Does any body know what is a better trail riding machine?[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-confused.gif[/img]

 

Can't say about the Wolverine except that I saw a write-up about it in one of the ATV mags (I get them all), last month....maybe....I think, and they liked what they saw.

I can however, vouch for the Rancher. Since we got ours, we've had nothing but fun on them. No problems what-so-ever. And if you look on these forums, you'll be hard-pressed to find a Rancher owner with anything bad to say about them. Everyone that I've talked to that has Ranchers love 'em. At first I wished that I would have bought the larger models (Rincon, Foreman) but I'm glad we didn't now. I feel that the Rancher is a "sporty" utility. It's light enough that I can still throw it around. They handle like dream and are fun in any kind of terrain. We've had them in sand (alot), mud, high mountain trails and snow too, and they just kept begging for more [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

Whichever you decide on, you'll have a blast, they are both great machines. Cheers! [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

 

it depends, i'd say Rancher, but then i think of the Wolvy, they are both great quads, the Wolvy is quicker and has more power than the Rancher, plus you don't have to worry about the ES on the Wolvy unless you get one that doesn't have it, plus the computer display on the Rancher, i don't think you have to worry about this on the Wolvy either, myself i'd rather have the Wolverine cause it's sportier and you can rip on it more compared to a Rancher, plus the Wolvy's look bada** with ITP 589's on it, i dunno about the Rancher never seen one with 589's.

Rancher would probably be the best trail machine, it's a bit more calmer while the Wolverine is moreless a Warrior with a auto clutch and 4wd with racks, the Wolvy is a bit more of a race bred sport utility, it's more like a sport than a utility to say....lol

 

I would have to say that the Rancher is the better trail machine. I have both bikes and I prefer the Rancher over the Wolverine. I have several machines. Of the two bikes you are talking about the Honda is the better bike. Not only can the Honda do everything the Wolverine can do, it is also a good work machine. The Wolverine just leaves me wanting a true sport bike or a true work bike. I am not to down on the bike, I still ride mine once and a while.

 

The Wolverine is in a class by itself! I hope we see more machines like this in the future.........sport bikes with 4wd. It really is the kind of machine most people need. Most people are just trail riders, who need 4wd in case they happen to get into trouble out there. It however desperately needs selectable 2wd/4wd. Yamaha really needs to update this machine. Rumor has been that Honda might be coming out with something in this class???

The Rancher is very sporty and relatively light for a ute. It is big enough to get the job done, but not so big that it is a hulking beast.

I say get the Wolverine if you are a more casual trail rider, who might occasionally get into mud or something. If you are going to do tougher technical riding, go with the Rancher.

 

It depends on how fast you want to go down the trail. The Wolverine is better for going fast but has a slightly harsh ride when going slow. The Rancher is just the opposite. It is better suited for slower trail rides but gives a harsher ride when the speed picks up. I had a Wolverine and have a relative that has a Rancher. Both are great quads. The Rancher is a little more work oriented and the Wolverine is a little more play oriented.

 

I'm coming at this from a different angle. I used to have a Wolverine back in '96 and didn't care for it all that much because of the FT 4WD. That just took all the fun out of it for me since I always rode sport quads. I also didn't care for the stock tires. Because it was geared kind of high, I don't believe it will pull more agressive, 25" tires all that well. I considered buying a Wolverine again since the aftermarket has the unlocking kit, but for the price and features of the Wolverine I decided to go with a manual, 4x4 Eiger. If you havn't considered it, you might check out the Eiger and compare it to the Rancher.

 

If you are someone who likes sport bikes but needs a 4x4 that can do light work the wolverine is a good choice (in the $5000 range) It is a good balance between sport and utility. It is the lightest 4x4 on the market. If you decide to purchase a wolverine, make sure to allow yourself about $200 extra for the 424 unlocker.

I've not had a chance to ride a rancher but I own a 99 300 honda 4x4. You can't beat a honda. They are nice all around machines. I don't think that the rancher would be in the same class with a wolverine for any of the "sport" duties. However, the rancher will no doubt whoop the wolverine at any work duties.

You can't go wrong with either bike. My advice is if you are only going to buy one, and if you really want a sport bike, but need a 4x4 in the 5k range get the wolverine. If you don't care that much about sport quads and would rather have a more comfortable ride with more low end torque get the rancher.

If you can spend more the big bore utilities have awesome power. Many of them will kill a wolverine. However the wolverine still whips them all in one category; weight. All of the big bores weigh over 600 lbs. That takes away from the sport side. Big bores also cost more than a nice used car![img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-shocked.gif[/img]

 

Doesn't the Wolverine have an "open" differential? The Rancher has a nice "limited slip" diff, that sends power to the wheel with traction.

If the manufacturers have any sense, they will develop new "Wolverine class" machines! Unfortunately, the utilities show a lot of their heavy "farm work tractor" heritage, which isn't really what most people need.

 

In my experience,

My buddies Wolverine always leaves me in the dust on fast trail rides. It has more pickup and top speed. On jumps his shocks always bottom out before my Rancher 350's does. The Wolverine is a slightly higher center of gravity...creating a little tippyness. The Rancher has a nice and low COG. The Rancher has better fender protection, I'm always cleaner than he his. He can easily take off his racks, and his bike still looks good. The Rancher...not as easy and good looking with the racks off (my opinion). The Rancher comes factory with a taller tire than the Wolverine. The Rancher has drum brakes, the Wolvy has disc. The Rancher has a full floating rear axle. The Wolverine has the left side axle open (like sport bikes) and has a tendency to bend easier than the Ranchers. The Wolverine styling is a little dated, the Rancher has newer styling.

I like my Rancher

Cons: lack of power, full time 4x4, stiff ride, short seat, drum brakes.

Pros: ease of operation, forgiving machine, easy maintanence, reliability, low center of gravity.