Ok here is my first post here, even though I've read a whole lot. I currently have an 03 Suzuki Vinson 500 auto, which is a good bike but a bit tippy and waaay too loud for my use (hunting 99%). Yes I tried a silent muffler, but it actually accentuates the engine noise which is the problem. I wanted a Honda originally, but couldn't pass up the Vinson price, so here I am again. I hunt a 9000 acre ranch on the NOrth CAlifornia coast that is very steep and wooded, so an atv carries it's noise a long way. Downed game usually is in a big canyon, so getting down and out can be tricky, I use the low range a lot in these situations. I am looking for the quietest, most rough terrain capable quad Honda makes. I'm really not sure what the difference between a Foreman and Rubicon is. Is it just the automatic on the RUbi that is different? I would buy a Manual shift Foreman, non es, because I don't want issues down the road. I do not race around, my Vinson has 960 miles and 140 hrs, that is a 7 mph or so avg speed. I would like to be able to take this new bike to Truckee and explore some backcountry skid roads I currently take my jeep on, so off road ability and stability is important also. I don't tow anything or plow anything and don't go near mud in anything I own, so those are not issues. My only other consideration may be a Yamaha, but I haven't looked at them yet. How about the air vs liquid cooling, give me a rundown on which is preferable as well if you don't mind, I know that is a difference between the 2 bikes as well. Thanks in adavce for the good info, which dealers don't seem to have!

 

well, im not sure how long ago but honda combined the 2 quads into the foreman rubicon. and if your gonna get an older quad then you have the 2 options between the two and if you do that then you should test ride both of them and see which you like better because personal comfort means alot, if you think both of them are the same then you should get the one that really suits your riding style, which i think the rubicon might do better because the foreman is more of a work quad

 

I ride with a guy who bought an 06 Foreman, I have 06 Rubicon. He wishes he had mine because when it really counts mine seems to have more grunt. Even though they are both 500's ... maybe it is just our imagination. Mine also seems to run cooler at low speed, low range climbing.

My wife wishes she had gotten an older Foreman because the 06 models are huge and she was used to riding a late 90's model which was a lot smaller.

Have you looked at the new Rancher 420? Fule injected etc. I rode one around the back of dealership and it seemed like a very solid machine.

 

OK, I'm more confused now. The Foreman and the Rubicon are the same? What is the price difference for, just the auto and water cooled motor?

 

I don't think a Rancher would work for me. I ride with my lab on the back alot, and often have another guy hop on for a lift to another part of the ranch or back to his ride, so I think I need a heavier duty suspension, but I may be wrong.

 

hondas newer quads have the foreman and rubicon combined into one quad, and if your looking at brand new quads, then they probably just have different options

 

I am also intersted in rubicon, currently run a foreman 500s. How does the low down power compare (1st vs Low Range), and how does the fuel efficiency compare?

 

I've asked riders on this forum (that ride with a friend that has the other) to compare the Rubicon ESP L1 to the Foreman low and haven't gotten an answer. I'd imagine they're close, but it doesn't matter that much to me anymore. Same low chassis with SRA (if stable is what you want), no alloys on the Foreman, LC engine with 5 more hp on the Rubicon, Honda lists them at within 3 lbs of each other (if you don't get the power steering). Those are the similarities/differences I've noticed. It's been my experience that liquid cooled engines last longer. If you aren't scared of the Hondamatic the Rubicon is the better of the two, but the simplicity of the Foreman gives some extra piece of mind.

 

I do have 2006 Rubicon and ride with guy with 2006 Foreman. In Low ESP 1 I am shifting at much lower speed than him. I think the Rubicon has more power. We went out this afternoon and in Low ESP I am really reving at 25-28 mph in 5th gear. I am shifting through the lower gears much sooner than him. In high range I run off and leave him on speed. I stopped at 62 MPH and he could not keep up.

To me it seems to prove, same year model Rubicon vs Foreman, that the Rubicon has more low end grunt when you are in ESP. With mine in Low Auto they are closer to the same but the Rubicon is still lower geared feeling.

Hope I helped. I got a steal on my Rubicon though. I gave same for it WITH chrome rims, MudLite tires and winch as buddy paid or his Foreman with stock rims and no winch.

 

foreman has the low end hands down. the rubicons tranny eats up to much power! the rubi is a great quad , but will never out mud or out grunt a foreman. the rubi wins in every other catagory but those!