I'm looking to buy a Honda ATV but am worried about this ESP stuff?

From what I've read on topic boards some years of Honda's have some type of ablity to shift manually. Unsure how this is. Something about a lever has to be installed. One person sad he stuck on a wrench to the shifter shaft? Does the ESP allow for full automatic transmission-just place in D and GO?

Are there any web sites that explain the history, development and fuction of the ESP for Honda?

 

My brother has a Rubicon. I has an automatic transmission where you just put it in Drive and go or it has the Electronic Shift(ES). You can switch it in and out of either one you want. One doesnt affect the other. The ES is pushbutton and is nice if you can keep them working. I now wish I would have bought a manual shift on my Rancher.
Had 3 ES fourwheelers and have had problems with 2 of them.

 

ESP is different on each Honda. On the Rancher and Foreman it is a manual transmission that uses an electric motor to shift it instead of your foot. On the Rubicon and Rancher AT it is an automatic fluid drive system that you can leave in D or shift a swash plate (I think its called) to put the transmission in a certain range. On the Rincon which has a automatic like a car you have the option of Drive or ESP which selects 1st, 2nd, or 3rd.

 

How does the Auto option work inside the tranny? From what I've read the ESP is just an electronic shifter and still requires the rider to let up off the thottle to shift , if not the clutch takes the abuse.

I know I had rented a AC 400 with the CVT trans had it stuck in a deep mud pit. I was just able to hold the throttle wide open while I bounced and jerked around to gain some traction to walk it out. Is that possible with the ESP?