the engine cranks BUT DOES NOT START with the kill switch off is a STUPID design, not kill switches in general.

 

The kill switch is the first thing you check...when your engine cranks but won't start....training....

 

What is the ES shifting option? Would the 250 tow a couple of bales of hay?

 

ES, if I remember right, is a transmission that can be shifted by pushing an up button to go up in gears and down to shift down. I believe it is also an automatic if want but am not 100% on that question. Honda guys? It should be able to pull a small trailer with a couple hay bales as long as you aren't going up really steep hills.

 

The ES manual transmission is identical to the foot shift trans, except that it is shifted by an electric motor and pushbuttons. Very common to see posts from folks having problems with this system...probably the most common "problem" post we get in the Honda forum!

Easily haul a couple bales of hay. If you think you need more umph, consider the reasonably priced 2wd Rancher....it is pretty much just a bigger Recon. Honda puts a low "granny" first gear on these, so there is no need for a sub-transmission.

Do you live where it snows??? 2wd hardly cuts it in the snow. Think about 4wd if so.

 

Most of the ES problems you see are from under maintained or older ES machines. I'm not saying that it's bulletproof but I've had my 2 (two) Honda (08 Rancher, 07 Foreman) machines for 2 years now with absolutely NO issue with ES. They are well ridden but not abused. I've had them in water, mud, on trails and other places with absolutely no issue.
Now, you'll see quite a lot of posts regarding issues with bad angle sensors and the like back when Honda was producing them in Mexico but since then, the problem with the sensors has been resolved and the newer models are much less prone to issue.
Don't purchase one based on this, use your preference of the two to determine your purchase. Personally, I like the ES but it does make it a little more difficult at certain times, like when I need to do something with my left hand and shift at the same time.

 

Why even take a chance??? They will charge you an extra $200 for it, and very possibly it will give you problems down the line. Seems like a no brainer to pass this one up....

 

I will be wanting to spot spray weeds as well as check livestock.Oh by the way, I will have to learn to ride one, as I have never been on one.
I live in the Snowy Mountains . Where I live is very low and it hardly ever snows

 

If you drive in any snow you will want a 4x4. otherwise if you are just riding on the farm a recon would be a great choice. I dont hear anything bad about them. Its a honda so it will last for ever. Also if you do drive in snow, you could try it with a recon, but i would buy some better tires (maybe stud them). if you do that then you should not have a hard time in the snow with the recon. you could also consider a foreman. I have one and its about 21 years old an its the best working quad i've ever seen.

 

Horsey, how big is the sprayer you will be using? Do you plan to put it on a rear rack or is it trailer mounted? I believe water weighs 10 pounds per gallon or so. That's a serious amount of weight if you have a big tank for your sprayer. The Recon is a great machine to learn on. If they have ATV safety classes it's always a good idea to go and learn. I had been riding for a few years before I went with my oldest son and I came away learning some things.