I am considering buying an 05 Rubicon and I would like to know about the pros and cons of it. I want to use it for putting in Deer food plots. We do have a tractor but I think we will be doing a lot of work pulling logs, pulling fetilizer spreaders and so on.

The other family members want a fun riding toy, not for speed just riding aroun, I want that too but I was looking at a 500 Artic Cat and I am afraid it will burn the belts up.

Thanks, Ranchdog

 

You can get the Arctic Cat in a 5 speed manual if belts scare you.

I think the Rubicon would do everything you're asking about and so would the Cat.

I like the fit and finish of the Rubicon as well as it's hydraulic tranny so I'd probably go with the Rubi.

If I were buying something to ride mainly mud holes/creekbeds/ditches I'd take the Cat. I mostly ride hardpack/tight/hilly trails where the Rubicon would be better.

 

[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]Go with the 05 Rubi, it is a tremendous tranny in a great machine. I have a 02 Rubi, and would love to buy the new 05. The new 05's have selectable 2wd/4wd, disc brakes, and Electronic Fuel Injection. I use mine for deer food plots, trail mowing, and snow plowing, as well as just general trail riding here in the hill country of MN. It's a easy machine to just give to someone and say, here's the brakes, here's the trottle, go have fun!

 

05 Rubicon should balance sport/utility a little better with softer ride and 2 or 4wd selection

I have quite a few miles riding an 03 Cat 500i manual. It rides softer than my 04 Rubicon, but it doesn't handle as well. It has more rack capacity. But its tires stick out farther than the fenders so you always get covered in mud, and you have to nurse it through trees as it is wider. It is also much taller so it feels more unstable and top heavy on anything but flat ground, and the 05 Cats are even taller!! It is faster top end, but these things all handle like crap at anything over 50, so I really don't care. The extra ground clearance is nice, but it hasn't been as much of an issue as I made it out to be when looking at both for my purchase. We rode in 15" of fresh snow on a frozen base last month and I could climb more than the AC, we theorized it was the extra 100+ lbs of the Cat. I could float on the base, he sunk in. The manual is intimidating to some (like my wife), the Honda is shift into drive an hit the throttle. He's had nuisance things go wrong (c-clip fell off the 2 or 4WD shifter type of stuff) but nothing major. I like the 05 ac, but the size doesn't fit where I ride. Now I'm spoiled with the Rubicon transmission and ergos. It is that nice, and I know it will last.

Not sure I would worry about burning belts unless you were logging or towing something extremely heavy often. However, a belt can not take the extreme use the hydro can, or transfer power as efficiently, or run as long without maintenance, or shift as precise.

 

The '05 Rubicon does NOT have electronic fuel injection.

I'm sure both machines would fit your needs. Personally, I tend to keep things for a long time, so I tend to stick with brands I have had good luck with in the past. Every Honda I have owned has exceeded my expectations over the long haul. With minimal maintenance, all of my Hondas have been dead solid reliable.


I'm not saying the AC wouldn't be reliable, I just don't have experience with them. I really like the racks on the AC and the ground clearence. I did not like how it felt sitting on it. It just was not comfortable to me.