My dilemma is as follows: I am trying to choose between a 2005TRX350FM (Rancher 4x4 Manual Shift) and a 2005TRX500FM (Foreman S 4x4 Manual Shift). The atv will sometimes be used for pulling a small trailer (Precision Products 4-Wheel ATV Trailer Cart) loaded with supplies and sometimes people. The most weight will be about 600 pounds in the trailer. The trails are log free, but sometime loose and rocky. The terrain is mostly hills with 300 foot relief, very steep to moderately steep. I am leaning towards the foreman. The only thing that really concerns me with the foreman is its increased size. I currently am using a 1999 300 4x4 with good results, which leads me to believe the rancher would me more than capable. However if I am going to spend 5000 for a 329cc why not go another 800 and get the 475cc? We have used a side by side (EZ-GO ST 4x4(the only side by side with a Honda engine)) with admirable results, but you cannot maneuver through tight woods like you can with an atv. So I guess my question is the foreman’s extra 70 pounds over the rancher noticeable when navigating through the woods? I do not want to buy "too much" atv, you know what I mean? Is 5800 a good price for a new foreman s? Thanks and sorry about the long post.

 

I have the 2005 forman S 4x4 manual, I don't think its too much quad and i'd recommend you get it.

 

Thanks for the quick reply!
Do you think it feels "top heavy" when hill climbing?

 

No its not top heavy, I climb some steep trails and its sure footed. BTW I paid $6100 before taxes in NY.

 

I will try to be more informative. The forman has excellent engine braking when decending steep hills, not much braking needed.
I live on top of a mountain and climb and decend both sides a good deal. I also have a trailer called the Ox, I forget who makes
it but its got a 1500lbs load limit so I put a lot of stuff in it and I traversve the hill terrain with it. I really like the quad but I honestly
don't have any other experience on other quads.
I would not want a smaller engine or a lighter machine. The forman does not feel at all tippy I think the wheel base is wide enough
to prevent that.

 

I have a similar dilema- http://forums.atvconnection.com/mess...ighlight_key=y I think I have totally eliminated the Rancher AT, because there are lots of posts running right now about weird things happening with the transmission electronics, and why spend extra money for an automatic transmission I neither need or really want.

I really love the Rancher 350! We did a ride last weekend in rugged mountains, all above 9,000 ft where I had to tow a kid on a Kazuma (piece of junk!) that pooped out. Many parts of the trail were tight, and a larger bike would not have been an asset at all. In one spot, we hit a snow bank that blocked the trail. It was very off camber and if you lost it, your bike would have fallen down a 1,000 ft cliff and been a total loss. The light handling of the Rancher was a definite asset!

On the other hand, I ask myself what if a large bike had broken down and had to be towed 25 miles out of the mountains? Would the Rancher have had the muscle to cut it, or would I be better off with the Foreman?

One other thing about the Rancher is that I don't really feel like I need a winch. In the desert mountains we have no mud and there isn't much to attach a winch to anyway. The Rancher is light enough that I can lift it out of anything that I might get into. But with a larger bike that might be the case, so that is an added complication that I need to consider.

You will find the limited-slip front differential on both the Rancher and Forman to be far superior to the open diff you are use to on the 300! We had a 300 along on the trip I mentioned above. It got a wheel in the air, and that wheel with no traction was spinning wildly.

 

Thanks for the info, I would have to agree with recon ranger on the manual rancher 400, that would be nice esp. if they put discs up front. I can't wait for the 06 models because I use the bikes for work and need to buy another one monday. Right now leaning heavily towards the foreman s. I also ride for fun, and I get the impression the foreman is not as fun as the rancher. What do you think Cavu? Can I have fun on a foreman s?

 

God knows I do!

I can't wait for the 50 mile poker5 run in monticello NY June 18th, I feel like a kid waiting for santa.

and I'm 52 y.o.
;-)

 

you know what, I bet the foreman would be just as much fun as the rancher, even more so since it has factory on/off 4x4 and has a little more snort with the 500 engine. The rancher is just lighter, more maneuverable, but is kinda short on power on some rare occasions.

I have a rancher and i towed a 3-wheeler though a swamp. I still had plenty of power.

 

power is not a issue with towin with a rancher, you will break traction to the ground before you run out of power, i have towed about 12 different bikes heavest was around 700 pounds, i did fine, i towed in 4x4 never ran into issues, and got him up to around 30 up a hill, towing is a not a big issue, and a forman is really not much bigger, well at least the old ones weren't