All the manufacturers are tripping over each other to make their utility bikes more "sporty". Their main track has been toward big bores, more suspension travel, IRS, etc. But isn't the real hurdle to be overcome THE WEIGH OF THE BEAST?? Honda seems to have drawn the line at 600 lbs., but some of the other manufactures (isn't the Traxter over 700 lbs.?) have gone crazy. This kind of reminds one of the car designs in the 50's and 60's; they just kept building them bigger and bigger until it became a rediculous joke.

Does anybody agree that the real key to better handling, is to build minimalist machines that are really light, instead of big bore monsters? Anybody notice that the Rincon seems to have aluminum racks? Now, I bet there is some money to be make by the aftermarket, offering light weight aluminum racks to retrofit on existing bikes!! Would you spend the money to lighten your bike up by say 50 lbs.??

 

Obviously Honda had to go to some extrodinary lengths to keep the weight of a large bike like the Rincon at 600 lbs. Now, if they would apply that same technology to the Rancher, we could have a 400 lb. 4X4, and that puts it in sport bike territory. And, shedding weight has the same effect as increasing displacement!