Is there any major draw- back to front wheel drive? I am thinking about getting a Ridgeline Honda. thank you. Ted Cleaves
Well, sense it is not a real truck there is no disadvantage and will perform in snow better than a rear wheel drive.
Thank you Ted
On a track car you’d want RWD, but I can’t think of any drawbacks for FWD on public roads now that they’ve solved the radial steer issue.
While I prefer FWD for cars, with trucks, FWD is less desirable–IMHO.
Even though a Ridgeline can’t carry as much cargo as a full-sized US-made truck, the fact remains that when it is fully loaded with cargo, that Ridgeline will have less front wheel traction due to the drastic change in weight distribution.
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The number of people who actually haul anything in a Ridgeline may be less than 100.
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FWD does make it more time consuming to service the transmission and differential. They are lots easier to R&R in a RWD vehicle, especially if a clutch is involved.
FWD does eliminate the rear passenger floor driveshaft hump.
If you’ll be using the Ridgeline for primarily light to medium hauling, then its fwd is fine. If you think you’ll be doing heavy hauling, you may want to explore it’s carrying and towing capacities and evaluate other vehicles.
The AWD version of the Ridgeline can tow up to 5000 lbs according to Honda. If the heaviest cargo you are going to haul is going to be “your first real bicycle”, the FWD version will do fine.
Does anyone else think this is one of the silliest ads on TV?
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The silliest vehicle ad on TV contest will have thousands of ties for first place.
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I think that similar claims could be made for the upscale versions of GMC, Ram, Chevy, and Ford trucks nowadays. A friend of mine used to work with a number of guys who owned fancy full-size pickup trucks that were never used for any type of hauling. On a couple of occasions, my friend attempted to put his duffle bag into the cargo area of peoples’ trucks, and they both threw mini-fits because they didn’t want anything put into the cargo box.
… and let us not forget the Caddy Escalade EXT and Lincoln Blackwood/Mark LT versions of Chevy and Ford pickups. Surely, nothing was ever placed in the cargo box of the vast majority of those “image” vehicles.
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The thing that strikes me about the “first real bike” ad is the fact that the carbon fiber and titanium adult bikes that cost more than my motorcycle are actually lighter than the “dinky little bike you rode as a kid”.
The nice thing about the old low tech bicycles was that you could just jump on them and ride them, no need to first put on your clip-in bicycle shoes, bicycle shorts, bicycle shirt with faux “sponsorship” all over it, bicycle helmet, and gel bicycle gloves.
The first time I rode a modern high tech road bicycle, I fell over at a stop sign because I couldn’t get my shoes unclipped from the pedals fast enough.
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If you are thinking of towing anything heavy, I would get a rear drive truck. Otherwise, the Ridgeline will do just fine; there are many happy owners.
Were you unaware that “Real” bicyclists don’t stop for red lights much less silly stop signs?
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The clips use the muscles for lifting, which develops them as well as the muscles for pushing. Gel bicycle gloves protect the nerves in the hand. I’ve ridden >200K miles on bicycles. I’ve suffered injuries otherwise and had my hand weakness resulting from all my riding noted by the hand surgeon and nurses, despite hand exercises to build strength. I don’t wear advertising or bicycle clothes. Not wearing a helmet resulted in a serious injury to my head when I hit a pebble at 30 mph. The bones in my skull didn’t knit properly, are still mobile, will be for the rest of my life.
I obey all laws. Further I appreciate that motorists don’t signal their turns, don’t honor their signals, don’t stop for stop signs even when a bicyclist is in the intersection, often don’t stop for red lights. I don’t trust any of them, wait to make sure there’s nothing they can do to hit me before I proceed. They can still get me if they overtake me from behind and turn right into me, something they’ve done a few times.
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I know a guy who has an upper level trim Tundra. It is the TRD offroad package and all with everything. This thing is a total pavement queen and he gets nervous on even the smallest bit of offroad where it can get dirty and such. This guy is a prime example of someone buying a truck but basically using it as a car.
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Now it’s an exhaust pipe hump. At least in my 02 Camry. I remember when the Olds Toronado used the “no driveline hump” as a plus.And even if the hump is removed from the front seats there is a console there. may have well just left the hump.
Most of what I wrote in that post was in jest. The only gear you “have” to use in modern road bikes is those special bicycle shoes that clip into the pedals. I not only use a helmet on my bicycle, but I have started using a helmet for snow skiing. It’s lightweight, it keeps my head warm, there simply isn’t a downside to ski helmets other than not wanting to look dorky, and even that is changing as more and more people are starting to wear them.
I have noticed that in pro-rodeo, the bull riders are starting to wear helmets with face shields now, what took them so long?
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Obviously you obey all laws and are rightfully lacking trust in motorists if you have survived >200K miles of cycling.
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THAT IS THE TRUTH! I am afraid to ride on the roads these days with the driving that I see so frequently. It is like people left half their brains at home these days. That unfortunately doesn’t just apply to driving through.
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I think the last new bike I bought cost less than $100 with all the frills. Needs new tires now. I refuse to wear a helmet or anything but jeans and tennis shoes. Of course it’s hanging in the garage and hasn’t been used in a few years. The other two more expensive bikes are hanging there too, collecting dust. I think the last time I used it was to take it to the car dealer to pick my car up but didn’t trust the tires. Next time I walked, then took a cab. Maybe I should get a motor scooter (engine scooter?).