Stan's cargo bag question has got me to thinking if a rear or front bag is better. I have used rears and know 2 downfalls. One is they tend to get way muddier than a front bag and two is if you lose something from it, or lose the whole bag (I have), you don't know it until you stop next. So, what are the pitfalls of a front bag? Seems to me it would be better if you only needed one bag. Seems it would make the quad steer a little better but maybe lose traction on a 2wd model. Opinions?

 

Weight over the front end does much more harm than over the back end!

I put a winch on once, and had it on for about 30 minutes before I realized that the imagined benefits of having the winch did not match up to the detremental effects of the extra weight up there. Pulled it off and returned it...and have never ever really needed a winch anyway. (If the quad got stuck and I couldn't lift it out myself, well then I would be so weak that I need to retire from riding.)

 

I guess it depends on the weight. I probably would have maybe 15 lbs. of stuff max. I'm thinking about putting a hand crank boat trailer winch up ther too. So, that's another 5 lbs.

 

If you have a 2wd model, it is more sport quad than utility....so don't go ruining it's sweet handling with weight up front.

 

It's a Recon.

 

Recon
I know you get a bit of criticism for some of the comments you make but I’d like you to know that you have been influential in my decision to buy the Honda Rancher and I want to thank you for that. You’re are very positive in your convictions concerning Honda Quality amidst the many posts describing such a multitude of troubles. I for one, look forward to your posts; however, as gung-ho of an ATVer as you are I doubt you would let a lack of youthful strength inhibit the joy you get from riding. You may change the type of riding you do as you age but I really doubt you’ll quit. What I’d like you to do, Recon, is print out the following quote, put it in a safe place and re-read it in 30 or 40 years and see if you still feel the same.

(If the quad got stuck and I couldn't lift it out myself, well then I would be so weak that I need to retire from riding.)

You’re OK Recon, I really do enjoy your posts keep them coming.
Stan

 

I guess it all depends; we have one on each end.
I took this picture tonight just as my wife and I headed out for a night ride in the new snow.

The rear trunk probably weights 60-70 pounds and has everything from matches, food, tow straps, first aid kit and an endless list of other "stuff". The front bag we carry extra clothes.

The only thing I dislike about the front bag is that it interferes with the head light.

 

With the steep angle of the hills I climb on my 4wd ATVs, weight over the front is much better than over the back wheels. On my Arctic Cat TRV, the only rack space available is up front.

Like Budedm, I find that front racks stay cleaner and that you'll notice if something has come loose, come off, or come open if it's in front of you as opposed to behind you.

On my Vinson, I have used a low profile rack bag for several years. It is long and wide enough to cover most of the rack, and just low enough to clear the center pod headlight unless I have to overstuff it.

The only time I have really needed to use both racks is when I am out for daylong or even overnight rides where I'm going to be a long way from my truck for most of the day. Extra gas, a cooler, lunch, emergency/repair gear, and extra clothing will use up both racks easy.

I remember thinking that my 2WD Honda TRX300 could take me anywhere...we've all been young and stupid before we turn old and wise...then I tried going up Paiute Trail 66. I finally made it, but not before I learned to truly appreciate the value of 4WD and a winch...and there was no "lifting it out myself", because there was nowhere to lift it to...it was one steady climb from one rock ledge to the next.

A winch has saved so much time for me...of course, I ride in places where theres lots of mud, or severe rock climbs, so if you're stuck, you can get unstuck within a few minutes with (usually) very little effort as opposed to trying to muscle something out of a mudpit. Saves so much wear and tear on my back and arms that is better used for enjoying the ride, and since there's always the chance of getting stuck after a long tiring ride, that winch can make the difference between being stuck out on the trail and getting back in time for dinner!

Oh yeah....I think someone makes a "headlight lift" that raises the headlight higher to clear the rack bag.

 

While I agree about weight on the front end affecting handling much more than weight on the back, I totally disagree about the winch. Deserts and swamps are very different, and a winch is almost a necessity where we ride. We went out sunday in the slushy wetness, and came up on a pair of guys buried in muck. The rubicon got mired up, and the Grizzly 700 got buried trying to winch the Rube out. It took both XP's with our winches working together to get each quad unstuck. To lift out the rubicon would have required at least 4 guys with hip waders.

Go ahead and rag on me for having a heavy quad, Reconranger. Go ahead and slam me for belt drive. And yeah, having an 800 lb quad, I'm not going to notice a 15 lb winch as much as a guy on a 500 lb quad would, but the point of my post is different riding areas require different gear. That and those guys we came upon shouldn't have tried that crossing. Not even in the summertime, when it dries up a bit. It's like peanut butter in there, and I don't think they knew the trail very well. (They didn't have helmets on either, which was a bigger peave to me than anythig.)

As a side note, we rode with a '07 Rincon, and a '85 Big Red. Everyone got winched out at least once, even the Big Red, which normally we just lift out of anything it gets hung up in, which ain't much.. that thing will go just about anywhere! I drove the Rincon for about an hour too.. almost forgot what a nice handling super smooth machine they are... just needed more power. I spent about ten minutes on the BR too. Scared the hell outta me. I can't believe I used to ride a 200X way back when. So unstable!

 

For me personally, there is no real distinction between a "sport" quad and a "utility" quad! My riding style is "light and fast", all the time!!!

In wide open country, I ride a 450R. When the trails get tighter, slower, and narrower, I ride a 400EX. When the trails get super technical, or there is snow, or deep stream crossings, I ride a Rancher. If I took a Rancher to the wide open desert, it would be the wrong tool for the job. If I took a 450R rock crawling, it would be the wrong tool for the job. Yes...I do sometimes do "quad camping", but I pack like an ultralight backpacker, and that means maybe 25 pounds of extra gear on the BACK rack.

Shed weight on your body, your quad, and your gear, and give it a try!