Are these pretty good units? Honda tough? what about the trans? Do they have the problems like the es?
I rode one tonight. It seems like a nice machine. What are they going for?
OR is the 420 rancher a better buy?
would like to buy a used one in 4x4. will use it for spraying and trail riding and looking at cows and thing like that.
I now have a 300 4x4 fourtrax.
thanks

 

i dont think you need much to look at cows. if i remember correctly, honda bought the AT technology a while back from a co in england. some on here like it, some dont. i dont have any dark tales about it myself. i liek the idea of it but i also like the rincon trans aswell. its not ideal for brute strenght or serious mudding, but for the avg joe trail rider, it will be fine, imo.

i know if it was me id look into the 420, which i am curently doing. i keep coming back to that one because the price is hard to beat. they are going for about $4600 new around here now. best atv buy on the market right now: EFI, liquid cooled, 4x4 ('selectable' starting witn 08 model). stay away from the ES though, they have problems.

 

I have heard the low end power on the AT is a little on the weak side, especially with bigger tires. I've heard of them not being able to move (not spin the tires) in thick mud or on serious hill climbs with rocks.

I've only ridden with one person who had one. His seemed to do OK. Just riding along an old creek bed, no real mud or hills though.

I just bout a 420 4x4 rancher & absolutely love it. EFI is a definite plus. It will outrun a 500 Foreman anytime & handles much better, in my opinion. That's with mine having 27's too.

Also, the 08's come with a 1 year warranty vs. a 6 month on 07's.

The 420 also has selectible 2wd/ 4wd. Not sure if the AT's do or not...

They only made the AT's for 2 years. There must be a reason why, either problems with it, or just no market for it.

 

I test drove a 400AT in July of 2005 along with a Rancher 350ES. The 350ES had tons more power and pep than the 400AT. I was concerned that the auto tranny was using all of the hp and needed a bigger engine. It had no typical ATV performance at all.

We have been very happy with our Rancher ES. I assume that I am the only owner in the country that hasn't had problems with the ES from what I read on this board.

 

Honda discontinued the 400AT after only a relatively short production run...you can decide for yourself what that means. There are also a fair number of posts in here lately about tranny problems as well. I think this is a model that it is best to avoid, seeing there are better choices available!

If you can find a 420, it is really a peach! Even the old 350 would be a better choice than the AT....