This post is based simply on some observations I have made today. They may not be 100% accurate.

Being part of the sport quad community, I've heard a great deal of rumor about the new big bore sport quad and will it ever come to pass. I hate to stamp out the wisher of the sport quad but there is a great example of why Honda is not going to put their emphasis on the sport quad, right here in the forum.

If you look at the forum topics for Honda, where is all the attention? The most viewed forums are regarding the Rubicon or other 4x4 machines. I would say the interest out numbers the sport quads by 200-300%. If you were Honda and saw statistics like this, where would you focus your attention?

Needless to say, I don't think Honda is going to be moving it's attention from the utility quad to the sport quad if the interest continues to be peaked in the utility quad market.

Just an observation, by an impartial ATV rider. I don't care what you ride or where you ride, just ride and have fun.

 

i think that you are right, look at it whats the biggest seller? sport or 4x4's? I think Honda will come out with maybe a 450cc liquid cooled sport 4x4 mix... it would be a big seller for them, why build another sport quad when they could just make a race package for the 400EX that would maybe include a high comp. piston, better cam, transmision, and some other odds and ends, who knows maybe they have a 450EX Liquid Cooled quad in test?

 

Well I would look again there are a lot more topics on the 400ex then anything else in here. The topics you speak of have a lot of views because there are fewer topics.

 

I would love to see the actual number from Honda. I would of thought it was the other way around. I also think it really depends on where you are in the country. Around here the sports outnumber the utilities probably 20 to 1.

 

You guys to look over one thing. Honda already has one of the best sport/utility quads in the form of the Rubicon. If I were the Preident of Honda I would realize that the Rubicon is on top of the sport utility class for a lot of time to come. I would use that time quickly to answer to Yahaha and Bombardier sport bikes. I thought Honda was the fad starter (for example the 400 EX and the 250R) Their competion beat them to this new fad and Honda should reclaim the name of the top sport quad. After all, they already the sport utility class taken with the Rubicon.

 

I think they are loosing money in the Sport 4x4 department. Yamaha has the Wolverine and Polaris has the Scrambler series .. i think Honda should make a sport 4x4 that would be nice.. and a 4x4 recon

 

they need to make a sport 4x4... around here in Montana all the farmers use polaris 4x4's why? i dunno they trade em off every 2 years cuase by the time they are done they're trashed, i have basically the only high performance atv, i see more scramblers, and wolverines around here and i dont believe i've even seen one rubicon, rancher, or recon running around... i'd like to see a sport utility quad from Honda

 

I think a sport/utility should have racks and long suspension travel.The wolverine is the closest to a true sport/utility but with the ability to switch to 2wd it would be even closer to it.I guess they could just put racks on the front and back of a Scambler but that would almost be like a 400 Xployer anyways.

 

I disagree with exlarge that most of this forums focus is on utility models. If you count the current topics, these are the numbers:
34 topics on Utility Hondas
64 topics on Sport Hondas &
66 topics on other aspects about atvs (most dealing with parts for sport hondas)
So, the sport topics outnumber the utilities 2 to 3 times.
True, atvs outsell dirtbikes, and
True, utility atvs out sell sport quads, but the large majority of the utility Hondas sold are used by folks like ranchers and farmers. No disregard to them, but they usually aren't the type to sit at a computer to talk in forums about quads. The ratio of utility quads to sport quads out here is about 10 to 1. If you go into a local dealership, there are usually 10 to 20 utility quads, and if you are lucky, 1 to 2 sport quads. I think Honda has their marketing strategies right, but they could have a much better show in 4x4 xc races if they came out with something between a 400ex and Ruby.

One week till I pick up my Black DS!!

 

the rancher/farmer type is also more likely to buy a super reliable 4x4 (i.e. 300 4x4) and use it for 10 years. the sport guys like to have the newest and best, we are doing it for the fun of it. mabey i am way off, but i think that means more money if you keep introducing new sport quads.