Honda Pioneer 500

[KFhunter]

Having owned a 50" 60" and wider I can say 50" are very tipsy rough stuff or off camber.  Ride is much rougher also.  No way on the tracks.  Even with gear reduction the low HP 500 with open diff it would be waste of $4500.  tracks = mistake.  Go Can am or RZR900 if ya want tracks, speed and comfort.  Honda is tougher, rougher, slower and cheaper.  Likely better built utv as well but not as capable, not even close.  Great utility work utv.  RZR also has much more aftermarket stuff, something Honda really sucks at.  CF has a 50" but I know nada on them.   EPS required for tracks as stated.

I like the new rmax 1000 wolverines

[Mudman]

First time I drove the ACE I rolled it in the field.   Brand new, friends.  Had to replace some plastic.  I started with quads for years.  Sport 450 to 4x4 850.  Then sxs Kawa.  Then rzr900 back to Kawa Teryx4 then Kawa KRX sport.  Now I am moving on to Can Am Defender limited 6 seats heat AC Cab.  RZR was 50" and I rolled it over many times at slow tech stuff.  It also tried to start fire (wire to ignition switch arc) in shop all by itself.  Very fun quick and capable but I not a fan of RZR.   All 3 Kawa have been tough reliable capable great utvs.  I abused em on occasion.  No serious breaks.  No burned belts etc.  Loud and warm they are.  Now I want some comfort for family and quiet please!

[KFhunter]

Also thought ablut a good used rhino 700 with eps



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[Mudman]

IF new RMAX had a hard cab heater ac I would call it near perfect UTV!  Dunno why some manufactures are slow to do this.  Can am Polaris are killing it with theirs!  So darn long though.

[KFhunter]

Naw, I'd want to track it so lightweight as possible is good, so no AC

Heat would be nice, they make aftermarket heaters

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[KFhunter]

Options pretty limited on 50"

Pretty much all RZR's I seen in Idaho that were 50", can't remember seeing a Honda P500

But most SXS weren't 50" that I seen, all the gates had a wider trail atound them, even the gates with poles concreted at 50" on dedignated usfs utv trails had a different trail through the bush that was wider going around it.

Not that I condone riding a too wide sxs on Idaho trails, just saying you'd be in rare company doing so.

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[Ridgeratt]

I had thought this would be handy for checking a few traps and hauling them.  Especially when the county snow plow blocks the road. An enclosed utv I think is the perfect fit.

Or after the fresh snow out looking for the cougar track before they reach the 2 cat quota. 

Mudman I not sure what a CF is.
Carbon fiber? Could freeze 😫 cold faces

[KFhunter]

https://cfmotousa.com/side-x-sides

I don't know much about them either, I tend to shy away from off brands

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[Mudman]

With the 500 and its low clearance and smaller tires I think anything deeper then 12-14" would likely be a problem so  Tracks would be needed in snow.  I would consider something larger in the 60" class with an 800cc engine or bigger lcoking front diff, power steer EPS and at mininum a soft cab enclosure and heater factory or aftermarket.  Price points would be tough of course in comparison to Pioneer 520.  The Yamaha 850 wolverine Cab model or Ranger Cab model or Defender(no lock front diff stock form).  Maybe a RZR sport 900 with aftermarket soft cab heater?  Depends what ya need n $.  Pioneer 1000 is a good one too but not full front locker as it uses computer n brakes to do that.

[Mtnwalker]

Our p500 has been great so far. It has been to CO and 3 trips to ID with us. Very capable little machine, does better than I expected in the snow. Goes dang near anywhere due to the small size. We still have the stock tires on it but 12-16" of snow this year was not an issue, I do plan on putting taller tires on it to gain a little clearance. We did get it stuck once but its so light I was able to push it out while the wife drove, no shoveling or winch necessary. We don't sport ride ours or anything, basically just use it for transport to trailheads etc when the weather gets too nasty for the pickup. I don't think they're under powered if you ride them how they're designed to be ridden, but where the power becomes an issue for me is I like to cruise it at lower rpms because it gets really loud when you start revving it out, and it doesn't have enough low end to cruise very fast on steep inclines or in deep snow. Seems like you're back and forth in the gears constantly. 25 is about max comfortable cruise speed on gravel roads etc before you start getting into the higher revs and lots more noise. If I were sport riding it that wouldn't be an issue. Ours is a 2 seater with soft cab and it doesn't leave much room for gear, heater etc in there with 2 people. Those hour-plus runs before daylight can get mighty cold when it's like 10 degrees out  Eventually we plan on going bigger, I was really hung up on the 50" thing when we were shopping, but so far it has yet to benefit us on any of our trips. 

[Ridgeratt]

When I am looking at the Craigslist ads. I see that a lot of them have had what I think is major motor work.  Either new top ends or the motor has been replaced. I had this summer the opportunity to push it on a trailer. The driver said that it sounded like it grenaded and he was done.

I am sure milage will vary but how many miles should you get out of one 🤔

[KFhunter]

When I am looking at the Craigslist ads. I see that a lot of them have had what I think is major motor work.  Either new top ends or the motor has been replaced. I had this summer the opportunity to push it on a trailer. The driver said that it sounded like it grenaded and he was done.

I am sure milage will vary but how many miles should you get out of one 🤔

Are you talking about a particular brand or model you see on craigslist?





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[KFhunter]

https://lewiston.craigslist.org/snw/d/lapwai-2016-yamaha-wolverine/7221420534.html

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[jrebel]

I have the pioneer 1000-5 and it is amazing.   It is almost paid off and my next one will be the pioneer 500.  It is basically a two sweeter 500 quad.  It will fit in the back of your truck ad meet the 50 inch requirement for Idaho.   It can be made street legal in washington (depending on where you live).   Did I mention it it a HONDA!!!!!  No belts to worry about and they should run forever.  It is not a rip roaring hot rod machine.....if you want that go with the Honda talon.   If you want to travel in deep snow, buy a snowmobile.  I have yet to see a side by side or quad that likes much more than a foot of snow. 

[Mudman]

How do you Honda owners feel about the open non locking front diff.?   Personally its a big deal No Go for me but I am in process of buying can am without front diff lock so Im hypocrit.  I plan to add the locker soon though.  I am big Honda fan, but this has always been a problem I have with Honda.  UTV can handle snow.  My Teryx had 2" lift and I was good with 16" snow.  My KR1000 has 16" clearance, HP, and big tires.  It could probably manage 18-20" snow well.  They do better then quads in snow with proper tires, Bighorns are good snow tires imop.