Hello all-

A dealer has some left over '05 Foremans 4x2 marked down to $3995. I've been trying to decide which ATV to buy and don't know much about them. I just want something to play around with in the yard and pull or drag stuff around. I was originally thinking about a 4x2 Rancher but found this Foreman at a good price.

Opinions welcomed...

 

i would go with the foreman but your asking for personal oppinions.

 

The more I think about this the more I get confused. Recon, Rancher or Foreman? 2x4 or 4x4? Standard shift of electric shift?

I just don't see where I would ever really use 4WD and I'm nervous about electric shifting.

Do you guys think a Recon would seem to small for me after I've gotten used to it? Is the Rancher in between the Recon and Foreman in size or is the Rancher about the same size as the Foreman? I haven't had time to go and actually see them in person, I'm just going off of the dimensions on Honda's website but that doesn't help much.

 

the foreman for that price. more horses for less buck

 

You don't say how big you are. But I would definitely go with a Foreman. The Recon is tiny. I've ridden one and they can be fun, but it would get old. The more you ride, the more you will probably want to ride. They are addictive. Go to your dealer and sit on them. If he will let you ride them even better. You might like the Rancher better. Which is a fine machine. I had an ES Foreman. It never really gave me much trouble. You just have to learn how to do the Honda dance with them. Sometimes they are a little touchy and don't want to go into gear.
But the choice is yours, were not paying for it. You can't go wrong with either of them. But you just need to look them over in person and see which one you like best. Good luck.

 

You don't need 4 wheel drive until your stuck or trying to get over something. Again thats something your going to have to think about what kind of riding your going to do. 4 wheel drive comes in handy at times.

 

Isn't LA the land of swamps and mud??? You might need a 4X4 some day??? I owned a 2wd Rancher once, and while it would do amazing things, there were just those few times when I wished it was a 4X4.

The Recon is a nice little play quad, and a real kick to ride. It can do some light work too. Only comes in 2wd though.

The Rancher is the nice in between machine for me. So many utilities have become these gigantic, heavy, rollover deathtraps, it's nice to have a capable machine that isn't so monstrous. Handling is sporty enough that it isn't boring. It is going to get a makeover of some kind for 07, so keep watching!

The Foreman is the quintecential work quad. I would go with it if you need more horsepower.

Lots of posts all the time on ES problems, so best to just shift with your foot.

 

I'm not a real big guy, 6' 175lbs but I could easily have some heavy hauling loads.

I don't "think" I need a 4WD because I'm not interested in going through deep mud, I just want to play around in the yard and drag limbs, or maybe move a trailer, get a riding mower unstuck, tow a dump cart, etc.

 

Like Rinman said, its your decision, but if you can afford the Foreman then go for it. More power, bigger seat, disc brakes on front vs. drums on the other two.

 

4x4 can be a big help if you are trying to get things unstuck or dragging limbs. The Foreman is also going to be better at that type of thing, as it is aimed more at the utility side of life while the Rancher and Recon have a sportier edge. Increased wheelbase, width, and yes, even weight can all be advantages when hauling. If you plan to do a LOT of that I would keep it in mind. Honda has had more complaints with the electric shift than most other Honda components, but overall it is a good system. One that will probably go longer without a breakdown if you keep out of the mud and goo whenever possible. I wouldn't hesitate to buy one with ESP unless I wanted the atv for mudding.