The rancher replaced the fourtrax I think? So are the fourtrax perty good? Are they oil cooled? do you think they are easy to turn? Younger and women rider? On the 4x4 model with the warn 424?? work to make it selectable 4x4 4x2? How about parts?
thanks
wendelin

 

ok i have a 2005 350 rancher,theyre a pretty stout machine,its air cooled,its not really hard to turn,you can buy the warn 424 for them,they dont come with 4wd to 2wd selector,but i wish it did,not sure about a women driver but ive drove it for about 2 years and in fifteen now

 

All the 4wd's are called "Fourtrax" these days, so that part of your question is a bit confusing.

I have both the older Rancher 350 and the new 420. The old 300 was a great machine, the 350 is a superb little machine, and the new 420 is even better! The 350 absolutely does benefits from a Warn 424! The 350 is air/oil cooled and carburated. The 420 is oil/water cooled and fuel injected (this thing rips!). The 420 is absolutely the best value for your money of any quad on the market!

These machines are trouble free and dead solid reliable. Agile handling, with a very stable and planted feel (compared to the tall mushy suspension that is so popular on the current crop of IRS machines).

There are lots of posts in here, of problems with the ES electric shifting system. I say best to avoid it, and stick with a foot shift model......

 

I have a 99 fourtrax, Motor is great have not had any problems at all. Been a really great bike. My wife has ridden it on the Hatfield mccoy trails and had no problems. She is 5-5 and about 120 lbs. Just dont put real aggresive tires on it as this makes it alittle harder to turn. I have itp 25 inch on it now and I can tell the difference in steering. Still I believe that it is still not a deterrent to buying one. My 10 year old still pulls a trailer around the yard and makes out fine. Parts are easy to obtain, ebay,bikebandit and others have all you need to fix one if you ever need to. I would say If you have the oppurtunity to get one, get it you wont be dissapointed.

 

What do you mean by IRS machines?
What did they change on the machines when they started calling it the rancher? I would love to get the 420, but I do not think santa will bring a 420 but maybe a good 350 4x4 or 300 4x4.
I want to really get two one for me and one for the wife. So I am looking at good used ones. I will be using my for work and play. Probably spraying and checking cows and fixing fence. A long time ago I had a honda trx 200 2x4. great bike Rode it for 5 years and sold it at an auction for 200.00 morethan I paid for it. I am just looking for something for me, wife and kids to ride and have fun. I have herd people say that the fourtrax is bulletproof.
thanks for the help

 

IRS (independent rear suspension). This gives a cushier ride, but more body roll which isn't so comforting when you are seriously off camber.

SRA (solid rear axle). This doesn't give such a cush ride, but the setup is more stable off camber becasue the downhill side doesn't dive.

The Rancher 350 is a great machine. I have an 00 that has been trouble free all these years. You should be able to find a used one at a reasonable price. Also, look for a leftover 06 if you can find one....

I think the old 300 is to old at this point, so I would pass it up.

 

I can't say one bad thing about Honda's great Fourtrax!! I have an 86 Fourtrax 250, 93 300 4x4 and an 01 Rubicon. I dont ride all that often... and the 300 and 250 will sit of over a year sometimes..... choke them a little, start right up!! Can't complain. Granted they dont exactly give a comfortable ride and they could use a bit more ground clearance from the standard size tires but they run like a tank. Cousin has a 95 300 4x4. Had it flowing do a river..... pulled it to the side.... tilted it upwards, drained the water out of it.... started right up and ran. Although its not the biggest atv out there, i'm usually the first to volunteer to get stuck in mud and water because i know it'll run fine afterwards!! I would defiantly suggest buying a fourtrax!

 

My old 88 fourtrax 300 gets ridden 2 or three times a year and it always does the job at hand Ive lots of people out of the mud, it always creeks and pops and clanks going down a trail but it always gets me home. I paid 900 dollars for it a few years back, replaced a cv shaft and some brakes, It doesnt have a stable high speed ride but at slow speed it rocks.