Honda TRX500 Fourtrax Foreman Rubicon 2005-2012 Service Manual

Honda's own launch specifications confirm the core engine architecture that carried this platform through its entire eight-year run: a 499cc liquid-cooled OHV dry-sump longitudinally mounted single-cylinder four-stroke, with a 92.0mm x 75.0mm bore and stroke, delivering power through Honda's genuine Hondamatic fully-automatic transmission — autoevolution's own coverage of the 2008 model confirms "this ATV boasts Honda's sealed Hondamatic automatic transmission and power steering for less kickback on rocky trails and low-speed turning with less effort," backed by a torque-sensitive front differential adding genuine convenience to the selectable 2WD/4WD system.

The genuine mid-cycle addition within this range arrived for 2012: autoevolution's own coverage confirms the TRX500FPA introduced Honda's Electric Power Steering as a new option, "reducing the bars' kickback to almost undetectable levels thanks to the firm assistance it provides," with genuinely noticeable benefit steering at low speed on difficult terrain — while the standard TRX500FA carried the same fundamental Hondamatic drivetrain and torque-sensitive differential without the added EPS hardware. Off-Roading Pro's own history confirms this Rubicon 500 platform launched in 2005 as a genuine step up from the smaller Foreman 450, with a broader front and rear track, greater overall length, and a claimed 15-percent power gain over its predecessor thanks to a throttle position sensor — delivered alongside electric starting and a beefier clutch built to handle the increased output.

A genuinely important safety notice worth knowing for anyone working on this platform: Off-Roading Pro's own coverage confirms a real recall affecting 21,000 units of 2012 and 2013 Foreman 500 FE/FM models over steering rod separation, a defect that could cause loss of steering control — Honda received 18 consumer reports with two riders involved in crashes, though no injuries, and the remedy was a free dealer repair; some enthusiasts specifically recommend ESP-equipped Foreman 500 owners keep a shifter wrench on hand as an added precaution. The official Honda factory service manual for this range runs to 601 pages, covering the TRX500FA, FGA (GPScape navigation), and FPA (EPS) builds with 47 exploded-view diagrams and 39 electrical circuit illustrations — genuinely comprehensive coverage reflecting the added complexity EPS and GPS integration bring to the base Hondamatic platform. Documented specifications include a 62.9kg (138.7 lb) dry engine weight, 0.15mm intake valve clearance, a 118 N·m torque spec for the centrifugal clutch lock nut, and a 4.4-litre engine oil capacity after draining.

This factory service manual covers the procedures, torque specs, and diagrams needed to keep a 2005-2012 TRX500FA/FGA/FPA FourTrax Foreman Rubicon running the way it was built to.