I'm looking at either the Eiger or the TRX420FM Rancher. The honda seems to be a better machine on paper with EFI liquid cooled etc... but what worries me is the price of the 2 are pretty much the same. I'll be using the machine for half recreation and half farm/hunting type work. I'll be pulling logs with it so I would prefer the solid rear end. I'll also be using it in the snow, and the Eiger has higher ground clearance. I'm hoping someone can shed some light on this.

thanks

 

I have a 2006 rancher 400AT and a 2005 Eiger Manual. I dont think theres anything in the 400 class range that can beat the low gear of the eiger. Ill get the rancher in the mud and it cant push the mud. Put that eiger in the mud in low gear and the mud will be flying everwere. plus the the top speed is in the high 50's. You cant go wrong buying an eiger plus its alot cheaper

 

like the above post states low gear is deadly! i love my eiger and dont regret it none!

 

So here in the Suzuki forum you are going to get votes for the Eiger. In your query in the Honda forum it's all Honda. What a surprise.

I think as a work machine the the Eiger will have the edge. If you get the 5-speed then you'll have low range and no belt issues to worry about. Overall, I think that the Honda is the better machine. EFI is a very good thing and a larger engine can't hurt. Realistically I think that both are pretty close. I was surprised when one ATV mag (DW I think) gave first place to the Eiger and second place to the Rancher in a 400cc shootout a couple of issues ago. However, I noticed that in the most recent issue, they retested and gave the Rancher the win this time. Bottom line is that both machines are within a few dollars of the same price and perform very close to each other. I give the Rancher the nod only due to the EFI, larger engine, ES shifting (if you are comparing to a foot shift Eiger) and a few extra goodies in the guage cluster.

Sometimes just sitting on one can tell you a lot. One ATV may feel 'just right and the other may not.

Jaybee

 

44cc displacement advantage will never make up the advantage of a low range tranny for low end grunt,,shift or belt. Read up on any mud run or load pull ATV contest and show us a ATV without a low range that won or even came close.

 

I think I'm leaning towards the Eiger. Talking to dealers that carry both they seem to say the eiger is slightly better. I thought if anything they would be saying the Honda is the better machine but they're not. One dealer said they're selling 5 suzukis for every honda, which really suprised me.
thanks for all the replies

 

The 420 Rancher is beauty of a ATV , it,s just that when you stated


"I'll be using the machine for half recreation and half farm/hunting type work. I'll be pulling logs with it"


thats when the heaver low range equipped ATV with larger tires would have a advantage.

If I gave up Fishing and camping I would be on a 420 Wolverine instead of a large Utility ATV.