Off-road Atlas LogoOff-road Atlas Logo
  • Behind The Wheel
  • How-To
  • News
  • Stories

Honda Rancher Specs: All You Need to Know

By Breanna Broad | Behind The Wheel on June 28, 2021
7M READ
Share
1

The Honda Rancher 420 might not be as well known as other ATVs, but that doesn’t mean it’s not just as reliable and fun. It all depends on what you’re looking for in the specs and cost. Honda offers eight different trims to give you the power of choice. What type of transmission do you want? Do you want a straight axle or an independent rear suspension? What about electric power steering? Let’s talk about these Honda Rancher specs and the best features that they packed in.

Top Features of the Honda FourTrax Rancher

DCT Transmission

Honda has outdone themselves again by taking their best technology and putting it into their ATVs. The 2021 Rancher is no exception. With the dual clutch transmission, you don’t have to shift gears since it does it before you think you need it. Since it’s a gear-driven clutch, you don’t have the hassle of changing belts.

The Honda Rancher gives you the power of control. You can switch it to manual and have some real fun. Manual is great when you’re climbing up hills. Yet, automatic makes rock crawling child’s play and easier to watch out for what’s up ahead.

Electric Power Steering

Wouldn’t you love to have a hard-working ride and not sweat for it? Well, electric power steering has an answer for that. With EPS, there are torque sensors that measure how much force you put into your machine and then matches equal force to the wheels. Simply put, turning is super easy and it takes out all the work on your end.

Electric Shift

If you wear heavy work boots or if the weather makes the pedal shift slippery, it can be difficult to change gears. Electric shift makes it simple. It allows you to shift gears by pressing an up or down button that is easy to do while riding. You can still stay in control and be comfortable the whole way through.

Independent Rear Suspension

Trample the toughest trails with independent rear suspension. It gives you eight inches of travel and nine inches of clearance. By being higher off the ground compared to a straight axle, you can easily spot the stuff in your way and react faster. The extra oomph makes riding over rocks and big hills feel like butter. It’s smoother since the weight gets evened out and it absorbs more shock.

Programmed Fuel Injection

Every Honda Rancher 420 is fuel injected, but what does that mean? It means giving your engine exactly what it lacks at the precise moment, keeping your engine cool and efficient. No fuel is wasted because a computer constantly monitors a whole list of things. Next, it uses this information to delivers the fuel and air the engine needs.

TRAXLOK® SELECTABLE

Honda introduced their TRAXLOK® SELECTABLE tech in 2014 and it’s still here today because it’s so useful. It gives you the control to quickly switch from two-wheel drive to four-wheel drive. Two-wheel drive is lighter and lets you zip through turns with little effort. On the other hand, four-wheel drive adds traction to your tires when you’re going up a hill, riding through slick areas, or rock crawling.

Specs for the Honda FourTrax Rancher

The Honda Rancher and Rancher ES are the base models for this line and are two-wheel drive only. They’re the only trims that are less than $6,000, which is a great price if you don’t need the extra upgrades. These Honda Rancher models share the same specs, except for how the manual shift works. With the base model, a foot pedal shifts the gear while the ES uses simple arrow buttons.

Here are the rest of the Honda Rancher 420 specs:

ENGINE

ModelHonda RancherHonda Rancher ES
Type420cc liquid-cooled fueled injected OHV wet-sump longitudinally mounted single-cylinder four-stroke420cc liquid-cooled fueled injected OHV wet-sump longitudinally mounted single-cylinder four-stroke
Horsepower26.6 HP26.6 HP
Top Speed55 MPH55 MPH
Bore x Stroke86.5mm x 71.5mm86.5mm x 71.5mm
Compression Ratio9.9:19.9:1
InductionPGM-FIPGM-FI
IgnitionFull-transistorized type with electric systemFull-transistorized type with electric advance
StarterElectric with optional auxiliary recoilElectric with optional auxiliary recoil
DrivelineDirect rear driveshaftDirect rear driveshaft
TransmissionFive-speed manual with reverseESP five-speed with reverse
ClutchAutomaticAutomatic

SUSPENSION

ModelHonda RancherHonda Rancher ES
FrontIndependent double-wishbone; 6.69 inches of travelIndependent double-wishbone; 6.69 inches of travel
RearSwingarm with single shock; 6.69 inches of travelSwingarm with single shock; 6.69 inches of travel

BRAKES

ModelHonda RancherHonda Rancher ES
Front190mm Dual hydraulic disc190mm Dual hydraulic disc
Rear160mm Sealed mechanical drum160mm Sealed mechanical drum

TIRES

ModelHonda RancherHonda Rancher ES
Front24x8x1224x8x12
Rear24x10x1124x10x11

MEASUREMENTS

ModelHonda RancherHonda Rancher ES
Length82.8 in.82.8 in.
Width47.4 in.47.4 in.
Height46.2 in.46.2 in.
Seat Height33.7 in.33.7 in.
Ground Clearance 7.2 in.7.2 in.
Wheelbase50.0 in.50.0 in.
Turning Radius9.2 ft.9.2 ft.
Fuel Capacity3.9 gal., incl. 1.3 gal. reserve3.9 gal., 1.3 gal. reserve
Front Rack Capacity66 lb.66 lb.
Rear Rack Capacity133 lb.133 lb.

OTHER

ModelHonda RancherHonda Rancher ES
ColorsRed, OliveRed, Olive
Cost$5,499$5,799
Honda Rancher
Two-wheel drive depends on lots of speed to get through tricky spots.
Photo by Honda

Specs for the Honda FourTrax Rancher 4×4

If you’re after four-wheel drive then there are three different options. Whether you want pedal shift, electronic shift, or power steering is up to you. Cost might be a factor too, but either way it’s $1000 more than the two-wheel drive. Four-wheel drive gives you more traction and is really important when dealing with hilly or slippery land. Still, all of these trims can switch to two-wheel drive.

Here are the rest of the Honda Rancher 4×4 specs:

ENGINE

ModelHonda Rancher 4×4Honda Rancher 4×4 ESHonda Rancher 4×4 EPS
Type420cc liquid-cooled fuel-injected OHV wets-sump longitudinally mounted single-cylinder four-stroke420cc liquid-cooled fuel-injected OHV wets-sump longitudinally mounted single-cylinder four-stroke420cc liquid-cooled fuel-injected OHV wets-sump longitudinally mounted single-cylinder four-stroke
Horsepower26.6 HP26.6 HP26.6 HP
Top Speed55 MPH55 MPH55 MPH
Bore x Stroke86.5mm x 71.5mm86.5mm x 71.5mm86.5mm x 71.5mm
Compression Ratio9.9:19.9:19.9:1
InductionPGM-FIPGM-FIPGM-Fi
IgnitionFull-transistorized type with electronic advanceFull-transistorized type with electronic advanceFull-transistorized type with electronic advance
StarterElectric with optional auxiliary recoilElectric with optional auxiliary recoilElectric with optional auxiliary recoil
DrivelineDirect front and rear driveshafts with TraxLok® and torque-sensitive front differentialDirect front and rear driveshafts with TraxLok® and torque-sensitive front differentialDirect front and rear driveshafts with TraxLok® and torque-sensitive front differential
TransmissionFive-speed manual with reverseESP five-speed with reverseESP five-speed with reverse
ClutchAutomaticAutomaticAutomatic

SUSPENSION

ModelHonda Rancher 4×4Honda Rancher 4×4 ESHonda Rancher 4×4 EPS
FrontIndependent double-wishbone; 6.69 inches of travelIndependent double-wishbone; 6.69 inches of travelIndependent double-wishbone; 6.69 inches of travel
RearSwingarm with single shock; 6.69 inches of travelSwingarm with single shock; 6.69 inches of travelSwingarm with single shock; 6.69 inches of travel

BRAKES

ModelHonda Rancher 4×4Honda Rancher 4×4 ESHonda Rancher 4×4 EPS
Front190mm Dual hydraulic disc190mm Dual hydraulic disc190mm Dual hydraulic disc
Rear160mm Sealed mechanical drum160mm Sealed mechanical drum160mm Hydraulic disc

TIRES

ModelHonda Rancher 4×4Honda Rancher 4×4 ESHonda Rancher 4×4 EPS
Front24x8x1224x8x1224x8x12
Rear24x10x1124x10x1124x10x11

MEASUREMENTS

ModelHonda Rancher 4×4Honda Rancher 4×4 ESHonda Rancher 4×4 EPS
Length82.8 in.82.8 in.82.8 in.
Width47.4 in.47.4 in.47.4 in.
Height46.2 in.46.2 in.46.2 in.
Seat Height33.7 in.33.7 in.33.7 in.
Ground Clearance 7.2 in.7.2 in.7.2 in.
Wheelbase50.0 in.50.0 in.50.0 in.
Turning Radius9.2 ft.9.2 ft.9.2 ft.
Fuel Capacity3.9 gal., incl. 1.3 gal. reserve3.9 gal., incl. 1.3 gal. reserve3.9 gal., incl. 1.3 gal. reserve
Front Rack Capacity66 lb.66 lb.66 lb.
Rear Rack Capacity133 lb.133 lb.133 lb.

OTHER

ModelHonda Rancher 4×4Honda Rancher 4×4 ESHonda Rancher 4×4 EPS
ColorsRed, Olive, Camo*Red, Olive, Camo*Red, Olive, Camo*
Cost$6,499$6,799$7,199
*Camo costs an additional $500
Honda Rancher
Four-wheel drive distributes power to all four tires so it’s difficult to tip over when going uphill (cow tipping isn’t as fun as it looks).
Photo by Honda

Specs for the Honda FourTrax Rancher Automatic DCT

There is little difference between the 4×4 models and the Honda Rancher DCT EPS except for the automatic transmission. Now, the Rancher DCT IRS and Rancher DCT IRS EPS are the biggest hardest-working models on this ATV line. Bigger is generally better, right? Well, in this case, it is. This is what’s been improved, most of it due to the independent rear suspension.

  • 9.2” of ground clearance (up from 7.2”)
  • 2.3” larger turning radius
  • More suspension travel
  • Increased length, height, seat height, and wheelbase

Here are the rest of the Honda Rancher Automatic DCT specs:

ENGINE

ModelHonda Rancher DCT EPSHonda Rancher DCT IRSHonda Rancher DCT IRS EPS
Type420cc liquid-cooled fuel-injected OHV wet-sump longitudinally mounted single-cylinder four-stroke420cc liquid-cooled fuel-injected OHV wet-sump longitudinally mounted single-cylinder four-stroke420cc liquid-cooled fuel-injected OHV wet-sump longitudinally mounted single-cylinder four-stroke
Horsepower26.6 HP26.6 HP26.6 HP
Top Speed55 MPH55 MPH55 MPH
Bore x Stroke86.5mm x 71.5mm86.5mm x 71.5mm86.5mm x 71.5mm
Compression Ratio9.9:19.9:19.9:1
InductionPGM-FIPGM-FIPGM-FI
IgnitionFull-transistorized type with electronic advanceFull-transistorized type with electronic advanceFull-transistorized type with electronic advance
StarterElectric with optional auxiliary recoilElectric with optional auxiliary recoilElectric
DrivelineDirect front and rear driveshafts with TraxLok® and torque-sensitive front differentialDirect front and rear driveshafts with TraxLok® and torque-sensitive front differentialDirect front and rear driveshafts with TraxLok® and torque-sensitive front differential
TransmissionFive-speed automatic dual-clutch transmission with reverse and Low/Drive sub-transmissionFive-speed automatic dual-clutch transmission with reverse and Low/Drive sub-transmissionFive-speed automatic dual-clutch transmission with reverse and Low/Drive sub-transmission
ClutchAutomaticAutomaticAutomatic

SUSPENSION

ModelHonda Rancher DCT EPSHonda Rancher DCT IRSHonda Rancher DCT IRS EPS
FrontIndependent double-wishbone; 6.69 inches of travelIndependent double-wishbone; 7.28 inches of travelIndependent double-wishbone; 7.28 inches of travel
RearSwingarm with single shock; 6.69 inches of travelIndependent dual-arm; 8.46 inches of travelIndependent dual-arm; 8.46 inches of travel

BRAKES

ModelHonda Rancher DCT EPSHonda Rancher DCT IRSHonda Rancher DCT EPS IRS
Front190mm Dual hydraulic disc190mm Dual hydraulic disc190mm Dual hydraulic disc
Rear160mm Sealed mechanical drum170mm Hydraulic disc170mm Hydraulic disc

TIRES

ModelHonda Rancher DCT EPSHonda Rancher DCT IRSHonda Rancher DCT IRS EPS
Front24x8x1224x8x1224x8x12
Rear24x10x1124x10x1124x10x11

MEASUREMENTS

ModelHonda Rancher DCT EPSHonda Rancher DCT IRSHonda Rancher DCT IRS EPS
Length82.8 in.84.6 in.84.6 in.
Width47.4 in.47.4 in.47.4 in.
Height46.5 in.46.8 in.46.8 in.
Seat Height33.7 in.34.9 in.34.9 in.
Ground Clearance 7.2 in.9.2 in.9.2 in.
Wheelbase50.0 in.51.0 in.51.0 in.
Turning Radius9.2 ft.11.5 ft.11.5 ft.
Fuel Capacity3.9 gal., incl. 1.3 gal. reserve3.9 gal. incl. 1.3 gal. reserve3.9 gal. incl. 1.3 gal. reserve
Front Rack Capacity66 lb.66 lb.66 lb.
Rear Rack Capacity133 lb.133 lb.133 lb.

OTHER

ModelHonda Rancher DCT EPSHonda Rancher DCT IRSHonda Rancher DCT IRS EPS
ColorsShale Blue, Red, Camo*Olive, RedReactor Blue, Red, Camo*
Cost$7,699$7,499$8,199
*Camo costs an additional $500
Honda Rancher
DCT takes the work out of riding by making the acceleration and shifting smooth and consistent. Add a winch to improve the Honda Rancher’s utility, making the work even easier.
Photo by Moto-Bike 2020

Final Thoughts

The Honda Rancher specs get the job done and is an impressive addition to the ATV family. Versatility is where it really shines. Do you want manual or automatic? You can have both. What about 2WD or 4WD? Again, you can have both.

Honda doesn’t skimp on any of the high-quality features and still manages an unbeatable cost with an MSRP starting at $5,499. You can get better value by upgrading later with parts from SuperATV. The great price and customization make the Honda Rancher 420 a great choice whether it’s for work or recreation.

RELATED CONTENT: ATVs38 specs10
Share
1

3 Comments

  1. Avatar for Rick Rumbleson Rick Rumbleson says:
    June 29, 2021 at 4:05 am

    wow

    Reply
  2. Avatar for Jim Parker Jim Parker says:
    January 4, 2022 at 2:44 pm

    I have a Honda Rancher 2002 ESP that is set up for a wench has the buttons on handle bar,but no wench or plate. Waz looking for one to fit tge set up that come with it? Csn you help me?

    Reply
    • Tyler Mingione says:
      January 5, 2022 at 2:44 pm

      Hey Jim! You would need to find a mount specific to your machine. Unfortunately, we do not offer this for the Honda Rancher. Thanks for tuning in!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *



Related

  • The Top 9 UTV and ATV Trails in Illinois

    Behind The Wheel | 4 MIN READ
  • The UTV Lights Breakdown—Cube vs. Bar vs. Whip

    Behind The Wheel | 7 MIN READ
  • The Top 11 UTV and ATV Trails in North Carolina

    Behind The Wheel | 4 MIN READ
  • How to Install Billet Tie Rods on a Polaris RZR PRO XP

    How-To | 5 MIN READ
  • The Top 12 UTV and ATV Trails in Florida

    Behind The Wheel | 4 MIN READ
  • The Top 9 ATV and UTV Trails in Michigan

    Behind The Wheel | 4 MIN READ
  • The Best ATV/UTV Anti-Theft Devices for When You Step Away

    Behind The Wheel | 7 MIN READ
  • Creek Riding Could Be Illegal—This Is What We Know

    Behind The Wheel | 7 MIN READ
  • A First-Time Buyer's Guide to UTV Financing

    Behind The Wheel | 5 MIN READ
Copyright © 2021 SuperATV. All rights reserved.
SHOP NOW