I find it very awkward (difficult) to get in and out of and I'm not physically a big person.

 

When my son bought his Renegade I sat in one. Not too bad for me and I'm 6'3". I had expected it to be extremely cramped. Not too bad. If things work out I'm considering the regular RZR or the new XP based X2. I kind of wish someone else made the same kind of thing as the X2 but I won't hold my breath.

 

The RZR 4 is comfy once in, I'm only 5'10".

Suzuki has a SxS but has not released it and the let out very little info like how wide it is.

Out west anything over 50" to me is useless due the the increasing amout of trails that are being gated at 50"

An 850 XP with aftermarket tires and wheels won't even fit through some of the gates and IMO the 50" trails are the best.

The regular RZR is the #1 selling SxS.

Jorgensen Honda here in Richfield ordered 140 of them. Richfield has a population of about 7000 people.

 

Don't see too many combination Honda/Polaris dealerships. Did find one up in Gorham, NH down the road from the new Jericho Lake ATV Park. I guess now there are 2!

 

The dealer I bought my Honda from sold Honda, Polaris and Yamaha.

My wife and I were going back and forth between a Sportsman and a Kodiak. The salesman asked if I wouldn't at least ride a Rubicon (because I had no interest in it) before making my final decision so I did. It took less than 300 ft and I was sold on the trans and bought one. And the trans would be the hardest thing to give up.

The dealer here sells Honda, Polaris, Suzuki, Yamaha, and CanAm/BuRPs.

 

I looked at 2-up machines as my wife didn't want to drive an ATV. My thinking is that maybe she'd be more into it if we got a RZR eventually. She doesn't mind being a passenger on a quad, she just doesn't like driving one. On another note, I hope the Japanese eventually make a 2-up machine. I love competition and I know they'd give Polaris, CanAm, and Arctic Cat something to think about. I would consider a Honda someday if they come out with an X2 like vehicle with full 4wd. Some people say there's not that much difference. My buddy and I were talking on the ride back from Maine yesterday where we had put 60 miles on the machines. He was reminding me of how one of the guys with us last fall on a Honda could not get his machine up a near vertical rock and had to go around while the PoPos did it pretty easily. (We helped push a Suzuki up but it turns out he didn't know about the full lock button on his 4wd system). I was in mud yesterday that was over my tires and the crazy machine chugged its way through. (XTRs help!) I often wonder when I just get through these mudholes how different that little loss in traction would make things. I really love Hondas. Super vehicles no matter what they are making. I just wish they'd catch up on the locker front end. Where we ride there are some mudholes you can avoid but there are alot of them that can't be avoided because of terrain.

 

I have been told by a very reliable source that Honda will never offer a locking front diff and I had a phone conversation a few years ago with a guy at American Honda Motor Co., Inc in Torrance CA and he assured me that Honda will never build a 2-up ATV either.

Liability is one of the main reasons and weight is another. To make a 2-up and stay close to the 600 pounds they would have to cut corners in other areas, something they don't want to do. Back when the 3-wheeler industry was sued Honda owned 78% of the market and took a blood bath and since then they have never wanted more than 33% of the market. I have no idea where they are in the market share these days and to me it really doesn’t matter.

The only Honda ATV I would buy today is a Rubicon, nothing else interests me and the only thing that would cause me to buy something else would be the desire for more HP for the deep snow here in the winter time.

We don't have any mud out west and the only thing "mud" tires are good for is the snow. I know 4-wd is better that 3-wd but I have yet to have friends go somewhere that I couldn't go because they had 4-wd, HP is another story. I'm not saying that my 3-wd is as aggressive as 4-wd, I know better than that but it doesn't seem to hold me back or to be a major concern to me, although it would be nice (probably just get me into more trouble LOL).

Good luck on deciding your next machine, I think it just gets tougher every day.

 

That kind of stinks to learn that they won't build a 2-up and I do understand their reasoning. I'm by no means brand loyal. Like you, Specta, I want to get what best meets my needs and preferences. Money is an issue right now anyhow. Dream, dream, dream....

 

Honda builds what they want you to have, not what you want to have.

Right now Polaris is listening to their customers more than the other manufactures are, whether that be good or bad. (insert wink)

When I was over at the dealer last week I walked past the ATVs that were waiting in line to get fixed. The majority of the ATVs that had crashed and/or rolled were the big bores, hands down.

The bigger and faster they get the more damage they do to our trails and traveling at higher speeds also makes them more dangerous.

The first people to buy SxS were the "older" folks who enjoyed riding but didn't care for ATVs, now it seems that the "look at me" crowd is taking over. Loud obnoxious pipes, huge tires and lifts and they drive like there’s no tomorrow. This is bad for the entire industry in my opinion except for the folks that sell them and the accessories.

With the new look at me crowd I don't think "sustainability" for our trail system will ever be in their vocabulary.

They are making more and more trails here 50" and to me that's a good thing. This year I have witnesses SxS doing more harm to our trails tahn I have ATVs or motorcycles.

 

Check out my friends blog, he does a better job of putting it in to perspective.

ATV Television's Blog