cchagros
New Hampshire
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Over30 wrote:cchagros wrote: There was another quad riding with us...a Sportsman 700. He broke, and we had to tow him 12 miles back to the truck.
Rule #1, if there is a Polaris in your group you can count on some kind of trail drama that day.
CC i think we would both agree the Honda utility line up is in need of a long overdue overhaul. Although the Rincon is at least 'adequate' it can barely hang with the 500 cc class quads of its competition.
The ONLY 500cc ute that could possibly keep with a Rinny 680 is the Outlander 500, but you're right. Anything 650ccs and up has more power in stock form. The Rincon would still be on my list of possibilities if I had to buy today. In a lot of ways, I'd take one over my King Quad or a Grizzly.
2010 Honda Rincon, Red, Bone Stock
2005 Suzuki King Quad, Yellow, Mudlite XTRs
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BlueRapted
Ragley,La
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CC, it has nothing to do with how the newer honda engines are mounted. I used that term to describe the newer models. And it has nothing to do with here-say. I'm stating my opinion from personal experiance with friends that own some and because I'm an atv/motorcycle technician and work on these models more than any other. Especially the older rancher models. I don't know, maybe these atvs just get rode harder down south then up north. But the newer hondas are definitely not any more reliable than the other newer brands. And CC, where is your experience coming from? Just riding,owning,and friends? Or do you have any mechanical experience?
Not bashing, just askin?
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cchagros
New Hampshire
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BlueRapted wrote:CC, it has nothing to do with how the newer honda engines are mounted. I used that term to describe the newer models. And it has nothing to do with here-say. I'm stating my opinion from personal experiance with friends that own some and because I'm an atv/motorcycle technician and work on these models more than any other. Especially the older rancher models. I don't know, maybe these atvs just get rode harder down south then up north. But the newer hondas are definitely not any more reliable than the other newer brands. And CC, where is your experience coming from? Just riding,owning,and friends? Or do you have any mechanical experience?
Not bashing, just askin?
Owned a 1996 300 Fourtrax, 2000 Rancher, 2001 Rancher, 2003 Rincon. My riding group includes another 300 Fourtrax, a Foreman 400, a Rubicon, and two more Rancher 350s. Virtually all of us ride em hard, and have mud and water addictions. I just haven't seen any difference in reliability from the newer motors and the old is all.
No, I am not a tech, but have worked in the automotive service industry as a service manager. One thing I can tell you is it can be hard to judge certain models from a technicians standpoint, because the tech only gets to see the broken ones. I'm not saying your vision is blurred by any means though. I'd be intersted in knowing what types of failures you have seen in the newer engines that were not an issue with the older mills. I do know the rancher ESP setup can have issues, particularly with the servo motors that make em shift (been there, done that).
This thread can truly only be driven by one thing, our personal riding experiences, and what we have seen. I don't think anyone here has the info required to make a 100% sound technical assesment on this issue, unless someone here has worked on all models from all brands repeatedly.
1. I like Honda quality, but feel they lack in other areas, namely performance and a few missing features.
2. I like the way my King Quad rides, but am disappointed with fit, finish, and durability.
3. I have had some Yamahas, and rate them with the Suzukis. Never had any luck with them from a durability standpoint.
4. I only owned one Kawi...a Bayou 220, so my experience on them is limited (although the Bayou did take one hell of a beating)
5. Wouldn't touch a Polaris with a ten foot pole, but not because of reliability issues as much as no quad should weigh 800 pounds.
6. I like Can Ams, but the frames scare the hell out of me, and I am a rock basher.
I don't believe there is a quad made today that will be more durable than a Honda Foreman or Rubicon. None of these rubber band driven machines will stand up to the abuse you can throw at a real gearbox, and these machines are built SOLID. However, as a trail machine, they are dated, and for the most part, obsolete from both a comfort and performance standpoint. This thread is about durability, and Honda still gets my vote. Anyone who wants to claim I am a blind Honda fan should note I have ridden a King Quad since 2005, and have the option to ride what I want, whenever I decide to go get it. Tunnel vision is one thing I don't have.
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jhess
usa
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My input(which is very well received)is that the very best four-wheeler is the original Suzuki King Quad 300. The engineering has no equal,and they last forever.The U.S. Navy used them for beach patrol,and other uses.I personally owned 2 of them,and used them in many harsh conditions,with out any problems. The people I sold them too,still have them and are still using them.Suzuki was the leader of the four wheeler revolution.To bad they don't make them anymore. No one likes to shift gears.
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WoodsRuner
Ashille, Ohio
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jhess wrote: No one likes to shift gears.
Gee, now why is it I have a manual shift Rancher and shift my Rincon in ESP mode, and have two 5-speed road vehicles? I would modify your statement by saying only LAZY people, or people who have no idea what gear to select for which purpose, don't like to shift gears.
I will agree that the KQ300 was one tough quad, but how many of them do you see these days, compared to the TRX300FW? Not many at all. In fact, I can remember only one in the last 5 years, where as there are still hundreds. perhaps thousands, of the old Honda 300 FWD quad still in service.
I have a riding buddy who owns a independent MC/ATV service shop, servicing all makes and models. He is 54yo, and has been in the service business all his adult life. He rides a Honda. That fact speaks volumes, IMHO.
* This post was
edited 06/21/09 04:10pm by WoodsRuner *
03 Rincon 650FA w/mods
03 Rancher 350TM w/mods
Calling a illegal immigrant an "undocumented worker" is like calling a drug dealer an "unlicensed pharmicist". Both are criminals!
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GreyGrizz
Ma.
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WoodsRuner wrote:jhess wrote: No one likes to shift gears.
Gee, now why is it I have a manual shift Rancher and shift my Rincon in ESP mode, and have two 5-speed road vehicles? I would modify your statement by saying only LAZY people, or people who have no idea what gear to select for which purpose, don't like to shift gears.
I will agree that the KQ300 was one tough quad, but how many of them do you see these days, compared to the TRX300FW? Not many at all. In fact, I can remember only one in the last 5 years, where as there are still hundreds. perhaps thousands, of the old Honda 300 FWD quad still in service.
I have a riding buddy who owns a independent MC/ATV service shop, servicing all makes and models. He is 54yo, and has been in the service business all his adult life. He rides a Honda. That fact speaks volumes, IMHO. I personally prefer a gear type trans, for a work quad. I think the older, more basic machines, of all the brands, were more durable in certain aspects. I had an o3 Big Bear; and if I did the brutal work with my Grizzly, that I did with the Bear, I surely would have smoked a belt or snapped an axle. The Grizzly certainly is a better trail machine, but simpler, less powerful, lower geared manuals, are better for work.
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jhess
usa
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WoodsRuner wrote:jhess wrote: No one likes to shift gears.
Gee, now why is it I have a manual shift Rancher and shift my Rincon in ESP mode, and have two 5-speed road vehicles? I would modify your statement by saying only LAZY people, or people who have no idea what gear to select for which purpose, don't like to shift gears.
I will agree that the KQ300 was one tough quad, but how many of them do you see these days, compared to the TRX300FW? Not many at all. In fact, I can remember only one in the last 5 years, where as there are still hundreds. perhaps thousands, of the old Honda 300 FWD quad still in service.
I have a riding buddy who owns a independent MC/ATV service shop, servicing all makes and models. He is 54yo, and has been in the service business all his adult life. He rides a Honda. That fact speaks volumes, IMHO. The facts are,Honda sold more ATVs than Suzuki,when the auto matics came out,more people liked the idea of comfort in riding,especially the kids and wives. The automatics made it simple and sold more vehicles. Suzuki still had the very best ATV ever made,in the 300 King Quad,Honda Foreman was second best.... Also, I know what I'm talking about...just ask me?
Willie
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WoodsRuner
Ashille, Ohio
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Now I wonder why it is that Honda has, and does, sell more quads than Suzuki? Think it is because of all those old Hondas that are still in service after 25 years? Old Suzukis are just not around like the old Hondas are. Seems that reliable/durable does not fit the description of Suzuki.
Fact is, of all quads made, the TRX300 is the most long lasting and durable. The numbers out there still in service proves it,
Anyone know anybody that still has a KQ300 in running order and regular use?
I have owned three Suzuki quads, and from personal experience I can say they are not as durable as Hondas.
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BlueRapted
Ragley,La
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The old trx300 was/is one of the most durable quads around. My wifes aunt has a 95 model and has used it maybe 5 times around the yard. It still is all original with the tan color plastics and still even has the nipples on the tires! I tried to buy it off them, but they won't part with it. And cc some of the problems I have seen with some ranchers are early ring failures,poorly sealed orings"water entering the crank case",and transmission issues. I like what honda is trying to do,and I have owned many hondas also. If they would put more power,ground clearance,and go with all disc brakes they would do alot better. But like cc said this is just all our opinions and you cant really get a clear winner from opinions.
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Sir-lance
Elkview, WV
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I didnt have any luck out of Yamaha, had a 03 grizzly & 01 Raptor at the same time. The Grizzly had 3,200 miles on it when I traded it for a Suzuki King Quad. I broke both rear axles a month apart, numerous bearings, bushings, front drive shaft CV joint wore out & was using oil when I traded it off. I dont even wanna go into all the problems I had out of that Raptor. I truly loved that quad, spent all weak wrenchin on it to ride it one day on the weekend and by the time I sold it, it was using oil. Something about that 660 motor, once they get a few miles on them they start to eat itself. The Parts Yamaha uses are cheap like bearings & seals and their engineering isnt very good.
Honda
I had a 400 EX and loved it but was too small for me. What little bit I did have to work on that bike it was easy to tell that Honda engineering is top notch. Their Utes are lacking in performance & features, even the Rincon feels small to me and I caint stand the bend their bars have. Its easy to tell the Jap's are smaller people, I bet those bars fit them really well.
Suzuki
I owned a 06 King Quad and loved that little quad, it was underpowered but handled & rode nice and never gave me any problems in 2,800 miles of riding. That King quad rates as one of the best Ive ever owned, traded it for a 07 Can-Am 800 (single-up)
Kawie
My best friend had a Prairie and now a Brute force so Ive spent a lot of time helping him wrench those Kawies over the years. They seem to have a lot of front end problems. On the Prairie since it had struts up front and kept wearing out a balljoint type thing at the top of the strut. and kept getting water in the rear end which turned out the drive shaft boot had a small hole int he bottom where we couldnt see it against the motor. The Brute, has no greases fitting in the front and eats itself if ya get it in very much mud & water. We eventually drilled & taped & installed Zerk fitting in his A-arms anf that seems to have helped.
Can-Am
I have a Outlander 800 (single-up) and truly love that quad, it has close to 4,000 miles on it and its an 2007. I havent had frame problems but I installed skid before I ever rode it. Had problems out of those rear arms, the nut that holds them together wasent lock-tited fromt factory and they get loose every so often. The motor started using oil at around 1,800 miles, warranty fixed it. They said it looked like a 650 ring on a 800 piston and that it must have been a factory defect. Those Rotax motors arent known for failure so Im gonna assume it was a defect. Over 2,000 miles since the rebuild and its not using oil as of yesterday. My warranty is good until June 2010 so I plan to get a 2010 (camo) Outlander in June of next year. The moment that warranty goes out Im trading it in.
Ok so theres my quad experience, as to what brand is the best or worse I dont know but Ive been looking at Kymco lately.
Lance
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