arkansas from October 23 to October 27.
 
#25 ·
We were in Northern Ontario again a few weeks ago trail riding. We got into some tight trails (apparently the hiking trails have been taken over by ATVs), at one point it got down to a single track and we had to turn around. The one thing I really like abut the RSX over the RZR800 is the weight and how solid it is, it's like a tank because if the trail gets tight you can run over some pretty big stuff with the RSX, and the bottom end torque just shoves it through, I took down some decent sized trees to get back out.
 
#26 ·
I went to the local JD dealer yesterday and looked at one. He only had one, a camo model, and it had been ordered for someone so I couldn't drive it. Overall fit and finish is good and it really is built like a tractor! Solid a arms and sway bars, not tubular.
It's smaller than I thought it would be. The adjustable seats are nice and instrumentation is good. I don't like the gas pedal design and function, it's at an odd angle for me. The shifter would take some getting used to also, it's low and back father than I like. The airbox is lower than I would like, but it would be easy to snorkel. The rear drive is very strange the way it's offset, the left axle is way shorter than the right. I don't see how a lift would work and to ride where I do it would have to sit higher.
It was higher priced than I was expecting also, at $15,500. Overall, it looks like a very nice machine.
 
#27 ·
The SuperATV lift works. I am going to build a a arm replacement lift once I get all the stuff I need to do it. Snorkeling is easy on the gator.
 
#28 ·
I have the Super ATV Lift...it works good it added 2 inches for ground clearance which puts me at 12.5 inches...I,m also getting ready to add some 29 inch tires that should put around or close to 14 to 15 inches of ground clearance. I'm very happy with mine.
 
#30 ·
I am running 29.5s Outlaw 2s at home on stock wheels with stock suspension. I really don't want to crank on my rear shocks, but I am going to try it. I am also a little worried like you are Timmi about the ride.

Does cranking the shocks make it ride harsh Mountaineer_RSX850I?
 
#31 ·
Its not as bad as u think...I thing you have to remember is the rear or the RSX is a little soft anyway...I can tell u that I no longer get the nose dive when I go over a jump...
 
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