The Honda Rancher Series is best known for its extreme durability and toughness on the road.
Professional riders often need to enhance their vehicle in order to get a more personalized speed and performance from their Rancher.
How’s this even possible? Heard of the electric shift bypass? With the Honda Rancher Electric Shift Bypass, you can seamlessly gain better control and improve your ATV performance!
If you are looking for the answers, you are just in the right place. Today, let’s learn more about Rancher Electric Shift Bypass. Buckle up!
The Need for A Honda Rancher Electric Shift Bypass
The electric shift system has been introduced in the Honda Rancher in 1998 on the Foreman series. After that, it eventually got into the Rancher models.
Yes! The modern shift system is amazing to automatically shift gears from one to another as you need. It’s an automated system and doesn’t involve a traditional foot-operated gear shifter.
The benefits of the push-button shifting along with the toughness of the traditional ATV transmission makes your ride easier, especially if you are just starting!
But ATVs are for the off-terrain tracks! There will be instances when manual override becomes essential.
For example, in scenarios where the ATV’s electrical system malfunctions, the rider can lose the ability to shift gears using the ESP.
Furthermore, some riders prefer the tactile feel of manual shifting. Especially in situations where strategic control is mandatory, such as while crawling rocks or hauling heavy rocks.
What Does An Electric Shift Bypass Do?
The Rancher models have the Electric Shift Program (ESP). Hence, gear shifting is usually done electronically using buttons or switches on the handlebars.
A bypass kit helps you to transform the genuine electric shift system into a manual electric shift-controlled transmission. It’s not very uncommon to end up with a faulty or non-operational ESP in the middle of the road!
The shift bypass will work as a lifesaver for you!
With it, you can continuously switch between manual shift and electric shift just by simply clicking a button. It’s an On-Demand shift style!
How to Bypass the Honda Rancher Electric Shift?
You can introduce the shift bypass to your vehicle, even if the ECU is completely fine and operative. Plus, it a wise to keep both options to prepare for the rough road!
You can bypass the electric shift manually and with the help of the bypass kit also!
Here, follow the steps below with us to bypass the ECU manually!
1) It has to start with the Shift Motor. First, you have t disconnect the shift motor wires from the engine control unit (ECU).
2) Insert a double pole double-throw (DPDT) momentary switch near your thumb on the handlebar.
3) To protect the motor, pass power from the battery to the shift motor via a 30 amp fuse.
4) Now, you have to reverse the power feed polarity to shift! It will enable you to change the direction in which the motor spins at the moment of engaging the switch.
5) You are done! With a faulty ECU, codes will continuously flash and you will also have an inoperative gear position indicator.
And if it doesn’t you can seamlessly switch between the shifts and maneuver your Rancher.
Here’s what you can do manually without using a bypass kit. Now, we will learn how you should use a bypass kit to switch the shift style.
Use A Bypass Kit to Switch the Shift Style
You will need the following materials,
- Bypass Kit
- Mechanical Toolkit Box.
- Gloves and Safety Glass.
Here’s what you have to do,
1) Turn off the engine and bring your Rancher on level ground. Also, don’t forget to disconnect the battery and prevent any electrical issues during the modification process.
2) Next, you have to remove any necessary panels or parts to access the electric shift mechanism and related components. You can take help from the owner’s manual guide for disassembly.
3) Install the manual bypass shift kit following the manufacturer’s instructions. The kit generally includes a mechanical lever, linkage, brackets, and hardware.
You have plenty of options to buy from. We would refer to particularly this one – Shift Bypass Wiring Harness Kit.
4) Attach the mechanical lever to the transmission’s shift shaft carefully using the hardware.
5) After you have finally attached the lever, adjust the linkage components of the manual shift kit. Now you know whether a proper alignment with the transmission’s gear shift mechanism has been established or not.
Test the Bypass
Now that you are all done with the installation of the Bypass Kit, you still have to test your ATV before hitting the terrain.
Start the ATV and use the manual lever to shift through the gears. Pay attention to the engagement and disengagement of the gears. Keep an ear open for any unusual noises.
We also advise our riders to perform a safety check. Make sure all the parts are properly in place and no loose components are available.
You can now take the ATV on a test drive. Follow a safe and restriction-free area just to be extra careful!
It is important to note down! When you modify the ATV, it will destroy the warranty. While you are installing the bypass, you will not be able to avail of the warranty anymore!
Last Words
It is not mandatory to always install a bypass. But when you want better control of your Rancher, a Honda Rancher Electric Shift Bypass can give you that!
Following our article, you can introduce the bypass feature to your ATV – either manually or using the right bypass kit.
It helps you switch between shifting styles as you need by road and under challenging environments.
Do you like our article? Leave a comment below and let us know what you think about bypassing the electric shift.
Also, sharing the article with your friends and other Rancher riders will be a plus point for us! Do so to support us and get regular updates on popular Honda ATVs.
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