Ok..here's the scoop...400 kilometers on my rancher...i can't keep up with my buddy on his Big Bear because my bike rides so rough. If i go as fast as him i'll shake the crap out of myself or bounce off the trail. When we switch bikes he can't keep up to me. So it ain't the rider. So my question is, does the rancher suspension ever soften up?

 

There are suspension kits that help soften the ride a lot. I have a PERFEX kit from www.perfexcanada.com is makes a huge difference (I can actually go fast in a bumby trail WITH a passenger) ...

 

If it works that good, that's terrific. The missus likes to ride on back and i always have to crawl or else i'll have to pick her out of a brook or a bog every few minutes. She ain't fussy on that.

 

I have a 2000 rancher es and a 2000 big bear. I have ridden both a lot and the ride comfort is almost identical. The rancher will outrun the big bear on smooth level ground. 40 mph for the honda, 37/38 mph for the big bear.

Ted

 

Jackrabbit,

I went to the www.perfexcanada.com web page to look at the suspension you mentioned for the rancher. I don't read or speak french. For some reason we don't need the language much in East Texas. Would you please describe what the suspension upgrade consists of?

Thanks

Ted

 

Dusty, it's probably true in your situation that the two machines ride very similar...but the difference in mine and my buddy's is VERY noticable....also, if the 40 mph you mention is the top speed of your rancher, it should be running faster than that (50) unless you have weight additions or other modifications done.

 

GreatCanadian,

It won't go over 40 mph. If I was in Canada, it would probably do 50 kph. I don't remember the conversion rate of mph to kph. It is totally stock. 40 mph is all it will do in high gear with the throttle wide open. Most other rancher owners I have talked with the past two years agree that their ranchers will only do about 40 mph.

Ted

 

40 mph is 64 kph

 

I was wrong about the top speed of my Foreman. I took it out this afternoon and opened it up. It did 45 mph. I really thought 40 was the highest I could get in the summer. I wonder if the cold, dense air of winter makes a difference over the hot, humid air of summer for top speed.

Ted

 

Also check out Works shocks. i know there are 3 different set ups I can get for the front of my Foreman.

1 - rider weight up to 160 or 180 lbs
2 - rider weight over 160 or 180 lbs
3 - snow plow rated units (I think these are adjustable too)

For the rear the 1st 2 choices are available.


So if you don't weigh much, the 1st option may help alot.