The Rancher I Would Like To See
 

How about the new 400 engine, in a manual foot shift model!! I am just not a fan of automatic transmissions (I like to keep it simple), and besides the new 400 is on the heavy side (presumably due to the automatic transmission??). Originally, I thought the 400 was just a bored and stroked 350. But, the magazines say it is a whole new engine and frame (even though the external dimensions are virtually identical).

I don't particularly like the new SUV styling either. It makes the bikes lool kind of "foo foo", where the old styling has a kind of manly, do anything look.

The Rancher I Would Like To See
 

Yeah your right. I would like to see a foot switch manual transmission on the Ranch 400 quad. If not that, I could even deal with a 5 speed ES. If you use the automatic like an ES model, How many gears does it have?

The Rancher I Would Like To See
 

its called a foreman 400 they have been makinhg them since 96 i believe, my dad has one, maybe they dont have them in the states i dont know....

The Rancher I Would Like To See
 

Gumby I am aware of the of the Foreman 400. I've riden it before, but I don't care for it as a trail bike. The ride is too stiff, and I would like a sporty utility bike, that can be thrown around. The Foreman 400 is almost exclusively made for work. Anybody know if they are going to remove the Foreman 400 from the assembly line?

The Rancher I Would Like To See
 

I would also like to see the Rancher 400 in a semi-auto 5 spd and a lighter weight. Although the Rancher is very different from the Foreman 400. The Rancher 400 is also a little too much like the Foreman 400.

The Rancher I Would Like To See
 

I believe if they dropped the auto tranny, and put in a semi auto, the weight would significantly drop. My cousin just called me up and said he got the Rancher 400 AT. Much more sportier than the foreman, but he did say that the exhaust was a little louder than his previous Rancher 350 ES.

The Rancher I Would Like To See
 

The Forman 400 is old school (wet sump engine, pure utility suspension), and has been discontinued for 2004. I bet we see the Forman 450 gone soon too. It has an old style wet sump also.

It looks like Honda is going to leave us with no other choice than automatics anywhere above the 350cc level. I am betting their market research has indicated a preference for the auto. Look at Polaris, selling its contrived contraptions, simply because they are autos.

The Rancher I Would Like To See
 

SpeedyZ400- The new Rancher 400 has both an auto and the electric shift (ES). I think it's a 5 speed.

The Rancher I Would Like To See
 

So whats wrong with old school??? Is it the reliability, dependability, the fact that it can pull a few thousand pounds around all day long and never break a sweat? I personally think they will keep the foreman 400, or at least the foreman 450 for quite a while longer. In my opinion the 450 foreman and 400 foreman's are their 2 main working/utility atv's, and they also still sell tons of foreman 450's even if they are old school. I read in an atv magazine(dont remember which one) that they would be dropping the rancher 350 for it. I just want to knjow whats so wrong with the foreman 400's?

The Rancher I Would Like To See
 

RedneckE- The 350 Ranchers have been fit with new plastic. More people seem to want a sport/utility more than a utility. Last I checked, the Foreman 400's aren't shown at Honda.com for 2004. I haven't seen a Foreman 400 at a dealership for a while.



The main reason I would want a Foreman 450 is because of the select 4x4 and semi-auto. (Simpler design)
The reason I would choose a Honda 450 over a Kodiak 450 is the semi-auto. Even though the Kodiak has liquid cooling and disc brakes. The Kodiak has a auto belt drive. So if Honda is going to complicate all the new 400's with ES and automatics. Then I would go with the Kodiak 400 with disc and liquid.


ATV Action- Rancher 400 auto trans- "It's not something you want to take apart for fun on a rainy Saturday, like a belt and pulley automatic transmission. In fact, there are no serviceable parts inside the tranny, even by your local dealer!"
Does this mean that it will never need service or nobody can fix it if it breaks?