Obviously you've never rode a Rubicon. The Hondamatic doesn't have gears,it's hydrostatic so you no lapse or can even tell it shifted. Engine braking is excellent,maybe 3to 4mph in low on a steep hill.

 

At this point that's probably the only one I haven't been on. Like I said, the Rancher IRS, power steering, was pretty good as it had enough low end in the gears to go slowly down a hill. The Rincon left me wanting to launch it off a 300' drop.

 

That is interesting. I have never ridden one of the Honda ATVs with
torque-converter auto trans. Most have 3 speeds? I would love to try
one.

My paddock did have a 1979 CM400A Hondamatic 2-sp torque-converter
auto trans 2-wheeler 30+ years ago. It was terrible! At the same time,
Honda had a 3-sp 750cc Hondamatic, which I hear was much better.

Me, I would love a 4x4 utility quad with hand-clutch manual 6-speed. The
CVTs are nice, but they need to have a low range, IMO.

 

Just having to shift is a chore when trail riding let alone needing a hand clutch.

Low range is a must, even many foot shift models had a dedicated low range sub tranny like the older 350 Yamaha Big Bears,250 Moto4, Suzuki 250/300KQ ,500 Vinsons and the current 400 KQ/Eiger.

Many now just state they have a super low first gear like the newer Big Bears, but its a production cost saving move due to the cost of a tranny with a low range sub tranny. No way a low 1st gear 5 speed tranny competes with a 10 speed tranny with sub low range when the nitty gritty happens.

 

The Rubicon doesn't have a torque converter. The Rincon has an automotive style 3 spd tranny with a torque converter.

 

Yes, Honda calls the Hondamatic tranny in the Foreman Rubicon TRX500FA,
a "hydro-mechanical" unit. Maybe that is a hydrostatic (HST) drive with a
variable-displacement hydraulic pump and hydraulic motor? The
parts diagram is not helpful. Has anyone opened one up?

I love HST in my tractors.

 

The super-low (SL) 1st gear in the semi-auto Honda utility quads have
been plenty low in my experience, going back to my 85 ATC250SX and
86 TRX250 Fourtrax. My main ute quad is a 96 TRX300FW 4x4 now and
its SL is plenty low enough to crawl over anything. Same for the SL on
the TRX350 4x4 and TRX450 4x4 ES, which are now gone.

I have also had the first gen Arctic Cat 300 4x2 (a 98), which is based
on the Suzuki with sub-tranny. Its 1st gear in Low Range was quite
low, as you say, but probably only slightly more effective than the Honda
SL on my TRX300. And the AC is BIG, with IRS, and a 6+" longer
wheelbase. Also had a KingQuad300 here with the same setup. Nice
ATVs.

 

The Sub tranny just has more ratios. Sometimes you have a heavy load but towing at 5mph is not what you quite and "Low Range 2nd or 3rd" gear is what your after to pickup the pace to 10 or 15mph.
The super low 1st shift to 2nd and 3rd high range gear is just not the same thing.

Basically the Sub low range tranny with 5 low range gears can beat a regular 5 speed tranny with only a single super low 1st gear in a drag race up a steep hill towing a 1000lb trailer.
Once the super low 1st gear screams itself out and shifts to 2nd it will puke while the 5 speed low range Sub tranny will shift and march on.
Not a event that would happen much but it does show what a low range can do.

 

With the grizzly you get what you pay for. May be a little more but power train strength and reliability is top of the line.

 

I'll near have gear shifting again! Cvt is the only way to go nowadays, and yea mooseheaden 4 holes in the ground!