Looking for comments on ATV Honda RX500FA Rubicon?

[Oracle]

Hi.
I'm looking to buy a 2001 Honda RX500FA Rubicon ATV for recreational use.
I won't go into deep mud or the worst ruts I can find.. I just want to have fun while camping.

I've been reading some threads about ATV and seems that Yamaha is the #1 followed by Honda/Polaris for #2


This Honda has the Hondamatic (hydraulic) tranny with a solid rear axle, everything else is the normal stuff in a ATV...

What makes it interesting is that it has 7,100 miles and 757 hrs... so it's a lot! The engine was rebuilt 500 miles ago (New crank, new cylinder, new piston, rebuilt head, new oil pump, new air filter, new water pump).

According to the seller the ATV was driven by old man in a fishery town until the engine seized (probably the termostat failed and the fan never kicked in so the engine went caput!).

The price reflects the high mileage so I'm thinking this could be a great opportunity... (I just can't afford something like a used Grizzly cause they're expensive)


I'm all ears, what's your opinion, would you buy it?
What to check?
Is there anything like a PPI guide for ATV?



Thanks

[Rot 911]

Saw your post over on Grizzly and responded there.

Here are some other things I would look for:

Check out the cv joint boots. If they are cracked, this can allow water to get inside. This will cause rust and lead to major damage, which leads to major repair cost!

While you down there, check the oil in both differentials. Does it look milky or chocolate colored? This is a sign of water. You can also use this rule of thumb for the engine oil.

Support the front end with jack stands. Then try to move each front wheel in and out from top to bottom and side to side to check for worn wheel bearings and ball joints. Do the same for the rear.

To check for worn tie rod ends, try and move the handle bars back and forth. There should be little to no play.

Don't forget to remove the seat and check the air box for dirt and water. This is often overlooked and can be a sign of abuse or lack of maintenance should you find a dirty one.

Use a flashlight to inspect the inside of the gas tank.

Turn the lights on/off and make sure all work.

Take the atv for a spin. Does the atv start right up or is it sluggish? Try a few hard stops. Do the brakes function properly? Does it handle well? Look and listen for anything out of place.

Does the exhaust have the spark arrestor in place? National Forest and other public trails require spark arrestor's to be in place.

What about the body? Is there any damage? Cracked or otherwise damaged body parts will need replacing.

[porsche4life]

Thats not the electronic tranny is it? The push button shift?

The foremans are good, my buddy had a pair that we tried our damndest to kill. They held up fine. I wouldn't poopoo one.

[Oracle]

Thanks Kurt! Excellent timing... Wish me luck, on my way to check it out..
will report back...

[911boost]

The solid rear axle makes them ride a little rougher. I picked up an older Poalrs Sportsman 500 4x4 with irs 3 years ago that had low miles on it. I've ridden it pretty hard and only managed to break one thing, a u joint yoke. It broke about 4 miles back on a pretty rough trail at a little after midnight, so I had no choice but to limp it home. I was able to fix it pretty easily with some new and used parts.

Good luck with your purchase.

[Oracle]

Here's the update:

The ATV is in amazingly good shape for the mileage, I mean barely any rust in any exposed metal.
Rob the owner is a super guy! He rebuilt it himself, he's done other engines before and although this was new to him he managed to do it right. He's put around 500 miles since the rebuild so it's not a ticking bomb.
I think mechanically is pretty solid, although it needs bearings for sure.

Riding feels fine on the snowed street so I didn't have any chance to experience the solid axle vs. IRS.

What I didn't like is that model of Honda is a 4x4 all the time, there is no way to disengage the front diff so it will never be nimble (2x4 selection) and for any work all four must be up in the air. Also as others have said, the tranny is very sloppy until warm.
Something I pointed out was that either the brakes were dragging or the drivetrain is monstrously heavy.. I mean push that ATV on neutral is like pushing a small car (with more than twice the weight). That can't be good...

The price is fair given the condition but with the mileage is just over the norm so I'll keep looking.. (read below)

Can someone give me an idea on what it feels to push a grizzly a few feet on pavement on neutral?


And I stopped by the Honda dealership and they have a couple of old Manual 350s that I won't touch but they have this 2004 TRX650F (IRS and 2x4/4x4 selection) that is really-really nice.. the problem is the price, the dealership wants top dollar..

The Grizzlies in this part of the world are the most expensive and overpriced item for sale.. Some are just plain stoopid.. here's an example:

+Grizzly 600 2002 (high miles) just $4,500! (nowadays CAD and USD are the same)
+The cheapest Grizzly rust bucket-beat-to-hell is a 1998 600 cc for only $3800!!
+A nice 2006 nice Grizzly 600 is about $6000

Note: I'm not questioning that the value isn't there, I just want to show how expensive they're here.. and as m



I'll keep looking because the TRX650 at the dealership is in great condition but the engine brake is really not good as well as brakes (these two issues have been highlighted in reviews I found).


Wish me luck... Looking for the right one is part of the journey.


Here's a funny fact:
The ATV came from a place called Hay River Google Maps Link and this place is so remote that the Natives can drive Off Highway Vehicles and the owner of this bike was always too drunk so he didn't have a license.. The cops gave up dealing with that cause as soon as they try to pull them to the side of the road they just go into the bushes... How's that for interesting freezing place to live in?