Well, the new hondas are here. They look great and i bet they'll be another hot seller for honda. But what does every one think honda should have done when they updated the formans and rubi? Maybe irs?

 

well, here is what i think. The Foreman 500 is a good idea but, I think the new price tag that it comes with is not. They should of either kept the price down or they should of done what they did with the rancher line-up. Kept the 450 but changed the Plastic to keep a good price. That thing would still sell like crazy and people would be saving money for somthing almost just as good(without that axtra power).Now that the honda line up is kinda ocward with two 500's, they should tell kawasaki to get their first 500. Haha.

Just my 6 cents

 

I have a foreman, and I think the front diff works just fine, but if came with a locker, like a grizz or prairie, Id think about upgradeing. I really like the new looks, but there isnt enough of a change to make me trade mine in.

 

The real difference between the new Foreman 500 and the Rubi is a nice old, time tested reliable manual transmission, vs a very complex (electronically) automatic.

The old Foreman 450 had an old style (tall!) wet sump engine. When the 400 got dropped from the lineup, you knew immediately that the 450's days were numbered. The dry sump of the new Foreman 500 gets the center of gravity lower, and now fits in with the rest of Honda's lineup.

Apearently the 500 has a newly designed 3 piece frame and the TraxLok is smaller and lighter. We will have to wait for some reviews to see for sure.

 

I want a Rancher ES 4X2 with IRS and disk brakes. I'd settle for a Rubicon with IRS, I guess. I don't like the looks of the Rincon and have no desire for its transmission. I never had any trouble with my old Foreman 450 with ES, but the ride and the hard seat drove me to a Polaris Expedition, which I've had for 5 years now. I'm a "control freak", and I don't want an automatic....the ES is perfect for me. I'm also old and wise enough to avoid situations where I need a 4X4, and want the easy steering of a 4X2, so that's why the Rancher ES is intriguing. I could put disk brakes on front (aftermarket), but there's no aftermarket IRS!

 

Variations of the hondamatic have been used in different honda vehicles for decades, its not exactly a "new" idea.

 

i think that honda shoulda kept the big beefy bumper on the front on the foreman instead of the plastic

 

Blue 4x4 475

 

I like most all of their changes, and like the Rubicon retaining the SRA rear suspension.

I also like Honda keeping dependable manual transmissions in their ATV (for both of you who like manuals LOL) and high-tech automatics for both of us who are too lazy, not man enough, not cooridinated enough, (or what ever you "manual" people want to believe) too shift. HAHA LMFAO

I think Honda has a very diverse line-up of ATVs and are doing a great job. I think the 2005 Rubicon in the best ATV on the market today, bar none. A Hondamatic with low-range is the only way to fly! If you have never riden one for a day, you need to. Best ATV trans on the market.

I think Honda should have made ATVs free to me.

 

you got it... IRS and disc brakes would have been nice. if so I would have a honda right now insted of a 2005 yamaha.

on a different note: it all depends what you want to do,
if you need one for the ranch for work, to pull a load/mover/ plow or what not , than who cares about the IRS or disk brakes, but you may be better off with a manual trans.
on the other hand if you are trail riding, hunting or blasting down the rocky trail, than you don't need a manual trans either and better off with IRS and disks.

as far as the rubi trans ..... it is awesome.....really, ( i had a rubi )
as long as it working and you trust it. ( specta has many miles in his)
but to me it seemed as a huge mechanical liability.
I choose the belt .... auto, simple.
and it is not a polaris copy , no slipping belt.
utilizing a seperate centrifugal clutch to engage from idle , the trans belt has constant tension, i love it.

on the other hand (2) , i like that they gave a the rubi and the forman a new look, that old box looking thing was part of the past.
the rubi is a work ATv, NO IRS needed, straight axle is fine,
the rancher ES 2x4 or 4x4 could have used a bigger engine, IRS and disk brakes,
it would have been a hot ATV , in the mid size class !!!