Thinking of buying an 07 Rincon with 500 miles on it. Have heard they are difficult to ride up and down steep hills. My question is : can you switch them into manual shift mode shift them manually and have good low end power and engine breaking.?

 

The Rubicon can switch from auto to manual shift and has low range.

The Rincon has a 3 speed auto only with no low range.

Here is a review ATV Television Test - 2004 Honda Rincon - YouTube by ATV Television. Its a 2004 but the tranny never has changed to this day.

They call the 3 speed without low range a "Silly Transmission". Even Honda says the Rincon is not ment for grunt work and to buy the Foreman or Rubicon if thats your thing.

 

why

 

The Rincon is not auto only. You are able to choose between ESP and Auto similar to the Rubicon but without the low range.

IMO, I think the 3 speed is the stupidest thing Honda has done. They even use the 3 speed on the new Big Red.

 

I have a 07 rincon it is a caddy of honda wheelers. I have 26 mud lites on mine with steel wheels it climbs any hill I point it at it does lack on work power not meant for dragging 25 ft boats around the yard. It is a awsome trail bike if you keep the tires spinning it will turn them in thick mud. It would be nice to have a low range but oh well it dosent shouda coulda woulda what r you looking for out of a bike. I run mine in mud I run it in rack deep creeks and run it up coal hills in PA the trans is a serviceable 3 speed with a fluid tourqe convertor like a car has it is smooth shifting you can manually shift or leave in auto. If you want more low end you can do the big red gear reduction it is the cheapest honda to do a gear reduction on it is less the 200 bucks and that is buying the parts from a dealer my buddy has it done he spins 27s like they are stock plus it is a wheelie and donut machine.

 

nothing shifts as smooth as a cvt clutch- and no rancher is spinning 27's "like they are stock"!

 

I would presume a 680 Rincon is a 60 mph ATV. The gearing must be awfully tall to go from 0 to 60 with just 3 gears. All other Manual ATVs are 5 speeds and a few are even 6.

 

I bet there isn't a rancher spining 27s like stock but I know there is a rincon doing it I have ridden the bike before. The gearing isn't that bad really it shifts just like a car does it has the same trans as a car with wet clutchs instead of gears. You say nothing shifts as smooth as a cvt bike but also nothing tears up as much as a cvt belt in the nasty stuff while you are wrenching I am riding lol. No I am not wanting a pissing contest here I am just trying to give the facts of the rincon. They are nice bikes when used for what they were made for.

 

Belts last for 3000 miles and will never shed in the nasty slow stuff if in low range. There are no high powered Utility ATVs made that are not CVT after all.

Thats what I like about a larger ATV with low range it will cruise at 55 mph all day or pull stumps and loaded trailer.

Just seems odd that Honda,s smaller 500 Foreman can out pull there 680 Big bore. It should be like a 660/700 grizzly or 700 Sportsman and just do it all,work or play.

 

I owned 2 rincon's with 27" itp's- and no, they don't feel like stock tires on a rincon either, it's very noticable- it dramatically affects quickness and the time it takes to reach top speed. The honda motor is grossly underpowered compared to other atv motors in the same cc class. Not saying they don't have enough power to pulll through most holes or hills, but they are not even close to the power of say, a brute 650 or 750, a can-am rotax 500 or 650, a yammy 500 / 700 or a polaris 550. I think TLC has the HP ratings kicking around somewhere-

As for the cvt and "tearing up the belts" - it's a non issue. I tear it up pretty good, in deep water, mud, rocky mountain trails and fast trail riding, towing a log splitter & a trailer loaded with firewood and have never had a cvt break- not only that, but cars, sleds & motorcycles also use cvt's without incident (in reference to your "car-like honda tranny")... there is no shifting with a CVT clutch, so it's one smooth power band from bottom to the top.

The first gear on a rincon is somewhat low- but not even as close to that of a low gear on any other atv with a low band. I liked my rincons, they are nice atv's, but lacking a few features that I've come to depend on that other atv's have. One of the things I didn't like was how they shifted while in auto mode. I actually mostly kept it in manual mode- and as far as having a wet clutch goes- I didn't like waiting for the tranny oil to warm up before it would shift properly the first 5-10 minutes of winter riding.

btw- what you are giving are opinions- not facts.