[kybmu]

I read on one website that all of the top manufactures where asked to submit their best ATV in the 500 class for a shoot out. Honda's entry was their Rubicon. The results were has follows:

1. Was the Suzuki's 450 King Quad
2. CanAM 500
3. Polaris 500
5. Yamaha's 450 Grizzly
6. Artic Cat's 500
7. Honda' Rubicon

The what they said about the honda was "As for our last-place finisher, the Honda, there are several things that make the machine feel really dated, despite the GPS display next to the instrumentation.

The engine is smooth and without a hiccup, and it gets high scores in the areas of stability and handling thanks to flat cornering.

While it handles well in most trail conditions, the suspension and brakes are badly in need of an update, regardless of how many Rubicons are sold. It would also benefit from a driveline upgrade to a locking differential to pull it through what its bottom-of-the-class ground clearance cannot.

Contributing Editor Jerrod Kelley said it best: “A rider will have to weigh this quad’s minuses (rough, small, slow, boring) vs. its pluses (name, reliability and tranny).â€

 

[kybmu]

QUOTE ("fatsam")

if ya dont like honda,you can go pound sand....

WHAT!

 

[kybmu]

QUOTE ("Codman")

Im kinda w/kymbu. Honda is reliable hands down. I have a 87 4trax that is still runnuing w/only 1 starter 2 muff. But my 06 rubi has the same wishbone rearend as my 4trax,and the rubi is the slowest in the 500 class. They badly need to update to F/I as mine does "all" the time and has been in the shop 14 times w/fix....its normal they will die sometimes. Please ,then give me back my $$$$ so I can buy a bike that will not!!!!

Compared to all the other 500's, Rubicon is at the top of the of the class in reliability. No other,except the foreman, can compare. However, the price of this machine is more than any 500 also, except the 500 can Am. So the price reflects the reliablity. which is also, ok. But to say that it is the best for the price isn;t true, cause you don't have any of the others capabilities. Not one. The power of this 500 is lower compared to any other. Maybe less than most 450's.

The featuries. Once again Rubicon has no diff loc, no IRS ( which makes no sense considering that all other 500's except Vinson has IRS, Honda in Canada is pushing it as a trail machine and they already have a work machine in the 500 class.) I would predict that in North America alone the sales for this machine would double with this feature. No EFI,which I thing they will soon fix and low ground clearance.

The features it does have over their compitation is:

Beltless auto tranny. A very good feature
Available GPS. Nice
and nice fit and finish.

Not enough to claim that thay have the best 500 system other or even close. To be a die hard Honda fan is one thing, but you have to admit they are not up to par with this machine.

To challenge the greatest ATV manufacture in the world to make the best ATVs isn't bashing. It's wanting a more competitive machine.