Thoughts on Honda Four Wheelers *UPDATE* I GOT ONE!!!!!!!!!!!

whitetaco02

Senior Member
I may be getting a Honda four wheeler. What are ya'lls thoughts on them? Are there any particular models to stay away from? Also, which place is the best as far as prices goes? I don't think I will need a 4x4. Thanks
 
Last edited:

Ronbow

Senior Member
Honda dealer in Corinth, Miss goggle it they have the best price east of the Mississippi, worth the trip. I go to canada every year to hunt and ride close to 100 miles a day with my Foreman 450 ES for some reason it seems the hondas are always pullin the other brands out when they break. Dealer is Lake Hill Motors when I bought from them they beat every dealer in Ga by at least $ 1000 says Ronbow
 

rjcruiser

Senior Member
Love my little Recon 250. Hauls me and my deer wherever I need to go.
 

chadf

Senior Member
U won't buy another. IMO, unless u just want newer. I'd suggest a manual shift also.
 

jerkthetrigger

Senior Member
I had a 2007 Rancher two wheel drive with electric shift. It was relatively light, and very nimble and maneuverable. It would turn on a dime. I loved the electric shift, seemed like a good compromise between manual shift and automatic. The motor was smooth and fairly quiet and had all the power I need. The fuel injection system is awesome. Any time, hot or cold, you bump the starter and she lights up. And there is the undeniable, legendary Honda reliability.
The bad points were, for one thing, it had practically no suspension. If you are tooling along down a hunting club road and there are a few bumps ahead...you better slow down to a walking speed or you will get bounced right off the thing. And the handlebars were a little too low when I stood up while riding.To put it in reverse you put the trans in neutral, pull the rear brake, push the red button, and then put it in first gear....rather tedious. And when you change the oil filter, instead of a spin on automotive type, you get this rinky-dink little thing behind a plate with o-rings and a spring...sheesh!
Pricewise, Southern Honda Powersports in Chattanooga has the same prices as the place in Mississippi and is half the distance. I was awfully tempted to buy another Rancher a couple months ago, but bought another Polaris instead. (Battle Creek Powersports in Jasper, Tenn.)
IMHO it does not matter what 4 wheeler you buy. All the major brands are good machines. Happy hunting!
 

cmfireman

Senior Member
I agree with Southern Honda Powersports as price goes, and I've owned both a 250 Recon manual shift and a 420 Rancher manual shift 4x4.

The Recon was a great little machine, and would run with most of my friends with 300 4x4 Fourtraxes on rough trails.

The Rancher is also very good. I love the fact you can put it in/out of 4x4 so it handles like a 2wd unless you need the extra capability. The seat is shaped a little odd for riding two people, and you loose a little rear rack space due to the seat design. The transmission doesn't shift as smooth as the Recon, and I've had to adjust the clutch twice.

The Rancher does have a bit more power, and the fuel injection is great for cold starts. It's also water cooled.

In my opinion, if you're just looking for a 2wd atv to tool around on, the Recon fits the bill perfectly because it is dead reliable. The Rancher is nice for the 4x4 capability, extra speed and easy starting, but all at a sacrifice of more things to go wrong due to more electronics and an added cooling system.

If you're buying new, be sure and look for 2010 and 2011 year models that are still on the showroom floor. They will usually sell the same machine at a discount just because it's last years model.
 

cmfireman

Senior Member
The difference is about $800 between a Recon 250 or a 2wd manual shift 420 Rancher.

It really just depends on how much you want to spend. If not buying new, 2wd 420 Ranchers can be found for around $3500 in my area in great shape.

The Rancher is a good deal more powerful than the Recon, as is expected.
 

whitetaco02

Senior Member
The difference is about $800 between a Recon 250 or a 2wd manual shift 420 Rancher.

It really just depends on how much you want to spend. If not buying new, 2wd 420 Ranchers can be found for around $3500 in my area in great shape.

The Rancher is a good deal more powerful than the Recon, as is expected.

Would you recommend buying a used one? I just hate to inherit someone else problems....

If I bought a used one what are some things to look for?
 

cmfireman

Senior Member
Although I would never buy a new car due to immediate depreciation, the next atv I buy will be new.

Your stated the reason. You never know if the guy before you took it out every weekend and sunk it in mud to the handlebars. I just mentioned the used route because I don't know how much you want to spend.
 

sea trout

2021 Turkey Challenge Winner 2022 biggest turkey ?
last forever
 

Meriwether Mike

Senior Member
Both of my Hondas have been good ones. I have owned the Recon and upgraded to the Rancher. They are true utilitarian ATVs.
 

Robert28

Senior Member
I bought a 1998 Honda Fourtrax 300 4x4 a few weeks ago. No need to be scared of buying used, common sense goes a long way and you'd be surprised how much you can tell by looking at something to know if it's junk or not. here's my guideline when I went to look at used atv's, this might help you.

1. are the plastics in good shape, any cracks, holes, things out of the ordinary besides normal scratches and scuffs. if an atv is 14 years old you expect it to look 14 years old, however if one is say 2 or 3 years old it shouldn't look like its 14 years old.

2. is or has the atv ever been snorkled? if so, run, run fast. that means the person had it diving every time he took it out. you can tell if it has previously been snorkled by looking for holes that have been cut in the body of the atv for the pvc pipe to run through.

3. check the front and rear differentials. bring a wrench with you. it should be clean and not have mud and dirt in it, should be nothing but oil in there. if you take the nut off and find mud and gunk you could have a bad bearing. not an expensive fix, but not something you should have to spend money on after buying an atv. this will also tell you how it's been maintained.

4. check the engine oil. should look clean. again, common sense.

5. check the CV joint boots(the rubber peices on the front tires). these shouldn't be ripped or torn anywhere, little bit of cracking is ok but you'll have to replace them down the road. ripped or torn isn't a good sign though, little cracks are ok just remember that.

6. check stress points on the frame, including welds and A-arms...shouldn't see any cracks or rust through.

7. check the tires for wear. tires ain't cheap so if you're going to lay down $$$ for a used atv with bad tires, make sure the seller knows thats an expense youre going to have to incur which will affect the price.

8. start the atv and see if it smokes, see if the lights work, if it has a winch see if that works, if it's full-time 4wd make sure that works if it is selectable make sure it engages and disengages. ride it as long and as far as allowed. see if it pulls to the left or right, see if the throttle response is good, this will also give you an idea if the suspension is shot or is still good. anyone with nothing to hide will tell you to ride it around for however long you want, afterall this is what's going to make or break the sale.

9. see if the owner has a clear title or owners manual. if it's a newer model atv you should get a title but if you're looking at one like mine that's 14 years old you may or may not get a title as they get lost sometimes. if no title, not the end of the world but write down serial number and take it by your local dealer for that brand of atv and have them run it. not only will they be able to pull up the history of it but theyll also be able to tell you if its stolen or not. if no owners manual thats no big deal, you can find them on ebay all day long for $25-45.

that's about all I can think of but it should give you some idea of what to look for. buying a used atv shouldn't be a nightmare like buying a used car. you can hide a lemon car sometimes but you cant hide a junk atv. people are selling some GOOD atv's right now at some GREAT prices because they need cash and the toys are the first things to go. you'd be surprised what you can pickup for half of what a new one cost. I paid $2,000 for mine and have already had offers for up to $2,400 if I ever decided to sell it.
 
Last edited:

Robert28

Senior Member
forgot to mention, check the air filter(usually under the seat) and the brakes. if it's a honda and has rear drum brakes, look to make sure it isn't frozen up. might need some adjusting, but as long as it's freed up you're ok.
 

willc2412

Senior Member
Get the rancher and back in Feb of 08, I went to Honda Powersports in Tennessee and got the 07 rancher 420cc and got it at a discount since they hd 08's in so you might want to call them and see if they have any older models in.
 

whitetaco02

Senior Member
Get the rancher and back in Feb of 08, I went to Honda Powersports in Tennessee and got the 07 rancher 420cc and got it at a discount since they hd 08's in so you might want to call them and see if they have any older models in.

I just checked their website and they do have older models in like you mentioned. I wonder if they will discount them more than what is mentioned on their site. I can get a 4x4 from them for cheaper than I can get a 2x4 around here!

Looks like a trip to Tenn is in my future!

Would you all recommend the ES or the manual?
 

mclellandk

Senior Member
Honda all the way imo. I have a 96 300 fourtrax 4x4 that runs like it did when i bought it new. Never had any problems. I run stabil in it and that seems to help during the times it sits for a while. Cranks every time you hit the starter. I also have a 07 kawasaki mule and it dont run half as good as the honda does
 
Top