I have a question, did any of the people who bought a Rincon buy it because it was the fastest big bore 4X4 out there? I doubt it. Most probably bought it because of the non use of a belt tranny or the IRS rear end or Hondas well known reliability. So why do you find the need to defend yourselves about drag races when in fact I doubt less than 5 % of the people who have bought them have so much as lined them up with another quad. If you wanted a drag quad you would have got a Bashee or somnething like it, If you wanted the fastest 4x4 you must all agree that is probably the v twin Kawi. Right now it is arguably the fastest big bore 4x4 if you think otherwise you are in denial (not the river). I'm sure when you guys were writing out those 7500 checks none were saying now I have the fastest 4x4. Let everybody say what they want if you like your quad who the hell cares what some guy with a different quad on the internet says. I personally like all 3 and would be more than happy to have any one of them for my second quad (I'm still a sport guy).

Nocando

 

I have not riden all 3 side by side so I do not know if I agree or not, however as said above does it realy matter? Would those of you who bought the P650 now hate it if it lost? Of is the Rincon a lesser unit now that DW does not like it?
Read the mags for entertainment and don't take the crap personaly their tastes may differ from yours. I have watched the 400ex get trashed in every shootout so far yet I still am not going out and getting anything else, it works great for me and that is all that matters.

 

It's funny how a lot of you take info from a Magazine review as gospel. What do you do if one article loves the bike and one hates it? An example might be when the mags came out with their first Review of the Rincon. If my memory serves me correctly DW was the only one that was very critical of it, the rest had their issues here and there but seemed to like it, A perfect example of different opinions. How about you Polaris owners that have taken a beating from some of the mags out there, they were full of it then, but now they have this newfound insight. Come on, its Opinion and controversy sells Magazines. You’re being had if you get sucked in to believing everything they say, open your eyes.

If you’re planning on buying a new machine I hope you use some common sense and check out the machines for yourself and not listen to the "jaw flappers"on this site. There is good info that you can get here; you just have to weed through the crap to get to it. There are a lot of different bikes out there, ride them, read about them (not just here, consumer reports and others like it) and pick the one that serves your needs the best.

 

Has Honda ever made the fastest drag race quad ever? NO! Was the legendary 250R the fastest 250 made? NO, As a matter of fact in a straight line drags it was the slowest! Did that stop it from being the best 250? Honda has never cared about drag racing there machines why should they now. I am positive straight line speed was not what Honda was after with the Rincon. Honda it seems is concerned with a reliable well balanced machine. I doubt any of the quads they make in any class would win a drag race, Name one Rancher Nope, Rubicon nope, Recon nope, 300ex nope, 400ex NOPE! Go down the line not a drag racer among them. It's just not what they are after!


Nocando

 

It does'nt matter to me what Dumb Wheels ever posts about anything.They have published untrue stats and statements about SOoo many ATVs in the past,that they've lost any real credability that they may have ever had.Bad thing is,they do nothing to correct their mistakes in thei next issue's.

I bought my Rincon because after owning two POS Polaris 4x4s,I wanted something with a known reputation for relialbility.Honda products fit that description.I wished it had a true 4x4 mode and disk brakes to,but that did'nt stop me from buying it.

I did'nt buy it because of ANY magazine issue.

Bill

 

Everyone knows that I have been a Polaris man for years now. While I still like my 700, it would be a hard decision for me if I were buying today. My riding habits have changed, and I am not in the mud much anymore. That being said, I am not completely opposed to drum brakes. The Rincon rides very well. Not quite as smooth as the 700, but it is close and it is lighter. While it may feel slow, it is not. My 700 will hang right with most 650s. Actually, I raced one this weekend that had aluminum wheels and 25" rawhides. I had steel with 27" blackwaters. At the end of 100 yards we were dead even. I also raced a Rincon. He had on 28" Outlaws. I did win, but he was always withing a lenght or two. I think if we were both stock, it would be so close that the difference would not even matter. So, my point is that it is so close to the other big bores, we should not be questioning its performance.

Now, whether or not I would recommend one depends on what you want to do with it. If you want to mud, I would not recommend it at all. If you want to trail ride, I doubt you will find a better quad anywhere. If you want to do technical rock crawling, you might be better served with a quad with a locker and IRS. It just depends on your particualr needs. I was considering a Rincon for the wife to replace her Rubicon, but I talked to two Rincon owners this weekend and they both said that the Rincon engine braking sucks. That is all I needed to hear. the only reason we have a rubcion is that it has excellent engine braking and is stable going down hills. I guess I will keep it.

Greg

 

Kinda funny how sometimes you buy something because of one thing in particular and adjust to everything else. We bought our Rubicon because of the transmission. We thought it was too boxy at first, but after the ride we took yesterday we are glad it is boxy. Two of us rode Rubicons and the others road other brands and were covered in mud, we could still tie our shoe laces.

They are all different, get what most important to you.

 

the worst thing about these shotouts is that the bikes really need to have the EXACT same tires on ech bike. If you read any motorcycle mags like Sport Rider and Motorcyclist,any time they have a shotout they put the exact sme rubber on each bike. Because thats where the big difference is. The stock tires on a Kawi and really any other bike but the Polaris are crap. If you put everyone on the same rubber you will really get an idea of how they perform. Using the stock tires is noting short of handicapping the Prarie and the Grizz. When you think about it Polaris is smart as hell since they are the only builder that puts something besides desposable rubbers on their big bikes. That alone gives them a huge advantage in any shootout they are in. Every aspect of a quads performance relys on its tires. If you got a big honking engine that can put out major torque and power thats all well and good,but not having a good tire to hook up with, and that power wont do you a damn bit of good. Forget all the timeing lights and crap like that and just put them on a level playing field with all the same tires. Then see where everyone ends up at.

 

They allready did that in the April issue of DW. They put the same tires on all the atv's, and the 700 came out the winner. The fact is, when all the atv's in a shootout have the same tires, there isn't as much of a weight difference between them. And most people do put on new tires right after they buy there atv. Yes the 700 does have a advantage because of there tires, but also a disadvantage because of the extra weight, 58lbs more then the others. But having the same tires on each atv I think would really show how each atv will do, and be on a even playing field.

 

That shootout was to find the biggest baddest mudder out there and they also did some other mods like K&N filters pipes and other stuff. I mean when they do a bike comparison, they need to level the playing field and put the same tires on each bike. If they had the crappy Dunflops on a Polaris as they do on a Prarie would that Polaris be doing as well? No I didn't think so. Just like dragracing cars all the power in the world dont mean squat if you cant get them to hook up.