[shadetree]

seeing how this turned out to stir the pot on some members here ?, i'd like to set the record straight . for one: I have nothing, NOTHING !!, against any member that either owns ?, or going to purchase a electric shift atv !!. if your happy with the way they operate ?, THEN BY ALL MEANS..BUY/OWN ONE !!. me ?, no..i will never own one, or buy one..period !. I get it, they make life simple for some people !, I for one ?..am not one of those people. when they work ?..they work good ( so it seems ? ), but when they fail ?..they leave you stumped ( as this has been seen by tons of us here..even me !..lol ). I have nothing against..nor for them..other than they cause nothing but a headache for me. I work on simple stuff, simple is easy..easy is cheap, this means..your most likely to keep money in your pocket. for all you members that have an electric shift ?..please..by all means..ENJOY IT !. personally ?..I will stick with what I know works ?, and has worked for many decades..manual shift. I can count on these types of atvs to work when I need them to work, and not leave me stranded out in the sticks. ES models have wayyyyyyyyy too many sensors, gadgets, control units, shifting parts, motors, gears to worry about. I understand why honda made these models..and it's pretty clear, they wanted to make riding an atv simple , spec for the handicapped people !!!. but where they dropped the ball ?, IS THIER DESIGN !!. they could have built them out of better metals, better water tight connections, the list goes on and on. but they didn't !!, and now all I see is electric shifts ALL OVER CL's..every day..day in, day out, why are so many electric shifts on there ?, why aren't there manual shifts on there as many as electric shifts ?,yessssssss..honda sold wayyyyyyy more es models than manual shifts ..why ?..BECAUSE HONDA WANTED TO PUSH THEM OUT BECAUSE THEY WERE NEW TO THE PUBLIC ..THATS WHY !. I visit my local honda dealership a lot, in all my 25 plus years going there, I always chatted with my bud there, he was ( he retired the other day ) we always talked about honda models, the es models were sitting everywhere in his shop, I asked him why so many ?, he explained..good concept, bad design. mind you, he has worked there for 40 something years ?, you would think he knew what he was talking about ?..SO YOU LISTENED WHEN HE SPOKE !!..AND I DID !!, I can't thank that man enough for all that he's taught me, which I pass onto everyone here. anywayyyyyy..I wanted to make this thread, and ask everyone..just for fun..what model do YOU like ? AND WHY DO YOU LIKE ES MODELS OVER MANUAL SHIFTS ?. i'll go first, I like manual shifts because they are a simple design, they are cheap to replace parts on, but most of all ?..I can count on it to work when I need it too !. lets hear it from all you folks !, please keep this civil !!.

 

[retro]

I prefer the simplicity of a manual shift bike. Thats just me though, it has no bearing on my opinion of Honda ES systems.

I have owned two ES bikes (currently own one) over the years and I have repaired and prepped many, many others for other folks. I have a LOT of firsthand experience with ES maintenance. I have been 100% successful with them right from the git-go. They are very easy to work on, very simple stuff.

I like them a LOT after I get done prepping them. No other system has proven to be as fast, as reliable and as inexpensive to own and operate over the long term than a Honda ES shift system is. They simply are NOT a service and repair concern.

An ES failure is the owners fault 99.99% of the time. Just as a manual shift failure is the owners fault 99.99% of the time.

Fearing and avoidance of them is not a solution.

 

[_Wilson_]

Tuned in......, N, I'll toss in.....I've worked, on n ridden a few ES models... I've got no issue with them. Most, if not all the problems were the owners NOT taking care of them! Old saying.... You take care or you equipment, it will take care of you!

button shifting is nice when you cant use a foot shift (comes in handy for us older guys) for now...I'm just out right a 300 fella....foot shift.

 

[mrbb]

well I am on Shades side of the tree more
you can say its poor ownership that causes e shifts to fail all you want, but there just more parts to upkeep over a foot shift
and I have to say IF Honda wanted they could have made the e shifts less in need or more diligent care!
as lets face it, far more folks today DON"T know how to basic maintenance than do and even more refuse to learn
something well again a foot shift has less down time due to need of an owner to stay on top of something

I am NOT bashing foot shifts have stated countless times when they work they work well and owners are happy, but when there NOT working, there added issues a foot shift never has to worry about, and ONE less PM(or several) a foot shift atv never needs done, as they time is money right and who wants to waste time doing things they can skip??
LOL

 

[fishfiles]

For mudding , which is the only type of riding that interest me , ES to me is a nightmare in more ways than one , one thing I really dislike about them , which is very seldom brought up , is the delay in shifting , you can't speed shift a ES like you can a foot shift > momentum gets me thru places where if I lolly-gagged around I would not make it thru , sometimes you need to down shift quick before you stall out , sometimes you need to speed up and get get the momentum going ----- another thing is battery draw , every ES that I have ridden with has problems with the battery , which leads to/or is the problem with shifting , they then get stick in gear and more times than not have to be pulled in , which ruins the party , I really don't like ES to ride with us , cause they have ruined the trip so many times , then when they do break , they can become a money and time pit , all them expensive parts and wire to operate the shifter , which you can do a better job and be more reliable with your foot -------- to me electrical components , water and mud don't mix well , keep it simple and you are better off

 

[shadetree]

For mudding , which is the only type of riding that interest me , ES to me is a nightmare in more ways than one , one thing I really dislike about them , which is very seldom brought up , is the delay in shifting , you can't speed shift a ES like you can a foot shift > momentum gets me thru places where if I lolly-gagged around I would not make it thru , sometimes you need to down shift quick before you stall out , sometimes you need to speed up and get get the momentum going ----- another thing is battery draw , every ES that I have ridden with has problems with the battery , which leads to/or is the problem with shifting , they then get stick in gear and more times than not have to be pulled in , which ruins the party , I really don't like ES to ride with us , cause they have ruined the trip so many times , then when they do break , they can become a money and time pit , all them expensive parts and wire to operate the shifter , which you can do a better job and be more reliable with your foot -------- to me electrical components , water and mud don't mix well , keep it simple and you are better off

very valid points ^^^ you and mrb make.

 

[LedFTed]

es or not

Just so ya know shade, i was just poking the bear, so to speak, when i last posted last. i value your opinion, and advice. // just ed
PS, did it really stir the pot up?? ?? i would like to know...

 

[shadetree]

Just so ya know shade, i was just poking the bear, when i last posted last. i value your opinion, and advice. // just ed

lol ed, I have noooooo clue what you posted ?..or where ?, and don't care . this ( or shall me ) seems to have hit a nerve with some great members on es models, sooooooooo..i just wanted to try and calm the storm .

 

[LedFTed]

Just so ya know shade, i was just poking the bear, when i last posted last. i value your opinion, and advice. // just ed

lol ed, I have noooooo clue what you posted ?..or where ?, and don't care . this ( or shall me ) seems to have hit a nerve with some great members on es models, sooooooooo..i just wanted to try and calm the storm .

it was just a couple of days ago, what i posted. i know what ya mean about great members, an take no offense.
i got an es, but put no, stoke [stoke a fire] as much as those that would stir up a pot, an opinion, so much. sorry when i teased ya some, that the fire was lit, an got brighter.. i will leave this to you, an the others fired up. i know ya dont like es so much, an i dont care neither. its hard to believe a storm, would be coming, an has. ;~}, over choice. hope you can smooth the waters. i would look up your reply, ya said, then, again, it is of no matter. Whoosh, how some get fired up. see ya

 

[LedFTed]

Just so ya know shade, i was just poking the bear, when i last posted last. i value your opinion, and advice. // just ed

lol ed, I have noooooo clue what you posted ?..or where ?, and don't care . this ( or shall me ) seems to have hit a nerve with some great members on es models, sooooooooo..i just wanted to try and calm the storm .

i just put a like on it, wilson already did... just so ya know.. :grin

 

[shadetree]

Just so ya know shade, i was just poking the bear, when i last posted last. i value your opinion, and advice. // just ed

lol ed, I have noooooo clue what you posted ?..or where ?, and don't care . this ( or shall me ) seems to have hit a nerve with some great members on es models, sooooooooo..i just wanted to try and calm the storm .

i just put a like on it, wilson already did... just so ya know.. :grin

lol..thanks ED .

 

[_Wilson_]

one thing I really dislike about them , which is very seldom brought up , is the delay in shifting , you can't speed shift a ES like you can a foot shift

Exactly ! ^^^^altho it's been a while sense I've ridden one, but i do recall that delay.

What did i do ? Calm the waters ? Ted if that's what you meant, thank you! I'm not good at that, at aaaaaal haha! The Cooler heads are..... Just a point I'd like to mention.... Ever notice how some of experienced ES owners .... Hardly ever have issues ?? Just tossing that fact in.

 

[fishfiles]

It is kind of like this to me , if ES is good for you and you are happy with it's performance and reliability , have at it , I am not hating on you , I hate the ES > personally I just think others that don't know any better should be aware of what they would be getting into by buying one ---------if you done a survey around here the numbers would be very close to 100% anti-ES , even people who I know that own them , wish they didn't and no one wants to buy them around here unless it is super cheap for the guy that just don't care and would take anything that comes along ---- I see ES atvs on Craig's List that sit there for months , the foot shift bikes are gone quick ------- just my .02 sense

 

[SamUK]

My 450 spares bike for frame swap is ES, guess what.... It doesn’t shift! I did think to myself whilst hooking up a good battery, ‘if this thing shifts it will be a miracle’ haha!

Each to their own though of course. Electronics are now used in situations that they can’t physically be used in without malfunction, it HAS to fail. Unfortunately for businesses the end users seem to like technology and electronic trickery so they use it as a selling point.

The old saying KISS stands strong with ES, keep it simple stupid! ES could also be translated to another 4 letter word instead of shift, I won’t go there though haha!

 

[fishfiles]

If I didn't want to shift with my foot , I would go to the DARK SIDE and would buy a Can-Am , 2 in fact , so while one is in the shop , I could ride the other one

 

[shadetree]

If I didn't want to shift with my foot , I would go to the DARK SIDE and would buy a Can-Am , 2 in fact , so while one is in the shop , I could ride the other one

lol^^^^^^^^^..at least ya didn't say the P word !..lol.

 

[shadetree]

It is kind of like this to me , if ES is good for you and you are happy with it's performance and reliability , have at it , I am not hating on you , I hate the ES > personally I just think others that don't know any better should be aware of what they would be getting into by buying one ---------if you done a survey around here the numbers would be very close to 100% anti-ES , even people who I know that own them , wish they didn't and no one wants to buy them around here unless it is super cheap for the guy that just don't care and would take anything that comes along ---- I see ES atvs on Craig's List that sit there for months , the foot shift bikes are gone quick ------- just my .02 sense

I see electric shifts sit on CL's around these parts for months !!, tons of them, not many manual shifts though ?, and when I do see a manual shift ?, its taken down quick !. hmmmmmm...lol. and i'm talking 2015-2016's electric shifts at that on CL's !!. I smell trouble with them a mile away..lol.

 

[bcsman]

Well I do have the ES model and so far have had little problems with it. To be honest this is the first ATV I have ever had and didn't know jack about them. It looked in very good shape for its age and miles and the price was OK so I bought it. If I had done more research I may have tried to locate a manual but as you say here they aren't as available. I also kinda made a jab at Shadetree at the end of my oil change post saying I appreciate his advise on these machines except telling me I need to sell mine because it's an ES!!! Think he was the first one to say I should try to get my money back on my first intro post here. So I figured a little poke back would be appropriate..lol Anyhow I have nothing to compare the two models but so far am very happy with mine. I have adjusted the clutch, ordered some dielectric grease to do connections and plan on taking off the shift motor take the old junk out and add lithium.

 

[ATC4ever]

One thing about ES is, you can hold it full throttle & shift it, mud or hill. Try that on a foot shift going up a hill & you may end up, upsidedown! :icon_ rofl:

 

[Jeepwm69]

The old saying KISS stands strong with ES, keep it simple stupid! ES could also be translated to another 4 letter word instead of shift, I won’t go there though haha!

This is my reason for sticking with footshifts.

You have a lever, connected to a shaft, OR alternatively, you have an electric motor connected to a shaft. That electric motor is coneected to a wiring harness, which is connected to shift buttons and a computer.

So you have a very simple system vs a more complex system. Complex electrical systems don't mix well with constant submersion in mud and water.

The biggest benefit I can see if not getting your feet wet if you hit a deep hole and have to downshift in water over your boot.

The biggest drawback I can see is you have to have your right hand on the bar to work the throttle and steer, and with ES you have to have your left hand on the bar to shift, so how do you hold your beer?

I'm keeping my daughters 350ES where I can simply put the reduction gears back under the shift motor and remove the footshifter if she likes the ES better, but for now she's going to ride it as a footshift. When she gets comfortable with it I'll give her the option of keeping it a footshift or trying out the ES.