The Rincon will pull away from the curb without complaining (albeit not a rocketship) in THIRD gear...

I agree that 4 would be nice, but from what I've seen, this 3 speed is pretty darn well laid out.

 

I must admit that I use low range quite frequently and have for years in technical climbing and decending situations.

only rode the Rincon around a parking lot (and liked it), so I can't comment on whether it would improve the quad.

Speaking of low range with Honda quads, they quit the low range long ago, and rather gave all utilities an extra low first gear. Yamaha switched to this also with the Big Bear in the late 90's, and ditched the low range. With the ultra low first, there was no need for low range, because how often does anyone actually run through the gears in low??? 1st is all you need unless you're mudding in low 2nd (because it gives that in-between gear that high range doesn't have).

I used low with my old 80's yamaha's a lot, and tons of times with my 99 AC 500. It would crawl down anything in low first with complete control of the situation. Very nice on the edge of a broken trail that just happens to be a half foot from the side of a ravine.

With the Grizzly 660, I use it a buttload. The rubber band transmission does not do well for throttle control in high when you are in climbing situations. With large tires, its a must for climbing.


Definitely the addition of dual range would improve the Rincon. Thats to say for any quad (more options). Still, before I could actually say that it is entirely needed, I would have to get a Rincon out in the woods in a situation where I was trying to make a trail up and around a fallen tree or something first.

Rincon was impressive. I slammed the salesman for all he was worth when he tried to downplay disc brakes, but I sure liked the 5 minutes I spent farting around the parking lot on it. Everything is just right there. Love that drive selector location. Very smooth.

 

My grizz usually lives in low range at public riding areas, low range runs up just past 40 mph. On the farm when there's a straight spot high range suits well to reach speeds well above 40.

 

How high does that thing rev going 40 in low? I guess I could go outside and check for myself but that is wild. I use low in trails, and then only in hills mainly. I'm in high range probably 95% of the time. But of course I have a major need for that low range at many times.

 

I have found that low range is really handy on a 5 speed when towing something heavy. It puts the gear ratios a lot closer together which means it is easier to keep momentum up between shifts. My Eiger rarely feels like it is short of power in high range but there have been a couple of times when I have been sailing along in a higher gear, came around a corner and suddenly be in the middle of a tight steep rock climb. It was really nice to just shove the selector to low, rather than start furiously downshifting to find the right gear. I don't use it much but I love having the option.

 

For the Rincons intended purpose I don't think its needed. Its an expensive trail machine but there is a lot of people who will pony up the cash.

Chet

 

I can say this. Pick it apart as you may, or notice things that could have been or were left out. There is nothing at all that will keep people from crawling mountains to drop $7500 on this quad. Bar none.

The thing is, a ton of those who will sit and call it overpriced will eventually end up with a Rancher, 450, or Rubicon still yet. Honda will not lose in the end. They could sell track shoes to a quadraplegic in the middle of the atlantic ocean on their reputation alone.

 

Hey fellow riders! I just wanted to add my 2 cents worth on the low range subject. I am not an expert on the subject by any means but I do have some mechanical background and I am an owner of several ATV's; 1) 4x4 utility and 2) 2x4 (one is a sport and the other a utility). It has been my experience in the past that an ATV that has the low range as a standard equiped drive train is usually because the power plant suffers in the low end of the powerband spectrum. The low range off-sets this weakness when it is needed for steep climbs or towing heavy gear... For example, look at the Suzuki LT engines (also found in Artic Cat) they are very weak engines that have to have multi-range gearing to get the job done. Some if not most of the units out there now have been designed with more than enough power through the complete power band to eliminate the need for the low range gearing, which also reduces the machines overall weight by design.

The specs that I have researched so far on the Rincon puts it in the same utility class as the Fourtrax3004x4, The Rincon has a much larger engine so one would think it would be a stronger utility ATV, but that's not the concept. The concept is Trail/Sport/Utility in this order. I think it will be an excellent machine for mud (with the correct tires) and a fair utility comparable to the old 300's that they should have never stopped building.

 

Iff you doo the math, IIRC it comes out to like 17.2:1 final drive PLUS you get the torque multiplication of the converter...

WIDE power band also.

 

<< I think it will be an excellent machine for mud (with the correct tires) and a fair utility comparable to the old 300's that they should have never stopped building. >>



Maybe we can have Honda come out with a Retro version of the old 300.

Chet
VP KNOWSALOT FACILITY