[quote]
[i]Originally posted by: propnut

What a deplorable and dispicable reply. NOTHING here but a personal attack and does not seriously address the very valid point of the archaic drum brakes. You obviously are so completely close-minded/brand-biased that you can't even address it reasonably.

 

BACKINTHESADDLE,
THANK YOU,
I have nothing further to add to your comment in regards to Propnut.His comments speak clearly of his closed thinking.

 

well sir, I call em as I see em, and I would expect as much from you (birds of a feather)

why do you really care if I have drums?

if you look at muddy's responses he is calling all Honda buyers stupid, and filling the Honda forum with nothing but bitter complaints about something he is no longer a part of, and based solely on his opinion.

a true brand basher, and a thinly veiled personal attack at every Honda purchaser out there

he also states that only full featured big bore riders are the only real enthusiast, so he has insulted everyone that doesn't stroke their ego with a big bore

you on the other hand are just a trouble maker

think what you want about closed minded, it is clear who is biased here

two off-brand owners coming over and talking bs and insulting Honda owner's choices, questioning their reasoning

maybe the way to separate is to get a new forum, the Anti-Honda Forum?

 

The entire reliability issue is a mute point in my eyes because there are too many variables that determine if any machine is reliable. How much abuse is the machine subjected to? Is the machine maintained properly? If not, was the part that failed due to poor maintenance and or abuse? Was the machine used in the manner in which it was designed to be used? Etc...etc.....

Also, what is "reliable" mean anyway? My definition of reliable may be way different than your definition. My machine may have served me fine for 5 years and it fails me when I'm 4 miles deep in the woods. I may now consider it not reliable. But the next guy might say one faliure out of 100 trips to the woods isn't enough to deem it not reliable. There is no set standard of what "reliable" means.

See my point?

 

[/quote]He did address the question, even if neither your or he knew it. The question IS reliability. I guess I dont know how you can whine because Honda hasnt released a new machine in 2 years. Its not the fact that they havent released any new models, its the fact that the models they have arent always competitive with offerings from other companies. That lack of a competitive edge is what brings out these questions. Honda's name is synonymous with reliability in this industry and others and its no accident. If honda was releasing new models every year or two, as some manufacturers do, that reputation would be tainted. It takes time and repeated testing to thoroughly analyze a new design and with a truncated time table less of that can take place. Sure they could spit out a new model every year, but they wouldnt hold up for as long as their seasoned counterparts. Even with the rigorous testing that Honda does its possible for things to slip through the cracks, so imagine what kind of problems you would see if they took half the time to design and build them? There is no other manufacturer of atvs that makes with a more reliable product line than Honda by any measure. Thats one heck of a selling point and not worth giving up just because thier machines are the top of the class anymore.

With all its innovations and new models in the last few years what has polaris been through? Thier machines are considered the antithesis of reliable and while they improve there are still multiple problems on massive scales. Kawasaki currently has a massive recall on thier utes and had limp mode issues on the prairie line. Suzuki had bad transmission in the vinson and junk reverse in the KQ. Yamaha had serious overheating problems and broken axles on the grizz660 and the grizzly 600 was extremely problematic. Bomb has been fairly reliable with mostly minor issues, there was quite a span between the release of the 650 and 800 utes though. Hondas biggest problem has been the transmission in the Rincon. When Polaris released thier belt drives there were serious problems, new types of transmissions are very difficult to get right on the first try but as they go the Rincon's hasnt been too bad. Most are running without problems. That is another issue possibly contributing to the wait for the next big bore ute, improving or replacing the transmission use in the Rincon.

But when it comes down to it I have to wonder, why is someone with a decidedly "not cutting edge" atv from a different manufacturer complaining about this issue? Its my guess you arent an exclusive honda owner, since you ride a Polaris. Maybe you turned to polaris because you didnt like the offerings Honda had in that class. Fine, but if you can turn to polaris why not turn elsewhere too? As an industry the atv world is moving forward at an alarming rate compared to the drought of the 90's. Honda isnt at the forefront in the utility world, but thier sales are strong and thier bikes are very capable of completing the majority of tasks a rider demands of them. I'd tell you to buy something else if you dont like it, but you already have. We all want Honda to come out with new machines, we even want companies we dont like to come out with new stuff so maybe our favorite manufacturers will one-up them. Sometimes you just have to be patient, and for those who are not there are other avenues.[/quote]

Well Stated.


[/quote]Nevertheless, everyone else please explain to me what cutting edge is because I must be wrong? I always thought it was newly introduced technology that had no equal in performance or redefined the way a function was performed for the better.[/quote]

Thank you. It seems to me that most of these "knowledgeable ATV enthusiasts" feel that whichever company comes out with the biggest and baddest engine is at the top of the ATV world. This is simply not true. Newest production does not always equal the newest technology. I feel very comfortable knowing that my '99 Honda 400EX will fire up every time that I try to start it. I sometimes don't get a chance to ride it for weeks but when I get the chance to it is reassuring knowing that Honda took the time and spent the money necessary to ensure that my EX will fire up with no problems. It is this bullet-proof reliability that has made me a loyal Honda customer, and I will continue to be one as long as they take the time to properly insure reliability as well as safety. I feel that Honda was rushed into the develpment of the Rincon, which did turn out to be near garbage as I believe Maddog stated, in order to keep up with the ever expanding ATV market. Hopefully they learned from this mistake because it obviously apears that the majority of other ATV makers, with the exception of a few, have not.

 

I was just curious as to which company, or companies for that matter, in your opinion, you feel are more reliable than Honda.

 

Now stop and ask yourself, "Did you really get more for your money, or did you purchase a "problem-machine" that you will have to put a great deal of money into in the near future?" Sure your Polaris may run great for the first couple of years and then take a crap after that... I am not saying that it will, and I am not saying that all Polaris models, or yours in particular are crap. if your Polaris lasts you for the rest of your life, trouble-free, then hats off to Polaris for a fine built machine. What I am trying to say is that the Honda brand name is based upon reliability, and near bulletproof design, with the exception of the Rincon. If you are one of those consumers that purchases a new ATV every couple of years and sells the old one, then you are probably not a Honda buyer. You will never see the problems that your old ATV may or may not have had. Honda buyers are consumers that are satisfied with fail safe "old technology" that will last them for years to come. If you ask me, I will tell you that it is worth paying a little extra in the beginning to avoid problems in the long run, but that is just the way that I am. I don't like to go for a ride and find out that my bike won't start up in the middle of nowhere, or have it overheat or have something break to where I can't make it back to where I came from without towing or pulling my ATV back with me. That is the reason why I purchased a Honda.
By the way I truly feel that Honda knows what they are doing. Sure they could be "cutting edge" and have the "latest technology" and produce the most powerful quad ever created with the most options available at the time, but they choose instead to use simple technology, which provides a moderate to high amount of power as well as the legendary reliability which they have been associated with for some time. In the end you truly get what you pay for.

 

LMFAO

 

QUOTE---
why do you really care if I have drums?END OF QUOTE---

I personally could care less what kind of brakes you have on any of your ATVs..What I do care about is WHY Honda did'nt recognize the added benifits of adding such a SIMPLE design of disk brakes to their 4x4 model line-up,YEARS AGO?..ANYBODY with any real off road experience can tell you the benefits of having disk brakes over Honda's ancient,leaky,drum style brakes.I feel the same way with having brake lights on their ATVs..TWO very SIMPLE features that can add a great deal of safety to the ATV,that Honda just IGNORED for years..

QUOTE----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
if you look at muddy's responses he is calling all Honda buyers stupid, and filling the Honda forum with nothing but bitter complaints about something he is no longer a part of, and based solely on his opinion.

-a true brand basher, and a thinly veiled personal attack at every Honda purchaser out there.

he also states that only full featured big bore riders are the only real enthusiast, so he has insulted everyone that doesn't stroke their ego with a big bore

you on the other hand are just a trouble maker

think what you want about closed minded, it is clear who is biased here

two off-brand owners coming over and talking bs and insulting Honda owner's choices, questioning their reasoning

maybe the way to separate is to get a new forum, the Anti-Honda Forum?
END OF QUOTE-----

There is not a single post anywhere to substanciate ANY of the above garbage that you accuse me of..Im sure your biased statements are the only thing you can come up with to justify your own shortcomings with Honda and your purchase,and to satisfy your own close minded approach to the issues at hand.

 

[/quote]Originally posted by: Backinthesaddleagain
I.......if your sales are meeting expectations then why spend $$$ to improve your products??? When I think about it, that's the conclusion I come to.[/quote]

[/quote]Anyway........that's just my take........and I'd love to see Honda stop resting on it's laurels and start getting on with PROGRESS.[/quote]

Are you trying to contradict yourself? Why would the get on with the progress when they are at the top of the market in sales?