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Seriously Considering a New 2013 Rubicon...

6K views 40 replies 16 participants last post by  hoosier 
#1 ·
I'm seriously considering a new 2013 Rubicon with power steering, in camo.

I have a Honda Rancher 350 4x4 ES, which I bought new in 2002. My son and I have put it through constant torture ever since, and the only repairs we've had to make are a new carb, new front wheel bearings, and a battery fuse. That's it. So I'm really sold on Honda reliability.

My only hesitation in buying the Rubicon is lack of IRS. Do any of you Rubicon owners seriously miss IRS?

BTW, the type of riding I do is mainly logging roads, moderate mud, moderate hills and ruts, etc. No serious rock climbing.

Thanks in advance.
 
#7 ·
That's a good point. But I'm 9 years older than when I bought the Rancher (I just turned 50) and I'm a sucker for comfort.

Too bad I can't test ride a Yahama 550 Grizzly and a Rubicon side-by-side.

I'm asking for opinions from Rubicon owners who have also ridden IRS quads. Do you really wish the Rubicon had IRS? And if so, do you wish you had bought a different quad than the Rubicon?
 
#3 ·
Solid rear axle > IRS. Stronger, less maint, better.

That is of course unless you're a wuss who wants a smooth cushy ride. IMO if you want a smooth cushy ride take up golf as a hobby and stay on the cart path.
 
#4 ·
wait till the 14 models come out and see what changes (my bet is foreman twin with a bigger bore)

irs is nice for comfort the SRA is going to be tougher on many work applications, personally i like the solid axle, but my next bike down the road that i turn into a mini submarine will prob be irs for the ground clearance
 
#10 ·
Get a rubi and put a perfex on it. Lift, better ride, and you get to keep the SRA. Won't ride like IRS but worth it to keep SRA (again, imo)
 
#12 ·
I have both and I love riding my rubi, but if ride is of serious importance to you, IRS does everything better except pull a trailer. you can mess with the shocks and springs all you want but it wont ride as good as IRS. it WILL be a heck of an improvement over that 350 though...

do I miss my IRS when I ride my rubicon? not usually, unless Im following an IRS bike on rough roads or through rutted up holes that hang up the SRA... I just ride slower.
 
#13 ·
I have both, Foreman and a Rincon.I ride Rincon more cause I feel its a better trail quad due to IRS. I use Foreman more for snow plowing,yard work. I still enjoy riding Foreman on same trails,I just ride slower. The only places I got to ride are two hour drive from home, so I try to ride at least 100 miles,to make it worth while,thats about five to six hours riding. My 48 year old body is a lot stiffer next day if I do that on Foreman.
 
#14 ·
heres only wishing the 2014 comes a big bore Foreman with IRS, more ground clearance, electronic ignition...would have to be water cooled.

crossing my fingers...
 
#15 ·
heres only wishing the 2014 comes a big bore Foreman with IRS, more ground clearance, electronic ignition...would have to be water cooled.

crossing my fingers...
Me too. Been wishing for that for a few years now. That's why I've put off this decision. But I'm tired of my old Rancher, I'm ready for a new quad, and I've given up on Honda putting IRS on the Foreman/Rubicon line.

So I've got to resign myself to choosing between the Rubicon without IRS, or the Yahama Grizzly. Personally, I would prefer the Rubicon WITH IRS.

I'd be fine with the Grizzly, but a lot of owners mention "tippiness" when describing how their Grizzlies feel. I just wish I could test ride one.
 
#16 ·
everyboddy keeps saying thay "wish" the rubicon would come with IRS or a big bore .........you can wish all you want but it will never happen !!!!!! honda foreman and rubicons are made to work !!! thats it and thats all so ether ride a honda (and ride it for 10+ bumpy years ) or buy that grizz and replace it after 5+ years because its falling apart .
 
#18 ·
True. The Foreman/ Rubicon have SRA cause they're made to work. IRS is offered on the Rancher and the Rincon for play. I, for one, don't want IRS and would be irritated if Honda changed the Foreman line, because then we wouldnt have a choice that includes s SRA
 
#23 ·
Its not till about 8 mph the rincon starts freewheeling. So use the brakes. I feel you have more control using brakes. Maybe its just me but when desending steep hills,I keep it in a higher gear so ass end does not lock up. And as far as climbing up hill and riding over rock ledges,I think the torque converter does a great job.
 
#25 ·
Billy, in your last post you mention you want auto tranny,thats the one thing I dislike with Rincon,is the tranny in auto mode.I ride 99% of time in esp mode,because in auto,it seems like it cant decide what gear it wants to be in,and the shifts are kind of hard. Theres times I want to ride in auto cause Im being lazy,but I go right back to esp cause it drives me nuts.
 
#26 · (Edited)
Billy, in your last post you mention you want auto tranny,thats the one thing I dislike with Rincon,is the tranny in auto mode.I ride 99% of time in esp mode,because in auto,it seems like it cant decide what gear it wants to be in,and the shifts are kind of hard. Theres times I want to ride in auto cause Im being lazy,but I go right back to esp cause it drives me nuts.
Thanks Shank, but wouldn't the continuous variable nature of the Rubicon tranny mitigate the kind of behavior your referring to with the Rincon? If not, please forgive my ignorance. I'm trying to take in a bunch of info in a short amount of time...

Thanks for your reply Shank. I appreciate it, and the friendly nature of this web site.
 
#27 ·
I never rode a Rubicon,but what I have read about them you dont feel the shifts,more like a belt drive. Im sure somebody else will chime in on that.The Rincon is more like a car tranny with a shift kit,you feel every shift. I like the Rincon,just dont like auto mode.I keep kicking around the idea of trading my Foreman in on Rubicon just for the tranny.
 
#29 ·
If the Rubicon has a CVT, then the reason don't feel the shifts is because it never does. It just tightens and loosens the belt for what it needs. I didn't know that the rubicon had a CVT now...
 
#33 ·
Oh boy. Hydrostatic and me don't get along at all lol
Why is that? Rubicon tranny is very smooth and the reason I bought mine. While not quite as plush as irs, with adjustable shocks it rides good enough for me.I looked at a Grizzly,ended up buying one for my son because that's what he wanted. I'll probably never ride anything but a Honda.
 
#32 ·
the rubicons transmission is the single best feature on the bike in my opinion. it does its job flawlessly on the 05's and later. it might soak up some power but you'll never notice it riding with hondas other 500's. if they had put the hondamatic in the rincon I would have bought that instead.
 
#34 ·
I have a Rincon and enjoy it. So much so that I have not used my 450 for anything in about 3 months. I grab the Rincon every trail ride, every time I go ice fishing, every time I drag my ice shanty etc. It doesn't have the low end of other bikes, but in my opinion it has never stopped me from doing anything. My 450 is very low geared but if I try to pull or tow something heavy my wheels end up spinning anyways.

The IRS is hands down amazing on rides. I will be putting on heavier springs this summer to help with plowing and trailering and I think that my Rincon will make me 100% happy.
 
#36 ·
In my experience hydrostats work fine if they are serviced properly. I have a John Deere 112L mower that my grandparents bought in 1984-1985 and I still use it ince a week in the summer to mow their 1.5-2 acre yard.
I'm a KISS guy, so I wanted an air cooled foot shift machine, but I ride with basfnb and he's given his 06 Rubicon 1600 miles of abuse and his tranny has never misseda beat. I wouldn't touch an 02-04 Rubicon, but wouldn't hesitate to get an 05-up
 
#38 ·
im bout to roll over 2000 miles of abuse!! my $hit is TOUGH!! :happy:happy
 
#37 ·
Preventative maintenance goes a long way. Oil changes etc. especially on a machine like the Rincon.
 
#41 ·
I have a Rubicon my father in law has a 350 rancher and my dad has a sportsman 500. The Rubi rides 100% better than the Rancher. The sportsman is cushy...but that's not all good. When in off camber situations it feels like it is going to roll over. The Rubi feels much more stable because of the low center of gravity.

With a set of good tires (Bighorns) my Rubi rides great. I love the hydro transmission too...way better than a belt drive.
 
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