70 years old, have a 2020 520. Have ridden Honda since 1983. 40 years of dependability. wont have it any other way. Well over 60 thousand bush miles, not trail.😬
I’ve got a ‘15 Foreman with the 475cc, thumb shift, and it does low 50’s on level ground. No weird noises from rattles or the diff. Two things I wish it had are a plusher ride and LED lights. Got my first Honda in ‘02. Been very happy with them. No major issues at all.
Having a 2020 Honda TRX520FE2 T3b (a Foreman with rigid rear axle, power steering and electric gear selection but without the automatic selection feature) on the other side of Atlantic for light forestry work in terrain filled with hills, fjells and tundra, I must say that ”real gears” of Honda are certainly the thing that you need for heavy-duty work. As the terrain is challenging and you tow a loaded twin-axle ATV trailer you need the ability to go very slow and have a lot of torque and power to be able to do the job. CVT would burn belts very quickly in this kind of use. I have been very pleased with the electric gear switch as well as the 4wd/front lock system as they are very quick easy to operate. No malfunctions have been detected so far. The electric gear system is very handy as you do not have to remove your hands from the column when using gears and going to reverse. I have to agree that the plastics get scratched very easily. Nothing has been broken yet, though. The storage space without rack boxes is a bit sparse and Honda quick-lock boxes are not available here for the racks so I constructed my own version of ”easy-lock” system connecting a box to the rear rack so that I can attach and take off the box relatively easy. The rear storage compartment is practically unaccessible as my Honda is registered as a tractor for road traffic and the license plate blocks the access there. I use the front compartment to stow heavy-duty lines that can be put around trees when using the electric winch (my winch has a wireless remote that is very handy in many occasions). My racks do not rattle and feel quite solid. Because of local traffic laws regarding tractors in traffic, the public road speed must be limited to 60km/h (37mph) altough the limiter cuts power at 54 km/h (35,5mph) and the max allowed speed cannot be attained. This being said, there would be plenty of power reserve to go faster. The speedometer is quite accurate. Driving a short, high vehicle with soft suspension much faster could be in my opinion somewhat dangerous. My vehicle had an issue with one rear tire/steel rim as it leaked for some reason. As the retailer tried to correct the situation putting a tube inside, they managed to mangle the rim that is made of quite thin material. After getting a new rim there have been no problems but the tube is still there just to be on the safe side. The original tires have performed well. Honda TRX 520 may not be especially nimble but is sufficently so for use in forests and difficult uneven terrain. The power steering works well and there have been no issues with it. As for the noises, there are some sounds coming from differentials I guess but hopefully that does not mean anything bad. My vehicle has ”Optimate plug” embedded to the right rear side near the seat so maintaining the battery is very easy as you do not need to open panels to load the battery.
I’ll have to disagree on the cvt. That’s one of the main reasons I bought it is for the reliable trans mine is the foot shift . I use mine I pull extremely heavy all the time around the farm 1,000-2,000 pounds and if it had a cvt I would be going through belts like crazy
nah i have borh honds and 2 suzukis and the my kingquad 750 been on the same belt for 2 years i have 30" tires with massive lugs and i pull a trailer and jetski and using it to load into the lake and it has no problem and when i load it in we have no ramp so i just take it through the muddy bank. but i do like dct more but i also like my kingquad 750 way more than my honda 420
It's max tow is 1300lbs. So doing 2000 isn't doing you any favours. Other CVT's are rated at 2000 and is a non issue. I've hauled my 1200 trailer loaded with split wood with a KQ750, AC700, Polaris 850, all no slipping. Honda makes cars and a motorcycle with a CVT. So the old transmission argument is long past. Plus a transmission weighs more than the CVT.
Just picked up my new 24 Rubicon DCT EPS, changed the motor oil and front/rear differential’s fluid. All 3 had easily visible metal shavings seen in daylight at only 10 miles. I am super happy I dumped the factory fill and replaced with new Honda fluids and filter. I’m glad its not CVT! Seems like those metal shavings would be rough on bearings and such..
Just thought I'd add this... My talon makes a ton of noises as well. The rear diff is loud. BTW, I can't imagine driving over 50 or so mph on a wheeler. Stability goes to crap going fast.
You are correct with the turn radius. The storage in front could be wrapped with padded aluminum . As far as more storage, rear seat/ storage setups are readily available. As far as a cvt trans, NO. Power? I see plenty of power for the bike, for trail riding. I also agree the display is small. Something like the Rancher had in 03 or a little bigger. It does like fuel! The tank could be bigger. I’ve had this one for almost 3 month and no major complaints
@@bmbott123 I've had both, have a rubicon now and my bud has a 750 2022 king quad. I like the cvt and higher top speed on the king I do miss those and the ride/handling better on the honda. The hondas shocks are smoother, it sits about 2 inches higher in the front so I get hung up less and the front end is much lighter making it feel sportier.
tomorrow i will buy my first ATV in my life, reading your comments and making up my mind.... i am bit afraid of IRS as i need to pull 300kg grass mower, but i like to control the gear and that is why i am leaninb towards DCT.
I promise IRS will be just fine. If you only saw half the weight this thing has had on it. The DCT has been 100% flawless in the 2,600 miles I’ve had it
@@Omega-uj6qz Honda are one of the best out there. You take care of it last forever. I just got the new 2022 matte blue metallic Rubicon and sounds and shifts perfect. Guess if you want more power why you buying a 520? Honda wont change what's not broke. Them things last forever and it's all the power one needs on a atv
As far as noise, it's just the way it is. Mine sounds the same way although mine is a Rancher. Mine has the straight axle, I chosed for less parts to go wrong over time. Mine has been free of any issues and it was built in 2014. Been just great. I don't need that center light but the diff-lock would be nice. Sense I have bought mine new, I will probably settle for it an save my money. They are a quality machine for the farm. Mine is electric shift, no issues and rather keep the gears in the transmission.
I had an old Honda 300 2wd back in the late '90s. Got it brand new at 15 and beat the living piss out of that thing. I don't remember taking very good care of it in all honesty. I was always gone on the trails for hours and hours. Not once did the machine quit or complain. Always started on the first try, shifted great, never overheated, and rarely got oil changes. Great machine!!! Now, I am unsure about another Honda, I am a little older, slower, fatter (working on that), and want something that can keep pace with friends from one trail to the next. Additionally, they just passed a law making it legal to ride ATVs on state roads 45mph and under starting next year in Alaska. So, I don't want to be screaming down the road either, I would like to be able to not hold traffic back without having it pinned when using it to run around. Yeah, Honda just does not have what it takes anymore, great for farms and casual trails though. Honda really needs to making something decent with a bit more power. The same could be said with Yamaha, Suzuki, Kawasaki, they too could use some more powerful and updated machines. Maybe not 100hp machine to compete with Polaris and Can-Am, however, something with decent enough power, high 60's, low 70's horsepower would be perfect.
The Yamaha grizzly has great power and sounds like it would be perfect for you. It’s honestly what I’m considering next. Still reliable and runs 60-70 mph. Plenty of power
@@JacobOverman - Yeah, it is between the Grizzly 700 or a King Quad 750, appears the King is a bit faster stock, with more power, and quicker acceleration. I am researching mods for both and think it would be easier to make the Grizzly have more power, though the King already has 5hp more than the King Quad. I like the belt life on a Grizzly and it would be easier to sell down the road because the nearest Suzuki dealer is 2-hours away. I will rarely be at top speed, just occasionally, I have always felt 45 is more than fast enough. Suppose I am interested in having the low-end grunt and better mid-range.
I thought the power ain't bad, I don't want to ride a wheelie up the hill. Lol. The front storage is good for a tree saver strap and I put a pull strap in the rear. But the noises don't bother me but a do also have a polaris too.
My guy, CVT actually has a power loss off the main output, and offers less torque feel. You’re maybe wanting more top end? And if Honda decided to use CVT, then they wouldn’t have that quality you require. You can’t have legendary quality and a CVT on the same machine.
@@michaeldeegan3560 yes i have, and while the yammy have great CVT's basic physics still says you cant submerge a transmission that literally has to breathe, and still have a good day😂a Honda machine with a sealed off, enclosed transmission would be superior in that scenario.
I had a 2017, which was mostly the same but with the older 473 engine. I loved it mostly but looking back for the same money you can buy a 650 class machine elsewhere with better storage and more power. In not sure the assumed reliability was worth the 3 grand or so this costs over other 500 class machines.
I like that Honda still offers the old school gear shift trans like the older units. I had a Honda 250es Big Red that would do what ever I asked it, with a 250cc engine, my Big Red would run about 62 mph WOT. These newer Hondas must be defueling to make them go slower, because back in the day, if they had a 520 engine in an atv with the same gearing and carburetor as they had in the older atv's it would be scary. Might not be a bad Idea to grab a manual shift model while they still make them. I can say that I had a Yamaha grizzly 550 EPS model and it was very reliable. I liked that even though it had the belt drive, it also had the internal wet centrifagul drive clutch which is what I liked. Lots of people that run belt drive atv's or utv's have to be reminded to use the "Low Range" if speed is below around 25 mph not to burn the belt, which is where the Hondas shine as far as the manual trans goes for the most part.
6:38 you have to take you hand off the throttle to do it now how much since does that make a ranchers 2-4 is where your high-low is, which I will admit is nice to have but if your know how to drive you can just stay in the right gear at all times and will have no power problems. Benefits of a manual transmission.
I would say that I agree with you on a few things, but NOT the CVT, because that is one of the best things about a Honda is their DCT and foot shift transmission setup! Of course they are slow, but plenty fast enough for WHAT THEIR BUILT FOR!! If indeed you wanna rip and ride dangerously fast down the trail then buy you a Honda Rincon 680, or one of their sport quads, or even switching make & model then get you a Can-Am or a Polaris, that you speak so highly of. Lol This is the bottom line, Honda is like a Mack truck, they’re tough, slow and rugged, they are built for a specific purpose, and they make the demands perfectly for what they was designed to do! The Mack truck was built to haul the race car to the track, not to participate in the race! Nevertheless, even though I disagree with you about a few things, you are dead on point about certain things and I enjoy your videos. I really appreciate the effort. Keep it up my friend. 😎
Can I cook my Burritos in that front box? I have the first year of Rubicon & I never heard any strange noises, just the normal engine clicking valve. I rather hear that then a whining CVT any day. I’ve had Polaris’s & never again will I ride one.
The weird noises are definitely there but mine doesn't have the engine noise. That, or maybe it does and it just doesn't bother me. Now, I agree with everything else, but if honda went with a cvt it would ruin what they're known for.
i have an 2014 arctic cat 500 with ctv and i hate it it's loud the faster you go the higher the RPM the louder it gets just like a snowmobile. i use it hunting and want something quieter .
2:46 with the whole turning thing, not sure if it’s because of the irs or the power steering. I have a 2022 rancher 420 SRA with no power steering and she turns sharp as an axe. IRS can be nice but Honda doesn’t do it right. IMO the 520s suck overall, I have both and I like my rancher way more. And it even performs better is the mud on stock tires against my buddys 520 on 27 mudzillas. The haven’t changed the rancher in years that’s why it’s so good. And yes there is less power but when you know how to drive and stay in the right gear at all times ccs don’t matter. And electric shift is junk, my 2009 formen 500 that has been stored in a heated gradge with 5000kms on it has the electric shifter break more times that I can count. Less is more when is comes to machines.
Electric shift is horrible. Glad I never owned one. The DCT is a great transmission. The rancher to rubicon in mud comparison is irrelevant. Depends on what your doing and 9/10 times. Rubicon will always come out on top simply because of the diff lock.
Anybody else ever had issues with the rear driveshaft seal leaking? (The seal on the rear of the motor where the rear driveshaft goes in). I used to have a 14 foreman and it started sealing oil. Was curious if it was a common issue on the newer Hondas
They needa make it where you manually put it into drive, Like they used to have and put their old screens back in then that are bigger. Kinda feel those are my least favorite things
1 - digital display is small and you can’t see time and fuel at the same time 2 - turning radius 3 - needs 15 more HP 4 - needs better headlights 5 - could use 10km/hr more top speed
Liked your review video just leave the comments about worrying if people will not like what you have to say waste of time. I’m thinking of getting out of Polaris. I haven’t been talked into it yet.
Out of curiosity does the rubicon come with a pull start. My 2022 does but the owners manual says Canada only. So I'm wondering if the American Hondas don't have it at all. Im from Saskatchewan Canada.
I have the exact same mode. Is it supposed to be on L or D the lever on the left side ? Mine is always been on L but don’t know really much about where to have it ?
@@JacobOverman oh man no wonder it feels like it shifts longer. Someone must of moved it cause when we bought it did smooth and fast. I’ll do that now thanks man
I'm about to buy one.. like really soon within a week, maybe tomorrow.... idk if i should save a little and get the 420 idk.. my heart really wants the 520 with 100% foot shift positive on that.. only thing im a little iffy on is irs or straight axel.. how much does irs add to the cost im in Louisiana aka swamp so im sure it could help. anyone can help me with decision?
@@_E.S.C._ 520 with straight axle and foot shift.. base model 520.. basically.. im glad i didn't go with irs because i pull a utility trailer in the woods with it and the irs wouldn't be good for that
You know Honda transmission verses cv is like shaft drive verses chain. One more reliable the other is faster. Storage plenty add ons , with mine and using for farm and hunting and some trails I don't even use factory storage. As far as any noises it's actual transmission verses rubber band. You don't like the vibration and noises driving down the road change the tires to something more hard top friendly. I could go on but won't, you bought a work horse not a Cadillac
Youre like one of my kids. If you ask her, what you hate about your dirt bikes? i dont like this, and that, all of it she doesn't like. So If I said, okay I am going to sell this and probably buy a new one in a couple of months. She said, no I love this. lols
I think you're being overly critical. I've owned numerous Honda ATVs and had nothing but praise for them. Perhaps you should buy another brand next time.
A cvt puts less power down than gears guy🙄 you literally could have bought any other atv and had a cvt….. that’s the point why Honda doesn’t have one. To be reliable. Look at the hp numbers, Honda is pretty low compared to others, but you find 80s-90s Honda atvs for sale daily for 2-3k….. other manufacturers have bigger displays too. Seems the Honda place is just the first you stopped at and decided to pull the trigger
Definitely not the case. I think Honda should make a CVT option. Maybe on a bigger ATV. I know what I bought and why. I’ve had 4 brand new Hondas. This isn’t my first one
Should have went with a Yamaha 700. More power, smooth transmission. U will have to get one to see what u been missing. Never go back to that old school Honda.
That's what I thought too, so I bought a 2016 Kodiak 700 EPS SE. Have about 600 ish miles on it. So far - 4WD switch (100 miles), decompression spring recall (200 miles), starter (300 miles), and top end rebuild since it was smoking up a storm (500 miles). And it had solid maintenance and an easy life just running around on my property in Michigan. Not exactly what I expected. Since it is actually doing well at the moment thinking to sell it and get a Rubicon. Hate to step back on the power but sure would be nice if I could just trust that it wasn't going to have some kind of problem. :(
There are 3 types of off-road riders: 1. Honda guys who like DTC. 2. Honda guys who wish Honda would change to CVT. 3. Riders of basically every other manufacturer in the world who prefer CVT. Honda is almost being stubborn at this point. Yes, there is a place for DCT in certain towing and work applications, and if you fall into this category, then I get your point… but you are in the minority. As belt technology continues to improve, Honda’s gonna have no choice to switch to CVT in my opinion. Nearly Infinite gears is unbeatable.
5. Guys that know belts suck at anything but WOT and be damned if you put a "Shine" on a belt. You are as good as stuck and spending an hour on the trail replacing it.
I think they should keep footshift and replace DCT with a CVT. I don’t think Honda would make a poor quality belt setup. Yamaha makes a belt I would trust just as much as a DCT
@ND outdoor prepper leather. For starters, great name… awesome. But you wrong that CTV driven machines suck at any but WOT. That is simply an inaccurate statement. I have 4 different machines. Can am 1000 xtp, Can Am XTP 850, Polaris sportsman 570, and Honda rubicon. I have only broke 1 belt in the last 12 years of riding. To be fair, I do replace the belt every 3 years and I also don’t abuse my machines. The CTV belts perform better, nobody can really argue that. Likewise, nobody argues that Honda’s DCT is not super reliable. Two things: 1) Honda is known for reliability in all their products. So you can’t really claim that honda great reliability is based solely on the lack of a CTV. 2) the big bore Can Am and Polaris engines (850 and 1000) put so much more stress on the transmission regardless of the style of transmission. The 450cc and 570cc belts almost never break during normal operation.
