For those of you with experience on Ranchers - have you found any situations where the lack of lo range is a problem?? They seem to have good power when riding at a dealer and a low first gear but can't tell how they perform when riding in very steep areas or plowing/towing. Comments appreciated!!!

 

well i dont ahve a rancher but i do have a honda 300 4by4 adn ill tall ya that low gear is low enough but i still rather low-gear range, because the first gear is so low that you can only go about 15 gfeet before shifting because its geared low. this also slows your off the line acceleration down. its ok but it could be better


Chris, i like the honda its nice but im guna get a Polaris, i dont liek having to be in 4WD all the time

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96' Honda 300 4x4 93' Timberwolf 250 2x4

 

Not a rancher owner either, but im sure having more gear choices would be great! My old 83' 200ES with dual range is sure nice, 3rd gear low range is perfectly between 2nd and 3rd hi range on my friends 450S and makes it nice to pull a load of wood up into the woods for a bear stand. Not everyone only pulls a heavy load in 1st Honda!
Joe

 

I own a Honda 300 4 x 4 & a 350 4 x 4 Rancher and a 450s 4 x 4 . I have noticed that the gearing is not the same . When my wife is in second gear on the Rancher Iam in third gear on the 450s . The Rancher is also geared higher than the 300 4x4 . In my opinion the Rancher is the best 4x4 that Honda has built so far .

 

say gabby, where's a question that might help me decide on which to buy......i'am looking at the 450es and rancher 4x4 es.....which would you buy now since you own both atv's. thanks....mr.bill

 

I have driven the new Rancher many times, I rode it through some deep A## snow the other night, i never once wished i had a lower gear than first or second, i even had a passenger, and it still pulled us through all that thick stuff, never got stuck once. First gear was almost to low so i would shift into second when we were spinning in it. The Rancher is great for what it is.

Ranger

 

stocker, how do you ride with ranger if one of you lives in ky. and one of you lives in Iowa? I have a farm pretty close to there. just curious

 

Gabby, how does the Rancher 350 4x4 and the Foreman 450 compare? So you don't have any electric shift models? How does the suspension of the Rancher compare to that of the Foreman's? Plusher? Seat comfort? Front differential, which works better? Which machine is faster in acceleration? Cornering? Also, which one steers easier and has a sharper turning radius? Yes, I am interested in the Rancher. I just want to know how it would compare to my dad's ForemanES.

[This message has been edited by rooster (edited 12-28-1999).]

 

Just because it is typed in that he lives there doesnt mean that is the truth, nothing is the truth. thanks bud. =) Where is your farm joemag500? in iowa or Kentucky?

Ranger

[This message has been edited by RangerSX (edited 12-28-1999).]

 

If I had to choose only one bike it would be the Rancher .
The Rancher the best handling 4x4 that Honda makes .
The Ranchers top speed is 54 mph and the 450 top speed is 48 mph .
The Rancher turns slightly tighter than the 450 .
The Rancher has 2" more clearance .
I have also noticed that the 450 doesn't have a rubber flap where the steering column comes up thru . This allows snow to blow up at the driver and accumulate on the gas tank . Strange that the 300 4x4 and the Rancher have a flap to prevent this but the 450 doesn't. This is only a slight problem when going thru fluffy snow that is one foot or more deep .
My friend traded in his 400 foreman 4x4 for a Rancher ES and he says he loves it .
His 400 was a standard shift but he says he now prefers the ES . We were in alot of water the other day and he didn't have to get wet to shift .