Still dinking around, kicking tires but will probably buy something after the new year (still holding out for 0% financing). I drove a Honda Rancher 420 with ES (pushbutton shifting?) but wasn't comfortable with how it shifted. If I go with a Honda I will get an automatic. I have a dealer 3 miles away so he'd be nice for service although his prices aren't the best. Anyway, I was wondering how you Honda guys feel about the "reverse procedure." It seems kind of illogical or awkward to have to pull a lever and push a button and push another button to go into reverse. The Suzuki's and Yamaha's I looked at have a more "logical" shifting system with a lever that shifts like butter from forward to neutral to reverse, etc. I have a nasty driveway which I plan to plow. It's rocky, steep, and long (1/3 mile). Will a 420 handle it? There are a couple of used Suzuki Vinson 500's available locally and equipped with plows and I'm giving them a good look too. Honda has pretty good financing if I want to go on the payment plan rather than write that big check for the Suzuki. Also, what brand of plows suck? Someone said Warn makes a good winch but their plows suck. I talked to another guy with a driveway like mine and he had a problem plowing over the rough spots (the plow "collapsed" or "gave," if you know what I mean).
Any help to a total noob would be appreciated!

 

Welcome to the forum.

The ES Hondas are basically an electric shifted version of their geared transmission (like a motorcycle) only with an automatic clutch. The push a button and pull the brake thing prevents smashing the transmission into reverse while trying to downshift while moving forward. After a while it gets to be second nature.

I'd suggest you look at the new Rancher 420 Auto. It has a dual clutch setup, and you can let it shift through the gears on it's own, or if you want more control, it can be put in a push button shift mode so you can dictate how and when it shifts. The 420 Auto also has independent rear suspension, which would give it more ground clearance and a softer ride over rough stuff than a solid rear axle machine.

How much snow are you expecting to plow?

Since you want an auto, the other machine I'd suggest you consider is the 500 Rubicon. It is an automatic with a **** for reverse and high and low range. The transmission is hydrostatic (no belt to slip or fray, as with all Hondas) and it is very well suited to heavy dragging or plowing (hydrostats are often used in tractor transmissions). It is solid rear axle, so the ride over rough stuff is rougher than say a Rincon, but the positive parts of SRA is that it corners and sidehills without body roll, and the rear suspension won't squat if you hook to a trailer with heavy hitch weight.

Plow wise, I don't have one, but I would look at Moose, Warn, and Cycle Country. Which is best, I really don't know.

If you put a winch on it, Warns are expensive but worth it, IMHO. I'd go with a synthetic cable, since steel doesn't put up with being repeatedly sharply bent and unbent in the same spot (as happens when using it to raise and lower the plow). The XT30 with it's wireless remote is really slick. It saves a trip slogging from the quad to the ancor point and back, as you can just power the line out as you drag it, hook onto the tree and use the remote to pull the quad out, let out some slack, unhook and reel back in.

If you've ever fallen through the crust in 3 or 4' of snow, you know how tough it can be to get through the snow and up a bank or whatever to get to a tree...

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote> How much snow are you expecting to plow? </end quote></div>

We got half a foot yesterday and another three to 6 inches on the way. I just talked with the Honda dealer. Honda has 0.99% financing right now. For the 2009 420AS, he gave me an out the door price of $7,900 with a Moose plow and a manual lift or $222 a month for 36 months. The ES is a 2008 which he priced at $6,600 with a plow, out-the-door with taxes, set up, whatever... Cash deals aren't any better than financed with this dealer. I'm getting wracked $100 a pop to get plowed right now so this thing would pay for itself with two snowstorms every month. The dealer has a good reputation and has been around for years. They just aren't known for their pricing. What kind of deals are you guys seeing around the country? I'm in northcentral PA. I found a 2007 Suzuki Vinson at a dealer with a manual plow and 275 miles on it for $5,000 plus tax ($5,300 out the door).

 

That doesn't sound too bad... As long as you are looking at say 6 or 8 inches of snow that isn't super wet and heavy I would think one of the 420's would do fine. They are a bit physically smaller and lighter machines, which makes them manuverable and snappy, but I think for really heavy plowing a heavier machine with a bit more displacement for low end torque might be called for. The Rancher, though, will serve double-duty as it would be a blast as a recreational trail quad.

If an auto is what you want, I'd snag that if you can afford it. If you are like me, in a few weeks the extra money will be forgotten, but if I were riding a machine that didn't have the features I really wanted I would constantly be remided of that for the years I would have the quad.

The 500 Vinson is a solid rear axle machine, and came either as a 5 speed manual, or a CVT Belt driven auto. A buddy has one. They are known to be solid machines, and I think they are pretty good looking.

I'd recommend that once you've narrowed it down to a few machines, that you try to get a decent test ride on those. Internet opinions can be helpful, but there is no substitute for personal experience, and making sure you get the machine that best meets your needs and personal preference is important, considering what they cost.

If plowing is the main goal, I would still recommend you at least price or look at the Rubicon.

Good luck with whatever you choose.

 

The Rancher 420AT is a new model, and has a totally unique automatic transmission. It has IRS (independent rear suspension which is all the range these days), which you certainly don't need for plowing, but might be nice if you plan to do some rough trail riding.

The Rancher 420 is a sweet little machine! It has SRA (solid rear axle) and is fast, stable, agile, and pure fun. I would personally never pick the ES shifting option, as there are a number of posts in here from folks having problems with it.

These machines have a great engine!!! You decide if it is worth $1,000 more for the AT model....

 

I had a foreman es for a couple of months and hated it from day one with that push button bull crap. I ended up trading it in for the foreman s,which was so much better. Dont know about plowing or stuff like that,but if you want reliability,the manual shift will always win that battle. Dont get a Vinson, my neighbor whos a riding friend also has one,plenty of power but stays in the shop after every three rides, bearing failures and and tranny problems,its only 3 years old.

 

I have a Rubicon, but I live in Texas, so no need for a plow. However, I have been around the Ranchers. They are nice ATV's, but in my opinion, the Rubicon has much more torque at the low end. You say your driveway is rocky, steep and 1/3 of a mile long. That sounds awfully daunting to be plowing. My only experience with plowing was when I was a kid living in Wisconsin and I would plow our tiny little driveway with a cub cadet lawn tractor with hydrostatic drive. Depending on how much snow we got, sometimes I would need an extra little umph to break up the snow at the end where the plows had pushed it up. Certainly a Rancher can outdo an old Cub Cadet, but judging by seeing them in the mud, I think a Rubicon would do a better job.

Like others have said though, you probably need to ride it yourself to get the best idea. The Rancher with the independent rear suspension is a very nice quad, and would be a better ride if you plan on using it for trails in the non-snowy time of the year. The Rubicon is powerful, but depending on terrain, sometimes its a rough ride. Go with you gut, find one you like. But with you buying one for double duty, you may have to sacrifice one perk for another. Decide what is more important, rougher ride in the summer for better plowing in the winter, or more comfortable ride with a slight (and I do mean slight, the Rancher is no slouch) possibility of not having enough torque to get the whole driveway.

Keep in mind, Im only going off your description for your driveway.

 

i have a foreman 450 and i plow snow with a cycle country plow thats 8 years old. no problems with the plow or any of its components! the local shop i help out at installs ONLY moose plows, because (owner says) he never has any come back with manufacturer problems. but i am more than happy with mine.

power wise i dont know why a 420, manual or auto, would have any problem pushing snow. i make this assumption rideing several 420's. and my foreman has a horsepower rateing very close to that of the 420's, and i have no problem pushing 6+ inches of snow.

IMO i dont think 0% financing is going to happen soon, and those prices sound good for new. the 420AT might be a bit faster plowing, since you dont have to shift all the way down to reverse. just my $0.02 though

 

not to bash hondas or anything, but you need to check out the Polaris sportsman 400 or 500, they are only in the $5,000 range they have low, are automatic have true 4 wheel drive, and the 500 motor has been around forever, is pretty much bullet proof
people may try to say belt drives are junk, but if you do some research and talk to some Polaris owners, they will give you very good feedback

just something else to chew on

 

Not to bash Hondas or anything, but you just felt like coming into a thread addressed to Honda folks to answer a question not directed to Polaris folks and talk about how awesome Polaris is. But not to bash Hondas or anything right? lol.

My neighbor has a 07 Sportsman 500. She says if she could do it again she would have bought a Honda. She likes the ride, smooth as all hell. But man, not a very dependable bike.