Gonna buy a new (first) ATV for hunting. Being an old guy (56, I think you guys call us "Sit down riders&quot, I'm undecided on the automatic trans thing. I want EASY but, Seems to me that if it is a centrifugal clutch on the belt, it would need rpm's to engage. Going downhill instinct would be to let off the throttle. When it drops to idle don't you free wheel? What am I missing? Even an automatic clutch has to let go at idle. Can you Idle down hill under engine compression like in my truck with the belt driven automatics? 5 spd auto clutch? or either?

Looking Rancher ES vs. Eiger Automatic Leaning to Rancher ES but sure like the Eiger Automatic.

Also.... Does the RancherES compression brake downhill to all four wheels? If neither front wheel is spinning to cause four wheel drive to kick in, aren't you really being held back by two wheels not four?

 

I have a foreman 450 and a rubicon,on the 450 its a 5 speed,I can crawl down hills at 2mph and on the rubicon its a hydro automatic on the same hill it goes down at 3mph.Both of these quads have exellent engine braking.Im sure the rancher is just as good.All honda 4x4s except the 2002 450s are full time 4 wheel drive,so yes they do have 4 wheel engine braking down hill.Thats polaris 4x4s that have to spin the rears before the 4x4 engages,not the greatest on slick muddy down hills.

 

I have a prairie 650 belt drive and it almost has to much engine braking,only I have to use the brakes is when I have to stop in a hurry.

 

I have a Grizzly 600, and I just like TrailHog said, I never use the brakes when going down hill. My Grizzly does use all 4 wheels to brake. It creeps down even the steepest grades, even in high range. Have never even put it in low range to see how slow it would go down in that. I ride two Polaris's too. They creep down the hills too, not quite as well though, I believe they only brake with the rears though.

 

The only machines I know of that 'freewheel' downhill when the engine it left to idle are the Polaris machines without EBS (engine braking system). Keep in mind, EBS is standard on the 500 Sportsman & Magnum, and optional on any other machine.

If you are going to be a 'sit down' type rider, I would suggest a machine with 4-wheel independant suspension. The i models from Arctic Cat, the Grizzly from Yamaha, or the Polaris Sportsman (400, 500, or 700). The Polaris 400 does not have EBS standard, and none of the Sportsmans have 4-wheel engine braking, unless perhaps the 700. The Grizzly & 700 are BEASTS, made with power & speed.

If you want a comfy sit-down ride, and don't have to go real fast, the Cats are real well-built utility machines. cc for cc the Polaris machines are faster, but speed isn't everything.

 

The Rancher has great engine braking, and all 4 wheels brake (on the 4X4). It makes for a super stable ride when descending steep, technical terrain. In fact it's so stable it's almost boreing!

 

Glad to hear I was worried about nothing. Seems both systems do a good job.

Thanks all...