Ok i think i want the rancher manual shift 4x4 but i woundered if anyone suggests anyting better as far as the foreman or a rincon i have cash and ready to buy i plan on using it to trail ride! just need to know which would be the best and why i want something dependable and with no more than usual mant.
thanks

 

it will depend on your rideing conditions. if its mostly trail rideing and a bit of work i would get the rancher, most bang for your buck! if you where going to do alot of work then i would suggest the foreman. if you had alot of toeing or just wanted to go"all-out" on an quad then i would get a rubi or rincon. but thats just me. if you want the sporty trail rideing feel, i would stick with your first instinct and buy the 420 foot shift. nimble sporty ride and the foot shift dose it for me.

good luck with your purchase!

 

Were you considering the Rancher 350 or 420????

The Rancher 420 is a big step up from the 350! Way more power, water cooled, and being fuel injected it rips right off the bottom. Better suspension and selectable 2wd/4wd. Agile on the trail, and handles as well and some sport quads. You get a whole lot for your money!!!

If you feel like you could benefit from IRS, there is the new Rancher 420AT with a totally unique new automatic transmission that is like nothing else out there! My only complaint about the Ranchers is that they are to heavy, but then again all utilities are to heavy when you are use to 350 pound sport quads.

The Rancher is certainly a better trail quad than the Foreman 500....but the Foreman is the better work quad. One of the magazines had the Rancher along while they were testing the Foreman, and they said the Rancher was way more "fun".

The Rincon has IRS and a comfy ride, aimed at the aging baby boomer crowd. The killer for me is that I don't like its automotive style transmission (needless complexity and only 3-speeds with no low case), and it has no engine braking at low speed (it's all brakes on a nasty technical suicide downhill....no thanks!). And, the price doesn't help it any either.

My whole point is that in terms of trail riding, the Forman and Rincon are a step down from the Ranchers!!! The Rancher is a little smaller, and loads in the back of a truck a little easier, plus it fits between the trees just a little easier. And, you can not have IRS if you wish.

 

I guess it all comes down to personal preferance.

The Rancher 420 is snappy, fun to ride, but I wish the manual shift came with spedo/odo type dash, and I think I'd have trouble with the ground clearance.

I very much enjoy my Foreman as a trail quad. It isn't quite as nimble as a Rancher, and also doesn't have the top end, but I like it and it has been totally reliable.

One of my buddies has a Rubicon. Compared to the Foreman it is 4 valve, liquid cooled, and holds a lot of oil. It's hydrostatic auto is great for towing, plowing, dragging and those sorts of tasks. It can emulate a geared transmission by letting you select between 5 preset ratios with push buttons, or it can run in auto mode. Personally, I prefer my Foreman, but that's just a personal preference. Seat of the pants, power and ride is about the same. Both are solid rear axle.

The Rincon was the first 4x4 to win the atv class at the baja 1000 in it's first year. It isn't particularly powerful for a 650 class machine, but it is known for long term durability, and somehow they got the IRS suspension set up so it floats over super-rough stuff at a speed I wouldn't try to match with my Foreman, yet it isn't mushy or have much body roll in fast sweepers or on side hills (as many other IRS quads do). Engine braking starts at about 6 mph, but a steep hill will have you doing about 12 w/o using the brakes, where my Foreman would hold 2-3. I really don't know what Honda was thinking when they chose not to put a low range on it, but I still feel it's strengths make it worth riding. Depends on personal preference, though. If you are used to riding a 2 stroke, the Rincon has much stronger engine braking. On the other hand, if you are wanting a quad that will tractor down a hill like a 450 Foreman, this isn't the machine for you.

New, and I haven't had a chance to ride one, is the IRS Rancher 420. It uses a dual clutch transmission where one clutch controls odd numbered gears (1, 3, 5) and the other controlls even numbered gears (2, 4). The transmission is actually in two gears at once, because only one clutch is engaged. It can run as a full auto, or you can switch gears with push buttons if you choose (it is totally different than the other ES transmissions). Anyway, that might be a really nice quad. It is pretty heavy for a 420 though, and they also put a higer 1st gear on it....


Bottom line: Try to get a real ride on whatever machines end up on your short list. How you plan to ride, and personal preference play a big role, and with a purchase this large you want to get the quad that best matches your wants and needs.