DG, in response to your post on the other thread.
I had the same experience when I first bought mine I went up some stair step rocks, probably had less than 10 miles on it. It bogged and just wouldn't climb, but you get a bit of speed and let the trans lock up and it was unstoppable. I was puzzled and kinda peeved, but I had jumped in on a new model and hoped Honda reputation would not let me down in the end. I have been pulling trees and carrying 500lbs or so of water when I burn them. It had a hard breakin period. We have a fairly steep hill I have to climb from the creek when I fill the sprayer tank up with water.
I will say breaking made a huge difference, I was much happier after the first 50miles or so.
After my breaking service few weeks ago we went to a ORV park near us, rode for 30-40 miles on some trails and had to CRAWL uphill over a few boulders on a one way trail. In 4Lock it just eased over everything, in one spot I had to spin all 4 tires in 4Lock to get it over a large boulder, ( now know the Honda skid plates are getting replaced with something a bit heavier). I will say I am in the Appalachian foothills in North Central Alabama between 1000-2000 feet, so a mile or so lower than you and I am 200lbs my wife is @110. I noticed a difference partly because I wasn't being as easy on it I wasn't keeping the revs low because the oil had shavings in it and it was getting settled during breakin, but I wrote it off as just that I wasn't babying it anymore. Maybe there was more of a difference after I put fresh oil in and had the 100 mile mark, it had not been used to ride trails since the first 30-40 miles the rest work working.
It doesn't set you hair on fire its not that fast, but for trail riding and work, it does everything I have asked it to do. I could have bought a Can AM or a Rzr1000 but I needed dependability, with a bed, 4 seats, short wheelbase, a usable cargo area for more than a cooler. I have Honda cars and bikes presently and have had many a red Honda Fourwheeler and motorcycles, they may not be the fastest, neatest, with the most widgets or sparkles, but that wasn't what I was looking for.
