420FA test

ATV illustrated kårer Honda TRX 420FA til “Quad of the Year” 2009 i 450cc Utility Klassen.

The old saying “there’s no replacement for displacement” is true enough in most cases, and we’ll be the first to admit that many times we’ve been part of the crowd that believed too much power was just enough. While big bore ATVs often times grab the lions share of ink and pixels, displacement induced tunnel vision has been known to cause many riders to overlook excellent ATVs with smaller engines. In fact, with a displacement of 420cc - less than one cylinder on some models -, the Honda FourTrax Rancher AT is one of the best ATVs on the market today.

If there is once company in the ATV world that has a reputation for getting the entire package right it is Honda and that is exactly what the FourTrax Rancher AT represents: the total package. In fact, we were so impressed with the Rancher 4x4 ES last year we named it ATV Illustrated ATV of the Year in its class. We’ve said that the lights never go out at the Honda engineering offices, and even as the current Rancher was gathering awards engineers were busy working on big changes for its next generation. What arrived made an already outstanding ATV even better.

The 2009 Honda FourTrax Rancher AT looks very much like the 2008 model, but make no mistake, there are huge changes. Honda decided it needed to add an IRS model to the seven member Rancher family, and the new Rancher AT now sports a dual A-Arm IRS system which worked great whether picking our way over rock infested trails or sliding around fire road corners. To coax a little more power from the engine, Honda designed a new cylinder head featuring larger valves, intake, and exhaust ports, however, the major engine changes are not found in the cylinder, but in the transmission instead. In one of Hondas ground breaking moves they are the first manufacturer to include a dual clutch transmission on an ATV. What makes it even more remarkable is that this type of dual clutch transmission has currently only been seen on Honda’s mega dollar F1 race cars, and a few high end production cars from Porsche and Audi! How it works is one clutch pack operates gears 1, 3, and 5, while the other operates gear sets 2, 4 and reverse. As one shift is made the next gear set is automatically engaged as well, but the clutch pack driving that gear set is not activated until acted to do so. In effect the engine anticipates your next move! The result is a very smooth shifting transmission with no deceleration or lag between gears, and when not in fully automatic mode it can also be operated with the familiar thumb operated Electric Shift. Flipping between the thumb operated mode and fully automatic mode is accomplished by a switch mounted above the thumb throttle. As with last season, the engine runs clean, crisp, and starts easily thanks to Electronic Fuel Injection.

Honda is famous for their ergonomics and in this area the FourTrax Rancher is excellent as well. Overall size is slightly smaller than many utility ATVs, but it is very comfortable for everything from work chores to long trail rides. Controls are exactly where they need to be, and we especially like the sturdy pegs that keep your feet anchored just above the well drained floor boards, yet let your foot and body pivot as needed. At the left of the steering column is an easy to operate 4-wheel drive engagement lever, and to make the Rancher AT even more comfortable it is now available with a torque sensitive power steering system as well!

Whether on the trail or on work duty, the Honda FourTrax Rancher AT is the total package. The Independent Rear Suspension works extremely well, straight line stability is beyond excellent, and power steering makes it easy to ride all day even in the tight woods. With its new transmission and EFI the engine offers very good, smooth power delivery, and it is extremely predictable. We’re also very happy to report that our experience with the Rancher lineup is that they are practically bullet proof, and as long as you change the oil and keep a clean air filter, they simply do not give up. It’s the total package, and for that reason the 2009 Honda FourTrax Rancher AT is the 450cc Class Utility ATV of the Year.