The TRX 680 looks tough and fast just sitting still. The Rincon for me looks more like a sports car than a work horse. The sleek headlights and refined bumper /rack combination really flow well. Honda’s Rincon tail section also boasts some futuristic looks. As I sat on this Picasso I really felt comfortable in the saddle. The foot boards had plenty of traction built into the peg area and lots of room for movement while maintaining foot control. All the controls are comfortably located along the bars. The new shifter design gets it up and under the left side of the bars and is simplistic in operation with forward Neutral and reverse. I found that the Rincon Bars felt smooth and positioning was right on. The seat felt thicker and very roomy for a single rider. The Rincon will be offered in Red, Olive and Natural gear Camouflage. The “Camo” version should make hunters everywhere happy as it blends well with the fall leaves. Now that you know she’s a looker, let’s move on.

Power Plant

A totally new engine has been designed for 2006 and this larger 675cc single cylinder makes plenty of power. The PGM-FI system has a super high tech twelve hole split pattern fuel injector which maximizes fuel to both intake valves. The new electronic fuel injection makes the 680 come alive right off the bottom. With this comes very consistent performance no matter where you are. The constant changes in altitude never fazed the response of this EFI system.

Another improvement is the cold weather starting ability. The choke circuit has been totally eliminated and it is not missed at all. My Honda TRX 680 started every time and with little to no delay in weather ranging from 30 to 35 degrees daily. This system will essentially add better fuel economy and increased power overall. Did I mention that Honda had a brainstorm on the fuel delivery system also? The fuel pump, which is normally located in the tank of the quad, has been remotely located to a safe place under the front shock towers. This not only adds fuel capacity to the tank but it allows for easier service if contaminants gain access to the fuel system.

Gear heads will be thrilled to know that Honda has added a reuseable urethane filter that needs only a brisk cleaning and some filter oil to get it back in shape for another ride. Having ridden the 2005 version of this Rincon I can say that the 2006 TRX 680 fuel management system along with the larger displacement engine definitely makes this ATV very fun to ride. There is plenty of power inside for even the biggest thrill seekers.

Honda has added an automotive style torque conversion system to the new TRX680 Rincon. This has made several noticeable differences from the previous years. The very ingenious one way lock up clutch adds what Honda calls their “Creep Control”. This allows the TRX 680 to sit idling with no forward motion by electronically controlling the engagement of a hydraulic clutch. The ECU will the sense the amount of throttle or throttle position to allow for gradual forward motion when the thumb throttle is engaged. With the development of Hondas one way lock up style clutch system and redesigned torque converter the engine braking on this years Rincon has been improved also. The engine braking on some utilitys of this size can be very over bearing but Honda seems to have hit the sweet spot. During deceleration the Trx680 has just enough engine brake to be comfortable and not throw you into or over the bars like their competition.

The feature that I found very attractive is the ability to either shift manually on the left side of the handlebars with up and down arrow buttons or to allow the Trx680 to shift itself. The Electronic automatic shifting is comfortable when you are just cruising through the trails but can become exhilarating with a lot more throttle and the manual shift option.

The Trx680 transfers power from the transmission to each of four wheels through tough redesigned axles. And from there to the fully independent suspension setup that is most comfortable in the roughest terrain. Honda has put a lot of effort into the development of their suspension and it shows dramatically. The New TRX680 is possibly the smoothest handling 4x4 ATV yet. I was stunned to feel virtually no bump steer and even at high speed the TRX680 seems to drive itself. With dual a-arms in the front and rear the bumps, ruts and even off camber stuff seems to require only entry level skills. The shocks on this 4x4 are the exact same units as 2005’s Rincon, with one exception, they work so much better. Honda had explained that a simple re-valving of the rear shock is all that was needed to help firmly plant the front and smooth out issues of pushing and ill tempered handling from last years model.

So we have ridden this beast in the great white north and felt the comfort and ease of control with power to spare. Now how does it stop, you might ask? On a dime and it delivers nine cents change. The front of the TRX680 has new disc brakes and can hold its own with the help of the single driveshaft mounted disc in the rear. The Rincon’s wheels even come with their very own cleaning crew to keep ice, snow, mud and branches clear of the wheels. These patented scrapers were developed from many days of finding that melted snow and ice had refrozen over night and nearly ripped off the brake caliper before the first morning ride had even got started.

I am thinking by now you already get the picture on this new machines capabilities in the woods. I have ridden the competition and I would have to say there is only one that comes close. But that’s another story. The TRX 680 has an effortless steering radius and when ridden at speed through tight woods it is so comfortable, narrow and light feeling you really forget you are riding a 600 pound machine. Having come from a sport quad background I would put this machine’s handling up against most of my own competition. This isn’t hype either. If you have trouble believing that just try it yourself. In a recent test I had ridden a large green monster for about 9 miles and when I stepped off I thought I had pushed it the whole way. The arm pump was unbearable. Then I sat onto my Rincon Recliner and as I was riding the arm pump went away. Yes while I was RIDING the arm pump just vanished. I’m telling you it drives itself. EFFORTLESS!!

Can it get any better than this? Yes it can. The new Rincon also comes with the Global positioning system (GPScape). This is a standard feature on the Canadian models and can be outfitted on the USA version at a small additional cost. The GPS will keep you from getting lost and also help the hunters know which way the best stands are located. This comes in handy in Canada where the trails can literally go on for decades.

So the verdict is in and I think we have another winner from the Engineers over at Honda. This years Rincon is going to set a standard for utilitarian comfort and usability. Take some time and visit your local dealer, tell them I sent you to see a newly packaged performance and reliability tradition that we have grown to expect from our friends over at Honda.

Don’t forget to check out the Spec’s from Honda below, and thanks for sharing in the excitement.

-rs

2006 FourTrax Rincon/FourTrax Rincon GPScape Specifications

Model: TRX680FA / TRX680FGA (with GPS)

Engine Type : 675cc liquid-cooled OHV semi-dry-sump longitudinally mounted single-cylinder four-stroke

Bore and Stroke: 102.0mm x 82.6mm

Carburetion : Programmed fuel injection with IACV idle control

Ignition : Full-transistorized type with electronic advance

Starter : Electric with auxiliary recoil

Transmission : Automatic with hydraulic torque converter, three forward gears, reverse and electronic controls

Driveline : Direct front and rear driveshafts with torque-sensitive front differential

Suspension

Front: I ndependent double-wishbone; 6.9 inches travel

Rear: Independent double-wishbone; 8.0 inches travel

Brakes

Front: Dual hydraulic 180mm disc

Rear: Single hydraulic disc

Tires

Front: 25 x 8-12 radial

Rear: 25 x 10-12 radial

Length : 83.2 inches

Width : 46.8 inches

Height : 47.5 inches

Seat Height : 34.5 inches

Ground Clearance : 10.0 inches

WheelBase : 50.8 inches

Dry Weight : 600 pounds

Fuel Capacity : 4.5 gallons, including 1.1-gallon reserve

Colors

Red
Olive
NaturalGear Camouflage

Recommended for riders 16 years of age and older.