In 2009 the competition in the utility ATV Market is fierce. This year the engineers at Honda will celebrate over twenty years of Rancher atv sales and over one million units sold. Coming into the year 2009 Honda has unveiled the Rancher Fourtrax 420 AT. This specialized machine features many new items such as the Automatic Transmission, power steering and Independent rear suspension. This transmission will make the days on the farm easier to negotiate and will also reduce fatigue in that labor of love. If you are familiar with the Honda brand you’ll know that reliability is job one and it shows in each of the 2009 line-up.

Getting deeper into the system works on this Rancher 420 AT, the auto transmission has a design like no others in that the ride is smooth and linear with just a slight hint that the unit is changing gears. You can still power shift this machine if you just want to be in control but if a smooth gradual increase in speed is your desire then you’ll never no the transmission is working hard beneath you. The down shifts can be felt a bit more as you release the throttle though. This is due to the downshift and the engine braking working simultaneously together. The transmission has five speeds and a reverse gear. There are also dual clutches working to smooth up the changes in ratios. The transmission and engine are bathed in the same oil, which makes the Rancher easier to maintain and also less expensive to do so. The transmission clutch packs are designed to endure the harsh days on the ranch and with regular oil changes it has been said that you may never have to replace the parts inside! For those who prefer to be in control rest assured that the ability to do so is still on board. The ESP (electronic shift program) mode is just a flip of a switch away and your doing all the gear changing yourself. This can be good on steep inclines and while hauling heavy loads for those who just have yet to learn to trust the automatic side of things.

The 2009 engine of the Honda Rancher 420AT is a single cylinder that is longitudinally mounted in the frame. This gets the power out to the driveline without the loss of any valuable ponies in the process. The all-new head design is equipped with four valves and boasts higher compression with the new and larger intake and exhaust valves. These valves have grown just a few millimeters but this does make the difference. The intake valve is up 3mm from 35mm to 38 and the exhaust is up to 33mm from 30mm. The compression ratio has been brought up to 9.9:1 from the past 9.8:1. With stronger components such as valve springs and retainers this does improve the overall power output on this workhorse. The fuel is delivered by Honda’s PGM-FI or fuel injection. The throttle body on the new Rancher 420 is 34mm and has many electronic devices such as the Idle Air control valve to help provide a crisp performing atv at any temp or elevation. The fuel spray is shot into the engine through a twelve-hole Denso injector. The air is brought into the engine via the large 7.2-liter air box and with a washable air filter the days work just got less expensive and it makes the Rancher 420 easily maintainable. With other items such as the new high capacity oil system that has a two rotor pump to provide better lubricity and more oil for the pressurized transmission clutches working isn’t an issue. This combined with a large fan cooled radiator takes the heat out of the engine, which in the end adds life to the Rancher AT.

Making the days work more enjoyable is a goal for the Honda engineers and with a redesigned rear suspension its bound to be better. The next big item in the Honda arsenal was electronic power steering. Having power steering on a working class atv is a pleasant surprise. The rugged hills and mountains can be treacherous without some kind of control. With several monitors reporting back to the ECM it knows precisely what it needs to do to make the riders driving experience as comfortable as possible. There is a torsion bar that links the steering stem to the electronic power steering system and with input from the rider it lets the computer know just how much assist you need. The worm gear inside the steering unit incorporates rubber dampener’s at each end, which makes the steering free play minimal and cushions the Kickback effect when you meet stubborn objects in the trail.

The Rancher 420 AT is fully loaded and as if there is not enough value in this model it now comes with Independent Rear Suspension. This is only offered currently on the AT model but I’m sure that it will not be long before the other models in the Rancher line see this change. The independent rear suspension is important because it not only gives the rider a more stable ride over rough terrain but it also adds better trail gripping handling and increased ground clearance. With 9.1 inches of ground clearance the front suspension travels through 6.3 inches of flexibility and gets over many obstacles with ease. The rear independent suspension gives up the same travel at 6.3 as well.

With a fast forward power plant and inspiring ground clearance the next issue becomes stopping the beast. With dual front disc brakes this isn’t an issue. There is also a huge single driveline mounted disc in the rear to catch what might get past the front. In just a few words, maintaining control on this ride is effortless. This will come in handy when you cram the racks with a payload and hitch up to the trailer via a nice hitch with an 850lb towing capacity.

Whether your riding in the wilds of Utah or in the mountains of northern Virginia you will find this new 2009 Honda Rancher 420 AT has what it takes to get the job done. And can be a bunch of fun after the work stops as well.