Hello-

I am going to buy a Recon for my wife. After a very short test ride, she liked the ES version over the manual shift.

But, ATV forums are loaded with posts about problems with Honda's ES system. Heck, even the Rancher that I test rode, wouldn't shift after I stopped one time...Had to rock it back and forth to get it shifting again...

I'm leaning toward the manual shift, thinking that she will get used to shifting it after more time in the saddle.

She has been riding an XR 200 for years, so she knows how to shift. The clutchless system might just take a little getting used to, I think.

Please share your thoughts and/or experiences.

Thanks

 

What a coincidence. I want to get a recon for my wife too. I'm just having a hard time convincing her she needs one. I will go with the manual shift. Way better reliability.

 

If it is a matter of whether she will ride or not, then get the ES (some people just refuse to shift with their foot). If that isn't an issue, keep it simple and save yourself some future headaches (and $200) and go foot shift.

 

We bought a Rancher 4x4 ES for the girls and it worked great for them, never had an issue with it.

Better instrument cluster and floor boards too (unless things have changed).

 

Since she already knows how to shift, convince her of the better reliability of the manual shift version, if thats what you want.

If you'd rather have the ES, but are concerned about reliability, remember that there is a back-up shifter in the toolkit should you get stranded and need it.

 

We have both Rancher ES & Recon ES. My wife refuses to learn manual shift. Yes, I have had to replace the angle sensor. But I would rather have her use the machine instead of leaving it sit because she won't use a manual shift.

Also, I am too cheap to buy an AT tranny so I live with the ES machine. By the way, my dealer ran the angle sensor thru warranty recall this spring on my 04 machine at no cost to me. So how can I complain about the shifting issues.

 

Someone always mentions this, but be aware that it's not like you can change it into a foot shifter any time you want. All that backup does is let you stick it in aone single gear, and limp home....and then go see your dealer on Monday.....

 

As someone else mentioned, if she will use the ES more then the FM, get the ES.

The ES does have issues occasionally, but it is not like every ride it needs work. I know when I got a bike for my wife, her comfort with the bike was top priority, as if she did not like to ride it, I knew it would not be ridden.

Good luck with your choice.

Chad

 

If she is coming off a manual left hand clutch bike, she won't have any problem....except she will occationally from muscle memory grab the back brake thinking it is a clutch....

We were at an event a while back, and there was a woman who had never ridden anything but ES. Somebody offered her a ride on an autoclutch manual, and she was about in tears and refused to try it. We finally convinced her, and after just a few minutes riding it was no big deal. I on the other hand, I rode an ES machine and could not get use to it!!!

One issue with ES is that most folks "powershift" them. That is, they don't even let off the throtle during the shift. Probably not the greatest idea for long clutch life!

 

Yeah- That auto clutch thing is going to take some getting used to. From my very short test ride, it seemed a lot different than my dirt bike, in that if you let off the gas a little to shift (as the salesman said to do), the ATV actually deccelerates for split-second while you change gears. On our two-wheelers, even though you let off the gas to shift, since you pull in the clutch, there's no loss of speed...

But wouldn't that be the same on either a foot shift model or electric shift model, since neither has a manual clutch? Only difference is lifting your foot or pushing a button. (Recon, she doesn't like the sport model).

However, I'm assuming that the shifting would be smoother as we rode enough to get more familiar with the machine and the shift points that it prefers or needs. Right?