This may sound kinda stupid but, i WAS very much into the market for buying a Rubicon until i found out that you cannot hear the gears when you shift in ESP, i've had a rancher ES and my cousin (who i ride with ALL the time) has two Foremans, '98 ES, and '04 S... i have driven almost every fourwheeler there is to drive, but no one around here has a Rubi! so.. to me it seems like it would be down on power because you dont feel the CLUNK when you go from gear to gear like on the ES models. If you compare an ES vs. Rubi 450 vs. 500, is the rubi a tad bit stronger in the power range, and on auto how much different is it? .. Maybe i need to test drive one and quit asking questions, lol.. Im thinking about buying a used green '04 Rubi at my dealer and its in great shape so, any help would be greatly appreciated.. Thanks.
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2004 Polaris Sportsman 700 (Green)
'27 ITP 589 M/S Tires
3000 lb. Warn Winch
3-Way Headlight Mod

2001 Honda Rancher ES 350
Winch
Sold

 

I have an 05 Rubi and although it is my first quad, I have ridden XR's, ATC's old fourtrax 350's etc. In ESP you can bang gears just like the you were foot shifting, the only diff. is the solenoid does the work for you. In Auto mode I prefer D1 vs. D2 because D2 seems to "slip" on low end for max. traction. I have ridden the 2004 Foreman 450 and the new Rubi 499cc has more power in my mind. As far as not hearing gears? I hear it every time it shifts, I guess I don't understand that. Oh well, I hope this helps, I feel this is a great bike for work and in the 2x4 mode I can throw the back end around pretty easy.

CSR44
05 Rubicon (Honda Red)
60" cycle country plow

 

the clunk is not there, but you can hear the rpm change and feel it shift

the hydro shifts smooth and quick, just no clunk or interruption of power

I love ESP

 

Exactly, it is very smooth. There is no need to hear a clunk anyway as long as it shifts.
[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-confused.gif[/img] I had a Grizz 660 before and for as power goes it definatley isn't in that rank, but it is very good for a 500 class. My brother has a 01 Ruby with a pipe only, and 3,000 miles. And it has more power than my 06! Don't under stand that? Even with a pipe, unless it is that much more broke in. Oh and there is no Ruby 450. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]