First off, first post, so hello. Eastern Canada here.

So, have a 2010 Brute 650i. Been a great bike, for the first 2/3 of ownership I was riding with a guy who I got along with great, same style, liked to ride and not stand around for hours talking and drinking beer. So, racked up the miles….but I don’t regret any of them. I’m lucky enough to have several club’s trail systems within a 30-minute trailer from home, and I can leave from the camp on the bike and be on a couple of them in short order….hence, a shade over 10,000 kms on a 2010 ATV

Thinking on a new bike, and the summer deals that I see advertised are looking pretty good. We have pretty rough, rocky trails around here, and having just had the typical mid-40’s rotator cuff rebuild back in January, I’m thinking the power steering will be a very welcomed feature.

Alone, I’ll have no trouble downsizing to a 420. It will have more than enough power to haul me around, and I have no need for speed…would much rather enjoy the ride.

My question is with riding 2-up. And….don’t take this the wrong way, but with 10,000 km on the current bike and a fair portion of it being 2-up, I am aware of the safety concerns and adjustments in riding that need to be made when you have someone in a lay-z-boy sitting behind your rear axle. So, safety and stability concerns aside…..will the 420 have enough snort to 2-up? I’m about 220, and so is the passenger.
When riding 2-up it’s easy riding, relatively flat trails, dirt roads, and ‘maintained’ trails…usually it’s the Mrs on the back, and the little dog sitting in the side compartment of the 2-up seat…so pretty tame riding. If we do get to a nasty washout or any steep climbs, I stop and the passenger walks. I err on the cautious side, as a result, 10,000kms incident-free.
With no passenger I often end up on slightly tougher trails or off-trail exploring….for that sort of use, I’m sure the 420 is just fine.

Comparing apples to apples….the Brute has no performance mods, no lift (except the inch gained by flipping the rear hubs upside down), and stock 25’s (but upgraded to Bighorns).

Obviously a 420 isn’t a 650-twin and I don’t expect it to be. But I’d like to be sure that it would have the grunt to be able to ride 2-up around the camp, through some easy trails, take a few dirt roads to the country store for an ice-cream in the evening, etc.

Another thing…I think I saw some threads on 27’s, or bigger…can I assume that there will be no issues (clearance-wise) with tossing the …24’s?? that it comes with and putting 25" Bighorns on it without having to lift, heat, bent, space…..anything?

There you have it. Can’t wait to hear the results.

Oh, and yes….I could buy a Rincon…but I’m liking the Rancher….for now.

First off, first post, so hello. Eastern Canada here.

So, have a 2010 Brute 650i. Been a great bike, for the first 2/3 of ownership I was riding with a guy who I got along with great, same style, liked to ride and not stand around for hours talking and drinking beer. So, racked up the miles….but I don’t regret any of them. I’m lucky enough to have several club’s trail systems within a 30-minute trailer from home, and I can leave from the camp on the bike and be on a couple of them in short order….hence, a shade over 10,000 kms on a 2010 ATV

Thinking on a new bike, and the summer deals that I see advertised are looking pretty good. We have pretty rough, rocky trails around here, and having just had the typical mid-40’s rotator cuff rebuild back in January, I’m thinking the power steering will be a very welcomed feature.

Alone, I’ll have no trouble downsizing to a 420. It will have more than enough power to haul me around, and I have no need for speed…would much rather enjoy the ride.

My question is with riding 2-up. And….don’t take this the wrong way, but with 10,000 km on the current bike and a fair portion of it being 2-up, I am aware of the safety concerns and adjustments in riding that need to be made when you have someone in a lay-z-boy sitting behind your rear axle. So, safety and stability concerns aside…..will the 420 have enough snort to 2-up? I’m about 220, and so is the passenger.
When riding 2-up it’s easy riding, relatively flat trails, dirt roads, and ‘maintained’ trails…usually it’s the Mrs on the back, and the little dog sitting in the side compartment of the 2-up seat…so pretty tame riding. If we do get to a nasty washout or any steep climbs, I stop and the passenger walks. I err on the cautious side, as a result, 10,000kms incident-free.
With no passenger I often end up on slightly tougher trails or off-trail exploring….for that sort of use, I’m sure the 420 is just fine.

Comparing apples to apples….the Brute has no performance mods, no lift (except the inch gained by flipping the rear hubs upside down), and stock 25’s (but upgraded to Bighorns).

Obviously a 420 isn’t a 650-twin and I don’t expect it to be. But I’d like to be sure that it would have the grunt to be able to ride 2-up around the camp, through some easy trails, take a few dirt roads to the country store for an ice-cream in the evening, etc.

Another thing…I think I saw some threads on 27’s, or bigger…can I assume that there will be no issues (clearance-wise) with tossing the …24’s?? that it comes with and putting 25" Bighorns on it without having to lift, heat, bent, space…..anything?

There you have it. Can’t wait to hear the results.

Oh, and yes….I could buy a Rincon…but I’m liking the Rancher….for now.