It is what it is, its not meant to be a racer, its a trail machine. As long as its got enough power on low end to climb hills and get through mud, it will do just fine. Yeah, if you want to run it on graded roads at high speeds its not going to thrill you but he's obviously got other machines like the 700xx that are fun for running on wide open fast stuff like that. This would be great for someone who wants to explore a bit with their wife or kids and isn't in a big hurry to get anywhere. I think if they had the 680 engine as an option with the Rubicon transmission that gives you both the fully auto or ES 5 speed that would be great. It would be fast enough then to give the Rzr 570 a run for its money and feel a lot snappier than in the full size Pioneer. That one needs more power. I could see both a 500 50" and 680 50" Pioneer along with a new v-twin in the full width Pioneer. If Honda builds it, people will buy it.

 

I quess the best comparison is the Suzuki 400 Eiger/KQ and 500 Vinson which were sold in both CVT auto and 5 speed versions. Apparently both versions had no power ,acceration and top end over each other.

 

I could see maybe the Eiger but the Vinson 500 auto was still pretty snappy and quick. Back then Suzuki made the engines for the Arctic Cat 500 and it was quite a bit slower but a lot had to do with the fact that the both Vinson models didn't have irs and weighed quite a bit less. If i could find a Vinson 500 5 speed in good shape for a good price, I'd probably buy it. They're pretty hard to find now.

 

I tallied close to 60 miles on the P-5 this beautiful weekend while putting it thru its break-in. It's amazing where this thing will go without banging and scraping trail obstacles. It really does go just about anywhere a utility Atv will. It's stable, has a very tight turning radius, has great steering feel/feedback and has the torque/gearing to power up just about any hill that traction allows. The name "Pioneer" defines it perfectly.

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Good choice. trails like that speed sure is not a concern. $8300 is a great deal. When those tires wear out I,d move to 25" . I think Honda just puts 24" for cost savings.

 

I like the idea generally. I'm still having trouble with the front end's, "I had enough money to lift my pickup, but not enough money to buy big tires", look. All kidding aside, looks like you are enjoying it and that's what really matters to me.

 

Yea larger tires definetly help the appearance. these 24s realistically measure 23 1/2 which doesn't help. I plan on upgrading soon but I still can't decide between the STI Black Diamond XTRs and the ITP ML XTRs. After tires I plan to slowly add a winch, the cargo tray and a front bumper that protects the entire front end. The stock tires get decent traction on hard packed terrain but I had to put the P-5 in 4wd in nearly every muddy section. Granted the mud was pretty thick but it was also untouched so I think a more aggressive tire would have walked thru in 2wd. The good thing is that you can rock it back and forth thru the mud like an ATV.

 

Nice. I was looking at these last fall but opted for a Polaris 570 Ranger midsize instead. I wanted a dumping bed and more power so I could use it for chores. For strictly trail riding the P500 definitely looks like fun.

 

A winch would be nice just in case your out on your own and get stuck. I would imagine you don't go lower then a 3000lb on a SXS. The Radial tires sound like a good move also.
The STI Black Diamond XTRs are a good price and lighter weight STI Black Diamond ATR Radial

 

Specta, from here on the forums, liked the Black Diamonds he tested for Doug Meyers of ATVTV. Where he is in Utah there isn't really any mud to speak of. I had the XTR's on my previous Sportsman X2 500 and they were excellent in the mud. I think the BD's would be better in the snow though.