There is NO WAY a mid sized Ute like the Rancher will out do the bigger bored ATVs in ANY terrain.[You did say except mud]

I've personally watched MANY of the smaller 4x4 ATVs with smaller engines [Rancher included] have to sit at the bottom of a steep/long/sandy hill because they simple could NOT produce enough 'wheel speed' to make it to the top of hill like this..Only to watch the bigger bore ATVs fly right up with NO PROBLEM.

Your lack of riding experiences is more evident each time you post.

 

whatever

lol

 

Moto, Its not that they are Junk quads, or even necessarily Inferior. They, just like evry make out there has inferior Qualities about them.. For the Hondas, Traction and Ride is inferior to what the rest of manufacturers are offering.
I feel like their Sealed Trannies, and Motors are SUPERIOR to what some of the other manufacturers are offering.
As much as I say all the manufacturers are pretty well Even, If I were to buy a Quad with the intention of keeping it for 10 years, and doing some trail running and Hard work, Then A Honda would be in my Garage.
I dont play in the mud, But I do like to Rock crawl, and play on waterfalls and such. FOr me, and this type of riding, I need Something with a Locking front end. Myself, If Honda were to Produce a machine like this, then I would have bought one. I think that is the whole poijt of this thread I guess, and that is that Quite a few folks have fallen away from Honda in favor of quads with more features. IM willing to bet, that if Honda were willing to add a few items to their lineup, then they would bring back just about every rider that strayed, and THEN Some, I would probably be one of them myself.

 

I can say with absolute certainty that tires and rider skill will make a heck of alot more difference than a locker and ground clearance when trying to exit a serious mud hole. If you dont beleive me, then any of you are more than welcome to join me here in newfoundland and we can enjoy a great trip serioulsy pushing machines of all types new and old to their limits.

I have one mud hole in particular near our cabin in Tors cove that we often use as a testing ground for our groups ATV's. Its actually a pair of holes, each double the length of a quad, as deep as the racks are high, placed on a sharp 70 degree bend with vertical 3' entry and exits. There is no bypass around these holes as they are surrounded by forest.

At the time in question, the only mod on my '98 Forman was a set of 27" Blackwaters, stock everything else. My freind had a '98 sportsman 500, which of course had "true 4wd" or AWD as I like to call it, more ground clearance with the IRS, and stock tires.

I figured he'd show me up in this hole, as those machines were renown to be good in this stuff. I'll be d*mmed but he could not coax that sportsman out of the 2nd hole. No matter what he tried he would not get the back tires up out of the hole.

I figured I'd try it anyway, the first time I entered quickly but never made it, the 2nd try I gave her heck and put my weight forward and I popped out no sweat, 3 wheels of spinning glory! After that, he could still never match my feat up until last year when the purchase of a set of 26" mud bugs finally made the difference.


I too have installed a locker in my Honda with the anticipation that I could now go anywhere. In reality, I can still go all the same places I could before with no real difference, granted it is much much faster in deep mud with the locker, but I still get stuck.

For all the times that I have pulled through an obstacle, I can safely say it was momentum and body weight shifting makes the day. You say you cant always make a run at something??? Well you dont always need much speed, momentum is momentum at 50kph or 2kph. NOT stopping and being SMOOTH over obstacles is the key.

 

ALOT of what ACTION450 says is true,the rider can make a big differance on how a machine responds..

I have had some of my buddies tell me to pull them out of the mud before when they really did'nt need me to..Some times,I told them to get off the quad,I than mounted the ATV and with the right body english,I DROVE the ATV right out of the same mudpit they THOUGHT they were stuck in..

So Yes,a good operator can make a HUGE differance too..

 

Maybe we could all meet at some nuetral place, do a little mud bogging and breakdance fight with our 'crews' for bragging rights.

I shave my entire body before I ride. I think it makes me faster.