Edited by Toby Whatley – 07583 054 831 – toby.whatley@agriconnect.com
Increasing sophistication has made utility vehicles more comfortable and capable in recent years, and Bedfordshire farmer Guy Owen is certainly appreciating the progression in his new Can-Am Traxter 9HD.
Guy runs Beancroft Farm, near Marston Moretaine, with his brother. They are the third generation of their family to do so, and have 166 hectares in-hand with another 166ha as part of a share farming agreement.
A former cattle enterprise has been diversified into business units, leaving the brothers to manage the arable side and a farm shoot.
Guy says: “I have had a couple of Polaris 570s in the past which were good machines, but I saw the Can-Am with my local dealer, MKM Agriculture, and thought it was worth a look.
Powerful
“It is a more powerful machine at 976cc and, as these vehicles have become more refined, prices have gone up, making it a larger investment.”
Purchase price was a factor in the type of engine chosen, with the petrol Traxter HD9 coming in a bit cheaper than the diesel equivalent (although Can-Am does not offer a diesel engine in this range).
Utility vehicles were always noisy and basic, but as they are used on an increasing number of farms, more refined versions are entering the market. Jane Carley hears how a Can-Am Traxter is fitting in.
Trading up to a Can-Am Traxter
The Rotax V-Twin puts out a hefty 65hp driving through CanAm’s Pro-Torq continuously variable transmission.
Guy says: “We have a petrol station virtually next door, so fuelling is not a problem, and it is also much quicker than a diesel – although I never reach the 65mph it is capable of.
“Lower cab noise is another big plus – it is less tiring over a long working day and you can have a conversation with a passenger if you need to.”
Going up in power has practical advantages around the shoot, with the Traxter capable of pulling a gun trailer and a bowser with ease.
The larger chassis also makes for a comfortable cab, with a threeseater layout.
Guy says: “It would be a squeeze with three, but there is plenty of room for two, plus a large amount of storage and space for the dogs.
“There is a heater fitted to demist the windscreen, but the heat from the engine also helps to keep the cab warm. At the other end of the scale, I can tip the screen on a hot day.”
Cab access is one of the few areas to come under criticism, with the door hinges having a retaining cable rather than a gas strut.
Guy says: “The doors swing open or shut too easily. If the door latches are triggered accidentally, the doors could swing right open when the vehicle is moving.
“I have fabricated some guards
to stop my dogs catching them as I am driving along.”
Guy says that despite it being a larger vehicle than its predecessors, there are no issues with access for the Traxter to rides or spinneys. He says: “It is very manoeuvrable and the electronic power steering is excellent. It also has diff locks all round, so keeps going well in the wet.
Benefit
“One benefit of the strong Bedfordshire clays is that they do not tend to rut, but if it gets really deep I do have an old 250cc quad I can use.”
Maxxis Coronado tyres on 14inch cast aluminum wheels are standard specification, paired with double A-arm and TTA suspension and 280mm travel, offering comfort and a steadier ride on difficult ground.
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Guy Owen regards the Traxter as an invaluable runabout on-farm.
Guy Owen picked up a second-hand back for the vehicle and modified it to fit, keeping equipment and feed dry.
Guy Owen is enjoying increased comfort and sophistication from a Can-Am Traxter HD9 utility vehicle.
Machinery ATVs & UTVs
Electronic power steering makes the Traxter highly
Winter is when the Traxter really comes into its own, Guy says, allowing him to travel cross-country around the ring-fenced farm, rather than using the roads, to access hedging and ditching jobs.
The 2,041kg winch came as standard and has been used for pulling fallen trees out of ditches.
Guy has fitted a second-hand TFM load bay cover, sourced from MKM.
Saving
He says: “You do need a back to keep everything dry; it took a bit of modifying, but offered a good saving over new.”
The manual tip bed gives good access to the engine for maintenance; air filters are at the front under the bonnet.
manoeuvrable.
Where water and mud get in, they need to be able out get out again, and Guy says there are fewer
You do need a back to keep everything dry; it took a bit of modifying, but offered a good saving over new
GUY OWEN
nooks and crannies to wash out than on some machines. He says that operationally, the Traxter is very straightforward, with a choice of drive modes and a good digital display which is easier
to use than the old analogue dials he is used to.
“I have since looked at a budget priced side by side and they do just lack that level of equipment. We specified full road homologation
Even with the truck top in place, the bed lifts easily for access to the engine.
There is more storage under the seat, as well as in the centre armrest.
Generous travel and double A-arm suspension help when the going gets rough, and 14-inch wheels and Maxxis Coronado tyres are standard.
and I have since had indicator buzzers added as they are not self-cancelling and do not ‘tick’, so it is easy to leave them on.”
Another modification has been to add a USB socket to power appli-
ances rather than use unreliable 12-volt adaptors.
Road performance is praised –Guy has to cross the A421 and travel on its downgraded forerunner and he says that the extra
speed is useful to avoid delaying motorists.
He has added a rear view mirror as it is easy for the wing mirrors to get pushed out of place when working among trees.
He says: “It looks quite economical so far, achieving 22mpg.” Guy aims to keep a utility vehicle five or six years and says that choosing a higher spec machine should help with residual values.
A more refined interior includes a digital display and stacks of storage, including a removable toolbox.
Guy Owen has fitted a rear view mirror for extra road safety should a wing mirror get knocked out of position.
