Honda Rubicon vs. Rincon

[zelek]

I'm thinking about buying my first ATV soon and am leaning toward getting a Honda. I'd primarily use it for ice fishing, but would likely do a fair amount of trail riding too. I'm having a difficult time trying to decide between the Rubicon and the Rincon.

I've been told the Rubicon has a "better" transmission and it's pulling power would be greater. I'm not really sure about this though.

I like the idea of the EFI and higher ground clearance with the Rincon. I'm thinking the 675cc engine might be nice as well when pulling my flip-over style shack through heavy snow or slush. But then again, maybe the 499cc Rubicon would be more than enough?

I don't have enough experience to know which style rear suspension I'd like more.

Would anyone care to highlight the main differences and how it might effect me considering how I plan to use it??

[Pistol Pete]

I've got a Rincon this spring. Rides nice and has lots of power. It does not go slow, even in first gear it is fast. To fast in my opinion. Not very good for towing stuff over bumpy terain. Not sure how I'll like it on the ice, have not been out yet. You can only go about 8mph at the slowest with this auto tranny. Wish I would have bought a Rubicon.

[Bjjams]

I have a 06 Rincon and my father has an 05 Rubicon. For all intents and purposes these are great machines for both pulling and trail riding. Having said that when I take my wheel house out on the lake I much prefer the rubicon. The solid rear axle is a must if your house has significant tongue weight. My Rincon will pull my house easily but I just don't like the sag in suspension.

The Rincon has real soft suspension which is why it is an excellent trail machine. I am going to look into getting something to stiffen it up. I have ridden Grizz, King Quad, Sportsmans, and Cats and I can tell the Rincon hands down out performs on a trail. The other nice thing it can do wheelies all day long! The rubicon isn't all too bad on trails but the lack of independent suspension makes it a rougher ride.

Don't worry too much about power, both of these have plenty of it. Rubicon has more pulling torque, and the Rincon has plenty of horsepower. For all atv applications these machines do fine.

As far transmissions yes the rubicon has a "better" one. It is a five speed as opposed to a three speed with a torgue converter on the Rinny. This is probably my only beef with mine. It's not that it's that bad just the rubicon's is better. I heard a rumor about a side-by-side from honda using the 675 with the five speed. I think that would a nice match if it's true.

Ride Red.

[Northwoodsdon]

I have an '05 Rubicon with 3800 trouble free miles

The SRA suspension has not an issue with me I

can ride for 8+ hours in temps of 100° + and still walk !

The most important thing on the Rubicon is to let it

fully warm up for the transmission,This IMO is the best

feature about the Rubicom it's like three quads in one.

[DRH1175]

for what you describe I would get the Rubicon. However for most I mean 99% Unless you have the money to burn I don't understand why one would need a 650. The first atv that I rode was our work machine it was a 300 fourtrax. That thing had balls. I have also used my cousins foreman 400 for a few years of ice fishing. That thing had balls x3 I pulled my friends 12' wheelhouse with very little effort through snow drifts etc... power was never an issue the wheels would spin on the ice well before lack of power. My good friend has a rancher and he loves it. I am looking at getting a new honda next fall if the overtime works out. I am looking at either the es420 that just came out or the Foreman 500 I like the gear driven more than the automatics they really have some serious lockup power. Good luck you will love anything Honda makes. But by no means do you need the 650 unless you are set on that much power.

[Dave]

Much nicer ride on the Rincon.

[anyfishwilldo]

No low range on the Rincon

[hill7410]

I was going through the same situation in july. I ended up buying the rincon becasue i was not going to go with out the independent suspension. The machine has plenty of power. and it was only a few hundred dollars more. I put some hand and thumb warmers on her, now i am waiting for some snow to plow around. efi is nice too. Every now and then i wish i had gotten the rubicon but overall satisfied. Go with the Rincon. Easier ride and plenty of power. Just put it in esp and fourwheel drive and you can go through just about anything. As long as its a Honda you in good shape.

[zelek]

Thanks for all the replies guys. I've been leaning toward the Rincon after reading tons of info on on the Rincon Riders site. Wow....talk about some guys that are into riding that machine!! I never dreamed you could modify them in so many ways and oh for the aftermarket stuff you can put on them!! Between that and the 675cc liquid cooled engine, EFI, IRS, 10" of ground clearance and a resource like that to bounce questions off of....I think my mind is pretty well set.