Ok, you can tell I'm not real happy with my honda. As I write this, my rubicon is in the shop, for the second time. The first time was the front shafts had slid out of the differential, and I complained that it had no power. Now, for the second time, it still has no power, and has decided to start sputtering, like the rev limiter is kicking in, and after 3 weeks of being in the shop, it still isn't fixed. These last things were just the icing on the cake of many disappointments I have with this machine.
One of my biggest complaints is when changing the oil, all I can say was WHAT WERE THEY THINKING?????? Hmm, lets make you take off skid plates to change the oil, yes, you have to drop the skid plates, to remove the oil filter, why they didn't put a easy access filter on such a high tech machine is beyond me.
Then in what I can only imagine as an effort to save a couple of pounds, they used small wire to support the floor boards, unlike the rancher which has, nice beefy bars, again, WHAT WERE THEY THINKING???
The next complaint is fairly minor, but, on the front, they put this nice piece of plastic in the way so you can't see where the bars are to tie a rope up when you get stuck, and yes, you will be getting stuck on this machine, unless you run es mode and hold the machine down in first "gear". Yes, you read that right, the machine has to be run in first, sometimes second to pull all four, oops, three tires when the mud gets really deep. The machine seems to me be wanting to get the speed, and not gearing down for the mud. This is why seeing the bigfoot kits on a rubicon amaze me, there is no way mine will pull a bigger tire. And that leads me to the next issue, tires, I'm about to have to buy a new set, because the front tires have worn irregularly, but, I am seriously thinking of getting rid of this machine all together and buying a grizzly 660.
Now, you may think I'm just a yamaha nut, but, I'm just the opposite, or used to be. I was a honda believer, I still have an 87 big red, and a honda shadow, and did have a 450s. But, I don't think I could buy another honda now, they have left a very bad impression on me lately. If I did go back to honda, it would be the 450s with the 2wd option, this also aggravates me, that this nifty feature wasn’t put on the rubicon. The 450s I traded in was a tough dependable machine, nothing like this "new" honda.
I could list off several other problems with this machine, but, I think you get the idea.

Now, for the few good things, well, it steers easier than the previous 4x4’s, and no shifting, has spoiled me for sure. Its also nice to be able to run around 45mph and not sound like it’s going to sling a rod.


Recommended: No

Amount Paid (US$): 6500
Condition: New
Model Year: 2001
Model and Options: Rubicon Hondamatic