Hey all!

Just joined tis forum, been reading a lot of posts and wat to get your opinion on buying a couple new toys. I am having a hard tiem deciding between the Rincon and the Rancher es - both 2007 models. I will be buying 2 of them so thats part of my trouble in deciding - if it is worth it to drop that much cash? Is the Rincon worth it? I do hope to have the machines for years to come and do mostly trail riding, but also like the idea of playing in the mud and snow here is New England.

Thanks for reading and responding!

 

I just got a new Rancher 420, and it is a superb little machine. One of the magazines said you couldn't ask for a better handling, better suspended solid axle machine! What the Rancher is, is a just a fun great handling trail ride, and the Rancher's enormous sales prove that that is in fact exactly what most of the riding public is actually looking for. I can certainly ride my Rancher anywhere my friends can ride their huge overweight IRS machines, but if you are looking for a monster mud bogger or you want to put huge tires on your quad, look somewhere else because all you will do is ruin the Rancher's sweet handling.

Honda markets the Rincon as the "SUV" of quads. I think they are shooting for a "comfy couch" ride on this one, more than an extreme terrain machine. (It has no engine braking below 8 mph, so it would never work where I ride.)

You said you will be "playing" in the mud and snow, so I don't get the impression that you will be tackling extremely technical terrain (???). I think if you are looking for a fun great handling trail quad, get the 420. If a comfy ride is most important, then get the Rincon.

 

Thanks Reconranger, I appreciate your feedback!

Do you have the Rancher 420 ES with the electronic shifting? I saw all the reviews praising the new 420, funny thing is the dealership keeps trying to sell me thier leftover 05 and 06 models - I told em to stop wasting thier time and that I was getting the new 420 or Rincon or nothing - they still keep trying telling me that there are a lot of problems with the electronic shifting and that it is cumbersom and hard to use and since the 420 deosn't have a "fully automatic" mode that I will have trouble with it?

Also, is the engine braking that big an issue? sorry if I sound like I have no idea but it has been a few years since I was on a quad and even then I did not get to do a lot of trail riding like I always wanted to.

Thanks!

 

The difference between the older Rancher 350 and the new 420 is SIGNIFICANT. I can see myself getting rid of my 350 in the next year or so, and getting a second 420. If one were on an extremely limited budget and could get a 350 dirt cheap, then sure, but otherwise hold out for a 420.

My one and so far only criticism of the 420 is that it is to heavy at 560 pounds (the Rincon is ~600 pounds). Honda had to keep the price down, so they obviously didn't use many expensive alloy parts on it.

As far as ES goes, it is neither "cumbersome" nor "hard to use". Actually, I like the idea and would certainly pick it over any automatic transmission in existence, but there has been a history of posts here in the forum of problems with it and it is one system that hasn't displayed the classic reliability that we all have come to expect from Honda. They have had a recall on the angle sensors, so I hope that this has been everybody's problem all these years and that will be the end of it (????). Personally, I just prefer to shift with my foot, and can't see spending an extra $200 for ES which I don't at all need.

As for the Rincon's lack of engine braking, I couldn't ever see riding anything that didn't have "stop you dead" engine braking. I see it as a safety issue......you have so much better control when you can just put it in a low gear and let it putt down a nasty hill, rather than having a "death grip" on the brakes. On the other hand, lots of Rincon owners will tell you they don't really miss not having engine braking, so this may not be an issue for you.

The Rincon does have IRS which will give you extra ground clearance. On the other had, I don't like all the body roll that comes with IRS machines......but I am a sport quad guy who is use to the tight feel of a solid rear axle.

 

I'm not going to get into a pissing match with Recon. He likes engine braking. I don't. But the death grip? If 2 fingers are a death grip then maybe you want the Rancher. I'd take the Rincon over any solid axle quad on technical trails. The IRS really keeps the tires planted instead of bouncing around. As far as cornering the Rincon will roll more then a Rancher but with a little time on it you get used to the feel and will be kicking the backend out. And it will flat smoke the Rancher in every situation except engine braking. But it should. Its a 680 to a 420. It would really be better if you could at least ride them before deciding. The Rincon does weigh 600lbs but it doesn't feel like it. Its very easy to ride and very forgiving on riders. And yes its comfy. A solid axle will beat you to death on a long ride.
But both quads are great quads and will put a smile on your face. You have a tough decision. You will be happy either way you go.

 

I agree 100% with Rinman. I love my Rincon and the "different" engine braking that it has. I have been down hills that were so steep that the rear wheels were ready to come off the ground and had no trouble.
I am sure the Rancher 420 is a great machine, I just have not ridden one.
If I were you, I would not buy either until I had ridden them both.
Your dealer is trying to unload quads that he can't sell. I would go somewhere else.

 

You should post this in the Honda forum as well. Your responses will be lopsided toward the Rincon however, because being a new model there aren't that many 420 riders....yet!

 

We own 2 Ranchers one is an es the other is a foot shifter. If you get stuck in the deep mud, or decide to go through some deep water the ES is nice because you don't have to get your foot wet. Even my husband will take the ES if he is going out to play for that reason. I have also found that unless I am wearing heavy duty boots the top of my foot can get sore if I am on the old machine. Yes, I know this is a "girlie" answer, but something that keeps my husband and I racing to hop on the new machine.