Quad folks: Honda TRX420 vs 500

[Bearbreath]

Hey all,

My old man and I are looking to buy two new quads. We have almost zero quad experience. We drove cheap dirt bikes for years and spent a lot of time fixing broken bikes or pushing/towing them out of the bush so we want new machines.

I am looking at the manual shift bare bones model that is reliable and affordable. Hunting and exploring new hunting areas will be the main focus here.

Is it worth the extra $$$ for the front diff lock, handle bar head light, and a little extra power that the 500 has??

Was also considering a 2016 Kodiak 700 then I found out the base model does not come with a odometer or hour meter. That could cause issues come resale time. The automatic trans, IRS, and big power are tempting but you have to upgrade to the EPS model for $10000 to see how many km you have LOL.

Really appreciate any tips or experiences with these machines.

Thank you,
Ryan

[Fwee6]

I bought a 2009 TRX 420 4x4 with elec shift and power steering a couple seasons ago. Got a great deal -- it only had 250 kms.

It's been amazing. Light, fast enough, and it's a Honda (dependable as all hell). I upgraded the tires to Big Horn 2.0's, and put on a Warn winch. It's been perfect for trail riding, grouse hunting, scouting, ice fishing, and pulling out deer. Bonus: it fits in the back of my truck.

Only thing I wish it had was IRS...mine is a solid rear axle.
Power steering is a must in my opinion.

[KBF]

The steering on the 420 is so quick. Perhaps even a but too much on our 2012 anyways. The 420 nice and light and nimble and maneuverable. Have never rode one of the 500. But if you are planning spending most your time in rough terrain any IRS will be appreciated by your body

[kingrat]

I had same dilemma and decided for the small amount of actuall difference in power it wasn't worth the extra money bought the 420 foot shifter and love it. Sometimes bare bones is good when your in the middle of nowhere

[trackrig]

The big machine is just that - bigger, heavier, more expensive, more power to break things, uses more fuel and is harder to get unstuck in the deep mud. The smaller machines is just fine.

I still like the old Suzuki King Quads.

Bill

[West O'5]

You'll appreciate the handlebar mounted light to see where you want to go in conjunction with rack mounted lights which lite up the actual direction of travel when you're steering hard and/or on tight n twisty bush trails..
I prefer manual shifters over auto or electric....just something more to fail at the worst possible moment imho.
With bigger machines a winch is a must when you get stuck,2 winches mounted front and rear even better if you travel alone often.
Bigger power is fun for rec riding,not necessary for hunting,as any of us that remember the days of hauling out moose quarters on a 3 wheeled ATC 110 can attest to,lol."Back in the day" if you had a 250 Big Red,you were king of the woods with your moose haulin machine.......nowadays everybody seems to think you need a 800cc 4x4 with power steering to get'er done?

[dangerranger5143]

I have a 2011 Honda 420. It has electric shift, IRS and the in display GPS. Like others have said, it has enough power and speed, it's light and you can't beat Honda reliability. I put a set of 27" Zilla's on mine. Ended up having to buy and install stronger clutch springs to help with the larger tires. With a set of 26" I don't believe I would have had to do that. I've never had any issues with the quad. Electric shift works great. Our entire family runs Honda quads and there are never issues.

As for the 420/500 debate. Personally I would stick with the 420. Price is lower and the reduced CC I don't think you'd notice. Install a set of aftermarket led lights if light is a concern and your good to go. One other thing I highly recommend is a windshield. I finally broke down and put one on. Wonder why I didn't do it sooner. Makes those cold November rides back to camp much more bareable. Honda makes a factory fit one and there are many aftermarket ones as well.

DR

[graybeard]

Always be prepared for the unexpected; new machines can breakdown just as healthy person can sprain and ankle walking through the woods.

Getting back on topic, as for your options, I love the 420...tons of power; you can still manually lift the front end.

I shot an elk a couple of years ago in an open (no snow) field and I hooked up to it and dragged it to be dressed out near 1/2 a mile away.

My machine pulled this heavy elk with no problems.

The Honda 420 is my choice.

Good luck,

[LongBomber]

I won't buy another quad without irs, and front difflock. I can live without powersteering. Irs rides so much nicer, and the extra clearance really helps, escpecially in snow. I dont use difflock much, but lots of times I have spun to a stop in 4x4, engaged the difflock and been able to back out. Again, big difference in the snow.
Also if you are going to use it to plow snow, the 420 is a bit light. My mom uses a 420 to plow, the honda handbrake reverse button and foot shift is a pain when you are plowing and going forwards/reverse lots.

[trophyhunter]

If hunting/scouting is your goal, I would go with the 420. Lighter and easier to handle for 1 guy. I have the 400 foreman and it has been a great quad, drug a couple young bull moose out of the bush no sweat.

[KBF]

Originally Posted by LongBomber

I won't buy another quad without irs, and front difflock. I can live without powersteering. Irs rides so much nicer, and the extra clearance really helps, escpecially in snow. I dont use difflock much, but lots of times I have spun to a stop in 4x4, engaged the difflock and been able to back out. Again, big difference in the snow.
Also if you are going to use it to plow snow, the 420 is a bit light. My mom uses a 420 to plow, the honda handbrake reverse button and foot shift is a pain when you are plowing and going forwards/reverse lots.

That handbrake reverse is by far the fasted shifting system out there as fats as a mechanical shift system.Way faster than the handle shift levers places by your legs below the handle bars. That shift system is the only part of my Kawi I don't like. But then again it's on the right side maybe on the left it would be better

[58thecat]

Great all around machines just wish they would have kept the softer plastics on the outside, the two inches all around the wheel fenders as these areas get stuck up against trees etc and at -20 they snap as apposed to bending...guess that is why I still drive my 2004 fourtrax...some designs manufacturers should have kept.

[Bassett]

Both great machines for what youre wanting them for. I personally prefer the bigger base of the 500. 420s are pretty quick and will go anywhere the 500 does. Powersteering is a must. Diff locks are nice but not required by any means. IRS is necessary for me. Loved my hondas but ive since changed to canam. Im a strict mudder.

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[clarky]

I'm 6'4, 230lbs without gear etc. I have used a mid 1990s Honda 400 barebones quad for the thickest of backwoods hunting. Sometimes the quad is doing a little more work then I would like it to, and I look like a dog humping a football, but I love the fact that I can physically throw it around if I'm in a sticky spot. Put good tires on it, mount a winch... hard to beat.


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[58thecat]

Was out in her today, 30 Klicks of thick crap looking for moose sheds and anything else that caught my eye.
The smaller machines, thick crap doesn't get snagged up as much, softer plastics around the wheel wells is forgiving, will plug along the nastiest trail and if I want but don't to it too often she tops out at around 80kmh but like I mentioned that too fast for me...image.jpg

[ronkaren]

Originally Posted by kingrat

I had same dilemma and decided for the small amount of actuall difference in power it wasn't worth the extra money bought the 420 foot shifter and love it. Sometimes bare bones is good when your in the middle of nowhere

the automatic with foot shift are bullet proof, I own two and wouldn't buy any different transmission. Although the electric ones are easy to start beginners on, they just can't take the abuse that the auto clutch takes..

[Bearbreath]

Thanks for all the opinions and information guys!! Leaning towards the 420. Seems like it would be a good machine for my needs.

[TBD]

you don't want to be that guy in moose camp, with the little 420

... you won't feel good about 'urself that whole week.

Don't do that to urself man, find a fairly new foreman (bigger tires) with footshift -- forget about PS and ES and even IRS, these are all bells and whistles you dont need, that (if you plan to keep for a long time) will cost major $$ in repairs down the road.

the diff b/w one with PS and one without is minimal, the diff b/w one with IRS and one without is minimal (unless ur racing in the bush)

TBD

PS ... buy Honda for resale when it does come time to upgrade.

recently i just moved two rubicons and bought one (hold over stock) 2016 foreman with footshift and winch, everything else was standard on this machine.

I have to say - luv the foot shift compared to ES (feels like a real bike) and don't miss PS or IRS ... or the GPS

[Bearbreath]

^^^ after being the only guy in camp with knee pads built into his pants I think I can handle anything LOL! Oh the zingers....I may have heard them all

The foreman is tempting for sure. I agree about about not needing the extra options.

[st99]

Back in 2014, I bought a 2014 foreman 500, foot shift, power steering with solid rear axle. I love it, perfect quad for what I do, but I would like to have IRS (which was not available at the time), not just for confort, but also to drive easier over down fall without being thrown side ways.

[Pikecrazed]

Originally Posted by st99

Back in 2014, I bought a 2014 foreman 500, foot shift, power steering with solid rear axle. I love it, perfect quad for what I do, but I would like to have IRS (which was not available at the time), not just for confort, but also to drive easier over down fall without being thrown side ways.

My foreman now has 1200 hours of pure abuse including pulling a post pounder for a few months every year the seat is blown up and the grips have no rubber left but other than bearings and an oil pan leak it's never had a problem

[JohninAB]

For years we used Kawasaki 300 Bayou 4x4's and Yamaha Big Bear 350 4x4's. Never a problem with being under gunned. Pulled numerous moose and elk out with them no problem.

Partner now has a Honda 420 and it does everything he needs it to and then some. 420 will suit you and your dad fine. The extras are nice to haves but in no way required.

[D4l3k]

not a big fan of the new honda designs, specificly the rubicon
the old ones are bulletproof and reliable

my buddy put his new 500s ebrake on when he loaded it into his truck this hunting season like he always does and the brake froze up from the mud freezing around it on the drive up

could not get it into reverse to matter what we tried, and after 45 minutes of messing about and missing the morning hunt, we ended up roping another quad up to it and dragged it off the truck by force and frustration

also the same quad went into limp mode on him one weekend and would not go out of first gear

went to the dealer and the dealer said your not supposed to drive it in any kind of water?! because it throws water right into the unprotected electrical connections under the front fender and corrodes the connections

after the first oil change, oil leaks around the drain bolt, he bought a new drain bolt, and it still leaks?!!

he is trading it in spring, none of us are impressed with the new 500 at all, i would stay away from it

[Opa]

[QUOTE=TBD;3470483]
you don't want to be that guy in moose camp, with the little 420

Why not, the guys with the big units will do the bullwork just to show your machine up!!!!

[TBD]

if you like sniff'n fumes all day

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

got 'er out to the farm ...


two feet of snow - 4wd / diff lock - lots of power to chew threw it in 3rd gear.








no comparison to my old rubicon, with EFI alone you get way - better starting, way more power and decent fuel economy !

I think she'll handle the camoplast tracks no problem (no way a 420 will)

[Huntnut]

Originally Posted by TBD

I think she'll handle the camoplast tracks no problem (no way a 420 will)

They handle them quite well. When you buy tracks the sprockets are for that specific model. Power steering is nice though with tracks.
But you really can't go wrong with either. Both very good machines. I know of a tree planter contractor and he has 15 of the 500 foremans and abuses them like no one you've ever seen. They're still going strong after 4 seasons.

[vic1]

Originally Posted by dangerranger5143

I have a 2011 Honda 420. It has electric shift, IRS and the in display GPS. Like others have said, it has enough power and speed, it's light and you can't beat Honda reliability. I put a set of 27" Zilla's on mine. Ended up having to buy and install stronger clutch springs to help with the larger tires. With a set of 26" I don't believe I would have had to do that. I've never had any issues with the quad. Electric shift works great. Our entire family runs Honda quads and there are never issues.

As for the 420/500 debate. Personally I would stick with the 420. Price is lower and the reduced CC I don't think you'd notice. Install a set of aftermarket led lights if light is a concern and your good to go. One other thing I highly recommend is a windshield. I finally broke down and put one on. Wonder why I didn't do it sooner. Makes those cold November rides back to camp much more bareable. Honda makes a factory fit one and there are many aftermarket ones as well.

DR

Are you satisfied with these stronger clutch springs? I have 26" mudlights on my 420 end is gutless.
Vic

[Bearbreath]

Originally Posted by vic1

Are you satisfied with these stronger clutch springs? I have 26" mudlights on my 420 end is gutless.

Vic

Hey man, what year is your 420? It's that bad with the 26's eh

[st99]

Originally Posted by vic1

Are you satisfied with these stronger clutch springs? I have 26" mudlights on my 420 end is gutless.
Vic

that's where the 500 shines over the 420, I have 26" mud bug on my foreman 500 and it has more torque than I'll ever need

[vic1]

Originally Posted by Bearbreath

Hey man, what year is your 420? It's that bad with the 26's eh

It is 2010 electric shift, IRS model. It is not that bad but in deep mud it won't spin tires. If I was going to buy another one it would be 500 or I would stay with stock tires.