[bigeclipse]

My primary use is for hunting. I currently own a Polaris Sportsman 800 and plan to keep it until it dies so this will be a second/backup ATV. I primarily will use this new ATV for hunting and getting around the property. I will occasionally use it to plow my driveway. I do not think Honda does 2-up seating but I definitely want something that can hold a deer on back without bottoming out and occasionally have a rider on back (bring a friend to a treestand). This is all around my property so no long rides with someone on back. I do not want a larger ATV nor do I desire a UTV (too expensive and pain in the but when there is not a wide trail). I am thinking a Honda Foreman 500 but not sure. I am also unsure about independent suspension vs single shock rear suspension and I am also unsure about electric shift versus fully automatic. Any advice?

 

[mrbb]

I would suggest the foreman 500 and a foot shift
ALL the honda 4x4 atv's are on the same size frames, so, the yrs of them making a smaller model(rancher) are long gone now, and since the rancher is of less HP on same frame, I wouldn;t consider it , more bang for buck IMO on the foreman
NOT that the Rancher is a bad atv, its not
but better bang for dollar is the foot shift foreman

NOT sure where your at, but in some places a deer can go over 300 lbs and be pretty large, not very easy to fit on on ANY atv,. I prefer to either drag em behind a ATV, pending distance, and or a small trailer, over trying to pl;ace one on a ATV,. too messy and odd to handle for me?
killed a couple hundred deer over the yrs too, !

 

[SamUK]

For work and weight definitely a foreman 500 SRA. I would avoid auto and electric shift myself however I’m not sure if manual shift is available in new models.
IRS is more suited to trail riding/comfort than work and weight so SRA would be the way forward.

Edit: Ranchers appear to be very very softly sprung and under damped in the rear too, certainly not up to the Job of carrying a passenger or deer for any distance IMO.

 

[shadetree]

what ever ya buy ?, MAKE SURE YOU BUY A MANAUL SHIFT !..LOL. as mrb said ^^^, use a trailer to haul your deer. if you buy any used trx500's ?, MAKE SURE you buy one above 2009 !. honda had defective 1st gears from 2005-2009 I think it was ?. ( don't ask me how I know this..lol ). IRS won't matter if you use a trailer !!. please don't try loading a dead deer on your atv !, this is a very bad idea..lol.

 

[Jimbo21165]

If money was no object, I'd have one of each and every make...lol

 

[SteveStrick]

I have an IRS Rancher, and carry a passenger regularly, and have never bottomed out once. With the suspension set on the softest setting. Not sure why everyone’s trying to scare you away from them. Go with the IRS, you’ll never end up wishing you had a rougher ride.

 

[mrbb]

I have an IRS Rancher, and carry a passenger regularly, and have never bottomed out once. With the suspension set on the softest setting. Not sure why everyone’s trying to scare you away from them. Go with the IRS, you’ll never end up wishing you had a rougher ride.

NOT trying to scare him away and again I said Ranchers are nice atv's

BUT they have less HP, on the same weight frame
, they have higher gearing, so less lower down power,
they have less payloads and YES they have softer suspension, NO locker either!
all facts
and when you add the math up, the fireman tends to offer more goodies , a HAIR more HP and will work harder, carry more
due to lower gearin, and the higher payload ratings?

the farther on the end of ANY atv you add weight the more it effects the atv's handling and ability to handle the weight
a deer on the end of a rack is adding a lot more weight in a weird place to handle over say a rider on the back of the seat too!
again NOT bashing Ranchers, just stating some honest info!

 

[SamUK]

Same here @SteveStrick , the ranchers are great machines and IRS is as you say, very comfortable. Each machine has its limitations though. SRA is better for towing, less load on suspension components and keeps the trailer more sturdy longitudinally. Also, as mrbb stated, the ranchers dome have the low first gear, that gear is vital for towing heavy loads.
@keithuk had a Rancher 2012 SRA for farm duties, he sold it and upgraded to a gator to tow heavier loads. The rancher towed these loads fine however it wasn’t comfortable doing so with that higher first gear.
Other than that it was an absolutely fantastic ATV.

 

[fishfiles]

....we put a hog on the rear rack of a IRS CAn-Am 570 and could not get it out the woods , the bike had no steering with the load on the rear , we had to move it to the front rack ----he was kind of big , didn't weigh him , would guess 200+ lbs

 

[bigeclipse]

what ever ya buy ?, MAKE SURE YOU BUY A MANAUL SHIFT !..LOL. as mrb said ^^^, use a trailer to haul your deer. if you buy any used trx500's ?, MAKE SURE you buy one above 2009 !. honda had defective 1st gears from 2005-2009 I think it was ?. ( don't ask me how I know this..lol ). IRS won't matter if you use a trailer !!. please don't try loading a dead deer on your atv !, this is a very bad idea..lol.

Why do you advocate manual shift? I really like my Polaris auto. Yes I can drive manual but it is nice being able to have all my appendages free from doing anything but breaking and thumb for throttle.

As for carrying deer, is the Honda weak? I have always carried deer on the front or back of my quads with zero issues. My Polaris required stiffer rear shock springs which cost me 100$ and I installed myself but now it handles the weight just fine. The furthest I would have to drive with a deer on back is 1000 yards. I hunt behind my house on my own property and the furthest point is 1000 yards.

 

[bigeclipse]

....we put a hog on the rear rack of a IRS CAn-Am 570 and could not get it out the woods , the bike had no steering with the load on the rear , we had to move it to the front rack ----he was kind of big , didn't weigh him , would guess 200+ lbs

I have had this happen only once and it was with 275lbs of water in a tank for spraying my fields. Put a 50lb bag of sand on front and all was right again in the world.

 

[mrbb]

what ever ya buy ?, MAKE SURE YOU BUY A MANAUL SHIFT !..LOL. as mrb said ^^^, use a trailer to haul your deer. if you buy any used trx500's ?, MAKE SURE you buy one above 2009 !. honda had defective 1st gears from 2005-2009 I think it was ?. ( don't ask me how I know this..lol ). IRS won't matter if you use a trailer !!. please don't try loading a dead deer on your atv !, this is a very bad idea..lol.

Why do you advocate manual shift? I really like my Polaris auto. Yes I can drive manual but it is nice being able to have all my appendages free from doing anything but breaking and thumb for throttle.

As for carrying deer, is the Honda weak? I have always carried deer on the front or back of my quads with zero issues. My Polaris required stiffer rear shock springs which cost me 100$ and I installed myself but now it handles the weight just fine. The furthest I would have to drive with a deer on back is 1000 yards. I hunt behind my house on my own property and the furthest point is 1000 yards.

well your polaris is what a 800, weights in about a 1000 lbs ATV here empty!)
so it has WAY higher weight ratings I bet on BOTH its racks and its a LARGER ATV every where!

so your going to a atv much smaller(honda 500 is about 32 hp, the 800 I think was about 75 hp)
if all your going is a 1,000 yards I would NEVER be lifting one onto a ATV period, just a drag it
I drag them WAY farther than that (not going FAST) and never a issue
trying to lift a 200 lb deer onto a atv alone SUCKS, but that's me!
if your worried about caped

I tie to top of rear rack, keeps head and neck off the ground while towing if you use rope right(actually use a tow strap, slip on and off FAST)
dragged about 80+ deer out this way in past 10 yrs or so)


now why is a foot shift better
well its due to its a proven problem free design
Electric shifts have more parts to fail

do a search on any forum you like about E shift issue's and yyu will find a LOT of folks with issue's
many are simple fixes, but foot shifts NEVER have ANY issue;'s

your Polaris is a CVT drive system
Honda's are NOT CVT
they are gear drive units
never wet belt to slip, never a belt to fail, again one less thing to worry about

why is HONDA the MOST reliable ATV on the market for so long??
you decide

yes foot shift require a LITTLE more skill on riders to work
but if your only going a 1,000 yards I cannot see a foot shift being a problem unless them 1,000 yards are crazy tricky LOL

gear drive atv's like honda's allow you to LOCK the atv in the gear you want, something you cannot DO on a CVT system
think honda's of more like tractors than sporty, as that IS what they are
geared lower, less HP than ALL Other like sized motors

if speed or HIGH ground clearance and super shocks is your desire, a HONDA is NOT for you!
just what it is!

 

[bigeclipse]

what ever ya buy ?, MAKE SURE YOU BUY A MANAUL SHIFT !..LOL. as mrb said ^^^, use a trailer to haul your deer. if you buy any used trx500's ?, MAKE SURE you buy one above 2009 !. honda had defective 1st gears from 2005-2009 I think it was ?. ( don't ask me how I know this..lol ). IRS won't matter if you use a trailer !!. please don't try loading a dead deer on your atv !, this is a very bad idea..lol.

Why do you advocate manual shift? I really like my Polaris auto. Yes I can drive manual but it is nice being able to have all my appendages free from doing anything but breaking and thumb for throttle.

As for carrying deer, is the Honda weak? I have always carried deer on the front or back of my quads with zero issues. My Polaris required stiffer rear shock springs which cost me 100$ and I installed myself but now it handles the weight just fine. The furthest I would have to drive with a deer on back is 1000 yards. I hunt behind my house on my own property and the furthest point is 1000 yards.

well your polaris is what a 800, weights in about a 1000 lbs ATV here empty!)
so it has WAY higher weight ratings I bet on BOTH its racks and its a LARGER ATV every where!

so your going to a atv much smaller(honda 500 is about 32 hp, the 800 I think was about 75 hp)
if all your going is a 1,000 yards I would NEVER be lifting one onto a ATV period, just a drag it
I drag them WAY farther than that (not going FAST) and never a issue
trying to lift a 200 lb deer onto a atv alone SUCKS, but that's me!
if your worried about caped

I tie to top of rear rack, keeps head and neck off the ground while towing if you use rope right(actually use a tow strap, slip on and off FAST)
dragged about 80+ deer out this way in past 10 yrs or so)


now why is a foot shift better
well its due to its a proven problem free design
Electric shifts have more parts to fail

do a search on any forum you like about E shift issue's and yyu will find a LOT of folks with issue's
many are simple fixes, but foot shifts NEVER have ANY issue;'s

your Polaris is a CVT drive system
Honda's are NOT CVT
they are gear drive units
never wet belt to slip, never a belt to fail, again one less thing to worry about

why is HONDA the MOST reliable ATV on the market for so long??
you decide

yes foot shift require a LITTLE more skill on riders to work
but if your only going a 1,000 yards I cannot see a foot shift being a problem unless them 1,000 yards are crazy tricky LOL

gear drive atv's like honda's allow you to LOCK the atv in the gear you want, something you cannot DO on a CVT system
think honda's of more like tractors than sporty, as that IS what they are
geared lower, less HP than ALL Other like sized motors

if speed or HIGH ground clearance and super shocks is your desire, a HONDA is NOT for you!
just what it is!

thanks for the info. I am by no means an ATV expert but every ATV I have ridden or used were all autos, with the exception of a Honda fourtrax I used this past spring. None have had issues with their trannys. Never had a belt slip like you stated but I also never go in deep water or mud. That little Honda fourtrax was able to carry me on back, the springs were sagging quite a bit (I weigh 225) so I figured it could easily handle a 150-200lb deer but I understand what you are stating about dragging the back half of the deer. I am less concerned about having stuff on back and I'm definitely not concerned about being the fastest or newest. I want something that will run and do it's job assuming I do mine and take care of it. I still do not like the idea of manual. The little Honda fourtrax was foot shift and while it was not a big deal it was still annoying. I have also driven an electronic shift foreman now that I think about it, and that was actually a worse experience than the foot shift. Let me ask you this, is their auto the same or more dependable than other manufacturer's automatics OR are you saying the Honda autos are not so great?

 

[mrbb]

ONLY honda right now makes a GEARED ATV with a foot shift gear in a 4x4 atv
so, ALL others are on CVT set up
so, that is why you don't see others
and the main reason is, as you noticed the simple any idiot can get on one and drive it, taking the skill needed to use your foot and KNOWN when to shift on your own1
think of it like sports cars, HOW many DIE hards want a auto?
the fun factor and well, many times strength is in the manual
same reason most ALL HD items, have gears(think HD trucks, tractors and such)
basic cars and trucks, AUTO trans rule again , due to the fact MOST humans are lazy and all want the ease of use over any strength or edges else where a manual can offer them
and in todays world even mroe so, folks are lazy and was things as simple as possible, they want to think less!

so, is gears more reliable over a CVT, IMO yes and many others

I do NOT have a lot of experience with the newest AUTO honda's
they basically shift auto like your auto trans in a car does
many like them and they should be better that the older versions of E shift(push button up.down to shift)
some have this feature as well as a full auto design
but again, MORE moving parts, more to go wrong , when you look at things from a design
any time you have more parts, you have more odds of something going wrong!
foot shifts keep things as simple as can be and as such, there history of proven reliably wins in reliability hands down!

I am NOT saying you cannot put a deer on a honda,
what I am saying is WHY
as riding with a deer on the back, increases the odds of a roll over, offers piss poor handling
its a bloody mess to load, and tie them down, unless you hunt really small deer??
why do all that added work to move a deer a 1,000 yards
ling a rope around there neck, attach rope to atv, and drive away WHOLE deer, not HALF, not quartered, but whole deer
get home hand deer and cut up, or take else where
I gut my deer where they get killed, thus why I say a dead deer is a rather bloody mess to be trying to load on a ATV
hunted 15+ states and several places in AK< and Canada
never needed to haul out a critter with its guts in it!
and only time I quarter is when remote hunting NO atv! and too big to just drag whole!(elf/ caribou, and such)

 

[SamUK]

Odd that you see changing gear irritating, I see it as normal on any ATV or Motorbike. Each to their own I guess.

The modern autos are better than the earlier variants I hear, reliability depends on how you treat and maintain your ATV. I do know that when autos ‘go wrong’ they can be very costly to repair. For that reason alone I’ve never owned one and never will unless circumstances change as I get older for whatever reason.

 

[bigeclipse]

Odd that you see changing gear irritating, I see it as normal on any ATV or Motorbike. Each to their own I guess.

The modern autos are better than the earlier variants I hear, reliability depends on how you treat and maintain your ATV. I do know that when autos ‘go wrong’ they can be very costly to repair. For that reason alone I’ve never owned one and never will unless circumstances change as I get older for whatever reason.

the funny thing is I have been riding motorcycles and dirtbikes since I was 18 (35 now) so driving things with gears is certainly nothing new. For me, ATVs are tools and not for fun. Sometimes I will be riding side saddle because of odd terrain OR because I'm towing my chemical sprayer and the switch is in back and being able to just go using a thumb throttle and not worry about gears is great. I am not saying manuals are out of the question, especially if they are hands down WAY more dependable BUT if new autos are really dependable then I would rather get one in auto.

 

[mrbb]

Odd that you see changing gear irritating, I see it as normal on any ATV or Motorbike. Each to their own I guess.

The modern autos are better than the earlier variants I hear, reliability depends on how you treat and maintain your ATV. I do know that when autos ‘go wrong’ they can be very costly to repair. For that reason alone I’ve never owned one and never will unless circumstances change as I get older for whatever reason.

Sam, I think for many guys that grew up shifting MX bikes, its second nature, and yrs ago(70's and 80's) in the usa rural area's any how
kids and MX bikes were the norm
but these days,m Almost NO one rides MX bikes with gears and a REAL clucth
its a dying sport, minus the race inspired groups and family's
too few places to ride them now is a huge reason, and well, lets face it any idiot can sit ON a 4 wheel and ride it
so parents get them for kids, to ride due to how essay they are, less work for parents to have to TEACH there kid to ride a MX bike
heck many kids don't even know how to ride a pedal bike anymore , yet many have atv's!
I think the old saying, everyone wants better for there kids, has peaked to the point many kids are just spoiled never learning the basic, we (my gen and like folks that grew up)
we started on petal bikes learn how to fall and jump and wheelie and what not, then went to a Motorized bike , shifted gears, learned to read terrian and more about what to do and NOT do
and then got on ATV's to open more options up in yr round riding with less worry about falling on ice or snow on a MX bike LOl

kids and parents, grand parents
seem to have cause kids to MISS out on the learning process, due to they can Afford TO BUY then toys maybe they wished they had as kids
but miss the learning curve they got by NOT just getting on an atv
I also think this is why many kids get hurt on ATV's
too easy to ride, parents and who ever lets them ride, forgets all the skills and experiences they have /had from riding so many other things
and kids get in over there heads fast(new riders too) due to lack of growing IN the game!

funny though, as shifting gears seems HARD to so many
yet
so many can work a smart phone blindfolded and be walking talking texting and 10 others things at once
yet shifting gears is WORK? LOL

it IS a fact, there is more hand eye foot body coordination involved in MX bike riding than any other motor sport
learning to shift gears actually makes for a better balanced person!
guess that is also why we have so many BAD drivers that missed out on them skills!

and MAN driving vehicles on roads is getting scary
now have self driving cars, self parking,auto braking and what not's what ever happen to having pride in your driving SKILLS, you got from practice and well, PAYING ATTENTION?

just what we need, auto driving cars, so idiots can be doing more things while driving MINUS paying attention??
GLAD I grew up when I did is all I can say LOL

 

[bigeclipse]

Odd that you see changing gear irritating, I see it as normal on any ATV or Motorbike. Each to their own I guess.

The modern autos are better than the earlier variants I hear, reliability depends on how you treat and maintain your ATV. I do know that when autos ‘go wrong’ they can be very costly to repair. For that reason alone I’ve never owned one and never will unless circumstances change as I get older for whatever reason.

Sam, I think for many guys that grew up shifting MX bikes, its second nature, and yrs ago(70's and 80's) in the usa rural area's any how
kids and MX bikes were the norm
but these days,m Almost NO one rides MX bikes with gears and a REAL clucth
its a dying sport, minus the race inspired groups and family's
too few places to ride them now is a huge reason, and well, lets face it any idiot can sit ON a 4 wheel and ride it
so parents get them for kids, to ride due to how essay they are, less work for parents to have to TEACH there kid to ride a MX bike
heck many kids don't even know how to ride a pedal bike anymore , yet many have atv's!
I think the old saying, everyone wants better for there kids, has peaked to the point many kids are just spoiled never learning the basic, we (my gen and like folks that grew up)
we started on petal bikes learn how to fall and jump and wheelie and what not, then went to a Motorized bike , shifted gears, learned to read terrian and more about what to do and NOT do
and then got on ATV's to open more options up in yr round riding with less worry about falling on ice or snow on a MX bike LOl

kids and parents, grand parents
seem to have cause kids to MISS out on the learning process, due to they can Afford TO BUY then toys maybe they wished they had as kids
but miss the learning curve they got by NOT just getting on an atv
I also think this is why many kids get hurt on ATV's
too easy to ride, parents and who ever lets them ride, forgets all the skills and experiences they have /had from riding so many other things
and kids get in over there heads fast(new riders too) due to lack of growing IN the game!

funny though, as shifting gears seems HARD to so many
yet
so many can work a smart phone blindfolded and be walking talking texting and 10 others things at once
yet shifting gears is WORK? LOL

it IS a fact, there is more hand eye foot body coordination involved in MX bike riding than any other motor sport
learning to shift gears actually makes for a better balanced person!
guess that is also why we have so many BAD drivers that missed out on them skills!

and MAN driving vehicles on roads is getting scary
now have self driving cars, self parking,auto braking and what not's what ever happen to having pride in your driving SKILLS, you got from practice and well, PAYING ATTENTION?

just what we need, auto driving cars, so idiots can be doing more things while driving MINUS paying attention??
GLAD I grew up when I did is all I can say LOL

you obviously did not read my post from a moment ago lmao. I have been riding since I was 18 (35 now). I have owned many dirt bikes and crotch rockets. All my cars until recently have been stick shifts as well. Again, as my post above states, ATVs are NOT fun for me but rather a tool. If I want fun, ill hop on a dirtbike and ride on my track. For me, the ATV is a tool. It is WAY nicer to be able to not worry about shifting while running my chemical sprayer or sitting sideways (sometimes I haul bags of seeds out and have them on the foot rests etc.) Is this the right way to haul stuff, nope but it is what I do. So before you go calling me one of the "lazy" kids who did not grow up in the 70/80s lol you may want to check your facts.

 

[mrbb]

Odd that you see changing gear irritating, I see it as normal on any ATV or Motorbike. Each to their own I guess.

The modern autos are better than the earlier variants I hear, reliability depends on how you treat and maintain your ATV. I do know that when autos ‘go wrong’ they can be very costly to repair. For that reason alone I’ve never owned one and never will unless circumstances change as I get older for whatever reason.

Sam, I think for many guys that grew up shifting MX bikes, its second nature, and yrs ago(70's and 80's) in the usa rural area's any how
kids and MX bikes were the norm
but these days,m Almost NO one rides MX bikes with gears and a REAL clucth
its a dying sport, minus the race inspired groups and family's
too few places to ride them now is a huge reason, and well, lets face it any idiot can sit ON a 4 wheel and ride it
so parents get them for kids, to ride due to how essay they are, less work for parents to have to TEACH there kid to ride a MX bike
heck many kids don't even know how to ride a pedal bike anymore , yet many have atv's!
I think the old saying, everyone wants better for there kids, has peaked to the point many kids are just spoiled never learning the basic, we (my gen and like folks that grew up)
we started on petal bikes learn how to fall and jump and wheelie and what not, then went to a Motorized bike , shifted gears, learned to read terrian and more about what to do and NOT do
and then got on ATV's to open more options up in yr round riding with less worry about falling on ice or snow on a MX bike LOl

kids and parents, grand parents
seem to have cause kids to MISS out on the learning process, due to they can Afford TO BUY then toys maybe they wished they had as kids
but miss the learning curve they got by NOT just getting on an atv
I also think this is why many kids get hurt on ATV's
too easy to ride, parents and who ever lets them ride, forgets all the skills and experiences they have /had from riding so many other things
and kids get in over there heads fast(new riders too) due to lack of growing IN the game!

funny though, as shifting gears seems HARD to so many
yet
so many can work a smart phone blindfolded and be walking talking texting and 10 others things at once
yet shifting gears is WORK? LOL

it IS a fact, there is more hand eye foot body coordination involved in MX bike riding than any other motor sport
learning to shift gears actually makes for a better balanced person!
guess that is also why we have so many BAD drivers that missed out on them skills!

and MAN driving vehicles on roads is getting scary
now have self driving cars, self parking,auto braking and what not's what ever happen to having pride in your driving SKILLS, you got from practice and well, PAYING ATTENTION?

just what we need, auto driving cars, so idiots can be doing more things while driving MINUS paying attention??
GLAD I grew up when I did is all I can say LOL

you obviously did not read my post from a moment ago lmao. I have been riding since I was 18 (35 now). I have owned many dirt bikes and crotch rockets. All my cars until recently have been stick shifts as well. Again, as my post above states, ATVs are NOT fun for me but rather a tool. If I want fun, ill hop on a dirtbike and ride on my track. For me, the ATV is a tool. It is WAY nicer to be able to not worry about shifting while running my chemical sprayer or sitting sideways (sometimes I haul bags of seeds out and have them on the foot rests etc.) Is this the right way to haul stuff, nope but it is what I do. So before you go calling me one of the "lazy" kids who did not grow up in the 70/80s lol you may want to check your facts.

I think you took this wrong, wasn't saying you were this way, just many are these days
so no offence to you(plus you wrote what you did while I wa typing and posted before I even SEEN your above post!)

I too view my atv as a tool it was used for 20 yrs ona farm, I have had as much as 1500 lbs of bagged fertilizer on it
I sprayed 13 acres of food plots with it several times a yr
and BEING a foot shift made that EASIER NOT harder, as being in first gear I can travel WAY easier at slow speeds than any AUTO trans atv, as they want to shift , I have towed several thousands lbs of trailer behind mine and hundreds of miles of snow ever winter
its been abused and over worked than I would ever have thought it would handle to take/survive
I agree its a TOOL NOT a fun toy for me at all, have way better FUN toys, grew up on motorized toys racing all sorts 30 yrs of racing things that go fast from super sport bikes, to Monster trucks and 1000+ hp mud bog toys

the foreman 500 foot shift is TOOL
over any other 4x4 atv on the market, all the rest are geared more for BOTH fun and work
foremans are more geared for work and less fun!
and foot shifts all the more so on the WORK side of things
being able to HOLD a gear makes them again MORE tractor like
thus WORK, NOT Fun

SO??

 

[alloutdoors]

If you like auto, then you could consider the Foreman Rubicon, see link https://powersports.honda.com/2019/fourtrax-foreman-rubicon-4x4/build.aspx