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Manual or Automatic?

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  #11  
Old 12-09-2004, 07:02 PM
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Default Manual or Automatic?

Originally posted by: Coyotechaser
I think that one reason for so many auto's is that the auto's are attractive to the beginners. There are so many people out there that are afraid to drive a standard. (car, truck or whatever) There are also a lot of people that just don't want to bother shifting. Some people like everything as easy as possible. Push a button and go.

I have also 4 wheeled with a few jeeps. My first jeep was a CJ7 with an automatic. The rest were standards from then on. One reason was because it's darn hard to pop start a automatic jeep. If you have a little starting problem. You can just pop start a standard jeep. Another reason is because you have to use the brakes a lot more with an automatic. After driving all over a mountain going through mud holes. If you exit the trails on top of the mountain. Your brakes are going to be wet. You could lose your brakes on the way down off the steep mountain. If you are driving a standard, you could just shift down and let the gears hold you back. Now I have a automatic truck. I really don't like using the brakes so much. A couple weeks ago I was driving down off a steep mountain. Same one I used to jeep on. I ended up shifting it into 4 wheel low to go down the steep parts because I didn't want to burn up the brakes. If my truck was a standard I could have just shifted it into a gear that would have held me back. (Like 1st gear)

Different people are going to like different things. I like to be able to shift down so I don't have to use my brakes a lot. Seeing that I have drum brakes. (on the Foreman) I don't ever want them to wear out. Mainly because I don't like working on drum brakes. I hardly ever use my brakes while riding my Foreman. Unless I am riding down a really super steep decline. Then I might use my brakes a little bit. Like the declines where you're in first gear and the tires are skidding because it's so steep.

Different people ride in different areas. Where I ride, I like to have a semi-auto. It is a pain to use a clutch all the time in the tight slow riding woods. Most quads with clutches are geared too high for where I ride. I like to control the quad instead of just riding the quad. I like like to be able to choose the right gear for every little spot I'm riding.

Once in a while, I read where people don't want a standard shift because they want to keep their dainty feet out of the water. What are you people doing out on the trails? Mud and water are part of the fun. Why even bother riding near mud and water if you're afraid of getting wet? Are you going to melt?

I am Coyotechaser and I like semi-auto's. I've been riding off and on for about 22 years. Now I feel old.
jeeps and auto cars have 3, 2 ,and 1 gear selection if u dont want to use your brakes its exactly the same as manual... and automatic does the exact same thing as you said... it selects the appropriate gear range for what you said every little spot your riding... it also gives you a much much wider range of gear ratios then a semi- manual.

now dont get on my case about not liking manual quads bacause i own one also

 
  #12  
Old 12-09-2004, 09:12 PM
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Default Manual or Automatic?

Originally posted by: Coyotechaser
Where I ride, I like to have a semi-auto.
coyote chaser,

your post kinda clarified something I should have said right away in this topic. There really are 3 kinds, manual, manual with an auto clutch, and a true auto. I guess I just have always considered a manual with an auto clutch a manual.

Ryan
 
  #13  
Old 12-10-2004, 12:20 AM
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Default Manual or Automatic?

Hello Coyotechaser. I got to agree with Polaris500HO4x4 about engine braking and auto versus manual transmissions. I see very little difference in engine braking between our old manual jeep and our automatic. As far as the manual versus the auto debates in the Jeep forums, I think it is now about a 50-50 wash.
BryceGTX
 
  #14  
Old 12-10-2004, 09:38 AM
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Default Manual or Automatic?

The only automatic I've driven that would hold back like a standard is my parents Lincoln LS. Just because it has auto and standard shifting capability. The auto's never seem to be geared as low as a first gear on a standard. (I'm refering to vehicles I've owned.) I used to have a '59 *****'s with granny gears. My Foreman is also geared lower in first gear than other semi-auto quads.

I'm not talking about shifting my automatic truck into a lower gear to hold back on a little hill. The declines I ride on are a couple miles long and really steep. The auto's just don't seem to hold back enough. (The few I've driven. truck, jeep or quad) Of course, different people are going to have different experiences with different quads or vehicles. I'm used to having low low gears compared to other vehicles and quads.


I know a guy that crashed about 16 years ago. He was driving down off the exact same mountain after 4 wheeling in some mud. He started down off the mountain, his brakes failed and over the edge he went. He was driving a Chevy truck with an automatic. Picture downshifting an auto in a emergency situation. It just doesn't seem the same as shifting down a standard in a emergency situation. Some engine braking is better than other engine braking on different quads. Some auto quads only have D-N-R to choose from. If there is a emergency situation where a hill is too steep for the engine braking and the brakes fail. Then what do you do? I can shift down.
 
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Old 12-10-2004, 01:25 PM
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Default Manual or Automatic?

I don't have enough experience with manual tranny trucks and cars to have a valid opinion, though that wasn't the actual topic anyway. I do have to agree with coyote chaser on the atv part though, I have gone down many hills in first on my wolverine without using brakes, where if I was riding one of my parents Polaris's the brakes would be a must.

Ryan
 
  #16  
Old 12-10-2004, 01:38 PM
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Default Manual or Automatic?

Just my opinion and other bikes are different, but the brake issue hasn't been a problem with me. The Rubicon engine breaking is all I need on most declines... I often find myself using the throttle while going down because the engine breaking works so well. When I rode a 450 Foreman manual, I used the brakes more often until I downshifted to the lower gear that suited the decline and speed I wanted. The Ruby automatic is already slowing the bike with no hesitation for downshifting and it often slows too much requiring throttle. I actually think, on this particular bike, that my brakes are used much less than a manual.
 
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Old 12-10-2004, 02:16 PM
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K2,

You could be right about the honda auto. I have no experience with the honda auto on steep hills. All the people I know that ride honda still have the manual tranny from a couple years ago (or switch to yamaha with there new atv's). Do you or anyone else have experience with multiple brands of auto's on steep hills? I am curious what other people think, but until I hear something to sway me, I think that overall manuals are better on hills.

Another point of arguement I noticed is that there is a hesitation shifting manuals and the auto is quicker. IMO I think that it is more or an experience thing. I have never had trouble shifting fast enough downhill or up.

Ryan
 
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Old 12-10-2004, 02:17 PM
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Default Manual or Automatic?

............because I'm old, I'm lazy and I'm tired of "rowing".
The "auto" seems to be in the correct power-band and maintains momentum during a load situation.......the quad picks the gear, I pick the path and technique.
Its reliable.
Snowmobiles have used them for ever.
Other than that, I'd get a manual. (auto-clutch)
 
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Old 12-10-2004, 03:45 PM
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Default Manual or Automatic?

Originally posted by: MNWolverine01
K2,

You could be right about the honda auto. I have no experience with the honda auto on steep hills. All the people I know that ride honda still have the manual tranny from a couple years ago (or switch to yamaha with there new atv's). Do you or anyone else have experience with multiple brands of auto's on steep hills? I am curious what other people think, but until I hear something to sway me, I think that overall manuals are better on hills.

Another point of arguement I noticed is that there is a hesitation shifting manuals and the auto is quicker. IMO I think that it is more or an experience thing. I have never had trouble shifting fast enough downhill or up.

Ryan
The different autos, behave a bit differently, the rubi is a very good engine braking, auto matic.
The yami and the suzuki , and some a/c ( with suzi tranny), will engine brake very good, not quite as strong as a manual tranny quad, but still very good.
Also , alot of the engine braking depends on which wheels are getting resistance. The ones that can have 4 wheel engine braking will work much stronger than the ones that are rear only. Lets face it, when youre going down a steep hill,almost all the weight is on the front wheels, and thats where the braking needs to be.
The engine braking on my kodiak, works almost as well as the engine braking on my foreman. Either one will come down steep hills, with no hand brakes, and be totally controllable.
Ive found that my wife and daughters, really preferr the autos, they really dont like the manual shifting. I really preferr the auto for the slop, because the motor is always in the powerband, and i dont have to worry about running out of steam by being in the wrong gear, but on the fast parts of the trail, its fun to wind it out in each gear of a manual. I guess I like both...autos and manuals.
 
  #20  
Old 12-10-2004, 03:50 PM
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Default Manual or Automatic?

MNWolverine01,

I can see the point about inexperienced riders being slower with their shifting, but after some time they figure out the timing and get better. Afterall, there isn't a tremendous amount of a learning curve or skills needed to shift these things. I guess the point I was making is that "some" autos, with descent engine braking, greatly reduce the need for actual braking. The auto engine braking was always slowing me down and often more than needed. But, Rubicons are known for their strong engine braking anyway.

As far as other bikes, I can only comment on the Kawasaki Praire 400 and the 650. I have some experience on both, but would agree that they require more braking than a manual since they don't seem to have as much engine braking.
 


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