I got an '06 and a '07 Foreman 500ES. Do similar riding as to what you have in mind but also do a lot of riding in the mountains. Absolutely love the ES and haven't had no problems other than a weak battery on the '06 which was warranted. These atv's in my opinion have more than enough power for your needs. The hondamatic is a pricey beast to fix should it go south on you, hence the reason for choosing the ES models. To answer your question ES I believe stands for electric shift, ( push button shift vs foot pedal shift with the manual )