I had a winch on my '03 Kawasaki that had over 14,000 miles on it and I used the winch exactly once in all that time. I used it to get a 2x4 machine out of a mud hole when he got high centered. If I had had a rope I wouldn't even have needed the winch.
Spend the money for a 4x4 with a locking front differential. A winch is optional after that.
