Improved drum brakes and mechanical ones at that. Its like saying they improved the candle and we can go back from electric light bulbs now.

I owned a 450 Foreman and ride a 500 Foreman alot and it does not take a Dritwheel magazine to tell me its down on power for its displacement. Just hitting the gas will tell me that.

Honda is the only ones using OHV motor ,drum brakes and offering no difflock because everyone else has it wrong.

They sure do not use OHV in there sport ATVs or they would be the laughing stock.

 

So what if Honda does not have all the latest and greatest. If you don't like it, don't buy a Honda.

If you want a reliable machine that you need to use everyday for work or whatever, then I would get the Honda. We have a 2005 Rubicon that has over 11,000 miles with the only major fix is getting the motor rebuilt and the only reason that is because the timing chain was bad, the motor was still fine. Anyways, back to my point, if we had some other brand, we would be having all kinds of problems, they will not hold up to the abuse. We use the Rubicon on a dairy farm and spring time through late fall, it is getting used pretty heavy, winter time not as much.

IMO, that is why you see so many trail riders riding Polaris or whatever because they are not being used everyday. You go visit farms that use them everyday and see what kind of machines they have. I would be willing to bet that you will see more Hondas then anything else.

 

They've built their rep on reliability and that's why they still sell atv's even though they don't have all the bells and whistles.How can someone argue that?

 

ummm i kno ppl that own farmland & they own Polaris...im sure u would see alot different brands in diff places...all about wut ppl feel they like !!!

 

Don't let belt drives scare you. They are a lot cheaper to fix if you break a belt than a car type automatic. Used properly, a belt isn't going to disintegrate. Keep the transmission in low range when you're going through deep mud or snow, climbing steep rocky hills, or just putting around at low speeds towing or plowing. If you have a CVT drive and you're trying to pull or push some huge weight, it will lose traction and dig 4 holes in the ground before the belt will snap. The other thing about Honda is they don't offer a way to fully lock the front end. Not a big issue except for really deep snow or mud, or off camber rocky trail sections. All the other makers have it available, why not Honda?

 

they all "built their rep" on reliability!- suzuki, polaris, yamaha

it's like saying a grill is more reliable than a microwave because it has less features. there is ZERO proof that honda is any more or less reliable than any other brand. saying honda is the most reliable because "honda fans" say it is- doesn't make it an accurate statement. big bore / high hp atv's didn't really even hit the market until 2005. Honda still sells atv's because they are the CHEAPEST atv next to polaris, can-am and the other 3 japanese brands!

I suppose you'd also argue ford is the best truck because they outsell every other truck?

 

My foreman's drum brake works fine, so I dunno what you mean. I'm not the slightest bit disappointed in the brakes (disc F, drum R). If it works, it works. I'm not gonna listen to someone who thinks a fabricated "industry standard" means you should change something that still DOES work. And this is coming from someone who loves discs brakes.

 

suppose you still drive a model T to work and have to crank your engine over by hand? I'm sure you still dip a feather into an ink well to write, ehh?
if you want to argue that you get by fine with drum brakes- that's fine.
but don't peddle BS that current industry standards aren't better; new atv features were designed to give the rider a higher quality ride, more stability in rougher terrain and comfort features to make it easier to get through sticky situations. if you actually think there's not much difference between drum & disk brakes- you've never descended an icy or loose gravel hill and hit the brakes- drums lock & skid, disks don't. Drums pool water and trap debris and corrode (seen it dozens of times!), disks don't. Disk pads swap out in a few minutes- not drum pads.

why do honda riders usually base their argument on "who needs upgraded atv's when my 20 year old honda with antiquated parts runs fine"? That's not the point! if you carried that premise over to other aspects of your life- you'd still be living in a cave.

and anyone who thinks using an atv on a farm is rough, has never ridden 100 miles in a new-england trail! you'd put more wear & tear on your atv in one new-england trail ride than you would do in a month of farm work!

 

Don,t kid the kidders.
A Mechanical drum brake is not like hydraulic Disc. Those drums are only sealed for so long before everthing gets in there.Being "Mechanical" you have to stand on it to lock up the rear wheels.
Cant count the times my 450 Foreman was stuck and only one wheel in the front would turn and knowing if all 4 turned I,d be out.

I can see Honda leaving some option off to save money for the buyer but the 28hp OHV 500 Foreman cost as much as the plain version 500 King Quad or 550 Grizzly that has diff lock,hydraulic Disc all round ,low range,IRS and a 36hp OHC motor.

And Yes, the KQ and Grizzly are reliable.

 

I'm convinced,I'm selling my piece of **** Rubicon tomorrow! LOL. No doubt other atv's have more features,power and are reliable. Reliable as a Honda? No.Honda's record speaks for itself with my family.
Reliability is the true way out.