Honda did more than just add an independent rear suspension (IRS) to its Foreman Rubicon ATV line. This IRS is anything but taxing. Rather IRS has made a multi-purpose vehicle a bit more sporty and fun to ride if you lean more toward recreational riding than just using it around the farm or house for work.
Honda made sure the Rubicon can still carry a workload. All-steel front and rear carriers are larger and offer more load capacity as compared to the previous generation of Rubicons. You can carry up to 99 lbs. up front and 187 lbs. in the rear. Flat plates on carriers facilitate loading and offer multiple tie-down points. For those needing/wanting to tow, the Rubicon has a heavy-duty trailer hitch receiver with a 1,322-pound towing capacity.
And the 475cc powerplant with fuel injection seems to have enough power to enjoy the vehicle off-trail or work when asked to.
We admit there was little work involved in our first test drive of the Rubicon on the Hatfield-McCoy Trail system’s Rockhouse Trail in West Virginia. It was all play. In other words, we probably pushed this ATV harder than most of the intended consumers who might buy a Rubicon, aggressively attacking the rock sections on Rockhouse and sprinting from corner to corner on all the tight, twisty trails.
The Rubicon took it all and never even whimpered.
Here are three takeaways from today’s ride:
1 – Versatile. Yes, IRS is a big step for Honda and the Rubicon and that new rear suspension with its 8.5 inches of travel performed well today, but we can get over how versatile the machine is with its three shifting options. First there is fully automatic where the Rubicon does all the shifting for you. Second there is Honda’s exclusive Electric Shift Program (ESP) and third the manual shifting with a foot lever. Regardless of which one you choose, each has five speeds as well as reverse. More aggressive riders will want the manual shift version as it allows more rider input. If you’re on the Automatic/ESP version and can’t make up your mind on which one you want to use, you can switch between the two on the fly. The five-speed semiautomatic manual gearbox makes the Foreman Rubicon the only IRS ATV on the market available with a standard transmission. The point here is that you have plenty of options, depending on your riding style.
2 – Great Ride. There’s a lot going on here, including the new IRS, which helps the vehicle master more types of terrain, as well as a decent double-wishbone suspension on the front with 7.3 inches of travel. The suspension was dialed in four our Hatfield-McCoy experience. The Rubicon also has a new, thicker “Gripper” seat that a couple of inches of additional padding for trail pounding. The suspension—both front and rear—definitely inspires confidence in the vehicles abilities off-trail.
3- Options. Yes, it might be a bit of overkill but six different versions of the Rubicon available with the variations including transmission options, electric power steering (two models don’t come with EPS) and deluxe features such as cast aluminum wheels and painted suspension parts. Of course there are several—five to be exact—colors to choose from as well.
2015 Specifications
Engine: 475cc liquid-cooled OHV longitudinally mounted single-cylinder four-stroke
Bore and Stroke: 92.0mm x 71.5mm
Compression Ratio: 9.5:1
Induction: Programmed Fuel Injection (PGM-FI), 36mm throttle body
Ignition: Full-transistorized with electronic advance
Starter: Electric with optional auxiliary recoil
Clutch: Automatic
Transmission: Five-speed with Reverse
Driveline: Direct front and rear driveshafts with TraxLok and locking front differential
Suspension
Front: Independent double-wishbone; 7.3 inches travel
Rear: Independent dual-arm; 8.5 inches travel
Brakes
Front: Dual hydraulic 190mm discs
Rear: Single hydraulic 170mm disc
Tires
Front: 25 x 8-12
Rear: 25 x 10-12
Length: 83.7 inches
Width: 47.4 inches
Height: 49.1 inches
Seat Height: 36.1 inches
Ground Clearance: 9.8 inches
Wheelbase: 50.9 inches
Turning Radius: 11.5 feet
Fuel Capacity: 3.9 gallons, including 1.3-gallon reserve
Colors:
Rubicon 4x4: Red, Olive
Rubicon 4x4 EPS: Red, Honda Phantom Camo
Rubicon 4x4 EPS Deluxe: White
Curb Weight*: 679 lbs. (TRX500FM5)/696 lbs. (TRX500FM6)/
688 lbs. (TRX500FM6 Deluxe)
*Includes all standard equipment, required fluids and full tank of fuel—ready to ride.
We’ll have a full report in the next issue of Dirt Toys Magazine so stay tuned.
