I have a 2003 Rubicon, and having been out of the game for a while with regard to new models, I am back in looking for a new machine to add now that my son is old enough to ride a big machine.
Being a "Honda guy" and a Rubicon fan, I naturally looked at the new Rubicon, and discovered it no longer has either the Hondamatic nor the 499 ci. engine. It now has a DCT transmission (optional) and a 475 ci. engine. At first glance, this doesn't look like a Rubicon to me...it looks like a Foreman with IRS and optional automatic, but since I have been out of the research game, forums and all for quite some time, can someone give me some insight on the new machine? I've read the reviews, and while they cover the machine quite well, they don't go into the evolution of the machine, which is what I'm interested in. Is the 475 ci engine the same Foreman engine that has been around for years, or is it all new? WHat happened to the HOndamatic and the 499 ci engine? What about the IRS...can it handle a pair of elk rear quarters the way the solid axle could? Etc!
Thank you!
Being a "Honda guy" and a Rubicon fan, I naturally looked at the new Rubicon, and discovered it no longer has either the Hondamatic nor the 499 ci. engine. It now has a DCT transmission (optional) and a 475 ci. engine. At first glance, this doesn't look like a Rubicon to me...it looks like a Foreman with IRS and optional automatic, but since I have been out of the research game, forums and all for quite some time, can someone give me some insight on the new machine? I've read the reviews, and while they cover the machine quite well, they don't go into the evolution of the machine, which is what I'm interested in. Is the 475 ci engine the same Foreman engine that has been around for years, or is it all new? WHat happened to the HOndamatic and the 499 ci engine? What about the IRS...can it handle a pair of elk rear quarters the way the solid axle could? Etc!
Thank you!