Why? Ok I'm looking to get a second ATV for my girl (100lbs) and guests (170-225 lbs) and Have noticed some really good deals on RANCHERS both the 350 ES and the 400 AT. 400 would be a preference, more CC's always help however I have been reading all of these issuse with power loss, shifting issues Lights flashing, gears sticking, re-calls etc. I already have a polaris 700 EFI and a Raptor. Neither of which have given me one problem, SO I am not partial to ANy particular company...The ATV that works for me is the ATV that gives me the least problems. This ATV will be ridden in colorado at 6000-12000 feet on pretty rugged trails....RELIABILITY AND POWER IS A MUST..
THANKS IN ADVANCE

 

my 350 FM the racks front an back stink they just don't hold anything right objects fall into holes. i have since bought a wire mesh rack to go over the original rack an its great. other than that its a great machine

 

my 350 doesnt have any probs. i go deep mudding, hills, ruts ,creeks if i take it there it goes.ive rolled and flipped mine a few times and the only thing i had to do was bend the handle bars back up, hell even the displays didnt crack, i cant imagine that many negatives? for the price you cant get better, power or reliability.more cc is always nice though[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

 

Oh I also wanted to ask what you peeps payed also, it seems that the 350 holds up better than the 400..True??

 

No problems with my 350FM other than it being cold natured.
Go with a 350 as you won't see any noticeable power gain by going to a 400. At least that's what the Honda salesman told me.

 

id go with the 350 es 4x4 mines a 00 with over 2000 miles on it and iv put it thru hell riding thru ponds creeks mud had it sumerged alot and it always starts next day it is cold natured but if you pull air filter off when you first start it that usauly gets it started right up. Summertime we pulled logs outa woods with it surpised us how much pulling power it had for its size. Out in woods were i ride i have saw couple girls driving ranchers some are new to riding and they do great even climbing hills put it in 2nd and just give it gas and it will pull up most all hills without any problem.

 

this isn't exactly true, although the 350 has tons more torque down low, the 400 although feeling balless, will easily out run a 350 in a drag or trail

 

honda has some crazy prices on the at retail for over 6000 were the rancher es 4x4 is 5200 for that price differnce you could get better tires jet the bike and put a better filter on it. Id go with a rancher 4x4 es as it has more low end power to climb easyer and no problems with the tranny like at has when climbing hills. Just got my mudelites on my bike last weekend they own i climbed stuff without ever lifting a tire off the ground.

 

I have had a fair bit of riding time on a friends 350 ES and I am not too impressed with them. First off they sit so low you can't help but get hung up on everything. The power is very dull to say the least and it seems like the rev limiter is set around 3000 rpm....your waiting for it to rev up and actually get out of it's own way but you are let down by the rev limiter. I can say that it did have a nice cushy ride but also the suspension bottoms out on even the slightest of bumps. The brakes are not very good and don't last very long being the sweet drum design Honda uses. I guess for a beginner rider that just putts along and doesn't know what else is out there it might be the ticket but I myself would not buy a Rancher.

 

One thing I have learned is this if you own a Polaris any other brands, You'll never be happy with another one.
How about looken at a 450 sportsman, or a 450 kodiak, I'm a Honda freak but I know when I owned a Polaris and a Yamaha I disliked them both and they were good machines. If you have alot of rocks and deep valleys then get something with a low rang, the 400AT is nice but no Low range.