How does the 2004 ride,Does the 04 ride better than the older ones?

 

Get rid of the factory tires and get some decent ones and it does pretty good in most cases

 

First, it is a utiltiy, so it has its limitations. Like he said, most bikes can benefit from something besides OEM tires. I prefer ITP Holeshot ATR's on (light!) ITP Magnum aluminum 12X7" rims. They really improve the bikes handling!! On some surfaces, the steering will fight you a little. Otherwise, the bike is a real PEACH!! It is a nice size, not to big and not to small. I run a K&N filter and FMF MegaMax II muffler, for a little more power.

 

OK... I'll bite...

What's wrong the the OEM tires on the Rancher? Mine seem to do VERY well out in the desert sand and sharp rocks. So what am I missing? Or what is is that I don't know?

 

Ol, your not missing anything. Aftermarket tires are more aggressive, I think it would take a radial to actually "improve" the ride.

ATV's with IRS generally have a better ride. The Rancher is not a high speed trail machine. We have no problems riding our all day.

 

The stock tires would help the steering fight you. This is especially true on desert hardpack. The ATR's (they are radials!) eliminated about 95% of it. It really is a much improved bike!!

Another nice thing is that the ATR's make the bike WAY WIDER (but not so wide that it won't fit down a tight trail). This gives the machine much greater stability, particularly if you are riding off camber. The 2X4 Rancher is somewhat tippy, because of its rounded, balooney rear tires.