CM,

You have answered many of my snowmobile quesitons on the Polaris forum, but you didn't mention anything about a Honda snowmobile!



The RMK800 was named by SnoWest magazine as mountain sled of the year. I have my eye on one, just waiting to get a GOOD price on it.

 

alaskaweasel, I just logged 5 hours on a 2001 rancher ES and it is by far the best quad I have ridden. Much better ride and turning precession than the 99' Kodiak 400. My question is how does the Rubie compare to handling when in overgrown woods? The area we ride is like a jungle with over 100 inches of rain a year with vine maple and underbrush so thick you cannot see 20 feet. The rancher made all the turns with no problem and sometimes I just drove over small trees and crap instead of backing up. It seems to me that the bigger a quad is, the more you can drive over. The 200 Type II had more trouble than the kodiak 400 that was with us, so is there any reason for me not to pick up the rubi? Is the throttle response as good as the rancher when lifting the front end over a fallen tree?
thanks, Joe

 

Joe: As most reviews say the Rubicon is kind of spongy feeling when you first hit the throttle (however the power is there, think most people find the tranny unique at first, hard to compare that to other Auto's). What most reviews fail to tell you is that they are normally not in LOW and in D1. The Rubcion has not problems what so ever getting over anything when in LOW (it automatically picks D2). You can even pick it to be in ESP mode when in low which even makes things easier sometimes in boggs. The point is the auto tranny is worth it, the power is on pair up to 45mph with any 500 i have drove. Ours has 27" vamps and has no problem breaking them loose from a stop to go situation. Compared to the Rancher, they have the same Turning Radius, but the Rancher due to weight is a bit more agile. However for a 500cc machine it is as good as i have seen or rode. IF you liked the Rancher that much, the Rubicon won't dissapoint if you don't mind a larger machine in general. If you liked the size of the Rancher though, the Rubcion is quit a bit larger and may not be your cup of tea.

Hope this helps
Scott

 

Oh Alaskaskunky that was so beutiful...wait let me get a tissue to dry my eyes...hehehe good post man...haven't heard from you in a while sounds like you are having fun anyway email me man...wonder what would have been the result if you would have had modified tires on the bikes, the P tires really $uck...

 

Good to know i am not the only one up this late, The rancher felt if anything kinda small, so the rubie sounds like the top pick, as i haul elk,bear and deer out of the woods often with a trailer. Joe

 

ah man your killing me. Those pics on your website are awsome. Down here we are on 50 something days of no rain and who knows how long it's been 100+ degrees. Not that I'd ever get the chance but whats the best time to ride in heaven?

 

TPnTx: Thats the thing, heaven lasts about 3 months and then all He## breaks loose up here, if you get what i mean. We get 250 straight days of -30 to -75 degree winter weather. Half the time you can't snowmobile either. Now you wonder why we only have the population of Omaha Nebraska in this whole state?(and why tourist leave like the Canadian geese flying south for the winter in August)

 

whoa...Okay I'm all better now. It's only 98 today so I think I'll live. So can a human tell the difference between -30 and -70?

 

He## ya!!!!!!!! At -60 you can take hot coffee in a cup and throw it up in the air and it don't come down (it does i guess, just as snow, that is if you can tell the difference from the other snow.) The seals in your cars engine get so cold (even when running at first) they shrink and cars leave PILES 2" high of oil from the engine. I guess if that don't work ask my wife. She is from Plano TX. Later, Scott

 

I seen a home movie my dad took in the 60's of a ford truck with the front tires locked due to the greese turning to tar, they just drove threw town like a sled. Let us know how the rubie's trans does at this extreame cold. I wouldnt expect it to perform well at -60