We bought a new 5500 a couple years back at work, crew cab with a flat bed on back for gooseneck trailers, 4 wheel, or shall I say 6 wheel drive, and it's by far the worst riding vehicle Ive ever ridden in, if you drive it you will need to go to a chiropractor. It.is a little better with a heavy trailer on it and a heavy load, without its TERRIBLE. The 550 we just got, and other short wheelbase 5500 we got both ride better. Both are setup similiar.

The older 5500 rides worse than a buddy of mine back in the day that had a 1984 F150 long bed 4x4 with 12" of lift and 44" swampers on it. The yotas and Nissan's from the 80's and 90's were some of the toughest trucks built, sadly most have disappeared now.

My truck may not be milspec but my honda foreman far exceeds milspec. 😁

 

We bought a new 5500 a couple years back at work, crew cab with a flat bed on back for gooseneck trailers, 4 wheel, or shall I say 6 wheel drive, and it's by far the worst riding vehicle Ive ever ridden in, if you drive it you will need to go to a chiropractor. It.is a little better with a heavy trailer on it and a heavy load, without its TERRIBLE. The 550 we just got, and other short wheelbase 5500 we got both ride better. Both are setup similiar.

The older 5500 rides worse than a buddy of mine back in the day that had a 1984 F150 long bed 4x4 with 12" of lift and 44" swampers on it. The yotas and Nissan's from the 80's and 90's were some of the toughest trucks built, sadly most have disappeared now.

My truck may not be milspec but my honda foreman far exceeds milspec. 😁

Most of them were quick to return to dirt. They had some great points but wow did they rust.

 

I drive a 98 GMC K1500 extended cab short box. 350, auto trans. Stock with 350k on it all original. Rides a bit rough but it works for me. Will I ever replace it? Nope, it's one I can work on mostly without all the goofy electronic crap I don't want or need. OEM parts are getting expensive and, in some cases, hard to find, but thanks to the aftermarket I can always get the necessary stuff to keep my "pile" on the road. It fits my 75 yr. old butt and is like an old pair of boots, worn but comfy and tough.

 

CRV
Combat ready vehicle

 

Old veterans have a saying: Anyone who thinks "milspec" is a good thing probably never served in the military.

 

Absolutely true! Never forget that ‘mil-spec’ means the lowest bidder.

 

Looks like a PVT - primary vehicle tartget to me. ☕

 

Here is the 5500 I speak of....terrible on the back, and teeth. Not to mention if you hit a big bump, your liable to end up in a ditch, or front yard. Only thing I like about it is the motor, duramax.

 

Here is the 5500 I speak of....terrible on the back, and teeth. Not to mention if you hit a big bump, your liable to end up in a ditch, or front yard. Only thing I like about it is the motor, duramax.

View attachment 272267

Mount a Howitzer on the back!

 

This is my foreman, I personally built from the ground up inside and out, far exceeds military spec. as you can see. Waterproofed and snorkels able to cross just about any still water, and floats, that is a definition of a water wheelie, the rear tires in the bottom, front floats up, and it plains out like a boat just slower. 30" highlifter outlaws. Believe that picture was from 2011.

 

This is just for @Tacky

I’ll call your snorkel and raise you one outboard motor.

 

This is just for @Tacky

View attachment 272288

I’ll call your snorkel and raise you one outboard motor.

Ok raise you 2 outboards.. However these just got replaced with (2)200 Yamaha's. 😁

 

And, bone stock Honda. @Tacky , let’s race for “pinks”. Notice the lack of mud on mine.

As for mil-spec, several of us here have Honda ATVs. Must be something to them. Mine is a 2003 and is getting ready to turn over to 14,000 miles.

 

And, bone stock Honda. @Tacky , let’s race for “pinks”. Notice the lack of mud on mine.

View attachment 272290

As for mil-spec, several of us here have Honda ATVs. Must be something to them. Mine is a 2003 and is getting ready to turn over to 14,000 miles.

Wont race, but will challenge you to a tug of war any time. 😁

Mine is a 2000. It may get dirty, but gets showroom clean before its put back in the garage.

 

@Tacky thats cheating. You “gots to own it”.

 

I do 24 hours at a time, bout 120 days a year roughly... 😁

 

I’ll call your Weisco, cams, porting, and machine shop voodoo and raise you 216cc.

Your Foreman is a completely different machine. I had a 450s. Nice machine but built more for utility. I loved mine, but got really into trail riding in Eastern Ky and the straight axle wore me out.

The Rincon has IRS and more suspension travel, Honda really made it for sporty trail riding. It has a slick three speed automatic with a torque converter. You can let it shift or override it and shift it manually.

I rode mine last night. You need to let your toys know you still love them or they quit running.

 

Oh they do get ridden around the yard regularly, used the foreman the other day to pull up a piece of concrete 4ftx4ftx 4" thick.
Yes I built plenty of them 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, etc. I worked on a rincon once guy had blown the head gasket, when you added a antifreeze, it poured white smoke.

That foreman is built to be a tank, not fast, but alot of pulling power. Now for speed the 500 Polaris I have is wicked fast, after the mods I did to it. The 200x is pretty quick too, but cant touch the 500 on top end.

 

Bone stock... "milspec". Part time tractor, coyote hearse, ambulance, deer hearse, plow truck, gun rest.
11 years. Missed one day due to starter failure. Replaced with new starter.

 

I like the yellow. For some reason, it is not as sore thumb in practice as it is in theory. My footpegs need paint!

 

Mine has vehicle-obscuring permanent rust cloud. You can track me easily enough but good luck getting me unobscured to target. Try getting close to me through the cloud and your eyes will water, your lungs will clog, and you risk a nasty tetanus infection. By the time you get to me I'll have called the cops and prepared for your arrival.

 

I was at the toy store (KYGUNCO) and they had a set of new take-offs that would fit my ATV. They were the OEM Honda upgraded aluminum wheels with big honking mud tires mounted. Came off a new machine. Never used. $300.

I hate big cleated tires, they tear up my yard. I’m torn on getting them just for hunting and the snow.

Somebody talk me out of this.

 

they make no difference pushing snow.....
did that help?

 

NOPE! Then I'm not riding to battle. If I have the option, the I am un@$$ing the A.O. If I don't have the option, then I don't have to go anywhere.

 

Funny, I had a boat stored indoors and name of building was toys for boys.

 

Whenever I hear of "Milspec Vehicles" I think of the new military HMMWV's that were fielded to our Battalion in late 1990. Within a couple of weeks we had 14 of them deadlined because the glow plug controller had gone out, and without it the vehicles wouldn't start. Our Maintenance Warrant Officer took one of the controllers apart and showed it around. The main part of it appeared to be tinfoil and I didn't see how it could ever have held up for any length of time. Obviously built by the lowest bidder.

 

I’m assuming the Polaris is a 2-Stoke Scrambler?

I don’t mod my toys. I used to, not anymore. I’m too old to go fast and too old to walk back to camp.

@Tacky did I mention 14,000 miles on my Rincon. The motor hasn’t been touched. I had almost 6,000 miles on my 450s. Trail miles all over E Ky and W Va.

I’m trying to get a few friends interested in a camping off the ATV, overnight trip this fall. I haven’t done that in 4 or 5 years.

 

No the 500 Is a 4 stroke.. Yes the guys I work with used to go as a group to Hatfield and McCoys on their younger days. We have trails here, and alot of farmland, but people here now are more touchy over letting you ride on it. Not like the old days.


Bought it brand new in 2002, its definitely a trail riding machine, have 2 sets of tires and wheels depending on the terrain.

 

My work life had three phases. The first military aerospace both in service and civilian. The craft ranged from F-8 Crusader and ended with the B-2. The second from Dads independent auto shop to master at a 26 tech factory shop. The last running the retail part of an independent motorcycle shop and service writing.
It brings me to my current car. I pretty much lost all loyalty to any brand. But I bought, used, for likely my last car. I absolutely love the technology. It was the local dealers body shop courtesy car. Very low mileage, and the smallest engine I’ve ever had in a car and love it. It’s an AWD Escape, with only 1500cc and it goes anywhere I need and in all weather. I was anti tech as could be. My last car was an 2007 Suzuki SX4 AWD that had no technology. Bought it new and it was trouble free and simple. And served me well for 16 years. And while having investments in an American car company.
These quads these days are remarkable machines. I loved messing with them at the shop. But my fave was the old Banshee. I’m an old 2 stroke guy. Lol

 

I have a quad story.

My buddy had a modded Polaris Scrambler. Big single cylinder, 400cc 2-stroke. Built for racing.

Some people will understand, others will think I’m an idiot.

My ATV is a 4-stroke. Big 650cc single. Built for spirited trail riding. We used to chase each other for miles on the old forest service roads in E Ky. Well, more like I chased him.

So, we are out one day flying, like typical hooligans. Drifting around old curvy strip mine roads as I keep his dust cloud in site. I see a snake rolling in the dirt, as I fly by in excess of any sane speed. What seemed like a 1/4 mile later, the dust clears and there sits my buddy on the edge of the road.

“Did you see that snake, it looked like you ran over it?” says I. “Nope, did you see my chain”, says he.

For once, I beat him back to the trailer, leading by 10 feet of tow rope. Mine’s a shaft drive.

 

I've had both, chain, shaft. I try to keep my stuff in top shape to not have to worry about that kinda break down. My foreman once we were trail riding, I actually rounded off the rear axle shaft near the hub from torque. Had to limp back with it that way. Had to replace the whole rear shaft and bearing on that side, hut got it back going.

Used to have an 03 660 raptor, now that was a fast machine I had modded it as well. But to me nothing has raw power like a big bore 2 stroke. Sadly it's hard to find them now days. Still want a atc250r, or 350 banshee.

 

Mines not a foreman.
Its just the rancher 420
So I gots the shaft.

 

Seeing the Honda four wheeler love is awesome. In high school on the ranch I'd often put up to 700 miles a month on one checking water and mineral and setting irrigated water. Currently we have a 2016 foreman that's a tank with 17,000 miles on it that's still ticking along, the front rack is broken and the front end shoved back a couple inches from an unruly 2200 lbs bull but it still fires up and runs like a top. The fenders are also stitched on with zip ties in spots. It's slowly being relegated to secondary duties since the old man bought himself a new foreman last year. For our use we prefer the solid rear axle, more stability with a spray tank on them and you can whip the rear end around better when chasing cattle. Honda also makes an excellent work side by side with their pioneer but the cab comforts are lacking.

 

Seeing the Honda four wheeler love is awesome. In high school on the ranch I'd often put up to 700 miles a month on one checking water and mineral and setting irrigated water. Currently we have a 2016 foreman that's a tank with 17,000 miles on it that's still ticking along, the front rack is broken and the front end shoved back a couple inches from an unruly 2200 lbs bull but it still fires up and runs like a top. The fenders are also stitched on with zip ties in spots. It's slowly being relegated to secondary duties since the old man bought himself a new foreman last year. For our use we prefer the solid rear axle, more stability with a spray tank on them and you can whip the rear end around better when chasing cattle. Honda also makes an excellent work side by side with their pioneer but the cab comforts are lacking.
View attachment 272353
View attachment 272355

My pride and joy, 1985 ATC200X, bought it in 1996, in a box in 300 pieces. Finally restored it couple years back, crank up on the motor, new powder coat, etc.

 

Well uh ... I can go a lot of places vehicles can't on my bicycle.
I hesitate to ride the local bike trail in body armor, with extra magazines, side arms and an AK47 slung over my back. You know ... just for practice.

 

Well uh ... I can go a lot of places vehicles can't on my bicycle.
I hesitate to ride the local bike trail in body armor, with extra magazines, side arms and an AK47 slung over my back. You know ... just for practice.

You make me feel guilty! Look, I live on a orchard surrounded by horse farms and gravel pits! my neighbors ask me to patrol!

Oh, you weren't making fun of me there were you, never mind!

 

I know it's not a Honda but for anyone that uses a side by side for serious work I never knew Can Am makes a long box side by side. You can fit a 6 foot steel post in one and they don't hook you walking by. Also the power lift bed can fit 1000 lbs plus, those are 4 lick tubs weighing 250 lbs each. They sure are ugly though.