Utility bikes make poor power sliders...maybe your just not pushing yours to the limit and I assure I will be backed up on this one, my Sp500 can get to be a pretty wild machine even with the IRS and the high setup, just ask Tim1 and Bill C. I have heard them comment on how they have pushed there machines to the limit maybe your just used to 400 or 450cc. As far as not needing the 2x4 switch I will agree with you that what I have heard from friends that is a great steering atv with the new front end...but what do you do if you want to add lockers start training for Mr. Universe...Oh the honda definetly needs the 2x4 switch if it is ever going to be compatible with Polaris...

 

Your right Atving, I could never handle the power of the mighty SP500, much less power slide it. I did pretty well on my old ATC250R, and 350X though. Use to get them pretty crossed up from time to time, but they were only a 250 and 350 with three wheels. No match for the awsome, flat trackin' Polaris utility machines. Sorry buddy, but I've got more time on atvs than I would care to admit. And guess what? Yep, utility machines are terrible sliders. I'd be willing to bet you guys think spinning your rear tires and spinning out is a power slide. Wrong. Try going say 45-50mph down a gravel logging road, when you come to a long sweeping left hand turn, kick the rear end out while turning the bars right. Now control the "power slide" useing throttle and body english. If you can do that on your (any) stock utility quad, your grapes are alot bigger than mine.

 

Bob nobody was implying that you are not the rider you are some are wilder than others, I have been riding dirt bikes since I was 12 which equals out to about 30 years of them along with driving sports cars, racing bikes, 4 wheelers and have drove a police cruiser for the last 11 years that I average somedays speeds between 110 and 120 mph going to emergency calls and you know how cops drive nuff said on that and yes the sp500 is no sport bike and some people push them to the limit more than others. Anyway what got this conversation started was that somebody said the Honda didn't need a 2x4 switch because of the excellent steering Honda has with the new torque sensing front end my comment was that I thought Honda did because that would be the only way to achieve true 4 wheel drive unless you plan on adding lockers and putting up with the steering which would be very difficult...no slur toward you Bob I am sure you are a good rider and probably pretty wild just like the rest of us.

 

Bob nobody was implying that you are not the rider you are some are wilder than others, I have been riding dirt bikes since I was 12 which equals out to about 30 years of them along with every sports car, racing bike, 4 wheelers and have drove a police cruiser for the last 11 years and you know how cops drive nuff said on that and yes the sp500 is no sport bike and some people push them to the limit they shouldn't. Anyway what got this conversation started was that somebody said the Honda didn't need a 2x4 switch because of the excellent steering Honda has with the new torque sensing front end my comment was that I thought Honda did because that would be the only way to achieve true 4 wheel drive unless you plan on adding lockers and putting up with the steering which would be very difficult...no slur toward you Bob I am sure you are good rider and probably pretty wild just like the rest of us.

 

When you come come to a corner on a trail you point the bars in the right direction and gas it causing the rear end to kick out,it's no big deal but on a all wheel drive bike it is.Except for the tranny the Rubicon reminds me of the Susuki 500 K.Q which is a nice bike both have a utility looking suspension,all wheel drive,500cc water cooled but the king Quad has nice aluminum rims and disk brake.What I really like about the Susuki is they may not but all the tricks on it but they will not charge you for it anyways like Honda ,up here the Susuki is $500 less than a Sportsman and will be $1000! less than the Rubicon.If Susuki can keep the price down why can't Honda?

 

Thats about all I was trying to make clear in my post Tim1 it is just plain and simple you can have more fun with a bike that you can put in 2 with a 4x4 setup, I know you are a wild rider Tim1 anybody that says you don't need ebs hehehe.
Some people just don't push the utilitys to what they can do the Sportsman being a big Ute is a pretty fun bike on the trail...no not a sport bike but has a lot of power for wild riding.
What is really bothering me is if Honda adds disc brakes, 2x4 switch and some kind of IRS not to mention what you are going to have to pay to add lockers then what are we going to be paying for the bike when you already get all this on the Polaris for a $1000 or more less...the prices and facts don't lie...

 

i can have as much fun on my rancher as you can on your sp500, so i guess my rancher is just as good as your sp and i am a grand richer than you.

enough of this my quad is better than your quad crap and just get out there and have fun. isn't that what this is all about anyway?!?!?!?!?!?

 

I agree Cartman but for what I got for that extra grand I will take the sportsman...you know I got to get the last word, I bet you agree though Honda really does need to come up with a 2x4 switch huh???

 

We were just wandering were all the money is going on the Rubicon if it lacks so many feature and will be the highest priced utility yet.It has nothing over the others and some cases less but Hond wants $1000-$500 more than any of the other.I can understand the Sportsman being $1000 more than the Rancher but not a Rubicon $1000 more than a 500 Suzuki or 500 Artic Cat.

 

You can go directly to the source at: Honda of N.A. at 1919 Torrance Blvd, Torrance, CA 90501 and inquire directly to get an answer. They are the only ones who actually know. Anything on here is likely to be just conjecture.