I really wanted a sport model to begin with.
I could have gotten a 300ex for about the same price,but I wonder how much faster it is if any at all?

Its lighter but with 282cc vs 420cc plus the fuel injection probably helps to.
I really wanted the 400ex but 6k was a little to steep.

The new rancher is a utility ,but to me is very sporty also as far as performance goes.
Like you said its a mixed breed.

I didnt want the ES, but now that I have it I do like it alot.
There were some bugs with earlier ES systems ,but I dont think there is anything to worry about with the later models.

As far as I know you cant get a speedo with a standard model.

 

If you want jumps, then Broad river's jumps have grown. They were huge last time I was there. But if your going to test a quad its not a bad place to do it. Just make sure someone has a tow rope. Some of the mud holes are bottomless.

 

I made the 2 hour drive to my nearest dealer yesterday and picked up a green 4x4 ES 420. I got it for $4895 out the door and it sure seems like a lot of machine for that price. I put 44 miles on it today and I'm real impressed with it. I live in the Alleghenies on the VA/WV border and the terrain is tight , steep, and rocky. I rode today on mostly GNCC type trails and the 420 worked great. The handling is quick and nimble with a much more solid, planted feel than the old 350. The power is great with smooth, instant throttle response. The ergos are perfect, the seat is comfortable, the brakes are a huge improvement with the new discs, and the start in gear feature is a nice touch too. I wasn't real sure about getting a new Rancher but today's ride convinced me that I made the right decision. I'd recommend the 420 to anyone. I have no idea what the top speed is but I saw 46 mph today in one open section.
The plastic seems real durable but I miss the black plastic outer fenders of the old rancher.
The display doesn't have a clock anymore and I miss that too. My biggest complaint is the lack of a recoil starter. I'm not sure what Honda was thinking on that one. The dealer had no recoil starters and said they had no idea when they would get them. It looks like an easy bolt on but it should have been there to begin with. Here's an album of pics of the 420 from todays ride.
Rancher 420 Pics

 

wow very nice pics...and price too [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif[/img] hva'nt been able to find prices that good... least not within a reasonable distance...

what are the reasons for choosing the ES?

khrome

 

Dang.
So now theres 2 people on here that paid roughly $100 more than me ,but they both have 4x4!!!

 

none

 

I've had 2 other Honda atv's with ES. If you combine the mileage on the two, I ran them around 17,000 miles with zero problems from the ES. It's not something I couldn't live without but I like how it operates. I wanted the display too (speedo, odo, hourmeter), and the manual shift doesn't have it.

 

They said they would give me the pull starter if they could ever get one. I got the emergency shifter, it's under the seat where you keep the manual.

 

How does the WEIGHT of the machine feel, compared to the 350? The 420 gained somethng like 40 pounds, which gets its weight up there pretty close to that of the 600 pound big bores.

I would gladly spend extra money to have a machine that is lighter, but to keep the price low they went with stuff like steel wheels, and not many alloys on the chassis.

 

I don't notice the extra weight, if anything it feels lighter than my old 350. The handling is much quicker, and combined with the big boost in power, it feels like a sport quad compared to my old Rancher.