The biggest advantage the Rincon has over the Rubicon is the much smoother ride over rough terrain, especially at faster speeds. It floats over rough stuff, yet somehow doesn't wallow or have excessive body roll on fast sweepers.

Power wise, I'd say the Rincon is adequate. The Rubicon has very good engine braking and can hold 2-3 mph on most downhills. The Rincon would have you doing 12 mph on a steep hill, without brakes.

Anyway, if the reason you are looking at upgrading strictly for thrilling power, I'd suggest looking at some of the twins. BRP 800, AC Thundercat, maybe the new Polaris 850 or whatever it is...

 

Thanks for the replys, the heavey weights like Polaris and AC are out of the question.

We will probably keep our Rubicon for a while and see if Honda makes any changes. I hate belts, the reason I bought the Rubicon was because of the transmission, I like the ESP.

We have powered out climbing long STEEP hills with two of us on it and all of our gear, probably around 400 pounds total. On the flats 55 mph is about it for us.

It's not "thrilling" power that we are looking for, just more than what we have now. The answer might be a big bore kit a cam and exhaust.

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: JeffinTD

The Rubicon has very good engine braking and can hold 2-3 mph on most downhills. The Rincon would have you doing 12 mph on a steep hill, without brakes.</end quote></div>

I'm sure that's why with 9000 miles the brakes are only about 1/2 worn.

That is also one thing that would be a very big adjustment for us, no engine braking.

 

I also LOVE my rubicon, its amazing- but yes, I am in the same boat as you specta- Honda MUST build a Rubicon II 700 EFI dual range hondamatic solid axle as when it was new in 2001 i throttled over my freinds and the Rubicon made any trail ride much faster, a ton more fun and overall flawless.
Today my friends now have Grizz 700's with ps and one even has a trax kit- so to keep them in sight my rubicon is floored in low range screaming its head off in the deep snow. The new big bores throttle up and fly in as much as 25" of power when my rubicon bogs in high range 2nd forceing low range.
The rubicon still rules the nasty tight steep tech trails though, and thats still my most ridden trails.
It also fetches firewood and does yard prep work well [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]
Joe

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: Specta



So what do you do if you want more power and don't want a Ricon?? Well I guess you have to go buy some other brand.



Do you think Honda will ever figure this one out?</end quote></div>

Yes, it is a shame, but I think Honda already has it figured out. If they wanted to, Honda could build the most powerful, most feature filled, and best engineered ATV on the planet... with ease... they have the resources and the engineering to to it.

They simply choose not to. It comes in part from the culture and way they approach everything... with extremely detailed consideration of what THEY consider to be the needs of the consumer, and what THEY view as being in the best interest of the end user.

I also disagree that their engines (and the rest of the vehicle) are so reliable because they are less powerful. They simply make extremely reliable stuff (cars, boat motors, generators, lawn equipment... and on and on)... and some extremely powerful engines... some of the worlds best.

It's a "hard nut to crack" so to speak... and a few folks wishing for more features on their ATV's won't crack it. LOL

Times will have to get a lot tougher before Honda budges... but it could happen... they just need to see a reason.

With all that said... you are right Specta... get a different ATV. LOL LOL LOL

 

I just purchaced a new Rincon and love it. I've rode a lot of bikes and the Rincon is by far the best ride for me. But if you are looking for something to swamp its not the best in the mud. I also own a 420 Rancher with 27s and a lift kit and I can run circles aroun my Rincon in the mud,but then again I didn't buy my rincon for the mud I bought it for the ride. We ride in WV alot and the solid axle best you to death on long trips.

 

that is true, they are rougher but i use my Rubicon for 40% Ult and 60% trail pleasure so I opted for a strait axle. Although as seen in the below pictures a new rincon or new 420AT would be much more fun. These pictures are of a trail ride I took a few years back. This was "once" a nice 2 lane PAVED Forest service road leading to a campground and lake, it was restored back to roadless state due to local enviro pressure. What was once a 15 minute drive in our chev truck pulling a 26' camp trailer is now one rough hour long ATV ride. THey left the bridges as it would cause even more harm to the river.

 

I just got back from riding around Yuma Arizona, on a borrowed Rubicon.

It does well in the technical rocky stuff, other than there were a few times I drug the skid plate on stuff I think my Rincon would have cleared. Excellent engine braking, especially in low range.

On the flatter and more open trails, I would have been much faster if I had my Rincon.

The Rub had 25" Bighorns on it, which I think improved it's handling when you hit fast sweepers at high speed. (I've ridden it when it had stock tires) They did great in the rocks, and were a better tire in the soft sand than people give them credit for.

 

I have Bighorns on ours, they have 3000 miles on them and are really showing their wear. Several friends put them on their ATVs and love them, they are excellent in the snow.

I'll keep our Rubicon for a couple more years unless it blows up or Honda makes a bigger one, which I doubt they ever will.

I'm sure the new ones perform better than thr 2001s.

We don't do mud just mostly trail riding from 50 mph down the the technical trails (which I actually preferred our 350 Rancher ES).

I would like to barrow a new Rincon for a day or two and see what they are really like, I'd hate to buy one and not be happy (although I think I would).

Thanks for all of the replies. For some reason I have not been able to get on this wevbsite for a week or so, glad it worked tonight.

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>I would like to barrow a new Rincon for a day or two and see what they are really like, I'd hate to buy one and not be happy (although I think I would). </end quote></div>

Smart.

Some Rincon owners absolutely love the machine and wouldn't trade it for anything. Other people who were looking for the engine braking of a Foreman may hate the thing.

I'm somewhere in between. I REALLY like the suspension, power is fine, I like the looks, but although I don't think having to brake on technical downhills is that big of a deal it would have been a much better machine overall.

With a purchase that large, you want to make sure it is really what you want.