im considering buying a new rancher at the end of summer after i get alot of money from working. i will probably work 2 jobs so i will have enough to buy a new one. i already have about 800 saved plus whatever i get for my 125. should i get an es or a manual shift? i like how the es has the digital s/o but can you do the same things on an es that you can do on a manual bike like wheelie and stuff? whats the advantages and disadvantages of es? i am gunna get a 4x4. should i consider the at since im probably gunna get a warn 424? its almost 1000 more for the at. sorry about the long post.

 

i dont know if i would want an automatic bike. the at is automatic.

 

well does anyone have an es?? what do you prefer?

 

i have a 2004 rancher es and my best friend has a manual shinft rancher it's a 2003. great machines tons of fun and very reliable. i have ridden thru some tough woods, ice, mud, nothing gets in my way. as for wheelies, the rancher is not great for that. i mean if i give it the gun on a bump and pull back with all my might i can get it up but with the front wheels driving it's just not a great 4 wheeler for that stuff. i thought about the unlocker they sell them on ebay for $200. if you put one of them on it would probably make it alot more sporty. if you want a 4 wheeler that can do donuts and wheelies why are you looking at a rancher? do you have a need for 4 wheel drive? if you do need 4x4 the rancher is a great choice.

 

I have a 2001 Rancher ES which I put through mud, water and ice in the Arkansas rice fields. Has held up fine except for problems downshifting if you accidently turn it off while in gear (it must be in neutral to start). I went for the ES over the manual shift because of the full running boards which make it easier to stand up when traversing rough terrain. The full time 4x4 does make it bit harder to steer at low speed and gives it quite a wide turning radius.

 

I got an ES because it has full floor boards digital display screen also you can wear big boots becuse they dont have to go under the shifter

 

In the desert we often rub over some strange - gnarly - rock configurations, lots of pr!ckly sage brush, assorted cactus: I bought the ES because of the floorboards, the upgraded instrumentation, and last of all because of the shift set up. 18 months later, I'm happy with it and ready to add another ATV to my livery. It's going to be an ES also.