I am gettin ready to buy a new Wheeler, I am leanin toward the 09/10 Rincon. Does anybody have any thoughts? I mostly ride trails, hunting, and plow snow. No real work. Just a toy. I would just get a Rubicon, but I think I want IRS. I want to keep up with my friends on the trails. None of them have Hondas. We have had Hondas in my family since the early 80's. (with no real problems). I have considered the Yamaha Griz, but I dont like belt drive. If anybody knows of any unhappy Rincon owners, I would like to hear about them, and why.
Thanks.
Munsk.

 

No low range or diff lock and only makes 39 hp which is low for a Big bore. Honda does not make class winners in the Utility ATV market. I would get over the belt drive thing so you can exspand your ATV choices by 90%.

 

Our next ATV will most likely be another Rubicon because I don't care for belts either.

I prefer having a choice of what gear I'm in and the Rincon only has 3 and I do like having a low range for decenting steep hill.

We have over 10,000 miles on ours and still have over 1/2 of the original brake lining left due to the great engine braking ability of the Rubicon.

IRS squats with a load and we carry over 400 pounds while riding with the two of us and our all of our gear and they are tippy on side hills so for those two reasons I am really not interested in IRS.

I have a friend that tests almost every new ATV out there and has for years (at least the ones from the manufactures that will give them to him) and he told me thy same thing that TLC just told you, I'm missing a lot of choices by not wanting a belt.

 

Thanks for your help, guys. I know that I am limiting my choices to just Honda, but I think they build the best machines. Period. I am nervous about buying any other brand. I rode my Dads 07 CanAm 800 last night, and that thing is FAST, FAST, FAST!!! Plus the IRS is nice, it just floats over the bumps at unreasonable speeds. I wish Honda would just put out something that would halfways compete. That Griz is lookin pretty good.

 

The Rincon's greatest strong points are its handling and suspension, and its reliability.

The thing just glides over really rough stuff, without being wallowy or having excessive body roll in fast sweepers and off camber stuff. Compared to the Can-Am I think you will find the damping and spring rates dialed in much better.

The Can-Am also doesn't have a manual dif lock. I find the Honda's system reacts a bit better. There've been one or two situations where I might have used a dif lock...

The Rincon's biggest weakness is it a high geared 3 speed with no low range. It will climb anything, and is OK for occasional towing or plowing. It mainly mannifests as poor engine compression braking. Engine braking starts at about 6 mph, and a steep downhill will have you doing 12 without using the brakes.

A Foreman or Rubicon could hold 2 mph without using brakes on the same hill.

A solid axle machine like a Rubicon or Foreman works great for towing and heavy work, but the IRS of the Rincon really floats over rough stuff at high speeds that wouldn't be fun to attempt on the SRA machines.

Non-Honda, I like the big Griz. It has a well done belt system with a sprag drive centrifugal clutch, so the belt is always tight and it provides good engine braking. Locker, low range. IMHO, though, the Rincon is the best handling/suspension IRS 4x4 I've ridden.

Hope this helps.

 

P.S.

There is one other choice in an IRS Honda 4x4, the auto 420 Rancher. It uses a dual clutch 5 speed, which is cutting edge in the quest for an auto that is as efficient as a geared transmission.

I haven't been able to ride the auto, but the 420 is a very snappy engine, and I've heard the suspension is also very well refined. A bit physically smaller than the Rincon, Foreman, Rubicon line.

 

I have a 2006, it always starts, always runs smooth and just glides over bumps and dips. It has never seen the inside of a repair shop. The most comfortable machine I have ever ridden. I use a 50 inch snow blade, have never needed chains or missed a low range in clearing the white stuff. I pull two different trailers around the property, a small garden trailer with 300 - 400 lbs in it and a larger utility trailer that has a capacity of about 1000 lbs (wood hauler). It is true that there is not alot of back compression on decents but the brakes work fine and have plenty of life in them after 4000 miles. When I go fun riding on forest service roads and skid roads the Rincon will go faster and further than I am willing to try. My friends with Yamahas and Suzukis will be looking at Hondas next time around.

 

Thanks for all of your help, guys. Guess Im just gonna have to ride em as much as each dealer will let me...then pick the best deal.
Thanks again!
Munsk.