Even Honda is stepping away abit. There top of the line Rincon 680 and 500 Rubicon are not 5 speeds. You can pretty well count the over 300cc 5speeds Utilities left on the market on your one hand and none of them are outstanding in there class.

 

While the Rincon is not a 5 speed, it is still a geared tranny... I don't care what ryker77 buys, but I don't really see a reason to attack him. It does seem that people from the warmer climes have an irrational fear of the belt driven machines, but I understand where he is coming from. One thing to remember is that your precious sled is never going to have the tranny submerged in thick, gooey mud, nor will it be asked to turn 4 large wheels/tires that are weighed down with said mud. Personally, belt drive has come a long way in the atv world and is now an obviously viable option for mudders. On the other hand, I don't see any one trusting a belt to haul the mail in their 7000lb diesel pickup hauling a 10K+ trailer. These things are all making 350hp and 600ft/lb torque and all use gear on gear trannies, wonder why if the belts are cheaper to build and more durable?

 

You have to be kidding right? The belt drives are proven just as reliable dollar for dollar as manuals period. And you better recheck the dyno. The 680 Rincon is 38 1/2 stock. The 650V2 BELT, or 650BF stock is 42. You do the math.

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>One thing to remember is that your precious sled is never going to have the tranny submerged in thick, gooey mud, nor will it be asked to turn 4 large wheels/tires that are weighed down with said mud</end quote></div>

the belt housing on a ATV is sealed you would have to get up over your tank to get water in it. Show me those recent manual Mud run winners.

Snowmachines do turn a heavy 156"X16" with 2" lugs tracks through a deep slush covered lake at 80mph and up 80 degree mountain sides with 5 ft of virgin snow that a person could not clawl up at a thousand RPM.

 

They are not belt driven CVT either, are they?

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>They are not belt driven CVT either, are they?</end quote></div>


That type of tranny will not catch on by the looks of it also.

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: Scooter86


I think Cat has the only one. They sell a 500 manual with IRS. Plenty of guys pulling big tires on belt drives so I wouldn't shy away from them. Look at all the featured mud runners in the magazines, they are all belt drive.</end quote></div>

Well, as you can see, I really don't have anything against the belt drives and tried to encourage him to keep an open mind about them. The early CVTs were not nearly as well sealed as the current crop, and they got a bad rep early on as being slippers once a little water or muck entered the scene. Personally, I ride sporties mostly, and avoid mudpits because it isn't my thing. I do keep my eyes and ears open though, and like to watch buddies rip it up in the goo from time to time. IF I were to buy something to mud with, I would go for a CVT so that I could keep my feet dry. I doubt I would ever snorkel it or go over the seat in water.

I guess I don't understand your link to the atvmag article? The Rubicon doesn't have IRS, which the OP has cited as a criteria. None of the other machines have the tranny he wants.

I still don't understand why you guys want to beat him up over this...

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>I still don't understand why you guys want to beat him up over this... </end quote></div>

Oh it can get worst. I love to debate the Honda loyalists,who defend Honda's decision to keep Drum brakes in the 21st century.

 

While that is a poor decision on Honda's part, we wouldn't want to jack the thread or anything[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-tongue.gif[/img]