Hi,

I have a 2006 Honda Rubicon and the problem is the same. The two reason I got the bike was the low end power and reliability. I'm a big Honda fan, but I think Honda will have to get on the competive bandwagon with their utility line. They need a marketing team overall. They need a 500cc machine that will compete in the 500cc class. The Rubicon doesn't have the power of a 400 outlander, 450 polaris,450 kodiac, or any 500 cc machine around. If it didn't have reliability going for it, it would be worthless. Well let me tell you that the low end power or grunt power,if you will, is just a fable. It's Honda or Honda owns that boast up their machine to me more than it really is. At best it will turn the tires with a Suzuki eiger or artic cat 400, but definitly out powered, out handled, and overall out performed by a 400 Can-Am, any 450 and any and all 500cc quads. I run 26 inch mudbugs and low d1 or low ESP 1 it is useless. It doesn't have the speed (which isn't a big deal to me) and the low end power that people on these forms boast about. The SRA is terrible in mud, trail riding or going over dead fall ( large trees).

The best mod for this bike is for the Honda's marketing team to put down their cell phones and blackberries and to go for a ride with other ATV's out there. I believe that Honda can make a better ATV, but they are not competing on the same level as everyone else. The reliability is there, but very little focus is on performance (except of the Rincon).

 

Hi KMDad. While I will not say (or boast) the Rubicon (27hp, it's not a secret) is the most powerful 500 out there (because it isn't) it is what it is. If it wasn't enough, you'd have a heck of a lot more complaints like this and nobody would turn them into mudders. I can say first hand it's got the AC400 beat (not that it's anything to boast about either). However, to say that it does not have sufficient power for turning 26s in mud in high range is silly. The 26s add at least 40 pounds of rotating mass and a slight gear ratio change, it is going to feel different and require low range more often. You can't even slow trail ride (<15 mph) in high with the highest HP 500 out there, does that mean it doesn't have power? It is not unusual or a bad thing that you must shift to low to get the most out of your machine, that's what it is there for. I cannot tell you how much a plugged spark arrestor will affect performance, and it doesn't take much to plug. If you can't spin your 26s in low, you better look at the possibility of some maintenance or you need to exercise that right thumb. I think you guys might be scared of revving it. I looked hard at the Outty (want to talk about revs) too as it seemed they had some good ideas, while it is faster, you can keep it. If it out pulled a Rubicon, they would have had that on their "we're the best at everything (given the right conditions)" video. Even though the Bomb has a HP advantage, it has nearly 20% less torque (don't forget, peak torque on these things is around 5000 rpm, so don't be afraid you rev your Honda). Remember that we are talking stock too. By the way, when you are in D and low, it automatically selects D2. If I wanted a excessive power, I wouldn't have bought a 500.

I'll let most of the comments about the SRA go for now because it sounds like you bought the wrong ATV, but the SRA design makes no difference when you are hopping over a downed tree.

 

I understand that the quad needs low range to turn the tires. I use it quit alot. I also get the revs up when goin' into the mud. For the most part it can trace through ( with more effort than most other machines) , but there are times when other machines power through alot easer than my Honda. Also, if you have to pull someone out of a mud hole with the Honda, ( talk about the pulling power of an Outty)with it in lo range and esp1 the throttle is bottomed out and the quad just sits there with no wheel spin. I move out of the way and let the Outty try and it pulls no problem.

I know there isn't anything wrong with the bike, because it was like it from the start, another guy that I know also has one and he has the same issues, it was in twice to the dealer and they said there were no problems. I know I have to use power mods to get more power, ( like a clutch kit or pipe) but for the price of one of these things, I don't believe I should. However, you are right, I did buy the wrong machine. I could have brought a Vinny for much less, Polaris, even a Grizzly, or King Quad and still had money in my jeans.

I know Hondas are the most reliable, but for the price they ask, that should at least stay in the middle of the pack in their own class for performance. Look at the Outty 500 for example (and it may seem like I'm pumping Outty, but it is not my intention). It is the most expensive 500 out there. I don't have a problem with that because it is the best performing 500 out there. The rest of the Outty line is also very reliable also. I wouldn't care about their price if the machine performed like all or some of the other 500s, but it has trouble keeping with the 400s.

I believe Honda makes a good racing quad, car , and many other machines. I would look at a Honda if I was going' to buy a generator for example, but for a utility quad they need to research where the market is goin' or they will be left behind. Maybe they are build their bikes for farmers and hunters which maybe enought to keep their sales numbers up. In any case, they aren't building a bike for me and this will be my last Honda if they stay with this line of ATV.

 

hmmmm, well I guess all I can say is that I'm glad my ATV doesn't suffer from the same issues you and your friend's does. I can see how the SRA limits mudding abilities, but maybe the power problem is a Canadian version thing.

 

No, it's in your version also. If you knew what you claim to know about Hondas, then you would know that there is no difference between Canadian and American version for power.
I guess if you ride dry trail all day or if you didn't go out with lots of people with different machines then you wouldn't know about power problems. However, I think the reason, in this case is that you are such a die hard Honda fan that if you machine totally exploded on a trail for no real reason you would go out and get yourself another one.

I'm glad you're happy with you purchase or have lowered you expectation to own a Honda. In any case it seem to work for you. For me I would expect more for the price.

 

I just like the machine. Does what I expect it to do, but I went into it with my eyes wide open. I didn't buy it as a mudder or a racer, a test ride and enough opinions/articles were available for me to know it wasn't made for mudding or drag racing. If I did buy it for that, it would be my fault and not Honda. I do try to stay out of mud most of the time (kills trails, drums brakes and a bunch of electronic things you know), but I always get stuck in mud before I bog or power out in low. I have powered out in high while towing a log, but I think you can power out every machine in the right situation and that time it was my fault.

I am biased - I'm really partial to Yamahas. If the Kodiak was a little bigger in physical size I might be driving one instead of the Rubicon. It's not about brand loyalty, its about making the right decision when you buy and not taking it out on a manufacturer or buddy that twisted your arm to buy one just like him if you bought the wrong machine. It's OK to blame the salesman if he lied.

I thought the Canadian Rubicon had a 2mm bigger carb until 06? Smaller carb, more torque??

 

Now you are just trying to pick a fight. Propnut has said nothing to deserve that attitude.
Its funny, you and your buddy seem to be the only people that I have heard of with this problem. It sounds more like you are talking about a Rancher 400 AT with the tires not turning to pull a quad out of the mud. Just because it has done this since day one does not mean it doesn't have a problem. Maybe your dealer is clueless. Maybe they didn't even look at it. Why don't you check out HondaForeman.com and try to find out how they seem to turn 29.5 " tires with no problem on their Rubicons.

 

Man! Here we go again. First of all I'm not trying to pick a fight, but when I see guys come in here time after time talking their machine up like it was the Batmobile or something from the future (i.e. my Rubicon can out pull a Grizzle) is pure $hit. People take that information and use that in conjunction with other information to help with their purchasing decision.

The truth of the matter is ( for anyone that is looking to buy a Honda Rubicon) They are very reliable ATV's. If you buy a Rubicon, you will be getting a very will assembled quad with Honda quality built right in.

However, contrary to popular Honda owners believe, that you are getting a quad with a 500cc engine that uses a Hydrostatic transmission to accomplish automatic performance all the while it steels power from the wheels. The 400 AT uses the same transmission, with no low gear and 100 cc less so it must be just terriable for torque. Again, very reliable, very poor performance for a 500 cc quad. Honda's clam that it is more efficient than a belt is BS.
You pay the same price for a Rubicon as a King Quad or a Grizzle, get a little better reliability and a major performance undercut. If any of you people tested a King, a Grizzle and tried a Rubicon and said the Rubicon was the stronger of the three I would have to think you're the CEO of Honda . Oh! Oh! and here is the one I like the most that I hear here all the time. "If you want to by a torque work horse, buy a Rubicon. If you want to by a speed machine with not has much torque, buy a Rincon." This is also a fable. A Rincon 680 has much more low end than a Rubicon. It will pull where a Rubicon will just sit and Hum. It will pull the front end up in 1st ,which requires alot of low power and the Rubicon will just fart.

If you want a good trail bike that has true 500 cc of power look somewhere else Honda is not into the performance game.

 

The clutch kits for the rubicon raise the engagement speed 500 rpms, but it also stays 500 rpms higher going down the trail, so if before your doing 20 and motor's at 2000rpms now it's 20 mph and 2500rpm's.

You should have your rubicon brought in to a shop and looked at it should spin stock tires and never start to bog down, have them do a oil pressure test and a leak down.

I have a 02 and run mine in esp all the time and I have 26" high lifter M/S/T I did my own clutch mod, have a web cam pro curict pipe twin air air filter and used a vacum spring out of a 450 foreman to get quicker revs, plus polished my head.

The new rubicons 05 - 07 have a different cam than the older ones, and have noticed that they don't have the low end power.

I think that the best Honda's for mud are the 450's lots of low end power to turn mud tires!

 

Thanks Foreman Dan, I wasn't trying to pick a fight or insult him. I feel sorry for him.

First, please explain this to me. Tell me how four springs and a gasket are going to do this.
Where did you see that? I know I haven't posted that, but I wouldn't be afraid to hook them up. Wouldn't bother me in the least if I lost to a 660 with a locker, but I've asked a Rincon to hook up for a tug of war and I didn't get an answer (its possible he didn't hear me or take me seriously) My Rubicon wheelied before I put a winch and tires on it. It did it in high better than low. Big deal, what does that mean? Nothing.

Just so you know, in the US you can buy an 06 Rubicon for $5699 at some dealers (I have to drive 2 hours, but it's worth it). I paid $5500 in 04 for my ATV, or $500 less than the best deal I could find on the Outlander 400. Maybe you should blame Canadian tariffs on that? The CanAm 500 is $8100 here!!!! Bet they'll sell a couple of those!

The Hondamatic DOES NOT SAP POWER. It is not a John Deere or Cub Cadet hydro, but a very different design. It is as efficient as a manual at 1 to 1. It actually INCREASES torque output at the lower ratios.

People here are just saying that they don't know wtf you are talking about because we're lying or wimpy riders? It just looks like you selectively read what you wanted to read and rushed to war...oops, I meant to purchase.

My point of posting here was to let crummie know my opinion that a higher engagement wasn't going to transform the Rubicon into a mudder. It will help getting the tires to spin as it engages higher, but it is not going to add power or change the gear ratio (cluby). It's only part of the package that people do to the Rubicon to make it a mudder.