Honda ATVs

Why a Honda ATV?

Honda has built a reputation on superior design and innovation, strong performance and legendary durability, quality and reliability. Owning a Honda means having the confidence that your ATV is a superior product and will get you back home at the end of the day. It also means that you have the support of Honda dealers and technicians who are trained to help maintain the original quality of your product throughout its lifetime. High quality products, dealer support and customer satisfaction – that’s why so many people choose Honda.

Honda has been building ATVs longer than any other major manufacturer, and along the way they’ve introduced a host of landmark innovations all aimed at making your work more productive, and your play more enjoyable.

SUPERIOR ENGINEERING

Using advanced Honda powertrain design makes for better performing, more reliable ATVs in many ways.

Longitudinal mounting of the engine – with the crankshaft pointing front to back – improves performance in so many ways. It eliminates bulky moving parts in the drivetrain, thus reducing weight and friction and improving power output and fuel economy. It even allows more leeway in mounting the engine where it provides the best machine balance.

Honda’s advanced PGM-FI electronic fuel injection system also improves fuel economy, while at the same time ensuring easy starting, crisp throttle response, and reduced emissions. And liquid cooling helps the engine run at a more consistent operating temperature, which improves durability and allows it to be built to tighter tolerances. This in turn improves power even further, while also reducing noise and emissions. Add it all up, and you get engines with superior power-to-weight ratios that will run long and hard with minimum maintenance.

What else sets a Honda ATV apart? Plenty.

An engine counter-balancer and rubber-cushion mounting of the engine to the frame reduce vibration to make your ride more comfortable, and the frame itself was developed with Computer Aided Engineering to be as lightweight as possible without compromising strength or durability. Honda’s torque-sensing limited-slip front differential not only reduces steering effort, it also greatly reduces the effect spinning front wheels have on steering, thereby improving handling and reducing rider fatigue (Foreman 500 and Rubicon 500 models also feature a lock function for the front differential).

And at every turn in the design of every Honda ATV, Honda engineers looked for ways to reduce weight. Why? Because the lighter the ATV, the faster it can accelerate and the quicker it can stop. A lighter ATV also corners with more precision and stays more composed over bumpy terrain. Steering is easier, flotation over mud, snow and other soft terrain is improved, and the ride is less tiring and more comfortable. Light weight – it’s an advantage you can feel every time you ride a Honda ATV.

SUSPENSION OPTIONS

All Honda ATVs feature our proven double-wishbone independent front suspension that’s engineered for optimal control and comfort – there’s no better way to smooth over the ruts and ridges of rugged terrain. But at the back, one type of suspension makes the most sense for hard-work and high-performance sport applications, while another works best for most recreational purposes. Two suspension systems, two ways to get exactly the ride you want.

SWINGARM REAR SUSPENSION

Our workhorse ATVs, plus the TRX90X Youth ATV, employ a durable swingarm rear suspension with a solid axle that’s designed to retain consistent ground clearance, enhance roll stability, and ensure predictable handling – all particularly beneficial when riding on sidehills or in other difficult conditions, or when carrying or towing a heavy load.

INDEPENDENT REAR SUSPENSION (IRS)

Our trail-focused ATVs come equipped with Honda’s advanced dual-arm independent rear suspension (IRS) that provides an extra-smooth ride while maintaining the handling control that all Honda ATVs are famous for.

TRANSMISSION OPTIONS

More transmission choices than any other manufacturer Some riders like to shift with their foot, some like to shift with their hand, and some don’t want to have to shift at all. Whatever your preference, Honda has you covered, offering more transmission choices than any other manufacturer. And none of Honda’s transmissions use troublesome belts. Different ways to shift, for different types of riding. Only from Honda.

TRANSMISSION OPTIONS MANUAL SHIFT

A foot-shift gearbox transmission with automatic clutch is hard to beat for simplicity and durability, which is why it’s available on our hardest working ATVs.

ELECTRIC SHIFT

For a little extra convenience, choose the TRX500 Foreman ES EPS with Honda’s innovative Electric-Shift Program (ES) — you shift with the push of a handlebar-mounted button, rather than with your foot.

AUTOMATIC SHIFT

For riders who prefer fully automatic shifting, Honda gives you two choices: the smooth hydraulic torque converter used on the TRX680 Rincon; and the seamless Dual-Clutch Transmission available on the TRX420 Rancher and the TRX500 Rubicon. The Rincon’s automotive-style transmission automatically selects the gear ratio that is appropriate for the conditions, or you can use the ES buttons to override the automatic settings. It’s so smooth you’ll hardly feel it shift, plus it has no belts to burn out or replace.

DUAL-CLUTCH TRANSMISSION

Honda’s Dual-Clutch Transmission (DCT) combines the best of both worlds, giving you the sporty performance, durability, efficiency and direct feel of a manual transmission, with the ease-of-use of an automatic. This cutting-edge technology uses separate clutches for odd and even gears, which allows for almost instantaneous, buttery-smooth shifts into the next gear because the system is always ready to engage the next shift. You can even use the ES buttons on the handlebar to manually shift gears for an even sportier experience.

ELECTRIC POWER STEERING

Honda’s Electric Power Steering (EPS) not only makes it easier to turn the handlebar, it also acts like a steering damper to decrease handlebar kickback when the front wheels encounter an obstacle. Adapted from the proven systems developed for Honda automobiles, EPS uses sensors to measure both the ATV’s ground speed and the amount of effort exerted by the rider at the handlebar. A computer takes that data and instantly instructs a compact electric motor to help the steering shaft turn the front wheels. The motor provides little or no assistance when you’re cruising down a straight trail and you don’t want a small or unintended movement of the handlebar to cause you to turn, but it provides maximum assistance when you’re crawling through a tight, muddy or rutted section and you need to crank the handlebar hard. EPS is available on the Rancher 420, Foreman 500 and Rubicon 500 – once you try it, you won’t want to ride without it.