We first wrote about the then all-new John Deere Gator RSX850i back in the fall of 2012 and about how this new Gator put Deere in the game when it comes to the still red-hot recreational side-by-side market.
We were also impressed with many of the features on the new RSX850i. And that was after only a day of riding in Moab, UT.
Since then, we’d been able to try out and ride the RSX850i Sport for more than just a few hours—more like several days over the course of a few months.
And we’re still impressed with the side-by-side that has become the face of fun for John Deere.
We readily admit that after the first couple of rides in our demo RSX850i, there were a couple of annoying traits we didn’t particularly care for but after spending more time and getting more used to the vehicle, they were less and less annoying.
There are three standout characteristics that really shine on the RSX850i—suspension, design and styling and power. That’s nearly identical to what we said in our first report on the RSX850i when the vehicle was first released, where we wrote what impressed us was “a combination of power, ride and ergonomics that make it so much fun to ride.”
Nice Ride
Keep in mind that our demo unit was a Sport model, which comes with Fox 2.0 Performance Series Shocks, compared to the base and Trail models which use Fox monotube shocks. The Fox 2.0 shocks help account for the nice ride on the Sport model. These piggyback shocks offer fully adjustable spring preload as well as 20-position compression adjustment.
It’s not just that the suspension helped soak up the rocks and ruts we found on the trail, but its smooth ride helped build confidence that the RSX850i could handle the rough stuff, allowing us to explore more technical terrain and rougher trails, the kind of riding we like.
The front suspension features a dual A-arm design with 9 inches of travel and a anti-roll bar for more predictable handling. The front lower A-arms are fully boxed, providing protection against rocks and other obstacles.
Out back there is also 9 inches of travel coming from the multi-link semi-trailing double A-arm suspension along with an anti-roll bar.
Our first ride on the RSX850i was on the punishing slick rock and trails near Moab so we’re familiar with how it handles in those conditions. Our subsequent rides were a mix of mountain trails with severely rocky sections. There were times we used every last inch of travel and ground clearance (maybe even a little more than it was designed for) on some rocky sections in the Big Hole Mountains of eastern Idaho.
Another part of the great ride of the RSX850i is how stable it feels even in off-camber situations, something we experienced several times from the Big Holes to the mountains above Mackay, ID. The vehicle never really felt “tippy,” on the off-camber trails even with two people in the cockpit.
The front and rear suspension is a nice package for high-speed (the RSX850i has a top speed of about 51-53 mph) running as well as slow, technical riding. Of course, after hearing John Deere explain that it collaborated with engineering companies that work with F-1, NASCAR and Indy Race Car teams, you would expect a vehicle that can handle the rough stuff. It does.
Pushing This Gator
John Deere claims the RSX850i churns out 62 hp and indeed the engine feels strong through much of the powerband, although a couple of our test riders commented how this Gator lacked a little oomph on the top end or that the power drops off fast near the top part of the powerband. We felt the engine was more peppy on the bottom end and liked how we could rely on it in tight situations when we needed a little more go juice to get out of sticky situations or climbing a steep section of rocky trail.
While the engines is snappy on the bottom end, it’s less so as you get deeper into the powerband, which might explain why a couple of our riders felt the top end was lacking a bit in the power department.
Deere is partnering with Italian scooter maker Piaggio on its engine, which is an 839cc OHV liquid-cooled V-twin with a closed-loop EFI system. The engine—the largest displacement gas engine in any Gator—utilizes an industry-exclusive electronically controlled engine oil cooler and, as Deere points out, is the first motorcycle engine to be used in a recreational utility vehicle.
One outstanding area of the powerplant everyone on our staff agreed on was the low-end torque, which was very impressive, especially in the rocky sections. Deere says the engine offers 59.5 ft. lbs. of torque.
Are Looks That Important?
Yes, our choice of design and styling as one of the RSX850i’s standout characteristics might raise a few eyebrows, what with this vehicle dripping with all sorts of impressive features. But we ask that you consider this: Do you remember the Gators you’ve seen working on a golf course or at a work site? They are, well, not exactly “lookers” if you know what we mean.
The RSX, which is available in three models: RSX850i Sport (designed for harsh desert and rocky, sandy terrains); RSX850i Trail (designed for hunting, fishing and backcountry trails); and the base RSX 850i, definitely breaks the mold when it comes to styling and looks.
The lines are clean and smooth and very well thought out, meaning this vehicle doesn’t take a backseat to any manufacturer when it comes to styling. We like how the doors are functional and fit well into the overall design of the vehicle along with how well the fairly large cockpit is laid out with a great steering wheel (the Sport model gets a tri-spoke steering wheel) and big gauge. The highback bucket seats (on the Trail and Sport models only) are comfortable and definitely add to the overall ride of the RSX850i.
Just to be clear, we did test the Sport model, which does have some added features compared to the other RSX models. Along with the aforementioned Fox 2.0 Performance Shocks, sport steering wheel and sport seats, this version of the RSX gets custom alloy wheels and a pre-runner brushguard.
Ticky Tack Complaints
As mentioned earlier, the more we rode the RSX850i, the more we liked it. However, there were a few things we just couldn’t quite get used to, such as the brakes, noisy cockpit, jumpy transmission and gear shifter.
As for the brakes, one of our riders said he feels like they fade too fast while another thinks the driver has to “set up” earlier to brake. The brakes were one of our concerns after our first ride on the RSX in Moab.
When we say “jumpy transmission,” what we’re referring to is the engagement of the CVT belt at low speeds. The vehicle would buck sometimes at low speed on initial engagement in both forward and reverse. It didn’t seem to happen when the vehicle was already in motion, say when you’re slowing down to negotiate a turn and then get back into the throttle.
The gear shifter issue is somewhat two-fold. First, the gearshift sits low between the driver and passenger seats and you have to look down at it to see what gear you’re in. Sometimes it didn’t shift into gear easy or it was hard to find a gear, especially between high and low. What compounded this issue is that there is not gear indicator on the dash, which would have been a nice feature to help know what gear you’re in rather than having to look down at the shifter itself. We did somewhat get more used to where the gears were after several rides, but it was annoying nonetheless.
None of these complaints of ours is a deal breaker in looking at the overall benefits and features of the RSX850i.
John Deere has done a fine job on its first foray into the recreational side-by-side market and as time goes on we’re confident the company will continue to refine its RSX vehicles.
Indeed, this Gator is not your Grandpa’s old Gator. It’s a whole new animal.
