Yeah, I looked at the Can-Am, but I heard about several reliability issues, so I never even rode one. For me, the best utility ATV will never have a single thing to do with speed. I'm only 19, but for a utility ATV, comfort, capability, and reliability are highest on my list of must-haves.
worst of the 500 class
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€
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€
21 - 40 of 204 Posts
QUOTE ("Codman":3vl40myx)
Oh and pleae proof read your posts and make sure you typed in ENGLISH so the rest of us can read it.
Why change something that has been proven to work over the years?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 $$$$ so I can buy a bike that will not!!!!
Oh and pleae proof read your posts and make sure you typed in ENGLISH so the rest of us can read it.
you might want to proof read your own posts...QUOTE ("GTRider245":3dhz016h)
Oh and pleae proof read your posts and make sure you typed in ENGLISH so the rest of us can read it.[/quote]
QUOTE ("Codman":3dhz016h)
Why change something that has been proven to work over the years?Im kinda w/kymbu. Honda is reliable hands down. I have a 87 4trax that is still runnuing w/only 1 starter 2 muff. But my 06 rubi has the same wishbone rearend as my 4trax,and the rubi is the slowest in the 500 class. They badly need to update to F/I as mine does "all" the time and has been in the shop 14 times w/fix....its normal they will die sometimes. Please ,then give me back my $$$$ so I can buy a bike that will not!!!!
Oh and pleae proof read your posts and make sure you typed in ENGLISH so the rest of us can read it.[/quote]
Ok. Throw an "S" in there. At least you understood what I was saying.
QUOTE ("Codman")
The featuries. Once again Rubicon has no diff loc, no IRS ( which makes no sense considering that all other 500's except Vinson has IRS, Honda in Canada is pushing it as a trail machine and they already have a work machine in the 500 class.) I would predict that in North America alone the sales for this machine would double with this feature. No EFI,which I thing they will soon fix and low ground clearance.
The features it does have over their compitation is:
Beltless auto tranny. A very good feature
Available GPS. Nice
and nice fit and finish.
Not enough to claim that thay have the best 500 system other or even close. To be a die hard Honda fan is one thing, but you have to admit they are not up to par with this machine.
To challenge the greatest ATV manufacture in the world to make the best ATVs isn't bashing. It's wanting a more competitive machine.
Compared to all the other 500's, Rubicon is at the top of the of the class in reliability. No other,except the foreman, can compare. However, the price of this machine is more than any 500 also, except the 500 can Am. So the price reflects the reliablity. which is also, ok. But to say that it is the best for the price isn;t true, cause you don't have any of the others capabilities. Not one. The power of this 500 is lower compared to any other. Maybe less than most 450's.Im kinda w/kymbu. Honda is reliable hands down. I have a 87 4trax that is still runnuing w/only 1 starter 2 muff. But my 06 rubi has the same wishbone rearend as my 4trax,and the rubi is the slowest in the 500 class. They badly need to update to F/I as mine does "all" the time and has been in the shop 14 times w/fix....its normal they will die sometimes. Please ,then give me back my $$$$ so I can buy a bike that will not!!!!
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.
Actually, I got a better deal as far as price with my Rubicon last week than any other brand would give me. I got my '06 for $5799. So even though MSRP might be higher, the Rubicon is not the most expensive out the door of a dealership, at least not in South Arkansas.
And I still don't understand why you enjoy telling Rubicon/Foreman owners that we made a bad choice...it looks like you are making an attempt to force your opinion on us, which is obviously not going to work, because nobody here is going to say "you know, this guy is right...I'm going to go trade my Rubi in on the new (place anything but a honda here)".
Oh, and about IRS...it is not better than SRA. This is a preference issue, and i happen to prefer SRA. Early in my research on my purchase, I had the Vinson 500 and King Quad 450 in my list of possibilities, but I eliminated the KQ because I don't like the way the IRS handles.
have a nice day.
And I still don't understand why you enjoy telling Rubicon/Foreman owners that we made a bad choice...it looks like you are making an attempt to force your opinion on us, which is obviously not going to work, because nobody here is going to say "you know, this guy is right...I'm going to go trade my Rubi in on the new (place anything but a honda here)".
Oh, and about IRS...it is not better than SRA. This is a preference issue, and i happen to prefer SRA. Early in my research on my purchase, I had the Vinson 500 and King Quad 450 in my list of possibilities, but I eliminated the KQ because I don't like the way the IRS handles.
have a nice day.
Personally I would not want more ground clearance if it makes me lose stability. All the guys I ride with who have Suzukis and Artic Cats and Polaris like how stable mine feels compared to theirs when they ride it.
I agree, We were riding on a trail which ran on a sidehill and the guy ahead of me had to stop and let his wife walk for a ways because they thought it might roll over. I just rode normal no problem at all.Personally I would not want more ground clearance if it makes me lose stability. All the guys I ride with who have Suzukis and Artic Cats and Polaris like how stable mine feels compared to theirs when they ride it.
I think Honda could do better with the Foremans. They could also do better with the Ranchers, the Recon, and the Rincon. Even the TRX sport quads could use some upgrading. But, all the other manufacturers could do better also with their models too. Hondas are reliable, sturdy, and tough. Most people don't go out and get thier ATV's for a specific purpose. They see ads on the internet, commercials on tv for super powerful, super fast quads with 100 horse power V-twin motors and asume those are the quads that they should buy. They just don't know what they're getting into, and a lot of them end up selling their quads a few months after they bought them because they are just too much. I myself got a Rincon because it is a sport utility ATV. I can blaze through the trails with a sporty feel, with plenty of power to climb hills and do wheelies and whatever else (watch my youtube vids). But, if I need to do work, it will work. I do wish it had adjustable suspension, less vibration, little more stock ground clearence, but I can work around that. I got the Rinny because I knew what I was getting myself into, because i've been around a few of them.
my two cents....
I have a rubi and I also have one of the competitions bikes. both are excellent machines and shine in different areas. with all the hype over things like EFI, PS, IRS and lockers... its easy to be influenced to think we really need all these "improvements" to have a more capable trail bike.
EFI- well it sure is nice starting my EFI bike. no choke to mess around with. it always runs great right off the bat. the down side is that when the battery goes dead youre stuck with no alternative other than a towrope or booster cables. pull starting one of these is not an option.
Lockers- again, they work great and I love mine. that said, my rubicon has only gotten stuck in a few spots where my other bike made it through. 95 times out of a hundred it makes little difference in typical trail riding conditions. I ride trails and not exclusively mud pits. some of these trails are crazy steep, rocky and technical and the locker has not proved to be a significant advantage in my experience.
IRS- Ive got to admit my other bike rides like a dream compared to my rubicon. its like comparing a 2000+ cadillac to a pre-1975 4wd truck. I do prefer the flat feeling when cornering with a SRA and truth is when I ride I very seldom get to go faster than 15-20mph because of the terrain and visibility. there is also the arguement about additional clearance afforded by the use of IRS. well its true, if youre riding in rutted out muddy trails. however, on normal rocky trails and creekbeds, I seem to bottom out my other bike twice as often as my rubi and I cant figure out why. it has 3 more inches of clearance and it should be much better than the honda.
PS- well I have yet to notice any significant advantage to having power steering... except when I am climbing steep stuff and standing while steering. this is a LOT easier to do with power steering. I still come home from riding sore no matter which quad I am riding.
Belts- well its true they suck. however, they also work REAL well if you treat them right... and they can last forever. I know people that have put 5000 miles on an 800cc quad with a belt before replacing it. or, you can abuse a brand new belt in a mud pit and wipe it out in literally seconds. another myth about belts... my other bike has far more engine braking than my rubicon. after all that, I still prefer my rubicons tranny. its da bomb and I wouldnt change a thing.
One thing that is certain is that it sure is nice that we have so many options to choose from when purchasing our 4wheelers. I am extremely loyal to my honda. its been REAL good to me over its lifetime and I have no intention of getting rid of it. I LOVE my Rubicon. however my other bike is a freekin blast to ride, and after its first 1000 miles it has yet to give me any troubles. it definitely is better suited to a different style of riding than my rubi, and it does it real well. it doesnt mean that ones better than the other... just different.
I have a rubi and I also have one of the competitions bikes. both are excellent machines and shine in different areas. with all the hype over things like EFI, PS, IRS and lockers... its easy to be influenced to think we really need all these "improvements" to have a more capable trail bike.
EFI- well it sure is nice starting my EFI bike. no choke to mess around with. it always runs great right off the bat. the down side is that when the battery goes dead youre stuck with no alternative other than a towrope or booster cables. pull starting one of these is not an option.
Lockers- again, they work great and I love mine. that said, my rubicon has only gotten stuck in a few spots where my other bike made it through. 95 times out of a hundred it makes little difference in typical trail riding conditions. I ride trails and not exclusively mud pits. some of these trails are crazy steep, rocky and technical and the locker has not proved to be a significant advantage in my experience.
IRS- Ive got to admit my other bike rides like a dream compared to my rubicon. its like comparing a 2000+ cadillac to a pre-1975 4wd truck. I do prefer the flat feeling when cornering with a SRA and truth is when I ride I very seldom get to go faster than 15-20mph because of the terrain and visibility. there is also the arguement about additional clearance afforded by the use of IRS. well its true, if youre riding in rutted out muddy trails. however, on normal rocky trails and creekbeds, I seem to bottom out my other bike twice as often as my rubi and I cant figure out why. it has 3 more inches of clearance and it should be much better than the honda.
PS- well I have yet to notice any significant advantage to having power steering... except when I am climbing steep stuff and standing while steering. this is a LOT easier to do with power steering. I still come home from riding sore no matter which quad I am riding.
Belts- well its true they suck. however, they also work REAL well if you treat them right... and they can last forever. I know people that have put 5000 miles on an 800cc quad with a belt before replacing it. or, you can abuse a brand new belt in a mud pit and wipe it out in literally seconds. another myth about belts... my other bike has far more engine braking than my rubicon. after all that, I still prefer my rubicons tranny. its da bomb and I wouldnt change a thing.
One thing that is certain is that it sure is nice that we have so many options to choose from when purchasing our 4wheelers. I am extremely loyal to my honda. its been REAL good to me over its lifetime and I have no intention of getting rid of it. I LOVE my Rubicon. however my other bike is a freekin blast to ride, and after its first 1000 miles it has yet to give me any troubles. it definitely is better suited to a different style of riding than my rubi, and it does it real well. it doesnt mean that ones better than the other... just different.
I attended the very first 2011 Polaris Introduction at a private hunting ranch in Montana back in June and rode every 2011 Polaris ATV and SxS.
The 400 and 500 Sportsman "value" line are the two biggest pieces of **** I have ever ridden, I couldn't wait to get off them. I felt like I was being punished.:lol:
They have the industry’s worst engine braking:rant, if that’s what they call it. I thought they had serious engine/trans problems from all of the banging and belt slapping noises at low speeds. ONE BRAKE LEVER:rant, McPherson Strut front suspension and the world’s worst belt drive/clutch set up there is.
The trans sticks out soo far and the left side you just about don't have room for your foot.
What a pile, I can't believe that people even buy those things.
It kills me that soo many people look for a machine that is going to take them deep into the backwoods and their biggest concern is a smooth ride, what a joke.
What about stability and/or reliability??
They way out, what a joke. First you need to get in and Polaris isn't the way in or the way out unless one of the Hondas brings a tow rope.
Even with all the changes and improvements that Polaris has made they are still unquestionably the most undependable ATV on the market today.
I've said it before and I'll say it again... had a Polaris 350 4x4 and a Honda 200 Fourtrax when my kid was little. Honda was slow and rode like a wagon. Polaris was fast and smooth. After 4 years, Polaris was worn out and Honda kept on going.
Rode bikes all weekend, put Honda up and worked all week on Polaris to fix what I broke on the weekend. Quality far inferior to Honda. I suspect it still is. Polaris dealer was very shady, Honda dealer still in business after 20 years. Glad to be back on a Honda!:happy
Rode bikes all weekend, put Honda up and worked all week on Polaris to fix what I broke on the weekend. Quality far inferior to Honda. I suspect it still is. Polaris dealer was very shady, Honda dealer still in business after 20 years. Glad to be back on a Honda!:happy
We used to have a polaris dealer near me, and then it went out of business. Now I have no idea where the nearest one is.
opionions are like a$$ holes and my opinion is honda is by far the best atv on the market ya cant kill em might not be the fastest or have the most ground clearance but i have a winch to pull my self out and i have a truck to go faster most of the time you ride to enjoy scenery to take your mind off of everyday life whats the fun in blasting threw it on some big bore quad
like i said opinions are like a$$ holes but that was mine
like i said opinions are like a$$ holes but that was mine
The only thing I wish my rubicon had was Efi. I'm waiting for the ruby to come out with EFI and I'll buy it over any other product out there. Hands down.:bowdown::yahoo
Post your resource. I wanta see where you found this infoI 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€
GUYS THAT THREAD WAS STARTED IN 2007! :lolPost your resource. I wanta see where you found this info
WOW, See how much I pay attentionGUYS THAT THREAD WAS STARTED IN 2007! :lol
yeah i live in the small town the only local dealer is a paloris figured they could handle boring out the cylinder been there two months when to get it to day and the piston wouldnt fit in the cylinder said the piston was defected ill make the hour drive to the honda shop next time all my family has Honda was riding long time ago my brother on a 650 and body on a grizzly 700 we had to turn around cuz the grizzly couldn't fit between trees
LOL,im about like the rest, i went out a drove and tested just about everything on the market,i'm not rich by any means,so when i spend that amout of money,i have to get something that will last,and i just kept coming back to look at the honda's. not the biggest or the fastest. just a honest to goodness quality machine,that gets me home..bought my foreman in may,and not one single regret.
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