I have a Y2K Foreman and have never had that kind of problem and I've got 2000 klicks on it. The Rancher, however, has had the problem. The dealer cleaned the angle sensor and filled it with water resistant grease. Seemed to be ok until the other day when it refused to shift again until we shut it off and tried again.

Despite these minor problems I would buy an ES again in a hearbeat.

..Temp

 

My original post is ALL about shifting problems. You seem to be the one who lead me astray. So very sorry. I will never go off topic again.

 

You say "HE spends too much time either stuck or broke down with his Sportsman to run out of gas", refering to the guy with the Sportsman. Do you even know him? Your pretty ignorant if you say false things like that, if you don't even know if he really does spend all of his time either stuck or broke down. And again, just look at the topic, it says Help!!! Foreman 450ES shift problems. Correct me if I'm wrong, but does it say Polaris Sportsman 500 having problems? NOPE

 

For those who are hard of seeing , Heres my ORIGINAL post. I think some people scan newsgroups & Forums just looking for an arguement ! "I am experiencing the same problem with my Y2K 450ES. I backed up to a mud hole tonight to tow someone out.(Sportsman 500) Immediately after I went through it !!! I put bike into neutral and shut it off. Got off the bike and rigged the tow rope up. Hopped back on my bike ,, fired it up ,, and it wouldnt go into gear. I rocked, Reved, kicked , screamed and nothing worked. I then put the manual shifter on it and shifted it into first gear. Towed him out, and shut the bike off in 1st. 2 minutes later I turned the bike back on and the ES worked just fine from there on ! How strange. I have had this happen 3 times in my first 500km. The dealer told me also its normal. I DONT BUY THAT ! I think we should all send a letter to Honda and complain. The 450ES is an unbelievable bike but I think there is a genuine problem here ! " ALSO , if knowing "HIM" for 15 years and having him as my best man at my wedding qualifies me as knowing him ,, then I guess I do know him a bit. and ride with him EVERY week. End of Story !

 

I would definitely talk to another dealer about it. Most of the guys around here have the Foreman 450ES and none of them have had any problems. Probably an electrical problem. Better take it too another dealer. IT IS NOT NORMAL!!!...

 

Could it be a "Batch" of bad bikes ? What would the chances of that be.... I just bought mine 2 months ago and I'm in Eastern Canada so I cant imagine I would have a bike made in the same batch as a US bike. I dont know. All i know is that the dealer'S tell me its all normal. I find this hard to believe.

 

I believe you Kosaic. All I am saying is that the Sportsman is being ragged for not being reliable. Well, fine but I know of a lot of people who have never had a problem and don't know why everybody is criticizing the Sportsman. And I am sure the Foreman 450ES is a great machine, all Hondas are, but when it comes to actual performance, the Sportsman is the king. And as far as I am concerened, it is a better quad than the Rubicon because the Sportsman has small, simple and also big and great features that the Rubicon doesn't have, some of which is old technology. No hard feelings Kosaic, just my oppinions here.

 

Hey , Its all in fun ! You like your ride and I mine. If we dont joust each other it takes the fun out of it all. No hard feelings.

But is all seriousness , my Freekin 450ES shifting is messed up and when a dealer ( actually 2 of them ) tell me its normal , I worry !