not exactly a genious here, but what kind of miles can i get out of a hondamatic? i have a honda 300 with i bet 30,000 miles on it (been rebuilt twice, lol) in a year or two i was expecting to buy a new Honda Rubicon or rincon. what would you guys suggest? also, if rubicon, hondamatic or not? (i'd be willing to even go down to the foreman 500 if hondamatics arent any count and you cant get a semi automatic rubicon.)

 

My rubicon has about 11,400 trouble free miles in it.

 

I've run across a few Rincons with 3,000 hours and more than 30,000 miles. As long as you keep them serviced and don't suck grit and water into the crankcase, they seem pretty bullet proof.

On the Rubicons you often hear of older (and maybe neglected?) machines that have a failure with the hydrostat drive. Mostly you just hear of angle sensors or occasionally the electric shift motor.

The foot shift 500 Foreman has also been quite reliable, but you occasionally hear of 1st gear breaking- often from folks with big tires and/or clutch kit or performance parts.

The Foreman and Rubicon both have much better engine hold back (compression braking) compared to the Rincon, but the Rincon has a much better ride over rough terrain at speed.

 

For the technical side of operation of the Hondmatic, here is a pretty good article:

SHIFTLESS WONDER! - HONDAMATICTM AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION - HONDA'S CONTINUOUSLY VARIABLE TRANSMISSION - Dirtbike at Off-Road.com

 

what do you plan on using the machine for? the biggest differences between the rubicon and foreman is the tranny and the engine. the rubi is a 499cc liquid cooled powerplant, and the foreman is a 475cc air cooled unit. the foreman series (including rubicon) are straight rear axle, slower , lower geared machines built for work. the low speed ride is good, and they can work all day. the rincon is more of a trail riding machine, with independent rear suspension, higher gearing and overall sportier ride. i only have personal experience on the rubicon of the three, but its my workhorse. for that i love it! for trails, i use my rancher mainly, or the little bayous.

 

well, in a year or two when i break down and buy a rubicon/rincon i dont know what i'll be doing. mostly just trails/light mud holes, and right now i just wanted to know some specs. but, in rincons, i've heard that the new 680 (not exactly new, but still) has had some issues with oil pumps, ect. is the 680 as good as the 650 was? my friend had a 650 that he rode in mud all day long every day. but like an idiot he traded it, and his 400 in on a new honda 420 which he has already had to have rebuilt. as for the rubicon my buddy had an 05 with 1900 miles on it when he bought it and 3000 on it when he sold it. it had the hondamatic tranny. i loved how it had so many options. D1, D2, ESP, even had a low range shifter on the gas tank. but i just cant make my mind up yet on the rincon or rubicon. they are both nice, both ride good, both liquid cooled, both reliable. the only big difference is fuel injection, and the rincons obvious larger engine size, and straight axle vs independant suspention.one last thing, would you guys trust a used 650 or 680? with 500-2000 miles on it?

 

They are really hugely different machines to ride.

You really need to get an actual trail ride on each to be able to decide.

I took a buddy out last week who was looking to buy a Foreman, so I let him try mine. We switched off machines a couple of times, and now he's looking at Rincons.

Which machine is better for you is as much a question of personal preference as it is where and how you ride.

As far as used go, Hondas seem to hold their value really well, and for me the difference between a good used one and an new one with warranty made the new one the better choice. Reasonable minds could disagree, though.

 

I'd really like to spend a day or two on a Rincon.

 

Where are you located?

 

Marysvale, Utah