They really slapped the face of Honda
Mar 7, 2005 | 08:55 PM
#221
Trailblazer
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 37
Likes: 0
They really slapped the face of Honda
Hi guys,
normally I don't try to get involved in discussions like this because I'm not a big fan of everyone taking something like a brand-loyalty discussion so personal. Other than the name calling and such, there have been some very good points made. First, like most people have said, most of Honda's customer buy them for their reputation. I am one of those people. I was looking really hard at the suzuki vinson because of the features it had. I didn't want a foreman because every one I have ridden rides like our john deere tractor and, in my opinion, just weren't a whole lot of fun to ride and I couldn't afford the Rincon. When Honda came out with the new 500 foreman I took one for a ride a fell in love with it. Granted, it doesn't have a locker or IRS. My uncle and I farm. He has a 500 Artic Cat (1999) which I think is one of the most useless four wheelers I have ever used. I know the new ones are far better, but first impressions are hard to shake. I use my fourwheeler on the farm and for trail riding a couple times a month. I have never needed a front locker for anything I have done on the farm in the last 15 years and, again in my opinion, a solid rear end is better for towing. I also have a 1994 300 4x4 (with drum brakes and 7000 miles). In the last 11 years it has been in mud and water up to the gas tank mulitiple times and I have never had to touch the brakes, front or back. That's why I'm not worried about the drums in the back of my Foreman. Honda has proved to me that they know what they are doing and I trust that. I have many other friends that have other bikes (I'm not going to mention brand names because it doesn't matter) that can't say the same thing. Now, if my new bike has problems in the next few years I will probably re-think my choice but I don't think I will. I went riding this weekend with some friends from work and there was a 600 v-twin Polaris, 2wd Kodiak, 400 scrambler, 250 trail boss, Z-400, and a warrior. Most of use are experienced riders and we all went the same places, except for in the mud. My 3wd Honda made it the same distance as the 600 polaris with "true 4wd". I credit this to the fact that my bike weighs 150 pounds less than the polaris. Would I have made it farther with a front locker? Maybe, but I still would have been stuck with less distance to winch. Many of the hills where we were at were very steep and covered with loose rock and I had no problem. I live in Illinois and ride here and in Missouri so I don't know what its like up in Michigan or down in Louisiana but I think most of the sport/utility bikes made now will make anyone happy. Sorry for rambling.
normally I don't try to get involved in discussions like this because I'm not a big fan of everyone taking something like a brand-loyalty discussion so personal. Other than the name calling and such, there have been some very good points made. First, like most people have said, most of Honda's customer buy them for their reputation. I am one of those people. I was looking really hard at the suzuki vinson because of the features it had. I didn't want a foreman because every one I have ridden rides like our john deere tractor and, in my opinion, just weren't a whole lot of fun to ride and I couldn't afford the Rincon. When Honda came out with the new 500 foreman I took one for a ride a fell in love with it. Granted, it doesn't have a locker or IRS. My uncle and I farm. He has a 500 Artic Cat (1999) which I think is one of the most useless four wheelers I have ever used. I know the new ones are far better, but first impressions are hard to shake. I use my fourwheeler on the farm and for trail riding a couple times a month. I have never needed a front locker for anything I have done on the farm in the last 15 years and, again in my opinion, a solid rear end is better for towing. I also have a 1994 300 4x4 (with drum brakes and 7000 miles). In the last 11 years it has been in mud and water up to the gas tank mulitiple times and I have never had to touch the brakes, front or back. That's why I'm not worried about the drums in the back of my Foreman. Honda has proved to me that they know what they are doing and I trust that. I have many other friends that have other bikes (I'm not going to mention brand names because it doesn't matter) that can't say the same thing. Now, if my new bike has problems in the next few years I will probably re-think my choice but I don't think I will. I went riding this weekend with some friends from work and there was a 600 v-twin Polaris, 2wd Kodiak, 400 scrambler, 250 trail boss, Z-400, and a warrior. Most of use are experienced riders and we all went the same places, except for in the mud. My 3wd Honda made it the same distance as the 600 polaris with "true 4wd". I credit this to the fact that my bike weighs 150 pounds less than the polaris. Would I have made it farther with a front locker? Maybe, but I still would have been stuck with less distance to winch. Many of the hills where we were at were very steep and covered with loose rock and I had no problem. I live in Illinois and ride here and in Missouri so I don't know what its like up in Michigan or down in Louisiana but I think most of the sport/utility bikes made now will make anyone happy. Sorry for rambling.
Mar 7, 2005 | 10:17 PM
#222
Pro Rider
Loves riding and can't get enough.
Loves riding and can't get enough.
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 3,949
Likes: 2
They really slapped the face of Honda
This is what I have learned from this forum. Everybody wants a Honda because everyone knows they are the most dependable, highest quality and best all around ATV on the market. Not everybody will admit it, but a Honda is what they really desire to own.
If Honda made a couple of changes, or added a couple new sport/utilities, all the other manufactures would go out of business.
All Honda needs to do is build a add lockers to the Ranchers and the new 500 Foreman. They should make two Rubicons both with lockable front differentials. And, one with IRS and one without. They also need two Rincons, both with locking front differentials and one with low range, and maybe both with about 10 more HP.
Now, everyone would only buy Honda sport/utility ATVs. Polaris, Yamaha, Kawasaki, Suzuki, and the Bomb would all go out of business and Honda would remain on top, like they are now.
Is that about right??
If Honda made a couple of changes, or added a couple new sport/utilities, all the other manufactures would go out of business.
All Honda needs to do is build a add lockers to the Ranchers and the new 500 Foreman. They should make two Rubicons both with lockable front differentials. And, one with IRS and one without. They also need two Rincons, both with locking front differentials and one with low range, and maybe both with about 10 more HP.
Now, everyone would only buy Honda sport/utility ATVs. Polaris, Yamaha, Kawasaki, Suzuki, and the Bomb would all go out of business and Honda would remain on top, like they are now.
Is that about right??
Mar 7, 2005 | 10:22 PM
#223
Shed Knocker Rider
Harley Punk!
Harley Punk!
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 35,876
Likes: 2
They really slapped the face of Honda
Crocket, you are right about trying to avoid the childish controversy and I usually do myself and enjoy a debate when it has been kept on a mature level. But I am guilty of stooping down to the level of these antics, and I must say I have found it quite amusing and will try not to make members like you read thru this BS in the future.
Anyhow, I think you have made some good points and shown that one more person can be happy with there 'simple' Honda. I also see that you have a 300 Fourtrax 4X4 in your stable, I (really my grandpa) had a 91' and personally, I think it is one of the top ATV's of all time. Most of this is probably because I grew up with it and we had it almost ten years. That thing really was bullit proof tho, I don't think we replaced anything but tires and oil. And I rode the pi$# out of that thing when I was younger. Never had to touch the breaks, not even once. Im glad to see there are a few still roaming around.
Anyhow, I think you have made some good points and shown that one more person can be happy with there 'simple' Honda. I also see that you have a 300 Fourtrax 4X4 in your stable, I (really my grandpa) had a 91' and personally, I think it is one of the top ATV's of all time. Most of this is probably because I grew up with it and we had it almost ten years. That thing really was bullit proof tho, I don't think we replaced anything but tires and oil. And I rode the pi$# out of that thing when I was younger. Never had to touch the breaks, not even once. Im glad to see there are a few still roaming around.
Mar 7, 2005 | 11:52 PM
#224
Thread Starter
|
Weekend Warrior
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 2,572
Likes: 0
They really slapped the face of Honda
I very carefully looked at all 12 pages of this topic and tried to figure out exactly where it started to go wrong at?
Everything is fine until the Top of page 6,where MUDBLASTER accused me of calling him a boy,,which was a false accusation.
Page 7--MOTO starts out with,,I ENJOYED DEBATING WITH YOU,BUT YOUR A DAMN IDIOT.[refering to me]Now IMO,this is EXACTLY where the name calling FIRST starts in this forum.[Please check it out for yourself]
Page 8--MOTO starts his BS with KTMGUY70 and even accussed him of throwing low blows and you told him he was acting like a child.
Page 9--MOTO starts on me again,states that I just come back from recess and I was mad at him because he shut me out earlier,MOTO further brags about his first place plaque and how he has schooled me in these forums.[with absolutely NO evidence to back up such a statement in the first place]
Page 11--Raptorlegs AND MOTO talk very badly about my recently deceased mother..
You know something,I very carefully re-read this ENTIRE post,and there was nothing I said to MOTO that merited him calling me an idiot ON PAGE 7!!--Re-read EVERYTHING up to that point,you will all see WHO started the BS and WHERE things STARTED to go bad...
And the rude statements you said about my RECENTLY deceased mother [whom I dearly love],, there is nothing in the world that I'd rather do than to see your *** come to Michigan and ''show me what you got''And while your at it,see if you can convince raptorlegs to join you?
Please let me know in advance when your coming and where you plan to ride.
Everything is fine until the Top of page 6,where MUDBLASTER accused me of calling him a boy,,which was a false accusation.
Page 7--MOTO starts out with,,I ENJOYED DEBATING WITH YOU,BUT YOUR A DAMN IDIOT.[refering to me]Now IMO,this is EXACTLY where the name calling FIRST starts in this forum.[Please check it out for yourself]
Page 8--MOTO starts his BS with KTMGUY70 and even accussed him of throwing low blows and you told him he was acting like a child.
Page 9--MOTO starts on me again,states that I just come back from recess and I was mad at him because he shut me out earlier,MOTO further brags about his first place plaque and how he has schooled me in these forums.[with absolutely NO evidence to back up such a statement in the first place]
Page 11--Raptorlegs AND MOTO talk very badly about my recently deceased mother..
You know something,I very carefully re-read this ENTIRE post,and there was nothing I said to MOTO that merited him calling me an idiot ON PAGE 7!!--Re-read EVERYTHING up to that point,you will all see WHO started the BS and WHERE things STARTED to go bad...
And the rude statements you said about my RECENTLY deceased mother [whom I dearly love],, there is nothing in the world that I'd rather do than to see your *** come to Michigan and ''show me what you got''And while your at it,see if you can convince raptorlegs to join you?
Please let me know in advance when your coming and where you plan to ride.
Mar 8, 2005 | 12:45 AM
#227
Pro Rider
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 1,099
Likes: 0
They really slapped the face of Honda
i also said that it was a mitake you called me son not boy and i said i was sorry for the mistake.
also skill has alot to do with getting you through the rough stuff.
i was out on saterday with 6 atvs and one was a 400 ex.
that guy with the ex went every where we did and he even went up a hill to the right of where everyone was having trouble getting up.
he was at the bottem of this hill in the mud and this 450 honda forman was trying to get up the hill well the guy with the ex got tierd of waiting for him so he went up the hill to the right of him and booted it past all the guys watching.
my buddy with his grizz tryed the same hill as the ex and almost fliped over trying it.
this guy with the ex was outdoing everyone and it wasent the quad it was the rider and his skill at riding.
so skill has more to getting you through the nasty stuff then a locking front diff.
even with a locking front diff i have seen people get stuck and i have seen people without a locking front end go through the same place after the guy pulls himself out and not get stuck.
so the rider has alot to do with wether or not he or she will get stuck.
i have friends that i ride with that get stuck all the time and momentum has alot to do with it because they dont give it enuff throttle to get through and then when they give it more gas they get stuck.
it dosent realy matter what you ride there will always be someone better.
and there will always be somthing bigger but not nessaraly better with more stuff then you have but who cares as long as you out there having fun.
and if you get stuck then you get pulled out and carry on.
and if the guy that pulls you out laughs at you or me i laugh also and then when he gets stuck i laugh
even harder.
i dont let little things like that bother me.
BUT i guess some people do.
also skill has alot to do with getting you through the rough stuff.
i was out on saterday with 6 atvs and one was a 400 ex.
that guy with the ex went every where we did and he even went up a hill to the right of where everyone was having trouble getting up.
he was at the bottem of this hill in the mud and this 450 honda forman was trying to get up the hill well the guy with the ex got tierd of waiting for him so he went up the hill to the right of him and booted it past all the guys watching.
my buddy with his grizz tryed the same hill as the ex and almost fliped over trying it.
this guy with the ex was outdoing everyone and it wasent the quad it was the rider and his skill at riding.
so skill has more to getting you through the nasty stuff then a locking front diff.
even with a locking front diff i have seen people get stuck and i have seen people without a locking front end go through the same place after the guy pulls himself out and not get stuck.
so the rider has alot to do with wether or not he or she will get stuck.
i have friends that i ride with that get stuck all the time and momentum has alot to do with it because they dont give it enuff throttle to get through and then when they give it more gas they get stuck.
it dosent realy matter what you ride there will always be someone better.
and there will always be somthing bigger but not nessaraly better with more stuff then you have but who cares as long as you out there having fun.
and if you get stuck then you get pulled out and carry on.
and if the guy that pulls you out laughs at you or me i laugh also and then when he gets stuck i laugh
even harder.
i dont let little things like that bother me.
BUT i guess some people do.
Mar 8, 2005 | 06:19 AM
#229
Pro Rider
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 672
Likes: 0
They really slapped the face of Honda
I was in a situation on Saturday in the woods where a locker would have helped. I took a trail that nobody has been on this year yet and in that time a tree maybe a foot in diameter fell across the trail. It fell onto a stump so one end was a few inches off the ground. It was frozen in the ice as was the log sticking out of the ice on the other side of it running parallel. I had my dad's '98 Foreman ES and when I got the front wheels over the first log, the right front tire was against the second sticking out of the ice and it just sat there and spun. There was too much pressure against the tire against the log for it to turn. This is where a locker would have helped get over the obstacles as the tire against the log maybe would have climbed over, but probably not. However, I was able to move over a little and get over them at a slight angle. Again, a locker would have been nice, but I made do with what I had. I'll take my Rincon on the same obstacles next weekend and see if the better differential will get over the logs easier.
The point of this post is that I think everyone would like to have a front diff lock on Honda's come from the factory. But we don't have much control over what Honda produces. They will do what they want. They will continue to sell no matter what they come out with. I bought a Honda because I don't feel like working on it all the time as I have too many other things to work on right now. rooster990
The point of this post is that I think everyone would like to have a front diff lock on Honda's come from the factory. But we don't have much control over what Honda produces. They will do what they want. They will continue to sell no matter what they come out with. I bought a Honda because I don't feel like working on it all the time as I have too many other things to work on right now. rooster990
Mar 8, 2005 | 08:11 AM
#230
Pro Rider
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 1,205
Likes: 0
From: NL
They really slapped the face of Honda
rooster:
that is a good example of what a locker truely does, it makes riding EASIER. You said it yourself, you managed to get over the obstacle in the end, with a little skill and know how.
Like I said earlier, I'd never buy another ATV because honda doesnt make a locker. I now too have a locker, and the only thing it does is make the bike easier to ride, not go more places. I can still put a 3wd bike any place a locked up one can go. It may take a little longer and require some thinking and enginuity, but hey, that's half the fun!!!
that is a good example of what a locker truely does, it makes riding EASIER. You said it yourself, you managed to get over the obstacle in the end, with a little skill and know how.
Like I said earlier, I'd never buy another ATV because honda doesnt make a locker. I now too have a locker, and the only thing it does is make the bike easier to ride, not go more places. I can still put a 3wd bike any place a locked up one can go. It may take a little longer and require some thinking and enginuity, but hey, that's half the fun!!!