Overall, we liked IMS's improved Rincon. It's a true trail quad now able to handle the rough and tricky terrain much easier than most utes without the punishment.
Parts
Baja Designs:
800/422-5292, 760/560-2252;
www.bajadesigns.com
Double 4-inch Sol Tek light setup: $835
Elka Suspension:
800/557-0552; www.elkasuspension.com
Elite Series shocks: front, $1355 per pair; rear, $1395 per pair
ITP:
800/859-4740, 909/390-1905;
www.itptires.com
ATR Holeshot tires and C-series wheels: $610
PowerMadd:
800/435-6881, 952/400-0101;
www.powermadd.com
IMS/Roll Series hand guards: $90
+ Suspension ate the rough stuff and spit it out
+ Overall control felt better than stock
- Still lacks muscle for high-speed running
= Truly ready for the trail
Opinions
Gene splicing in the ATV world? While most other manufacturers of utility quads are quickly working their way up to the size and weight of a Jeep, Honda has gone the other way, with great results. The Rincon is a utility quad, no question about that. The basic package has the necessary four-wheel-drive traction, ground clearance and the unique automatic/selectable transmission. What separates it from the pack is an effort to minimize the bulk and weight while allowing for comfortable, if not spirited, chassis performance that hints at sport quad performance and driving characteristics.
Our Rincon's Elka Suspension outfitting all around meant we had a utility quad that could be ridden at much more race-ish speeds than any other utility quad that I have tried, especially in two-wheel drive. The independent rear suspension doesn't let the bike sway too much, yet allows the wheels to follow the ground without imparting lots of kick. Uneven terrain is where the system shines, drastically reducing the tendency to jolt sideways from impact on one side. At speeds not possible on trails with any other utility quad, the Rincon is still composed and relatively comfortable. Of course, it is not a sport quad, and the limited wheel travel and weight of the unit must be given proper respect.
On the other hand, the engine and transmission are pure utility, with no surge of power anywhere and uninspiring gear selection when in automatic mode. The engine dislikes being revved and generally isn't happy trying to go fast even in ESP mode. It's super quiet, has Honda reliability and gets the job done, but it isn't a sport motor by any stretch of the imagination.
Overall, I felt confident on the Elka-suspended Rincon at good trail speed, limited more by the motor/transmission than by the chassis. If you need 4WD capability but still want to trail ride with some fun, this may be the quad for you.-Dick Burleson
The ITP wheel and tire combo looked great and worked well, though I think 25s might have been a better choice. The Elka shocks definitely upgraded an already good suspension. I put the Rincon through whoops that were out of its element and the suspension never bottomed-even though I was bracing for it. I would have liked a few engine mods to keep up with the added tire and wheel weight. I'm still not a convert on the Hondamatic transmission; too many odd shifts during launches and landings. Although this machine isn't really intended to be a major jumper, the new boingers begged to be tested in this arena. That's about it.-Brad Bowlin
The Rincon is plenty good in stock form for an average or even better-than-average rider. When we tested the stocker in our big-bore comparison (April '06, page 62) the only problems I encountered were bottoming it out twice (in its defense, I weigh 225 pounds) and needing some time to get used to the tranny and its shifting patterns. With a set of quality aftermarket shocks, it made whoop sections a piece of cake. Our 24-hour course had plenty of terrain diversity, so the new ITP meats were a nice solution in the mix of rock and sand sections. It would have been fun to put them through a little mud to see how they worked-maybe next time. If you're a big rider, wanting to hit the hard trails, I'd suggest looking into shocks like the Elkas.-Mark Rolland
For me, the IMS Rincon 680 was a hit. The company took a capable sport ute designed more for the trail than the farm and transformed it from the Honda engineers' intentions into reality. Still no powerhouse, the Rincon fitted with Elka shocks and ITP wheels allowed me to keep the throttle buried and let the red machine simply fly down the trail. Only once when I got too cocky for my own good and hit a whoop section too hot did the back end kick up, and I nose-wheelied for a few feet. The turning effort was slightly higher than stock due to the heavier tires and wheels, but not overly brutish as on many of its classmates in stock form. It was limited by the three-speed transmission-another gear or more ponies from the Rincon is about the only thing it needs now.-Bryan Nylander