becuase our '85 200x still runs great...on the stock piston 20 years later

 

Needed a barn door prop[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]LOL J/K[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

I have only owned one Honda (250 Big Red). It was a good ride and I still have it. Economics determined all of my other purchases except for my Raptor and at the time the choice for a 4 stroke, electric start, clutch, chain drive and reverse was the Raptor and Warrior.

 

because i love RRRREEEEEDDDD LOL!!!!!

 

Reliability

 

i had the choice between a '05 Raptor or a '05 400ex because of the 450's prices, and i chose the ex because of reliability and handling.

 

There really is no reason not to buy a Honda. Of course, you will hear from
those people who say their elastic-band transmission machines, with their special
independent suspensions (which soon lose much of their "great" ground
clearance once someone actually sits on them) are better than Honda. Come on,
take Polaris for example. They go from making snowmachines to ATV's so they
take the tranny from a snowmachine, the single brake lever crappy braking
system from a snowmachine (since you only need one lever on a sled) and make
a bike out of it. Wow. How much sense does a belt drive make on a bike? Think about it,
how many people have you heard whine about the belt getting wet? Do you think this is a problem on a sled? Do you think it is easier to take a tranny from a sled and put it into a bike or to take an existing technology like the hydrostatic transmission and to develop it to work on a bike? Which one do you think took the least amount of R&D? Sounds like a lot of get it out the door without fixing the bugs first. Take the SP700 for example, I read that the engine for this bike was taken out of a snowmachine and that their 'brilliant engineers' were able to utilize this for the SP700. Come on, anyone who has riden a snowmachine knows that the clutch does not engage until what, 3000 rpm? Does that sound to you like an engine designed for low end torque which you would need on a bike? I have driven one of these machines and can verify they have no low end. How many times have you heard they overheat? Why Yamaha, in my opinion is the second best manufactuer out there, went to belts boggles my mind. They made such good machines for so long then 'downgraded' to belts. How hard is it to change gears? Did every rider all of a sudden have their legs ripped off? Do we have a bunch of paraplegics on bikes now? This is why Honda is the best there is. They do not follow the latest trends, they make bikes which last a long time because they spend their time on them. Plenty of work goes into them before they make it to the showroom. SRA is very reliable, no maintenance, and just plain works. How is it that we all of a sudden need independent susp "Cadillac comfort" on a bike? Where I go riding, you are just lucky to make it, period, never mind making it without spilling your beer. Riding is part
fun and part work, this is what makes it rewarding. If the ride is not challenging, it is not
rewarding. If you want to drive down logging roads in comfort, get a Jeep. How about liquid cooling, for all the years I have heard of the air cooled Foreman's working in the bush all summer, I have yet to hear of one overheating. My cousin has worked in the woods in Canada for
15 years and swears by Honda, and he has confirmed he has never had a Foreman
overheat. Yet another example of simple design. The Honda utilities are not the
fastest for a reason; the engines are not stressed therefore they will last, this is why they are not
the fastest bikes out there, just the best. Anyway, just my 2 cents, I hope I didn't step on any
toes, just throwing these things out there, let me know what you think.

 

Belts are not that bad. My mother with a metal plate in her foot from a accident can not shift a regular shifter. The auto is fine for her to tool around on the farm and in reality have had no problems with it. There are markets for everything and in your niche belts may not be optimal but no need to abandon technology just because it doesn't fit your needs. Imagine where we would be and the lack of choices if one person had the sole power to determine the one and only one quad that would be for sale.

 

No low end torque on a 700 Polaris?

ARE YOU NUTS?

The 700 Polaris will out pull ANY factory Honda on todays market,period..Whens the last time you seen a Honda win any mud competetion or pulling event?Its unheard of when you compare it to a 700 twin Polaris.

Belts,when fully sealed up,are VERY efficient and hard working machines.And it costs only pennies to replace a belt.Compare that to replacing a tranny on a Honda.

I owned a new Rincon for two yrs,a nice riding quad,but in comparison to my new 6 month old 2005 King Quad?I dont miss it for a second.

 

I have another comment, All makes and models are good for their designed purpose and all will have their lemons.

I have a early 80's Honda Big Reg ATC and a early 80's Yamaha 225 DX ATC. Both will still run and never had any trouble from either. Both had their purpose though. My current utility is a mid 80's BigBear. No problems from it ever.

My only comment to those who state, I buy _____ because they never tear up, is go to your favorite dealership and see if they have a shop. If so look in there and see if there are any ATV's on the rack. They do not build shops unless there is a need for repairs.

I been to em all Kawasaki, Suzuki, Yamaha, Polaris, Honda, Artic Cat and guess what, They all had shops with bikes of their label torn completely down being worked on.

My father-n-law has a mid 80's Toyoto with 425,000 miles on it never having any major work done to it. Does this mean they are indestructable, no my brothers proved that.

 

Honda-basher is back

belts are the least efficient tranny out there, professor

get that reverse fixed yet?