K guys, I'm gettin rid of the banshees, I need a utility bike.. I've always been honda loyal, however chose yamaha for my sport bikes.... I'm gettin tired of my banshees though, suck gas, cant go far, hard to trail ride, CAN NOT MUD, not much fun other than hauling *** in a straight line.... Now I need a bike for working, I need to pull a mower behind it, also need to tow a small trailer across some muddy terrain.... Also I want to have a bike for fun too.... I want something I can COMFORTABLY trail ride, and something that will mud.... I need something at least a 350, now i've always preferred manual shift, because I dont like the belts but the honda ES, does it actually change gears, or just run on a belt ?? Also I'm not sure if 4x4 is going to be necessary or not.... I really want it, however it is my impression that without a difflock it is almost useless.... I will be getting some good tires, and will see some very sloppy mud.... I want something I can trail ride too, and I can go far without worrying about breaking down or gas or anything like that.... Now I know they're not going to handle like my banshees obviously, but will I be able to throw it around in the the trails at all ?? I want something fun, that can also work, that WONT LET ME DOWN !! Also if anyone knows how does the ES work ?? Thanks

 

If it matters, i'm 5'10", 180 pounds, muscular, i can man handle anything i need too, so i'm not worried about weight of the bike or anything, just want something that wont let me down, and doesnt vibrate to high hell, and pretty much want something I can ride anywhere I want without having to think about it at all, i really want the 4x4, but not if it is going to be useless.... My goal is with good tires, to keep up with my friends 4x4 Prairie with stock tires, in the trails, or at least keep up... I have kept up with him on my girlfriends recon, shes got some wooly booger tires, he can do more, but at least we can keep up, i want to be just as good, thanks !

 

Sorry to "Overpost" I want it to be Fun to ride, I dont want to buy something, that I get on and control, I want to enjoy it. Thanks.... Also how do they feel compared to the Recon, On that thing I feel like I can do anything and go anywhere, compared to my banshees at least thanks....
Also the pros and cons of the shifters and 4x4 system would be a great help.... Any problems anyone has, or any known defects ?? Thanks

 

As for the 4wd system, i have a foreman 400 4x4 and in mud it will spin all 4 tires all the time, and even on hard ground it does it. Dont let those polaris people talk you out of it.LOL.The ES system is just like a manual shift, except it has an electric motor to shift it through all 5 gears. It is a little less reliable than the foot shift hondas, so if it was me, i would get a regular foot shift 5spd(the es is 5spd too though).The ES does actually shift through 5 gears and it does not have a belt.NO HONDA has a belt.The ranchers are very reliable just like all honda machines. You can check in my pictures(when they come back up) that is right under my username that is a camera,just click on it. My honda will pull about anything, and has NEVER EVER let me down. I have never had it stuck, and it has never been to the dealer, or needed me to work on it except for the foot brake once.If i was you i would get 4wd, and that way you have it if you need it, and they go a lot better.It is also a great trail riding machine, and will do anything youll want it to do more than likley.Like i said, when my pictures come back up you can see what i pull with mine, and where i ride in the mud.The es system has been known to quit working on some people, but it comes with a hand shifter that will get you home anyway.And like i said, dont worry about the 4wd system because they work just fine.Maybe not as good as a locker, but it will spin all 4 wheels in mud.The ranchers are very fun to ride, and are nimble, and good utility workers too. In the mud i would say you can go about anywhere the prarie does, but on the road theyll probably be faster. On my honda i feel confident wherever i go, and i NEVER worry about not making it back because the reliability is awesome.They feel almost just like a recon but a little bigger, but still just as nimble. You will feel like you can do anything on the rancher(and you can), and they are really fun to ride and reliable.I would suggest the foot shift over ES though because it is more reliable.

 

I had a 2001 Rancher 4x4 and absolutely loved it. About the 4x4 you have to get it, it does make a difference and Honda's limited slip front differential works pretty good, therefore you will benefit from 4x4. Get the manual shift it makes you feel more in control of the bike and it never lets you down. The ES is nice and convenient however if you read through the Honda posts about the ES you will see that some people have had bad experiences with it. Just my 2 cents. Furthermore, the ES is an electronic shifter (servo) that shifts through all 5 gears just as you would with your foot. Honda doesn't have any belt driven ATVs.

About your friend's Prairie, unless it's a 360cc you would have a hard time keeping up with on any ATV with < 500cc.

My Rancher 4x4 had a top speed of 51 mph.

Hope this helps.

 

Not to be off topic i still wanted some more reponse, but I checked your pics, they work and that's impressive. Also saw you were into r/c truck, I race 2 RC10GT's, mugen .15 motors (nitro) Futaba electronics, big barrel shocks, flat chassis, you name it... Just thought i'd toss that in

 

Hes got the big one, water cooled 600 something, V-Twin, with difflock, etc.

 

Thats cool that you race rc10gt's. I just have a traxxas stampede that i bash around with, but i really like it.It is a fun truck, and it is very reliable. I had a nitro, but couldnt get it to run right for some reason.It was a cheap one though.I bet the rc10gt's fly.I dont run my stampede to much, but when i do its a blast.

 

Next question, i'd highly prefer the electronic readout, is that only on the ES models ?? Also I'd love to pickup a foreman, i really want the bright light on the handlebars, but I cant afford the extra money right now

 

Im pretty sure the digital readout is only on the ES models.The foremans are also great machines, but if you cant afford one, then you could buy another light or two, and mount them on the handlebars and wire them into the factory ones.