REVIEW: 2020 Honda Foreman and Foreman Rubicon

Offroad reviewer Rick Sosebee takes the 2020 Honda Foreman and Foreman Rubicon DCT EPS Deluxe and reviews the #@%$ out of them. "The addition of the Rubicon name to the 2020 Honda Foreman line lets us know that this machine not only has an independent rear suspension, but it gets a little more in the added features department. The biggest of these features might be the addition of the Auto or EPS (Electric Shift Program) switch on the right hand side of the bars as well as the independent rear suspension. The Auto and ESP switch gives us an option of allowing the machine to shift for us or for us to do our own gear changes via the up and down buttons on the left side of the bars. The independent suspension gives the chassis much more cornering ability and a plusher ride in the really rough sections of trail." says Sosebee.

On towing power:
"The first order of the day was to actually experience the towing capability of the “Reactor Blue” 2020 Honda Foreman 4×4 inside one of the horse arenas on the property. This would also give us a good experience in using Honda’s new reversing button mounted on the left-hand control center on the bars. The trailer was approximately 350-400 pounds and had been loaded with hay bales that were anywhere from 85 to 100 pounds each. If we use the lightest estimated weights, it put the load to around 690 pounds. This would at least get us up to 2/3 of the towing capacity of the Foreman which is 848 pounds. The electric shift DCT transmission handled the gear changes smoothly and did not seem to notice the extra weight behind the ATV. Honda’s Foreman engine now boasts 518cc worth of displacement – up from 487cc on prior year models. The extra 43cc means more grunt for towing. Also, even in 4WD the steering never became heavy as Honda’s EPS works well to give you a comfortable steering effort without losing touch with the feel of the trail.

Hitting the trails on the Foreman:
"Taking a look at the results of our ride on the Honda Foreman first (TRX520FE2), we found such a fun and easily handling ATV. The steering is smooth while still allowing you to feel the trail thanks to the electric power steering and with the solid rear axle the new 520 motor easily slid around corners like a sport machine. The single swinger brings back a lot of great memories on the trail and allowed us to really get back to why we all love this sport. The fender coverage is plentiful and although we only found a few mud holes and one very small creek to get across, I’m sure none of us went home with any extra earth from that Saguaro desert. The work as well as play capability of this mid-bore is pretty dang balanced."

Hitting the trails on the Foreman Rubicon:
"The 2020 Honda Foreman Rubicon was also on hand for the ride and the Matte Green Metallic color just looks incredible. We did have a Matte Molasses brown color Rubicon on hand as well and it too has a great look that has to be appreciated in person. Honda’s new graphics are also a change of direction for the company, as the custom look gives the newest Rubicon great curb appeal. Our Honda Foreman Rubicon was the Deluxe model and it contained all of the premium features in the line of Foreman ATVs. While riding the trails around Tanque Verde, the electronic shift program worked as we expected with smooth and seemingly effortless gear changes as long as we were gentle on the throttle. There were some sections of trail on the ranch where we could open the throttle up and feel just how well the IRS suspension would handle the rough course. The ATV feels nicely planted in the corners and hitting rough rocks or water ditches was less noticeable on the IRS-equipped Honda Foreman Rubicon." Sosebee goes on to say, "Once we started using the Auto mode on the bar-mounted switch, it was clear that the Honda Rubicon was watching our every move and adjusting accordingly. The auto mode shifts very smooth itself, but when you decide to start really hammering the throttle the brain of the Rubicon responds with a sporty level of gear changes. The ECU will hold shifts a little longer during your rage riding and gives the driver a more-sporty feel by simply allowing the gear to hold for higher RPMs before shifting. This is all pre-programmed to handle those situations and one more reason I like the Rubicon."

Overall:
"Overall, this trip alone has reignited the reason I like to ride off-road. I started riding ATVs very young and it is so much fun to have a machine that has enough power to give you that working capability as well as the ability to stretch that envelope a little when you just want to squeeze the throttle all the way to the stop. The 2020 Honda Foreman and Foreman Rubicon are great examples of well-built products that should provide years of fun and excitement to many in the process."

Check out our Honda Foremans in stock >

Source: ATV.com