There you go again talking about crank HP numbers and alluding to the fact that just because it's not a rocketship, that it's not a advanced atv. The rincon makes 27.5 hp to the rear wheels and the grizz makes 29. That would give the rincon the same, if not a little bit better power/weight ratio. Gotta love a traditional transmission. Nothing gets power down more efficiently. One of the big mags did a test between the rincon and grizz 700 and the conclusion was that they were pretty much dead even in every drag race. It was either Dirt wheels or Quad mag. Neither are the most powerful machines out their and they may even be the 2 slowest in the big bore class but that doesn't make them less advanced. Honda puts a lot more money into their transmissions than any other brand and it really pays off. IMO a cvt makes a bike feel and sound cheap and I have a few of them. Rincons are made for trail riding and they are without a doubt the best trail atv you can get. They weight 650 pounds with a full tank of gas and it handles like its on rails at fast speeds thru the woods.If you really want to work then honda wants you to buy a foreman or rubicon. What good are the features anyway if you can't trust going far away with it?

 

Not choosing sides,everyone has opinions but CVT is also automotive style,its been in vehicles for over 20 years(not in the U.S.),offers better fuel economy,lighter,and does not require any gear shifting...

 

Yea Nissan will say what they want to sell the idea of cvts in cars but they are by no means leading anything in innovations. Thru can say that the CVT gets better fuel economy but both the new impala and honda accord get considerably better gas mileage and use a 6 speed auto. All 3 cars have a 3.6 litre motor. The 2 million dollar Bugatti even decided to use a traditional gear on gear transmission and there are no compromises anywhere in that car. Infact, all of the latest and greatest generation of super cars use electronic button type shifting (paddle shifters) ferrari, lambo, mclaren, ect. Very similar to the Hondas esp

 

X2

 

well the point was cvt in an automobile,not innovation,3.6l engines,2 million cars,or paddle shifting. Honda will also say what they will in order to sell the idea of a great atv,but are no means leading anything

 

I'm not saying that the rincon is a speed demon, honda clearly put their focus into the handling and ride of the bike and wanted to make it a trail bike. We get so hung up on horsepower numbers but none of these bikes can handle the power they put down. The rincon won't win any drag races but running thru the woods, nothing can keep up, especially no big bulky Polaris.Why did the outty and sportsman need to put more power into a bike when the 800/850 are already overpowering the massive size of the bike. Those bikes simply can't handle the power they put down. It's close to dangerous for their size. The grizzly isn't powerful compared to the current crop either and is similar to the rincon in terms of being a true trail quad but even that feels tippy when you push it thru turns. look how many old Hondas are still running compared to the other brands out their. Honda leads in reliability and longevity. I would like to see Honda add more HP to the rincon but unless you are drag racing on the road, you really don't need it. If you want to put big tires on it then you can always put a BRGR on it and it will turn 29.5s all day long no problems. Although I do agree that it clearly wasn't made for that

 

Its not that the other 4x4 ATVs all with OHC motors are powerful ,its more that the OHV motors of Honda are on the weak side.
Making a 680cc with only 39hp really is a feat to accomplish if you think about it.
My 500cc makes 35hp and its just considered the norm, and is nothing special.

I ride my friend 500 Foreman lots and its like I went down to a 350 or 400 when you hit the gas.

CVT can lose to much power because when we line up I smoke that 500 Foreman from stop to finish and my 500 is much heavier in weight.
We I'm in low range I can out push or pull him as well. The Foreman just does nothing well in comparison including ride comfort.
His Foreman is also 7 years newer.

 

It's not always about the power output. Who says power is more important than handling characteristics and reliability? What has Polaris proved by building their bikes more powerful every year without the right amount of testing and data. Look up the motor problems that the 850s are having and then explain why they needed to go bigger before addressing the problems the 850 had. If you plan on replacing your bike every 2-3 years then a Polaris will be fine but honda built their reputation on making reliable bikes that last a lifetime while Polaris just wants to have the most C.C.s . I don't know about the foreman but the title on my rubicon says 34 hp, only 1 less than a sportsman 500. Besides, it's not fair to judge the rincon from driving a foreman 500. Totally different bikes

 

This site should be a prime example of the issues Polaris has had over the years and continue to have to this day. Their quality control must be garbage, atleast when it comes to their atvs. Look down the forum and notice how almost every problem on the active topic list is Polaris related

 

ATVConnection.com is the first in the alphabetical list of websites posted on Polaris. Part of the reason we get a lot of Polaris issues. We also have some people on here who know them in and out that attracts those with issues.

The Polaris I had was very reliable considering the thrashing I gave it in the rocks, mud, water, snow, etc. we call New England. In my years of riding I've seen every brand by the side of the trail. I honestly can't say I've seen more of any brand in observations. The only reason I got the Can-Am is I wanted more power for high speed runs on long uphills in the winter. My 500 Polaris wasn't keeping up with everyones' 700+ cc machines. I still miss it.

I guess if I had my way a quad would have the power of the Rotax engines Can-Am uses with Polaris' on-board storage, ride quality, and transmission, with Honda's reliability. It would have to be a 2-up quad as Mrs. Moose doesn't want to drive the quad even though she's driven snowmobiles.

Did the original poster ever make a decision???

PS I ride in NH, and Maine. The number one brand I see most of on the trails are Polaris Sportsmans, followed closely by Can-Ams.