Honda unveils power steering – September 25, 2006

Honda released three new ATVs at its annual dealer meeting in Las Vegas and became the second OEM to offer electric power steering on a quad.
With Yamaha’s recent announcement to bring electronic power steering to the ATV market, it was only a matter of time before another manufacturer hopped on board. But Honda says its foray into power steering was not just a knee-jerk reaction to the competition.
Honda says it has been working on ATV power steering for 20 years and Team Red’s EPS system will debut on the 2007 FourTrax Foreman 4×4 this February or March.
So, why the 20-year wait?
Many factors contributed to the timing of the release, according to Honda, including an aging demographic, larger and more powerful 4WD ATVs and advancements in electric power steering.
Jon Row, of Honda’s powersports press department, said he thinks EPS’ benefits will appeal to utility and sport riders.
“Like a lot of new technologies,” he said, “it will take some word of mouth and some riding experience for people to really appreciate the impact.”
Unlike Yamaha, which outfitted its top-of-the-line model, the 2007 Grizzly 700FI 4×4, with power steering, Honda chose to make technology available on its mid-level Foreman 500cc. Honda says the Foreman was selected as its trendsetter because it’s a workhorse model that’s moderately priced and because the machine is primarily used for hunting, trail riding and agricultural work — settings that best showcase the benefits of EPS. It was also noted that the average Foreman owner racks up more than 1,000 riding miles each year.
The Foreman is the company’s second best-selling model, accounting for 32 percent of the company’s utility ATV sales. Honda says that makes it an effective platform to quickly expose consumers to EPS.
At a recent press introduction at the Honda Rider Education and Environmental Learning Center, in Colton, Calif., a handful of journalists and dealers were allowed to briefly test the EPS-equipped Foreman versus an older, traditionally steered model.
Row said reaction from the enthusiast press and dealers have been stronger than expected. “We think this is very significant,” he said.
Even though it’s not at the top of the horsepower heap, the Foreman has several popular features, including electric shifting, four-wheel drive and a digital display. The cost difference from, say, the Rincon 680, allows Foreman customers to better absorb the approximate $400 cost increase for adding EPS.
If customer reaction and sales figures are positive, Row said he would not be surprised to see this technology become a standard feature on several ATVs in the future.
The system’s mechanics add approximately 15 pounds to the quad, but because of the lighter steering effort, company officials say the Foreman ES feels 50 pounds lighter on the go than the previous model.
Like Yamaha, Honda says its power steering will provide a more enjoyable ride with decreased steering effort, less kickback from obstacles and uneven trail conditions, and reduced rider fatigue. They also say the technology could widen the appeal of ATV riding in general.
For utility riders, Honda says EPS makes plowing and spraying operations easier, improves low speed riding and reduces the heavy feeling when the machine is loaded down with cargo or attachments.
The L-shaped power steering unit is sealed to be maintenance free for harsh conditions.
New 2007 Models
Other interest at the dealer convention surrounded the introduction of a redesigned Rancher utility machine and an updated TRX300EX sport quad.
An all-new 420cc fuel-injected engine, based on the company’s existing 500cc unit, powers the 2007 Rancher. It also gets dual front disc brakes, new body plastic with integrated headlights and an LED taillight and will be available in blue. The sportier TRX300EX, while short of a complete redesign, gets a new reverse system for easier engagement, new styling based on the larger TRX450R and revised ergonomics.
There was one notably missing announcement for the 2007 line — a utility vehicle. Row confirmed that there will not be an entry to the popular utility vehicle class in the remainder of this year and declined to say if one was in the works or when one may reach the market.
The rest of the product line is mostly unchanged for 2007. The ForeTrax Foreman and Rubicon models get a few new colors and new engine covers and the Recon is now available in yellow. For sport quads, the TRX450 and TRX90 models added some new color choices, including black with flames. psb