I just put a $100 deposit on an '03 foreman 450 es. I couldn't look at it today and I will go Monday, so I have a few Q's.Does the foreman have skid plates and a-arm protection or will I have to buy them right away? Can you shift from 2 wheel to 4 wheel drive at any speed? Is the suspension good enough for spirited trail riding or is it a pure utility quad? I am getting the quad for $5099 + tax I guess thats an ok price considering there aren't many leftovers around this area. Thanks

 

The Foreman 450 does have a metal skid but it doesn't cover the entire bottom. (Just under the motor.)
It also has plastic a-arm gaurds. No, I would not shift from 2 to 4 wheel drive at any speed. I stop everytime I switch it. You have to be moving very slow to switch while moving. (2 or 3 mph) As far as a spirited ride, I think the ride is somewhere in the middle of spirited and pure utility. Leaning towards the utility side. The price seems good just so they don't try to add any extra fees at the end.

Just one question: Why did you put money down on a quad that you haven't seen? I hope you like it because it sounds like you've already bought it.

 

I sat on one while at the dealer, but never looked under it. I owned a 1998 Big Bear and was very happy with it, but had to make some skid plates for it (I work in sheet metal) I have done some reading of the different atv forums and it like this quad should fit the bill. I want to do some trail riding and a little snow plowing and work around the yard. I was calling around to local dealers yesterday to find out who had leftovers and found only one. The deposit was in my credit card and wasn't even run through the system. It allowed the salesman to put a sold sign on it and to hold it until Monday when I could get there. It was their last one. 100% refundable. So to answer your question,no I didn't buy it yet, I just made sure it would be their Monday.

 

The 450 is a great utility quad and workhorse.They are ok for trail riding but there certainly are better choices.

 

I have an '03 Foreman ES. I do like it. It rides well on the trails. It does ride like a dump truck compared to my '03 Rincon. If you can afford a little more money and want a Honda, I would get a Rancher. Those are good rides (especially the new '04), a lot smoother than the Foreman. Godd luck.

 

The Foreman's engine is designed for low end torque and it has a transmission that is purposefully geared low for chores. It is also designed with a low center of gravity and with it's swingarm rear suspension it is probably the most stable ATV, of any manufacturer, for hills and off camber turns. With it's engine, gearing and stability, you feel like it could climb a wall. It has great engine braking, and if you use 4WD, engine braking is on all 4 wheels, so coming back down the wall is no problem.

If you look under the Foreman and compare it to other Honda's, it is easily the most beefy Honda ATV.

The 4WD is activated with a switch by your right thumb. You can turn 4WD on or off at any speed. Honda has sensors that prevent the 4WD from activating unless the front and rear wheels are within 3mph. This is to prevent drivetrain damage if you accidentally activate 4WD while doing donuts.

Does it ride as soft as a Rincon or Rubicon, or is it as fast as the Rancher? No, but it will get you out and back every time and IMHO the most solid and reliable ATV made.

 

Now I understand.

The Foreman does have a little more coverage than the Big Bear. I was thinking about adding a full skid to mine but I don't know if I really need a full skid. I had a full skid on my Recon and it collected debris.

 

The 2-4wd switch can be operated at any speed as long as the tires are not spinning/slipping.

I would purchase steel a-arm skid plates, the plastic ones do not really cover enough. Everything else is fine, and there is one on the rear differential.

Great bike, very reliable, mine's a '98 and I've only recently put in a couple front wheel bearings (mainly due to riding hard and running a big wheel kit) as the only maintenance beside fluid changes.

 

I made a full covering skid plate for mine out of 3/16 aluminum. It starts below my winch fairlead and covers everything even the rear swing arm u joint boot. It is great for sliding across deep mud and snow, I don't get stuck very often now.