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Last Updated on September 4, 2024 by Paul Clayton
Utility Terrain Vehicles, abbreviated as UTVs, interchangeably known as side-by-sides, are four-wheel drive off-road vehicles.
There’s an interesting fact behind the other name ‘side-by-side.’ You always sit side-by-side with someone in these heavy yet dainty off-road monsters, hence the name.
UTVs have been a favorite for people who love their off-road trips for hunting adventures, cliffy trails or need to haul farming equipment. The word utility in the name serves its purpose entirely for people who run hard errands in stricter road conditions.
UTVs come in many shapes, sizes, engine power, and colors, of course. However, our focus here is on the big beds some UTVs offer. Before moving forward to the big bed UTVs, let’s first see how many types of UTV beds these vehicles offer.
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Types of UTV Beds
Recreational UTVs and those which are used for running errands can have different bed sizes. For recreational UTVs, a bed load of 300 lbs is a standard limit. On the other hand, the workhorses can offer a load capacity of 600 lbs to 2000 lbs. The most common bed sizes include:
- Regular Beds- Regular UTV beds come with added features such as extenders to increase the height of the bed.
- Flat Beds- Many UTVs have an option to either remove the side rails or lower them down to increase the bed capacity. Such beds without side rails are called flatbeds. People use them to carry large loads that regular beds cannot hold.
- Extended Beds- Many UTV manufacturers offer bed extenders. You can buy the extenders while buying your UTV or get custom-made extenders according to your needs.
- Dump Beds- Dump beds can be vertically moved, and they make the unloading process more manageable. Dump beds are especially practical for loading and unloading rocks and gravel on construction sites.
Why Do Big UTV Beds Matter?
They Help Load More Supplies
If you’re a farmer who wants to load the haystack to provide fodder for your farm animals, a UTV with a big bed is your best bet. Not only farmers, anyone who needs to transport heavy materials can take advantage of a big bed UTV.
Farmers Can Transport Young Animals in Them
With special side rails, you can carry your young livestock back to the farm. The farm life poses the challenge of gathering all the livestock and taking them back to the field from the grazing grounds.
Although a big bed UTV may be insufficient for adult animals, they are useful for transporting young animals.
Ease Up Carrying Firewood
Carrying firewood to your ranch becomes a tedious task when harsh weather strikes. Not only do the road conditions become worse, but the demand for firewood also increases. Loading and unloading firewood at short intervals can take up your precious time off-field.
A large bed UTV can assist you to carry larger loads of firewood towards your ranch—the benefit? Low transportation cost due to fewer rounds.
Leverage Transporting the Recent Hunts
If you’re a hunter, a big bed UTV can ease up your hunting adventures. You can hunt more and carry your catch on the rear side of your side-by-side easily.
With a big bed UTV, you can go back home loaded after your trips to the jungle.
10 Big Bed UTVs to Consider for Great Hauling Experience
Polaris Ranger XP 900
With a bed capacity of 1000 lbs and a towing capacity of 2000 lbs, Polaris Ranger XP 900 is one of the best UTV options available in the market. The side-by-side is suitable for farming expeditions, with an engine that doesn’t roar with its sound, but with its performance.
The load capacity does not reduce the vehicle’s power by even a zilch on terrains that are considered challenging otherwise. Besides the extraordinary load capacity, the UTV’s 12-inch ground clearing makes the vehicle bug off the debris on off-roading routes.
Not only a huge bed capacity, but the UTV also provides sections in the bed to carry different materials at once during your long hauls.
Kawasaki Mule Pro- FXT
Kawasaki Mule Pro-FXT is a UTV that you can ask the company to modify according to the utility. The cab can either have three persons’ side-by-side sitting capacity where the bed capacity can hold up to 1000 lbs of material.
The other way to use this exceptional vehicle is to set it up with six persons sitting side-by-side in two rows.
Either way, the UTV remains a powerful option to complete the long hauls. With a towing capacity of 2000 lbs, you can even tow your trucks in case of fuel shortage.
The bed capacity allows farmers to transport the fodder and the firewood with a suspension system that gives a comfortable ride to the three people sitting side by side (six if you don’t need the big bed).
Intimidator GC1K Crew
A 1000 lb bed capacity, paired with a towing capacity of a whopping 2500 lbs, makes Intimidator GCK1 Crew a winner in its league. Intimidator specially designed it to run on challenging mountainous terrains. This off-roading beauty works seamlessly in tight treads where other UTVs may fail.
Intimidator Crew’s voluminous bed allows tilting and off-loading heavy loads quickly. Besides that, it offers a flatbed option by lowering down the side rails and the tailgate.
The only problem with such heavy vehicles arises with the noise they create, but who cares when you have two more travel partners to talk to. Your tough hilly sprees would be too boring if you would be driving alone.
The best part of this mighty vehicle is the electric bed latch, which means no effort to tilt or off-load material.
Cushman Hauler 4×4
Specially designed for your trips to a golf course, Cushman Hauler 4×4 offers a bed capacity of 800 lbs. Moreover, this fine UTV can tow up to 2500 lbs with its all-terrain tires that make it easy to navigate across muddy and grassy areas.
Extra under-seat storage space and the huge bed size make Cushman Hauler the perfect match for people working on construction sites.
A 4WD selection on this tough UTV ensures smooth maneuverability even when the vehicle is loaded to its full capacity. Besides the accommodation, the company offers customization options such as a brushed or black aluminum cargo bed for anyone who wants to off-road with heavy loads.
Kioti Mechron 2200
Kioti Mechron 2200 is another big bed UTV in the market. If you’re looking for a UTV investment, you can give this one a chance. Although you may be concerned about the vehicle’s Chinese origin, the specifications it offers nullify the apprehensions.
The over 1000 lbs cargo bed that you can further convert to a flatbed provides promising support for on-loading your voluminous farm supplies.
Kioti specifically designed the vehicle for farmers and ranch owners who need to haul massive loads between the fields. However, if you’re looking for something outrageous on the speedometer, Mechron is not the perfect choice.
Although the UTV doesn’t serve the purpose of racing, the selectable 2/4WD makes it a suitable choice for the farmers who love steady rides. They can easily transport their crops on the UTV instead of going for adventures on their vehicles.
Honda Pioneer 700
Having a cargo bed capacity of 1000 lbs, Honda Pioneer 700 is a compact-looking UTV. The vehicle is best-suited for farmers who need to haul large loads of supplies, especially firewood. The UTV is a four-seater side-by-side that offers comfortable legroom for the rear seat passengers.
The rugged tires give a chance to the rider to smoothly tread through holes and pits without hindrance. Along with the tires, Pioneer 700 offers a 10.7 inches ground clearing capacity that can help it ride flawlessly even with the weight in steep areas.
Even with the 1000 lb load capacity, the UTV offers bed extensions to convert the bed into a flatbed and load more supplies. Besides the impressive cargo bed capacity, the 1500 lb towing capacity is another plus of this versatile vehicle.
Hisun Sector 1000 EPS
Hisun Sector 1000 EPS is another UTV with a cargo bed capacity of 1000 lbs and a towing capacity of 2000 lbs. The UTV is a four-seater that offers selectable 2/4WD with an ability to lock front and rear differentials.
Although the vehicle is not the best pick for rugged terrains due to the limited ground clearing capacity, the passenger seats and cargo bed capacity makes it a suitable choice for regular farm work.
Just like the Intimidator Crew, Hisun Sector also gives the tilting cargo bed option that makes off-loading much easier for the riders. However, the only problem with the vehicle is controlling its speed on tighter terrains. The riders can experience a jerky mid-ride speed control that can be off-putting if you’re traveling with huge loads.
Can-am 2020 Defender Limited Edition
One of the most advanced on the list is the Can-am Defender series vehicle with high-tech features.
The vehicle combined the comfort of loading the rear cargo truck with huge loads. Can-am Defender has a 1200 lb cargo bed capacity, 2500 lb towing capacity, and an exciting climate control feature that protects the riders against heat and cold.
The Defender is definitely not the rudimentary UTV Can-am designed to serve the purpose of hauling only. Still, it provides comfort to the riders with a fully enclosed cab with an automatic control system.
However, this vehicle may be a bit noisier on rough terrains than the riders would like it to be.
This one can become an easy favorite of the young haulers who would love farming along with occasional recreational trips.
CAT UTV CUV105 D
CAT CUV105 D is the second on the list in terms of passenger capacity after Kawasaki Mule.
It offers a five-person sitting capacity with a cargo bed capacity of 1000 lbs. The utility vehicle can tow up to 2000 lbs and quietly maneuvers through bumpy terrains.
The company particularly focuses on keeping the machine quiet as compared to the competitive UTVs available in the market. The selectable 2/4WD makes the vehicle cover rough terrains with ease, where the ground clearing capability cleans the landscape as the vehicle runs.
CAT has been an established name in vehicle manufacturing and proves its credibility with this recently introduced UTV line. The UTVs help riders load huge weights across construction and farm sites.
Arctic Cat Ranch Prowler Pro
Last on the list is Arctic Cat’s recently introduced UTV that comes in trendy colors and appealing design. Besides the looks, the vehicle is equipped with a 1000 lb cargo bed like almost all the others on the list.
The Arctic Cat designed the UTV to curb the noise pollution that UTVs create. Instead of hauling, if howling becomes a regular part of the harsh terrain rides, you can easily get fed up with your vehicle.
Arctic Cat took an active step towards engineering a UTV that provides a big bed and doesn’t make you sick of the engine sounds.
The modern design blends with the farm aesthetics when you hover around with a haystack or a grass stack in the rear cargo rack of your Arctic Cat Prowler.
Conclusion
UTVs not only provide utility, but many companies design recreational UTVs as well. However, when you are more focused on purpose-driven UTVs that can aid you in your day to day chores, big bed UTVs are your best friends.
The carefully curated list does not take the price factor into account because no matter how cheap, UTVs are a huge investment, and aptly so. You can pick a UTV based on the purpose you want it to serve.
