Well, after 8 months of paper research of all makes and models, I got home on leave and went to the Honda dealer. I had my mind made between a Rancher foot shift 4x4 or a Rubicon.

So began the test drives. This dealer has a small off-road course made out of dirt, some rocks and lumber to crawl over. i took out an ES model rancher amd put it through the paces. first off, the damn thing near ripped my arms off...it sure has a lot of pep for only 420cc!! it was very nimble and begged to play and have the throttle hammered down. i really liked it, and my mind was 90% that i was taking one home (this will probably be my next 4 wheeler). i decided to test ride a foreman 500 ES next. this machine is begger, heavier, but way beefier. besides the specs, the feel of it breathes workhorse. the 475cc powerplant was sufficient, and had plenty of low-end grunt. it obviously wasnt as nimble as the rancher, but my mind was once again undecided, as the foreman was more of a workhorse, which ultimately is what i was looking for for my first very-own 4 wheeler.

finally, i asked the salesman to bring out that rubicon sitting on the show room floor. from the second i put it in gear, i was in love with this machine...talk about smooth, this thing is the cat's meow. the powerband is solid, and the acceleration is so smooth, i am going 30mph before i even notice the speedometer! the power steering was amazingly effective....more so than i guessed it would be. after testing this wheeler, my mind was made.

so i picked her up the next day, complete with a Warn RT25 and a cycle country 60" plow blade. my first 4 wheeler that is just mine, and i am very satisfied so far!

i do have a few questions for fellow rubicon owners, though:

1. whining noise. i asked the dealer if the hi-pitched whining noise the transmission made was normal, and he said yes. it actually sounds awesome to me, i like it, but i want to verify this is normal for the hondamatic to make a hi-pitch whining noise when driving.

2. power steering light. the power steering works, i can feel how light the steering effort is, but the light on my display screen that is designated for power steering (the light has the letters "PS" on it) does not come on. is this light supposed to be on all the time? or is it just supposed to come on if something is wrong with the power steering?

3. oil / coolant temperature light. i noticed after driving around for just 10 minutes or so, the oil / coolant light comes on indicating the machine is getting overheated. the fan for the cooler works, i can hear it running and kicking on and off automatically, and the machine doesnt have any loss of power or anything. plus, it will come on, then i will either drive fast, allowing more air to come into the radiator, or stop and idle for a few seconds, and the oil light will turn off. is this normal? is it a really sensitive thing? i asked the dealer if all the fluids were good and topped off before i picked it up and he said yes. they look good to me as well.

4. i want to put a clear protective film on the display screen to prevent dust and scratches from getting on it. any suggestions where i can get this?

5. does the fluid that works the transmission (hydraulic fluid) need to be changed or checked at all? the dealer didnt know when i asked...

6. any idea where i can find a service manual for this machine? 2009 TRX500FPA. i know clymers is a good one, but i was wondering if there is one made by honda.

7. i uploaded a video walkthrough of my machine on youtube:

YouTube - 2009 Honda Foreman Rubicon with Power Steering and GPScape (you can hear the transmission "whine" i describe above in the video)


thanks in advance for the help!

 

Congratulations on the new machine. On number 4 you can go to a place like OfficeMax or Staples and get the sticky film stuff that you sandwich paper between to keep it from getting wet and falling apart. Forgot the name of it. I think there is even shelf paper that comes in clear.

 

Hope you have fun of your new machine. We have a 05 Rubicon and I love it. 7500 miles so far with out too many problems.

#4, you should have seen mine. It was so bad I could barely see through it. I don't know how the cover gets scratched so bad. Costs 30 bucks to replace. I might look into putting a protective cover on it also.

About #5, the Rubicon does not have any hydraulic fluid. The engine and transmission use the same oil. I have always used the Honda oil with no issues. You have to let it run for 5 minutes, shut it off and wait a few minutes to let all the oil settle and check it. It holds about 5 quarts. If the dealer didn't know about the transmission oil, I would not take your machine back there.

 

it was the salesman who wasnt sure about the fluid. i appreciate that yall know what the deal is. i have glanced through my user's manual, but plan on buying a service manual too. next time to go to my dad's (storing it there until i am done with this deployment), i will double check the radiator for fluid level.

 

Congrats on your new Rubicon.

I am curious as to why the Rubicon is their only ATV that Honda does not list a 2010 model on their website.

I read somewhere that Honda was going to skip the '10 and make it a 600 in 2011 but you know how rumors go.

I would recommend Valvoline 10w40 ATV oil. SG rated oil is critical for proper break in of flat tappet cams.

 

I own a 07 Rubicon that had just 39 hours on it when I purchased it back in August. The machine was in mint condition. It now has 50 hours on it and approx 220 miles.

Mine "whines" as well as a friend's 07 Rubicon. Nothing to worry about.
Mine does not have power steering so I can't help you there.

My oil/coolant light has never came on but I have heard the cooling fan kick on and off, especially when I drive slow for long periods.

As for the screen, mine is like new but I don't see why one couldn't use something like clear wrap for foods etc..
It may not be very tough but the price is cheap enough. Or maybe some of the clear laminate material?

I used the Valvoline ATV oil but I paid too dang much for that stuff at a local "family" owned auto supply house. Not sure I will go back with that oil on the next change.

As for my thoughts on this machine? I owned an 05 Rancher 350FM before this and I had installed a Warn 424 as well as front disc brakes and it was a great machine but this Rubicon is far more powerful as well as being easier to steer, even when the Rancher was in 2wd. In fact, my wife swore the Rubi had power steering when she first drove it.

All in all, I'm happy with mine.

 

Check with your local auto parts store for head light film. It is a clear adhesive that covers the head light lences to prevent pitting. May have to cut to fit.

 

Some gear noise is normal for the rubicon.

I believe the PS light comes on when there is a fault detected.

It has both a coolant temp sensor and an oil temp sensor. Either will trip the overheat light, which should not be coming on.

It is a dry sump design, so to get an accurate oil level reading the machine needs to idle for about 5 minutes (no throttle), and sit for about 3. Read the level without screwing the dipstick in.

I'd also check the coolant level both at the overflow bottle, and when the engine is cold, at the radiator cap.

A bit of mud or weed chaffe on the radiator and/or oil cooler will cause them to overheat, so be sure that area is clean.

Be sure to change the oil/filter and adjust the valves on time. I believe 20 hours is suggested for break in, but earlier wouldn't hurt. Oil should be rated API SG or higher, and JASO MA, that does not say "energy conserving". Don't use anything with molly or PTFE/Teflon.

 

I dont know how big the screen is....but in the past when I had something like that I wanted to protect I used PDA or smartphone screen protectors. They are perfectly clear.....made for the abuse of using a stylus on them and if it will protect a phone screen in my pocket from keys its plenty good for the screen on an ATV.

......as for the dealer not knowing simple answers.....thats when I usually walk out. There is NO excuse for not knowing about the product you sell.....or atleast admitting you dont and finding out. Just a simple, "I dont know" doesnt cut it for me.

Enjoy our new wheeler, sounds like a heck of a machine.

 

I bought a sheet of clear vinyl from a local sign shop that I use for stuff like that.

They only charged me a couple of bucks.