looking at the 04 rancher at 4x4...what do you guys think of the hondamatic?

 

Love our Rubicon because of the Hondamatic, thinking of selling our 02 Rancher 4X4 ES and getting a new Rancher AT because of the Hondamatic. Rode a new Rancher AT and quite liked it. You will love the trans.

 

Sorry I had to laugh,I saw Hondamatic and remembered my friends old 1974 motorcycle with an auto-clutch and a foot shifter with high+low.If you revved it up + dropped it in low she'd carry the front end quite a way.The old Hondamatic.....

 

HAHA! I have never seen a auto cluch bike intended for an adult rider, excluding the JR50 and all those little bikes.

 

The Honda auto is a great setup. It is not even in the same ball park as a beltdrive. There is a tranny mode for anything you can throw at it. I personally like the ESP mode for trail riding and the auto mode for hit the mud hole wide open.

 

Great setup in the rubicon. Never own another belt drive tranny.

 

I had a 02 Foreman and a 02 Rancher, but sold the Rancher and replaced it with a 03 Rubicon because I fell in love with the Hondamatic tranny. I live in Central TX and have taken my Ruby to Colorado twice and did trail riding around Silverton (12500 ft passes 75 miles per day average) and bear hunting in the Gila Mountians in southwestern New Mexico( up to 10800 ft.) My Rubicon carried two adults during all these trips and had a rig basket with 2 hounds plugged into the front winch reciever as well as a rig basket plugged in the rear winch reciever hitch with 3 more hounds plus guns and gear durning bear season. We logged 776 miles in 6 days during our bear hunt with this load. I never rejetted it just open the lid to the air cleaner 1/4 " and it operated great every day and was such a please to drive not having to shift. I just wish it had a bigger full tank. Because we all live in the USA we can all have our our opinon, this is mine.

02 Foreman stock
03 Rubicon with Warn 424 (great option) Warn 3000lb. winch

 

Say Rattler, I live in Texas too. Never hunted in New Mexico or Colorado but would like too. Are you interested in putting together a hunt? I can be reached at (totschb@swbell.net) if interested. I have a 450 Forman, Truck and 16' trailer as well as gear.

 

http://www.off-road.com/atv/reviews/quads/2004rancher/

Seems to be a favorable review. I am being conservative and waiting until it has been out a year before making a move. You buy one and test it for us!! Of course I will throw caution to the wind when the TRX450R comes out.