Thinking about buying Rancher..Some Questions
 

Hey guys,New here to the forums. A little about myself first off. I have been into motorsports since I was about 14 years old..At 14 I didn't own anything with a motor...just looked on the internet all the time wanting one so bad. But my dad would not buy me anything. Which at the time I thought he was just being mean but now at 20 years old I am glad he didn't buy me anything...instead I had to drool about ATVs and Dirt Bikes for around 2 years..at the age of 16 I started applying for local grocery store jobs and got one making a whopping $5.15 an hour...worked for 3 months and had some money and found a 91 Honda XR250R and bought it. Rode it for around 2 years...I was then still at the grocery store making I think it was $7.45 an hour. I wanted something a little quicker than the XR after 2 years and bought me a 96 Honda CR250R that I came across. I then later on quit that job after around 2 1/2 years of working there. Got a job at a Machine Shop and worked there for around 3 months until I had to leave because business got slow and my bossman could only work me around 1 day a week...which won't work when you even got the littlelist of bills to pay(car insurance,cell phone,etc). So I got a job at Crown Honda which is a car dealership. Anyway I won't bore you with more about myself right now and on to the questions.

Since I have been a dirt biker for about 5 years..I have really kinda got burned out with it...just want something different. The winters here are just really wet and most of my trails are down by a river...so being down there on a bike in mud thats scrapping the skid plate is just not really fun anymore...have to slower....watch the front wheel so that it doesn't slide out on you....get stuck real bad down there alot...I have been stuck down there before on the XR for 4 hours..had to walk 45 mins home to get my bro to help me.

My uncle has a 92 Honda Fourtrax 300 4x4 which I love to death..I have rode it some back when I was around 17 or so...but about 1 week ago I was over at my uncles...I had to babysit a 12 year old for the day..well hes not a baby so babysit is not correct I don't guess but my uncles wife told me to take him for a ride down to the creek...so he hopped on the seat behind me...And off we went...Rode for around 30 mins or so all down in the mud at the river,etc and man was it awesome..

So I have been thinking about getting me a new 4x4 ATV..prefrebbly Honda...I am a true honda guy. I have been thinking about the Rancher 4x4 ES. What are the pros and cons of this machine..I went to the dealership to check one out yesterday and man its a nice looking ATV...fit me perfect as well. I had also thought about the Foreman...but if I go with the foreman it will have to be the Foremen S...just the 4x4 footshift model as I can't afford the others. Out of these 2 what would you go with. I ride tight trails and open trails...how much more power does the foremen have over the rancher? One thing I do like about the foremen is the light on the handlebars..at night you could simply turn the bars and shine the light.

Sorry for the long post..but I didnt just want to be a new guy bumbarding you guys with questions. Thansk a bunch in advance,Matt.

Thinking about buying Rancher..Some Questions
 

We love our Ranchers! The Rancher is big enough to do the job, but not so big that it is a heavy, hulking beast. It's no powerhouse, but you can hop the engine up a little, for some more power. It is full-time 4X4, so I would suggest a Warn 424, which makes it switchable 2wd/4wd. Keep in mind that out here in the arid southwest mud is virtually nonexistent, so I can't vouch for its performance out in the slop.

That said, I am in the market for another 4X4. I will probably end up with another Rancher, but I will also take a good look at the Foreman. It is a step up in power, but unfortunately also in size and weight. Only reason I might want more power, is in case I ever had to recover a broken down bike.

I really prefer the time proven reliability of a manual shift, compared to any of the automatics. But, I personally will avoid the ES. There are lots of posts on ES problems, and I don't see any reason to even take the risk. But, Honda seems to sell a whole bunch of them, so obviously they are catering to a market segment composed of foot impared riders. My foot works just fine!

What I would really like to see, it the Rancher 400 with a manual transmission!!!

Thinking about buying Rancher..Some Questions
 

I will reply about the ranchers handling in mud soon. my friend just got an 05 HONDA Rancher 4x4 ES so we can take it mudding and really test it!!! HE HE HE

Thinking about buying Rancher..Some Questions
 

Does the 424 last? Does it work well? My neighbor used to have an 04 foreman with selectable 4x4 and sometimes you would have to turn it off to put it in 4x4. does the 424 do this sometimes? could you email me some pictures of the 424 on your quad? My email adress is musicaldude@mindspring.com!!!

Thinking about buying Rancher..Some Questions
 

the 424 is a drive shaft type disconnect it is mechanical, the forman traxlock is an electronic version from honda, the 424 is from warn, mine has been underwater, mud and everything it also has about 1200 miles on it since i got it, no problems at all with it

Thinking about buying Rancher..Some Questions
 

I have been wanting one since i was 14 and now I am 15 and turn 16 in early October!I too have been on the internet just drooling over getting one.I applyed at Publix Today (grocery store if you were wondering)so I can earn the money to get an 05 RancherES 4x4!Click here to see why I wanted one really bad all of a sudden!( i wanted to be able to ride also)and still do...really really really BADLY!!!!!

Thinking about buying Rancher..Some Questions
 

Thanks guys for the help..I think I am gonna go with the Rancher...I am going to read up some more on the ES model...so as of yet I don't know if it will be just the Rancher 4x4 or the Rancher 4x4 ES. Does Rancher 4x4 foot shift model come with full floorboards as well? I noticed the foremen S did even though its a footshift tranny.


reliv007,Hang in there...I have been in your shoes as I said in my first post. I hate to tell you and I know that you probably HATE this word as much as I do..but be "Patient". And be glad and stand tall that YOU worked for you machine. You will take ALOT better care for it..I see people that are riding stuff there parents bought them..they run the piss out of it...don't take care of it...when you buy something with the hard earned money that YOU worked for..you will find yourself riding it and having a ton of fun...but you will also find yourself spending time maintaining it.

Thinking about buying Rancher..Some Questions
 

Ahh I forgot to mention something...I had also "looked" at the Yamaha Big Bear 400 online...I know this is the honda section of the forums but..The thing I like about the big bear is in/out 2wd/4wd..Someone mentioned a mod earlier...but the big bear seems to have a very outdated motor by the looks of it...has that cover on the left side of the cylinder head to get access to the camshaft..my old 1980 Yamaha XT250 dirtbike has that to...motors look the same....Anybody have anything to say about the big bear 400?

P.S. Isn't the Rancher motor a pushrod engine?

Thinking about buying Rancher..Some Questions
 

Our 02 only has 1300 miles on it. It only had 300 miles put on it last year. We have had zero problems.

We bought our Rancher so our daughters could go riding with us when they can. They range from 20 to 31 years old. My wife has only ridden it about 200 yards and I have only put about 50 miles on it.

When our daughters do go, I generally ride it through the tuff places unless their husband wants to. Being smaller and lighter it actually is better at the technical stuff than our Rubicon. It feels "sportier" too. It is definately more nimble.

I like Honda's, don't like foot shifts, and don't like belts. The ES is an excellent ATV for my daughters. It is way more capable than they will ever be and at the same time it is not "too" much ATV. I also find it being an advantage always being in 4-wd.

Like the ATV magazines say; "its not the best at any one thing, but it is great at everything". I wonder if this is why the Honda Rancher is the best selling sport/utility ATV?

Thinking about buying Rancher..Some Questions
 

Rumor is that the 06 Rancher will have Traxloc, selectable 2wd/4wd.