The little Recon will go places you wouldn't expect a 2wd could ever go! But, I have to qualify that because here in the southwest we don't have much mud, and you have to go looking for snow if you want to ride that. I would not say it tends to wheelie at all during climbs. In fact, I would say it is one of the best behaved machines there is. Of all the machines I have, nobody ever gets hurt on the Recon! For me, I can flick it around like a toy, so the fun factor riding it is huge!

As for stepping up to the Rancher, it is a full 135 pounds heavier and considerably larger, so if the g/f is petite that should be a major consideration. Be sure she doesn't find the Rancer to be so big that it is combersome. I always regard my Recon as being way "safer" than the Ranchers, just for that reason (the 2wd Rancher is a real peach, too!). But, sometimes when traction is sketchey, you just need to have a 4wd. If you go with a Rancher, the WARN 424 IS A MUST HAVE ITEM!

 

Good info and something to think about Reconranger
Thank you!