First Ride: 2004 Four Trax Rancher at GPScape

When we first wrote about Honda's new FourTrax Rancher in the December 2002 issue, the big news was the fact that Honda put its super-smooth, high-tech hydraulic transmission in a midsize sport-utility ATV. And almost as an aside we mentioned the AT comes with an optional GPS.

Since then we've realized the coolest thing on the "new" Rancher is the optional GPS. The rest is the same Rancher you know and love with new skin.

Why the change to Honda's most successful model? With many of the 70,000 2003 Ranchers sold going for strictly utilitarian duties, Honda figured it was a safe bet to expand the enthusiast draw for the machine via this AT version--don't expect major revisions. The suspension remains the same, the rear tires are slightly wider and the fuel tank is .4 gallon bigger at 3.8. The Rancher AT has restyled bodywork to reflect its more enthusiast focus, a smooth automatic transmission and a 68cc displacement bump; but what it all boils down to is more configurations for this versatile machine. You pay for all the new features with a 24-pound weight penalty.

Representatives from Honda met us at one of our local riding spots, Hungry Valley SVRA, for an introduction to the Rancher's newest incarnation. The twisting hardpack trails, whooped-out roads and sand washes of Gorman, California, aren't suitable for one of our normal utility tests, but a light rain made conditions better than usual for this sort of thing. We began testing the machine at the Aliklik Campground, which features a man-made rock garden for 4x4 trucks, along with some rocky hillclimbs.

The AT is typical Honda--tight and stable in slow crawling exercises. Even careful rock crawling had us bouncing the floorboard mounts and underbelly off boulders. The low-slung mount is adept at finding traction--in drive or reverse--but catches a lot of vertical obstacles. The new Hondamatic transmission seamlessly transferred power in all situations.

Moving on to a more traditional trail ride, we asked one of the Honda reps why the Rancher's new cubes didn't seem to translate into big performance gains. He replied that the greater drag from the hydraulic transmission necessitated more power so that the Rancher AT at least equaled the older model in the performance department.

The Hondamatic, first offered in the Foreman Rubicon, is a technological wonder spurred into existence by Honda's mistrust of the traditional drive belt. We can only begin to understand the principles behind the transmission, and if we tried, it would take a separate article to explain them. Suffice it to say that in the unlikely event you manage to break the high-tech marvel, you'll be shelling out $1000 for a replacement--there are no dealer-serviceable parts. It's actually a new, more compact version than the one in the Rubicon, but it works the same.

This was not at all what was going through our heads as we hit the trail in full auto-mode two-wheel-drive. We instead wondered why the AT seemingly had no real responsiveness from the transmission. Possibly due to the more sedate nature of the Rubicon, and that it has no 2WD mode, we never noticed the sluggishness to backshift on the larger machine. But on the AT, while we were trying to get the back end to fish out a little in corners, there was a distinct pause for pressure to build before spinning or thrusting. The same could be said for hills; the AT at first bogged, then magically found the power to ascend. It could be the larger Rubicon engine builds pressure in the hydraulic unit quicker; or maybe we just expect more of a connection in a midsize vehicle.

But these thoughts quickly disappear when the Rancher is shifted into manual-style ESP (Electric Shift Program) mode. In ESP, the shifting is done with the left thumb, but unlike with regular ESP on most Honda models, there is no pause-click when shifting--because the electronic transmission isn't really shifting a cog, it just changes. No sound, no delay, just bang! This was especially satisfying after the automatic mode, and a perfect way to spend an exciting trail ride. If we got tired of shifting, we could always go back.

Suspension is that familiar tight and bouncy-feeling type Honda is fond of on its utility models. The technicians say it's to keep handling predictable when the quad is loaded down with gear. It was good for about two whoops before we needed to slow down or get bounced off. The extra 24 pounds cannot be helping. On the upside, it's great in technical terrain and very stable in corners. The new selectable two-/four-wheel-drive is a joy, making for fun times in the turns. The thing is so surefooted that even on a rainy day we only turned on the four-wheel-drive so we could test it.

After spending a few hours with the slightly changed Rancher, Honda took us on a poker run as a way of introducing us to the GPScape system. The AT's GPS is a simple waypoint navigational affair. Entirely integrated into the AT's LCD dash, the system lets you either set the spot you're at as one of 100 saved locations or enter in global coordinates. Then simply tell the unit which point you want to head toward and it tells you what direction and how far away it is. If nothing else, you will always be able to find your way back to camp.

The poker run took us all over Hungry Valley. The unit accurately led us to four of five locations; the one it missed seemed to be some sort of GPS "dead zone," as several riders had trouble finding their way there. One thing that sometimes confuses the GPScape unit is funny angles; if the quad is at an extreme angle to the center of the planet, the unit gets confused as to which way to point the arrow for you. Just stay with what you think is the proper orientation and it will work itself out, eventually.

In our first real GPS experience, we found it to be a blast. And there is no better way to use GPS than on the Rancher AT. With its integrated display and hidden antenna, you don't have to worry about damaging your expensive handlebar-mounted GPS unit in a rollover, and it's one less display to look at with all your vital information right on the dash.

With the huge fan base and proven track record of the Rancher, we expect that this more niche-oriented model will be a real winner with the enthusiast crowd. While some might see the sameness of the model as a drawback, there is also opportunity for this new machine to draw upon the considerable aftermarket accessory pool that the best-selling Rancher has already built.

How Does Super Rancher Stack Up?
We brought along our hopped-up Rancher ES for a little side-by-side with the newest Rancher model. We came away with a deep and abiding respect for the engineers who design these machines. While the AT is a polished, tight machine, possibly in need of some small suspension upgrades, our quad was Frankenstein's monster. Contrary to our belief, the ITP Holeshot ATR radials were not the perfect fit for Southern California; too wide and grippy by far in comparison. Their greater unsprung mass (in conjunction with ITP C-Series aluminum wheels) seemed to tap out the Works dual-rate shocks. The overall ride for a nonaggressive rider was much improved but these tires actually degraded the overall handling when riding was taken up a notch. It feels very plush right up until the shocks get overwhelmed--then things get interesting. Not good, as we want to race the machine.

Our Super Rancher is, however, faster. The Pro Circuit slip-on and Quad Works intake kit combine to more than overcome the displacement deficit to the AT. Casual drag racing tests in a flat sand wash confirmed that the SR launches better with its wide tires and has a considerable thrust and top-speed advantage. Obviously, we tested the AT in ESP mode.

Another advantage to our Rancher is the High Lifter/Wilwood disc brakes. The braking action offers more feedback and better stopping power over the AT's drums. However, we need to rebleed the lines on ours as the lever is spongy after break-in.

We'll be doing more testing on our SR in future issues to get the bugs worked out, possibly slip the stock tires back on to feel the difference and play with air pressures some. The good news for folks thinking of buying the AT: Everything we did to the SR is also a direct bolt-on for the new Rancher.