I am in the market for a new quad. I had a Yamaha Kodiak years ago and loved it but I think I am going with a Honda this time. Especially since there are a few good deals out there to be had.

Here is what I am going to be using the quad for:

I will be taking it on an elk hunt out west this fall up and down mountain trails. I hunt on a farm near my home and would like to have something to pull game out with and maybe move tree stands around. Possibly do some trail riding here in Kentucky. Not much mudding in my future I am on old man (41.) Eventually might pull some farm implements to make food plots.

I am 6'4 and weigh 230 pounds. So not exactly small framed.

I am having a hard time deciding between the Formeman ES or the Rancher ES. I can get a Foreman ES with power steering for a decent price. But can save almost $1000 on a Rancher ES without the power steering.

Both sound like great bikes but not sure I need the Foreman. The rancher sounds like it has good pep and a good rep.

Any recommendations would be very helpful

Cheers

 

Unless you really don't want to have a foot shifter, going manual shift would give you less to go wrong. Newer ES systems seem to have fewer issues, however.

The 420 Rancher is nimble, good handling, and physically smaller. It makes good power, but I think the Foreman is more designed for lower end torque, and might do better dragging an elk, or especially pulling implements (where physically larger, and heavier are advantages).

The other machine that springs to mind when you talk about pulling implements is the Rubicon. Its hydrostat transmission with low range is more complex than the 5 speed geared transmissions on the Rancher and Foreman, but it is very well suited for high torque low speed kinds of tasks (like dragging an elk, plowing, pulling a harrow).

Physically it is quite similar to the Foreman, except liquid cooled and 4 valves, and of course the transmission. The hydrostat is infinately variable, but it can be put in an ES mode where it lets the rider "shift" between 5 preset ratios, emulating a geared transmission.

Welcome to the forum.

 

matrobw
I live in the west and do alot of high mountain hunting and riding. I have two 420 ranchers, one with the manual foot shift (4X4) and one with the es shift (4X2) . Have not had or found any problems with either. I have hauled elk, deer and turkey on both machines and riden' in some pretty hairy areas. They have fit me and my wife well. The biggest advantage with the rancher (and the main reason I bought the rancher ) is the fuel injection. It preforms fawlessly at 4000 feet and at 12000 feet and all points between. We leave at 4500 feet and have a hunting cabin at 10,000 feet and ride a lot above that.
As JeffinTD said the rancher is a bit smaller machine which makes it very easy to wind in and out of trees and rocks, but at your size you may want to take a good test ride to see if it really fits you.
Welcome to the site.

 

The rancher should be fine. I would recommend foot shift, maybe even without the lcd display. These are just extra things to go wrong.

 

rancher id say too there great for tight trails but seem pretty slow but i love my old 04 rancher there hard to get stuck but arent to heavy to get out by urself

 

I really think the Foreman sounds like a better choice. It will do all the work you want, easily fits in tight trails, and has power steering. I am still in awe at how great power steering is. I used to get sore right behind my arm pits in my old quad from steering it. Haven't felt a bit with the new Foreman. Plus, you are 6'4" and 230lbs. I think the rancher will feel a bit small.

 

If you're going to be changing altitudes go EFI, the Rancher will do all you want and then some.

 

The Rancher is 90% trail quad, and 10% work quad. The Foreman is 90% work quad, and 10% trail quad......

One of the magazines was evaluating the Foreman, and had a Rancher along at the same time. They said the Rancher was more "fun". Would you like to have fun or not???? All hunting is, is doing some trail riding out to some place and maybe carrying a load back, but it really isn't an application that requires a full-on "work" quad.

Also, if you want the comfort of IRS, there is the new Rancher 420AT....but it is a fair bit more money than the SRA Rancher. The trouble with IRS is that it squats under heavy acceleration, pulling a trailer, or when the racks are heavily loaded (although Honda does better than anybody else at making the most of tight suspension).

Lots of posts all the time about ES shifting problems. Unless you are absolutely set on the idea of ES, shift with your foot and save yourself some possible future problems.

 

6,4 230lbs and likes hauling elk? Get the Foreman,it has dual back shocks vs the Rangers single shock and has a large full size chassis/frame vs the Ranchers mid size chassis.

 

The power steering alone is worth the extra $1000