Has anyone seen the test on Honda's new 700XX in Quad Magazine? I must say that I don't think I have ever seen a new ATV that has gotten such negative reviews.

Here's just a few that made me take note:

"Since this machine (and especially its engine) will invariably be compared to the Yamaha Raptor, I'm going to give you my initial gut comparison between the two. The Raptor feels more powerful overall in every area of the engine's curve (low, mid and top end)."

"Riding the machine in the dunes with all the soft power-robbing sand probably didn't help matters very much. But even when riding on the hard-packed desert terrain, it still didn't pull very hard. Top speed was impressive, but the seat of the pants acceleration I was hoping for just wasn't there."

"I cant seem to find a whole lot of nice things to say about the suspension or steering either. ... EIther the rear shock's spring rate was too stiff or the damping was off (or both). ... The shocks were set at the softest possible setting, but the ride was really stiff. ... I found that the ride was too choppy and overall was pretty harsh."

"The back end also danced a bit more through long series of whoops than I liked."

So did Honda completely miss on the set up of this quad? It is going to be interesting to see what other magazines have to say about it, and especially what actual owners have to say about it on the forums.

What's with Honda these days anyway? I owned literally dozens of Honda's back in the CR 500 days, and they were the best you could get. Honda seems to just keep missing the mark more and more lately though. You probably shouldn't put to much stock into what just one magazine says though.

Could someone please go buy one, and post an owner's review of it. Thanks.

DV

-------------------------
'07 Yamaha Rhino 660: Lonestar long travel suspension w/ Elka shocks; Gorilla axles; Trinity sheave; Dynatek CDI; Yoshimura RS-5 exhaust
'07 Yamaha Grizzly 700: Ohlins shocks; Fix Powersports sheave; Dynatek CDI
'08 KTM 530 EXC R: street legal dirt bike

Edited: 04/24/2008 at 11:09 PM by DesertViper

There was a guy that called himsel HONDA 700xx on these fourms that said he had one but I think it turn out to be a hoax! thread I think I even got suckerd into it!!

-------------------------
08 YAMAHA RAPTOR 700R
04 POLARIS SPORTSMAN 600
04 DODGE RAM 1500 HEMI QCSB "THE H"

PLEASE DON'T BE THE ONE THAT RUIN'S IT FOR THE REST OF US!!!!!!!!

MOPAR FOREVER
Move-Over-People-Are-Raceing!!!!!

Edited: 04/24/2008 at 11:53 PM by DODGE57HEMI

Several reviews have stated that the engine has no low end to mid power. It is highly likely being a 700cc, that Honda severely detuned this engine to keep folks from wheelieing it out from under themselves.

I suspect some simple mods will perk this engine up where it will be more than competitive with other machines of this displacement. This is especially true seeing it is a slipper piston design with low reciprocating weight.....on paper this engine should absolutely scream, so why doesn't it???

As far as the frame design, I think they absolutely combined the wrong features! The frame screams rutted rocky trail quad, yet they built it big and heavy instead of lighter, smaller, and more agile to fit between the trees.

Honda says that its target market for this machine is the utility rider who wants a more sporty 2wd ride. Now, some utility redneck who is use to riding an 800 pound mud monster may consider 500 pounds to be "light and sporty", but you aren't going to get the same opinion from someone who is use to riding a 350 pound 450 class sport quad!

-------------------------
Southern California.....

Desert: 450R and 400EX
Mountains: Rancher 420 and 350 4X4's
Kids: Two 250EX's and 90
Dual-Sport Bike: XT225

Past rides: 300EX, 2wd Rancher 350, Recon, TRX90, Z400, LT160, LT80, Warrior, Blaster, CRF230F

Edited: 04/25/2008 at 07:18 AM by reconranger

A few more thoughts....

We haven't seen a new Honda sport quad since 04, and what do they give us but a big heavy warmed over 2wd utility quad....

Honda figured there was money to be made in utilities! They came out with the 400EX in 99, then they abandoned the sport quad line and for years put all their efforts into giving us one more utility after another...with some highly complex transmissions that required a lot of R&D effort. (I know a guy who works in LA for Honda corporate, and he says they didn't even want to release the 450R in 04, but Yamaha forced their hand with the YFZ.)

I hate to see that Honda has wasted even more R&D efforts on this turkey, which has a very specialized niche (rocky rutted eastern trails)! I think this design was based on outdated late 90's marketing research. The IRS sport quad idea might have flown back then when even IRS utilities were rare, but they are way late getting it to market and the concept has already come and gone.

Now, the sport quad segment has taken off again, and Honda is behind the times having once again wasted their R&D in the wrong places! Honda...retune this engine and put it in a light SRA frame where it belongs!!!

-------------------------
Southern California.....

Desert: 450R and 400EX
Mountains: Rancher 420 and 350 4X4's
Kids: Two 250EX's and 90
Dual-Sport Bike: XT225

Past rides: 300EX, 2wd Rancher 350, Recon, TRX90, Z400, LT160, LT80, Warrior, Blaster, CRF230F

Edited: 04/25/2008 at 08:09 AM by reconranger

the guy that sold me my outlaw has a 700xx, and he said it handles good and is very comfortable to ride, but there is no way it could be compared to a 700r or a kfx700. the 700r is the biggest and baddest quad on the market and the kfx is more of a racer crossed with a utility giving it a unique position in the field of sport quads, what does this new honda do?... nothing. if your a pure bread racer then the 700r is for you, if you dont like uncomfortable gear and clutch manuvers and like the weight of a utility then the kfx700 is for you, but the 700xx is just a way for honda to claim to have a big bore quad on the market. i think they should have invested that money on a more genious idea, i have heard that its a good weekend trail quad, but that doesnt mean its ready to jump in the ring with the big dawgs just yet, mabye if they give it more low end and put a straight axle on it then it would be worthy...

honda needs to step their game up a little higher then that...

-------------------------
08 polaris outlaw 525irs
87 honda 250x
05 yamaha blaster 200 (sold)
91 honda trx200 type2 (sold)
86 honda trx250 (sold)

If you look in the new [June issue?] ATV SPORT magazine and I'm shure others in the 2nd or 3rd pg there is a Honda add for the new 700xx I think it is called king of the mountain and it show a 700xx on top of a hill above a 700r and kfx700. So you know who Honda is trying to market/compete with!

-------------------------
08 YAMAHA RAPTOR 700R
04 POLARIS SPORTSMAN 600
04 DODGE RAM 1500 HEMI QCSB "THE H"

PLEASE DON'T BE THE ONE THAT RUIN'S IT FOR THE REST OF US!!!!!!!!

MOPAR FOREVER
Move-Over-People-Are-Raceing!!!!!

Edited: 04/25/2008 at 10:19 AM by DODGE57HEMI

This 700 to 700 comparison stuff is just silly! It is the frame design that determines how it handles, not the displacement. Hell, a Rhino is a 700 so are we going to compare it to that as well????

The Raptor 700 is the only true sport quad in this displacement. The KFX is a big pig, and as was said it is a crossover utility design, but it is SRA. So, the only thing in the same class as the XX is the IRS Polaris.

-------------------------
Southern California.....

Desert: 450R and 400EX
Mountains: Rancher 420 and 350 4X4's
Kids: Two 250EX's and 90
Dual-Sport Bike: XT225

Past rides: 300EX, 2wd Rancher 350, Recon, TRX90, Z400, LT160, LT80, Warrior, Blaster, CRF230F

Have to remember about only 5-10% of people ride on dunes or even ever see one. A straight axle has low enough ground clearance with a differential ,but add a rear chain sprocket and the clearance is worst and it can,t take the rock hits like a differential.

Honestly I have see hundreds of ATVs on our trail and the only sport ATV I see was a very few Scramblers and I seen those get towed out because a boulder knock the chain off of broke the sprocket. Sport ATVs just can,t sell here even the show rooms have none on the floor.

The 700xx is more of a Sportier ATV option that can handle rough trail along with the Wolverine but its not out to take the king of the dune crown but it does have its market.

-------------------------
2001 SP 500 H.O

Sorry guys but I did not specifi that that was a Honda add! Its all fixed now.

-------------------------
08 YAMAHA RAPTOR 700R
04 POLARIS SPORTSMAN 600
04 DODGE RAM 1500 HEMI QCSB "THE H"

PLEASE DON'T BE THE ONE THAT RUIN'S IT FOR THE REST OF US!!!!!!!!

MOPAR FOREVER
Move-Over-People-Are-Raceing!!!!!

Wow! We actually agree on something recon. Is'nt really more a comparision to shoot it out with an outlaw (sport quad with IRS)?

-------------------------
700 sportsman efi, 2500 lb warn winch, american eagle plow.

Previous machines:
89' mohave
89' banshee modified
92' yz 250
93' cr 250
94' zx 7r ninja
96' yz 250
99' yzf 400
99 seadoo xp limited
00' yzf 426

Exactly the opposite here in So. Calif. This is sport quad country! Most places, you are at a huge disadvantage on a large heavy ute, and I fear the same disadvantage will apply to the 700XX!

In the old days, ute riders were considered redneck hillbillies, and I just can't get that out of my mind. I am actually uncomfortable being on a ute for that reason.

Utes did finally catch on with the hunters and a few like me who deliberately go looking for terrifying terrain, and for some reason around here they seem to attract the senior citizen set.....but, what utility market there was here has gotten gobbled up by the Rhinos. Rhinos are huge, and lots of guys have $20,000+ dumped into theirs. Plus, people who would never consider riding a quad or dirt bike, are willing to go Rhino. And once again, Honda is late getting to the side-by-side party!!!

-------------------------
Southern California.....

Desert: 450R and 400EX
Mountains: Rancher 420 and 350 4X4's
Kids: Two 250EX's and 90
Dual-Sport Bike: XT225

Past rides: 300EX, 2wd Rancher 350, Recon, TRX90, Z400, LT160, LT80, Warrior, Blaster, CRF230F

Edited: 04/26/2008 at 10:12 AM by reconranger

The Rhino type machines are not doing well here also, some of the trails you do not have a inch to spare on each side on a ATV let alone a side by side.

-------------------------
2001 SP 500 H.O

Same here in the mountains, and again here I think the 700XX will be at a disadvantage because it is on the bulky/heavy side. My friends who have KFX 700's won't ever ride with me on these trails, and big utes really have their hands full.

But, in some places the Rhino guys try to squeze down the trail anyway. The result is that what once was motorcycle single track gets turned into quad single track (so the dirt bikers hate us quadders), and the Rhino's come along and turn that into a wide fire road (so both the dirt bikers and quadders hate the Rhinos!).

There are 50" wide barriers that are intended to keep the Rhinos out, but they pull them down. I have seen it almost come to blows when dirt bikes meet a Rhino on the trail!

-------------------------
Southern California.....

Desert: 450R and 400EX
Mountains: Rancher 420 and 350 4X4's
Kids: Two 250EX's and 90
Dual-Sport Bike: XT225

Past rides: 300EX, 2wd Rancher 350, Recon, TRX90, Z400, LT160, LT80, Warrior, Blaster, CRF230F

Edited: 04/25/2008 at 12:33 PM by reconranger

reconranger: i hop you dont mind but im gonna rearrange your words on this one and make a statement all my own.


DIRTBIKES BLOW

-------------------------
NEVER BUY A HONDA. CRAP. EVERY ONE OF EM.

I live in Upstate NY and this place has a lot of trails and areas that Utes are made for.......I would not say it is sport quad country like SoCal is, but there are still more than one might think.

But I still see a TON of sport machines..... sure it's probably a 60/40 split that I see on the trails and in trucks, maybe even closer to 75/25 if you count the hunters and farmers into the mix........as far as pure riders go there are still a ton of sport machines with solid axles and low ground clearance......... and a lot of great riders who know how to use them...

I find that people with Utes are on one because they just have no idea how to ride a sport machine, or don't want to be bothered with shifting or leaning. This is not a put-down but is just a difference in riding style.

-------------------------
'05 Zuki z400
'06 Raptor 350 (wife's)
'00 Honda Rancher 350 4x4

The answer to the sport vs utility dilema is to own both...and some dirt bikes too!

-------------------------
Southern California.....

Desert: 450R and 400EX
Mountains: Rancher 420 and 350 4X4's
Kids: Two 250EX's and 90
Dual-Sport Bike: XT225

Past rides: 300EX, 2wd Rancher 350, Recon, TRX90, Z400, LT160, LT80, Warrior, Blaster, CRF230F

I don't think I would go so far as to say dirt bikes blow. I would agree that dirt bike elitist blow. Or any one else that starts thinking that they are an elite group, and have more right to public land than someone else.

We have had several trails nearby where I live that have had those 50" wide gates spring up, and signs that say "ATVs only". The problem I have with that is that at my age I remember those ATV only trails as Jeep roads that have been there for 50 years. Since when did a road that has been used for 50 years by everybody suddenly become an "ATV only" trail. Since the ATVers started thinking they were an elite group, and since they got a politician to agree to the signs and gates.

There is something that gets forgotten all to often, ... respect for others! Obviously, if you have a Rhino, don't take it down a single track motorcycle path that motorcyclist have spent years developing. But lets not start closing public land to off road vehicle users based on what type of vehicle they have. That becomes a slipperly slope. The first thing we do is close roads to side by sides, then it is just one more step to close roads to all motorized vehicles, and we're all screwed.

and as for Honda and their 700XX, which was the real topic of this thread. Honda needs to retire their whole upper level management team that is in charge of vehicle design. They need new blood in their company in a bad way, and some people that have a more realistic vision of what the buyer needs.

DV

-------------------------
'07 Yamaha Rhino 660: Lonestar long travel suspension w/ Elka shocks; Gorilla axles; Trinity sheave; Dynatek CDI; Yoshimura RS-5 exhaust
'07 Yamaha Grizzly 700: Ohlins shocks; Fix Powersports sheave; Dynatek CDI
'08 KTM 530 EXC R: street legal dirt bike

Good point Viper......

Honda has always rested on their accomplishments too long. But they are such a diversified company it is hard to imagine that new blood would make a difference. Perhaps they need to split the ATV division into sport and utility in order to get R&D money to each place. But like most companies they put the most R&D into what sells most, and utility ATVs still make up the vast majority of sales.

Suzuki and Yamaha spend more time/money on their sport machines, they always have. Honda created the great 250R and since then everything else has been based off that design. Obviously there is nothing wrong with the 400ex, and 450R machines today, but both have had far less attention paid to them then Suzuki and Yamaha have paid to their sport machines.

But Honda builds for reliability, and they let the buyer add on parts from there. The have learned that no matter what they do, the racer and speed nuts are going to tear it apart anyway and make it their own. That is what makes them so great and popular.... people know the reliability is going to be there as a starting platform.

-------------------------
'05 Zuki z400
'06 Raptor 350 (wife's)
'00 Honda Rancher 350 4x4

If the 700XX market niche that Honda was aiming for is the big bore utility rider who is looking for something more sporty, do you all think that this is a market where this machine will sell???

-------------------------
Southern California.....

Desert: 450R and 400EX
Mountains: Rancher 420 and 350 4X4's
Kids: Two 250EX's and 90
Dual-Sport Bike: XT225

Past rides: 300EX, 2wd Rancher 350, Recon, TRX90, Z400, LT160, LT80, Warrior, Blaster, CRF230F

Edited: 04/26/2008 at 10:27 AM by reconranger

No. I do not think the 700XX will sell to big bore utility riders looking for something more sporty. If it were the exact same machine, with the same weight, same size,