The power problem is riding in deep snow in high range, they seldom bog down in low-range but in low there is not enough speed to keep going.

 

Agreed...X2

 

my rubicon gets a bit scary when im pulling doubble trailers on steep ground- i so gotta get a pict of it. I had both that trailer in the photo and another filled to the top with cinder blocks while out with the local rideing club builting a bridge over a creek. I was pulling so much weight 2 miles into a trail on steep ground i had to put 2 sacks of cement on the front rack to get enough traction to steer. The quad did great in low range, but the brakes could not hold it from going backwards when i stopped on steep hills. I had the left lever and foot holding the rear's so tight i though i was going to snap the cable and i had the front to the handle bar and it still crept backwards on a 20% slope. I floored it in esp 1st and got it up to 8mph to make sure the clutch didnt slip and it was about tapped out at full throttle 1st low range. The trail club loves my rubicon due to the strait rear axle's ability to be over loaded. The quad felt like it would empty taking off in esp high range 2nd
my deep snow experence was good up until about 2 feet of power or 1 foot of wet snow, then the "high speed" 30+ MPH trail blasting was over and it was floored and looseing speed while my friends on there grizz's and kawi's rocketed up to 60mph with a roost of power landing on me. THe honda does great, just not the high speed in deep stuff that the new big bores do so well.

 

For more power Honda has to drop those low reeving OHV motors in there Utilities, they make good low end power but are at a disadvantage after that compared to OHC motors everyone else used including Honda in there Sport ATVs.

 

Even an OHV 750 would be better than a 500 OHV.

 

yeah, honda can make a great engine if they wanted to- either DOHC OHC or yes even push rod. heck the corvette is a push rod engine! Honestly all the Rubicon engine needs is a new cam grind, EFI, oversquare the bore and stroke and add a small turbo and it would be untouchable engine makeing power to 10,000 RPM

 

Honda makes a great OHC XR650 dirt bike motor,not sure why they do not put it in a Foreman.

 

I own a xr650r just as pictured and the engine is very tall- from the bottom drain plug to the valve cover is almost twice the height of my rubicon engine. Honda did use this engine design for the trx700xx though.

 

Honda can make anything that they want to. They could dominate the ATV market in every way but they chooose not to and why I'll never understand.

 

I agree with that. All the features of my Polaris X2, with Honda reliability.... What more could I ask? Not that my PoPo has been bad but I know about Honda engineering. Love our Accord that runs like a top. Come on Honda, raise the bar!!!