Now before you read my signature and think I'm a Yamaha/Polaris guy that just wants to bash Honda, let me give you a brief background:

I grew up riding Honda, first an 87 Fourtrax 350 4x4 and then a 96 Foreman 400. Most of the people I knew that had fourwheelers also had Honda. I still think Honda is the most reliable ATV manufacturer and has the most potential, and that's where I want to turn this discussion.

First of all, this topic is about their Utility/Sport Utility ATV's, so nothing sport ATV related as I'm not much into that.

The question is this: Why does Honda, with all their potential and innovation, fail to produce big bore Sport Utility ATV that can legitimately compete with the offerings from other manufacturers? Let's face it, the Rincon just doesn't cut it. The 3 speed automotive style tranny is not the best thing for an ATV, and it doesn't even have a diff lock. It is also probably the most underpowered machine in it's class.

Honda has the best automatic transmission in the industry, the Hondamatic that is used in the Rubicon. Why not use it for the Rincon? I mean, is anyone actually going to argue that the Rincon's tranny is somehow better than the Rubicons?Some form of locking front differential is also offered by all of the other major manufacturers, so why hasn't Honda offered that yet? 675 is close to the discplacement of some of the other offerings, including my 686 Grizzly, but my understanding is that the power output is not nearly the same. Why doesn't Honda put a >700cc powerplant in their flagship?

Here's what I would like to see: An 800 class, twin cylinder, fully independently suspended flagship Sport Utility offering from Honda that features their EPS, Hondamatic transmission, and and a DIFF LOCK!

I think this machine would be the frontrunner in the big bore class and sell like crazy. I also think it would bring back some excitement to the Honda name in the atv industry which in my mind, it has lost. To me Honda's are now slow, boring atv's with very few features. I'd like to buy a Honda again sometime in the future, but until they get on par with the other manufacturers in the Sport Utility class, I'll be shopping elsewhere.

 

honda is already comming out with an 800 class its also a rincon with duel tires on the back its all kinds of feirce

 

Go ask Honda about this, not us.

 

Two terriffic reply's so far! /sarcasm

I clearly indicate that this is a discussion. So please, if you don't have anything to add, don't post in my thread.

 

here's my opinion on that......the honda name sells itself......not everyone is as smart as you on what you put into the thread.i loked and looked before i bought. i wanted the independent suspension and honda didn't have it. plus you said under powered,the honda is the worst in all classes for hp.i was upset myself in honda.i raced on hondas for years(2-wheels)so i feel the pain. i went to the can-am and the power is awesome.plus got 3 year warranty,winch,bumbers,racks,fuel injection,and ect&ect. cheaper then any other model. pays to do your homework........but i agree honda needs to step it up.

 

I just bought a TRX500FE ES not sure what all the letters mean. I'm just getting back int quads after years without one. Last was an 86? I think TRX 125 but I think my new 500 has the power to handle pretty much any thing I throw at it. I am going to add a lift, winch and tire kit but that is all needed for clearance problems, not power problems. With the lift I wouldnt have been stuck today. The quad had plenty of power and all tires were turning, it just bottomed out. It also has no need for Low and High settings cause first gear will pull it strait up a tree if it just had the claws of a cat. And of course they do have power steering now on something I saw at the dealership. Maybe you ned the 10,000 tricked out 700 King Quad I saw at the Zuki dealership yesterday, The only thing they left off was the heated grips!!! Salesman said they let accidentally let the guys in the back go overboard with it! They are going to have to strip it back down about 2 grand to be able to sell it.

 

I was going to say get a 700 Grizzly and then I saw you already have one.

 

Do you know who sells the most quads??? Honda. Do you have any idea what Honda's best selling quad is??? It's the lowly little Rancher! Honda has sold 70,000 of these, and if you include the old 300, Honda has sold over 1,000,000 small bore utilities.

So what does that tell us??? The majority of the market share isn't in expensive, huge, heavy, monster quads that are the size and weight of a small truck! Sure, lots of folks here in the foum are enthusiasts, and they may get excited about owning the latest monster big bore, but they are just a tiny portion of the market. All thousands of average riders out there want is a nice little great handling reasonably priced trail quad, and that is exactly what the Rancher is....in spades!!!

The majority market is in the 400cc class, not the expensive flagship big bores. Go find yourself an FI water cooled Rancher 420 and take a test ride!

Good thing for Honda that it knows the market better than you do!

 

I just bought my TRX420 2wd. power is great, well i mean its no 450r but it will get up and move. . .the FI and the right gear ratios are where its on this quad.

you see other companies have to make huge **** engines to draw customers, like yourself, whos mind set is look at the HP that motor gets and they dont put into perspective that quad needed the extra CC's to make more power just to push it.

Things to think about, IRS is heavy. . .so is a twin cyl engine. So what Honda is doing is staying with what has worked for years, smaller engine sold rear axle. sure they could add a locker for the front axle, however in a light quad where is the need?

You say they are under powered, but i bet if you compar HP/CC the Honda's are making more HP per CC. ill go check and see if i can find supporting facts for that. BRB

enjoy the pic while im gone [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

Okay,

700 grizzly has a quoted HP of 42 it has 686cc so that is .061hp per CC

650 Rincon (since i cant find #'s for the 700) has a quated hp of 39 is has 624cc's .062

ill try and find what the 700 rincon is actually making. . .that would be more interesting.