Hi,

I have been in the market for a while to replace my '04 TRX400AT that I sold back in June. Since then I have been driving my wife's '07 TRX400FG, and put a winch, full skid plate, 25" wheel kit etc on it.

I would like more power then the 400 has (partly cause the HP the auto takes). I don't think I want to go to a HUGE bike, as I like rider input - being able to use my weight to keep the once shiny side up!.

I was basically bound and bent on a Forman FM or a Rubicon, and then add 26" mud lites to it, but have since started looking at other brands. I am very favorable to Hondas, I plan to have a bike for many years, not trade every 4-5 years, and i am a hard rider, but there is a few things I dislike about Hondas.

Things I don't like about Hondas:

1. No locking front differential!
2. Slow - Not that I need to go 80 MPH all day, but my 400 does 50 MPH on a good day...
3. The straight axle helps in handling, but kills ground clearance!

Bikes I am pondering are:

-650 or 700 MUDPRO Arctic Cat - but this is a big bike!! I like that they come all set up with wheels, snorkel (I do have some impassable trails that my 400 can't due until late summer), etc. and I like it is geared for the big tires. But I don't think I need the size of the bike.

- Honda 420 Rancher IRS, or FM (back to the ground clearance issue.

- Honda 500 Forman, or Rubicon.

- Can-Am Renegade 500 (the 800X looks cool, but I don't think I need that much power). I like this is a cross between a utility and a sport/racing quad.

The perks to the Honda is price, and I know the quality. The Cat and the Can-Am is where I need a little advice on (reliability, cost to maintain, performance/handling). OR, if there is a model I am not looking at that I should consider, please chime in.

Thanks in advance!

Chad

 

I am one who absolutely sticks with the mid size utilities!!! I would get a Foreman 500 if all I needed a pure "work" quad, but for the trail I much prefer the Rancher size machines.

Have you not ridden the new Racher 420???? It is water cooled and fuel injected, and rips right off the bottom! As for ground clearance, I have never found an SRA to be a problem...and I do lots of rock crawling (but absolutely no mud!). The new Rancher 420AT looks good, but I wish it were way lighter. But. if I ever do get another utility, it will probably be the 420AT.

Check out the Rancher 420's if you want more power from a medium size machine!!!

 

Thanks for the input.

I have not had a chance to get any seat time on the new 420, however plan to take one for a spin.

My SRA is with respect to mud, I ride in a wet area, and on a trail system, with the 800 cc 14" ground clearance, rut making ATV's. However since my wheel swap and skid plate install, have only used the winch 2 x this year (last year on the stock tires it was every ride).

The positive to the 420 or the Forman FM is I can get on one for 6-7K (CDN) where as the other 2 bikes are 9-10K (that is a lot of modding to the Honda!).

WRT the Forman FM or the Rubicon,any input on which is a better trail bike? My "work" consists of pulling a garden cart when it is to wet for my lawn tractor to get by.

Thansk,
Chad

 

I do snow rides in the mountains with my buddies who have top of the line big bore IRS machines from Polaris and Can-Am. In yard deep snow, they don't get any further up the trail than I do!!! This leads me to wonder if IRS isn't overrated???? While IRS does certainly provide a great ride in rocky terrain, the tradeoff is greater weight and usually a higher center of gravity.

There have been lots of fights in here before about Honda's torque sensing front differential, that sends the power to the wheel with traction....vs lockers. The Honda is biased 70% power to the wheel with traction and 30% to the other wheel, where a locked diff can only send 50% to each wheel all the time. Think about that!!! Personally, I have never felt like I needed lockers, and again all those $10,000 Polaris and Can-Am machines that my buddies ride, don't go anywhere I can't go...so again I am convinced that lockers are also overrated!

 

I know you would like the Mudpro or Can Am better than any Honda, you'll wonder why you waited so long to switch. Those midsize atvs are for kids and women.
If you're worried about center of gravity and such you should be looking at a race quad instead of a utility. The fullsize quads are also wider than the mids so stability is very close.

 

Thanks for your input.

As for the sport ATV, I would have one again (I have had 5) if the trails I live near permitted a 2wd with very limited ground clearance.

 

Well....some guys have to make up for their "shortcomings", by riding a monster big bore with huge tires.......

 

Reconranger (automatics are for sissies) meet Rick (midsize ATV's are for kids and women). You sure you two aren't the same guy? LOL
As for the question. I hate Hondas due to a terrible experience with a Rubicon. However, the Foreman is a decent machine. I don't think the clearance is as much of an issue because you have to remember that when an IRS gets weight on it, it lowers anyhow, depending on the weight. I must say though, I'd find it hard to live without my locker!
Buck

 

The midsize atvs are marketed toward women and smaller men. fact.

 

And big bore utes toward beer bellied hillbillie rednecks!