Honda 420 Rancher...
 

Looking to buy one...I was wondering if the atuo trans and indepdent suspension is worth the extra cash which is about 1K more vs the manuel shift and regular suspension. Main reason for me getting the bike is for duck hunting..basically passing it thru our pond to keep the grass / weeds down.

I have operated both and the manual shift is the way to go imo.

I always liked the manual shifting of the hondas, and then I bought my rubicon and I have to say that I have enjoyed that far more.

May want to go with the 500 unless you are going to get some serious tires on the 420. I have stuck a 420 more than just a couple of times with 3 riders and gear in a rice field.............everyone get off..........get back on............get off..........get back on.

X2. Get a manual shift.

What kind of tires are you running? I'm looking at getting a bike in the future and was looking to get the 420 but if it keeps getting stuck I will need to go bigger. It will be strictly for hunting in rice, no weekend riding or anything like that.

Interco vampire 26"...they are in Rayne. My uncle has some 28" on his foreman....they are great in the muck / mud.

80% of my time on it will be for hunting use....

I have vampires on my 300 fourtrax and load it down with 4 people plus me and it rolls great. It is a manual shift. My dad has a Rubicon which is around 500 cc, not exactly sure and it has vampires and rolls great too. Its automatic and we haven't had any trouble with the transmission. I prefer manual shift though.

That was with stock tires. You are right, tires are the deal breaker.

May want to consider a Polaris ranger. Them things are animals in the fields. Pricey though.

I would think that the Ranger would be too heavy in the field, I left mine on the levee when I hunted with JDM because we were worried that if I stuck it, we would need a tractor to get it out. I have 30" mud lites on it. FYI guys my 500 Rubicon is still for sale in the classifieds...just saying:smokin:.

Check out the Interforce Tires from Interco in Rayne.

Automatic and IRS are nice features but I like a machine to be as simple as possible with no frills. Less stuff to break in the field.

Never got one stuck but have been in em in the rice firelds and they are machines. I'm sure it's possible to stick em but they do great as far as I've seen. And it's a more comfortable ride and more room for crap.

manual shift... less stuff to break

I have 25" itp mudlites on my foreman 500 the only time I get stuck is if I get high centered

X2.....actually looking at the electric or manual shift....

Polaris has some good values in their line. The Sportsman 500 comes to mind.

Honda's are worth their premium in most lines, but I don't think they earn it with their ATV's

I used to have a 420 automatic. I would go with a manual shift. The automatic has less horsepower than the manual or at least it did when I bought mine.

I could not disagree more with this statement. Respectfully of course

Any clue as to what those inter force cost? I really like that tire