ATV Television Special - Polaris RZR vs Honda Pioneer 500
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- čas přidán 4. 08. 2024
- ATV Television Special - Polaris RZR vs Honda Pioneer 500
SEE ALL OUR OVER 750 REVIEWS @ www.ATVTV.Com/
CONTACT ME: DougMeyer@ATVTV.Com
To watch this video again:
• ATV Television Special...
To see our initial Honda Pioneer 500 Test:
• ATV Television Test - ...
To see the initial Polaris RZR 570 Test:
• ATV Television - 2012 ...
To see the initial Polaris RZR 900 Trail Test:
• ATV Television - 2015 ...
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Absolutely love my pioneer 500 for personal and work, it does what I need it to do. It does have limitations and is a little tippy on side hills. The stock tires are a little on the small size, so have upgraded to taller and slightly wider ones. I also have a 2013 ranger 800, which is more stable on side hills, but it also spends a few weeks each year in the repair shop. In general, the Polaris is more fragile and more expensive to maintain.
I love Honda, still ride and have great pride in my 2004 Foreman...great machine. However, I recently purchased a 2016 Rzr 900 over a 2017 P500. The Pioneer just can't....it has a very long way to go to be in the same class as the Rzr, even it was the 570 it wouldn't matter. If you ride around all day just for fun....the Rzr is the way to go. I have 28 inch zillas and suspension set to the softest and I don't feel beat up after a full day of driving around
Absolutely excellent non biased review. I had a terrible experience with victory. Bought a new one and it was a lemon. Polaris didn't impress me with backing up their product. If it weren't for that, I would lean towards Polaris 😉
Thanks
Which one would you bring for a three week ride and camping tour of the Piute Trail? That's the one I would buy.
Regarding the lack of an aluminum bed box, glass windshield, doors, etc in the aftermarket, check out alumilite armor, they make a tip-out glass front windshield, doors with different glass options, back panel with glass and a nice looking box. I haven't received mine yet, but other reviews are positive.
Let me know what you think.
I got a free 2 year warranty with My Honda Pioneer 500 vs 6 months with the Rzr. I agree there is a big gap in the middle for someone to make the best of both worlds @ 50" - Thanks for the overview
And the Honda needs none.
the 5 speed and e brake ( which i didnt realize on rzr didnt have) ..but the seat position and ground clearance on rzr definitely stand out.
Purchased a new 2015 Arctic cat xr500, one month ago. Bike redlines at 7600rpm's and bounces 55-56mph. Engine is a 442cc I'm 256lbs. I have 203 miles on and it flooooats! Over stuff. Shift on the fly 4x4 is so awesome pulls you hard up decomposed granit trails with no slip and when you want to counter steer the bike with your body fast through a turn hanging off the side switch back to 2wd with the throttle side thumb switch before the turn breaking the rears loose. Also has a great working diff lock. I know this is a utv chat but to answer some thoughts on Arctic cats quality seams alright to me, I've only owned Honda and Yamaha so I'm pretty judgmental still trying to get over the hole fuel injection in the middle of no where off-roading! My friend has 4200mile wildcat 1000 their widest one and has no issues. I like your not so rehearsed reviews thank you.
Why no windshields? Curious. Also, My Pie & Beer 500 seems to suck dust with the windshield. I'm in a conundrum as to add rear glass or pull the wind shield and deal with the cold wind.
I have found that no matter what windshield (1/2, vented, full) they cause the dust to be pulled into the cabin. That means for me, the only good windshield is one that folds so that in nice weather you can leave it down and stay clean, and in rain or snow you can put it up and not worry about dust. I have been pushing RyFab to make a folding windshield for the P500. Until then - none. The only plastic folding windshields on the market fold so high that when folded they still are as high as a 1/2 shield and still suck in the dust.
Between the two, I would still go for the Pioneer. However, what I really want is for Honda to build a 50" wide with dump bed, geared transmission, hi/lo dual range, locking front, and turf mode rear. Picture a 'Honda Ranger 500'...or 'Honey, I Shrunk The Pioneer 1000'. Oh, well. I can dream...
Good dream!
I would buy two of them.
Honda all day with your kinda of trails just because of the reliability. If Honda would just get up to par with everyone else when it comes to hp, accessories and comfortability I think the tables may turn for top dog in the industry.
Doing as much research as I can before I go out, test drive and decide on which I want to buy. My BIGGEST concern by far, is the transmissions. Isn't the gear driven automotive type transmission far more durable and reliable than the CVTs? Love your vids BTW!
The RZR is better in so many ways.....but when it comes to reliability, the Honda wins hands down. Part of that is indeed the real, gear-driven transmission. Proven in many Hondas over many years.
ATVTV yes I'm sure the rzr is far more fun lol but now I want reliability over speed. Don't get me wrong, I love to go fast but almost every atv I had with a cvt failed me. Except my 2014 grizzly 700, it still has had no issues. I do t want to risk that again when spending that kind of money in a sxs so now I may choose hondas gear transmission!
I really like that brush guard on the rzr also can you tell me where to find it? Thanks
Check out our website. We have over 760 videos there all categorized by type and year including projects on this RZR.
50" yamaha wolverine ... yatzee!
The trouble is I personally would buy neither machine because neither would work for what I need a side by side for. I do about 90% of side by side use in utility form so the Ranger is more suitable for me, and even the 10% "sport" that I would do isn't necessarily driving fast, its more of a light trail ride up in the hills.
id buy the honda. hondas king!
Can you please tell us what kind of tires are on the 900 rzr? They look like they would give a smooth ride on a packed surface, thank you.
Sedona Rock-A-Billys. 10x28 tall on 14" wheels. We have an initial review of them already. Check our website. All our over 750 videos are there all categorized by type and year.
+ATVTV do they give a pretty smooth ride?
The ride good but lack the traction on tough terrain that tires with bigger lugs have.
Reliability all the way. Honda all the way
what brand are the round mirrors you are using on the P500? Thanks
From eBay that fit a Honda CT 110.
Any chance you could do a comparison with the Arctic Cat trail? Or a review of the Kitty?
Unfortunately Arctic Cat does not loan us machines to review.
that is unfortunate..i wonder why? thanks for the great reviews
Like Polaris, I think they never really liked what we said of their machines.
I had this very dilemma. I would go Honda all the way, but the thing is too damn slow. So far I absolutely love my rzr, but if I had a Honda my buds would leave me in the dust. I need something that can keep up a bit better.
You made some videos about the Rzr 570 and seemed to be thrilled with it. How was its reliability and durability for you?
It was completely reliable but I didn't put much over about 500 miles on it. The only drawbacks I found was the lack of torque for the big hills around here and the rear suspension was limited. But it was 50" wide :-)
Thanks! I'm purchasing a new 2016 Saturday morning. It should have enough power for me. I'm hoping for good reliability and excellent fuel economy.
Principal Skinr I have about 1500 miles on mine so far doing some hardcore trails and it has been bulletproof so far. it is a blast to drive and has enough torque to keep up with the big boys. I may be wrong but I have the impression that this particular Polaris is fairly reliable. it has lots of grease fittings. keep the grease to it, change your fluids, and clean it often and it should hold up well. it's a strong, fun machine.
With all the things you find wrong with both these machines, why would anyone buy either. I had a 570 for two years and so fell in love with the side by side, I bought a 900 trail like yours. For me, I am in love with that machine. I wish the RZR had a transmission just like the Honda Rubicon.if it did, I would live in it.
For me, in my 20+ years testing machines have yet to find one without some kind of flaws. So I am left with trying to find the one with the least number of issues that I don't like. Obviously not everyone is as picky as me. It's a gift and a curse :-)
I'd always go for Honda reliability over Polaris. Most people on the forums complain of many repairs over a couple years, some amounting to many thousands of dollars with the RZR. Maybe with the Honda find A more comfortable aftermarket seat and call it good enough. I'd be more worried about the power with the Honda. Can it go up a hill with a full load comfortably? I see in this other video the suspension is pretty bad on the Honda. Looks like a bucking jarring ride! Maybe some aftermarket arms and shocks would be necessary. czcams.com/video/m0oIM0AuhHA/video.html
While the Honda is INDEED far more reliable it is also much less comfortable and far less powerful. It really comes down to what you want and what you are willing to put up with. Better shocks will help considerably and we are working with Progressive suspension to come up with a reasonably priced set of better dampers, but there is really no good fix for increased power. I see many people more than please to putt along the trails in their Pioneers. I personally still can find a machine with the looks, power and comfort of a RZR with the reliability of a Honda. There is no justice..... Where is the Suzuki Trail King 750?
That's such a conundrum! I think for me I'd still want to be in the reliable Honda. Nothing worse than breaking down, I hate it so much. I'm bitter though because when I was a teenager I saved every penny I had and got a used (few years old) YZ125 and it broke every second ride! At least I could walk that home in most cases. So I'd hope for an upgrade from Progessive suspenion that would improve the ride and just live with the power as is. I did see a video of the Pioneer 500 pulling a RZR and also dragging a large tree down a road. Looks like becuase of the real gear box and very torque biased gear ratios that it can do OK pulling/towing wise for a small UTV. As for top speed I'm never ripping in a trail anyway. I just need a more cushy ride.
I agree. If we could just get a little better shocks and maybe even pad the seat a bit more...
Based on your videos and what I researched, the P500 is for me. I'm looking at a used Honda pioneer 500. very clean. Ridden on flat snowmobile trails I'm Maine. They will take $5500. It has 3200 miles. My question is, is it worth paying $1300 more for a machine with only 500 miles. I feel the extra $1300 is a lot of extra money for accessories. That said I'll probably only put on a couple hundred miles a year. wondering your thoughts? Love your videos!
Tough question. I have a couple friends with 3000 miles on their P500s and they are running like new. But, I always want to start with the newest I can. But you are right, 1300 would buy all the other stuff needed.
I don't think it would matter which machine you jumped in if they're both in great condition and haven't been beat to hell. Honda's drive train is awesome and if Polaris would get with Honda and borrow their drive train for the Ranger I'd be all in LOL.
Buy what you want but don't really let mileage make your decision. You can get a machine with 10 miles on it and it be a total piece of crap because the previous owner decided to try to take it swimming, then dumped it as a new machine with a hefty price tag. You just never know. Then again maybe that 3k+ mileage machine is about to throw a rod, like I said you just never know. Can you actually test drive them in real conditions? This is one reason I'll never buy another UTV, you can't judge an ATV or UTV by driving it across the dealer's parking lot, if you can't test it out for a day or better yet several days in the conditions you need it to operate in then I am not wasting money on it.
Tire brand on your rzr please.
Sedona Rock-A-Billys. 28x10x14
Any thoughts on the Arctic Cat Wildcat Trail? My friend that has one is not impressed....
ACs always look better on paper than they do on the trail.
ATVTV could you elaborate more on this?
They have a low center of gravity but are long and drag over bumps. They have a nice-size engine but it does not perform as well as others that size. Brakes have all the right specs but don't have the right feel. Same with the suspension. Some machines (like Hondas and Suzukis) seem to work better than the specs show that they should. Others, like the AC seem to look great on the spec sheet but the whole doesn't add up.
Doug, Have you had any dealings with the CF Moto Z Force 500 and 800 trail machines. I like you have never had any issues at all with any of the Honda ATV's I have owned over the years but I am VERY disappointed in Honda for never answering the call Polaris made when they introduced the RZR. It is evident to me that the further I look into CF Moto's offerings that they are answering that market segment and the acceptance level is rapidly improving with there machines as the dealer and service network gets expanded. CF Moto has been in business since the late 80's and has been in the ATV market since the early 90's.
I sort of like the Pioneer 500 but it is not very comfortable for my 6'2" , 225LB frame and it is sadly lacking necessary equipment like a locking differential switch to make it a TRUE 4x4 and other items that are standard on the Z Force trail machine like a hard roof, tilt steering wheel, bucket seats that are somewhat adjustable, aluminum 14" wheels, a winch, mirrors, ride and rebound adjustable shocks and a small but useable cargo box. It is hard to look away from Hondas bullet proof dependability reputation but I am leaning toward the 2017 Z Force 800 trail which has an MSRP of $10,800 and the 500 trail with EPS is $8,999 same as the Honda Pioneer 500. If you have not taken a gander at CF Moto take a look and give us your thoughts!
I agree but the issue that is not addressed is the reliability and available parts and service.
Doug, you mentioned shocks- very briefly- for the p500. Is there a company that makes an up-graded shock? I ended up fabricating my own air suspension for mine, because I couldn't find an aftermarket, or Honda offering to replace the horrible O.E. shocks. I don't count the 2017 offerings as a notable replacement/improvement- they're nearly as bad. I absolutely love my P500! The other guys I ride with are always amazed at what it can do, and how much just plain fun it is to drive. If you aren't pushing the limits of the machine, the suspension and lack of a locker won't make that much difference to most people. At worst, it is only a disappointment to me, but far less disappointing than walking out because of a break-down. I don't even entertain the idea of a break-down with the Honda- It's a Honda!
I have not looked into who makes better shocks for the P500 but yes it sure needs it.
Find us a locker too!! :-)
Find us a locker too!! :-)
Hey Doug, so what's the story with Polaris not sending anything to test? Wasn't aware of this...
Bad reviews. 7 out of the last 10 test units they sent us were returned with issues of one kind or another.
ATVTV thanks for providing honest reviews and not sugar coating it
Doug can you pull some strings and get a Yamaha Wolverine to test? I would like to hear what you think about it. It would be even better if you were able to do a side by side comparison of the Pioneer 700 and the Wolverine.
That would be a great comparison but I can tell you right off that the P700 suffers (in my opinion) from that silly transmission from the Rincon. And although the Wolverine is a CVT it is a great one.
So is that the 3 speed hydro transmission?
The Pioneer 500 has a 5 speed with reverse. It's really a Rubicon drivetrain.
It is actually a ES transmission. The Rubicon had that incredible hydrostatic tranny.
The apparent misunderstanding here is the current Rubicon has the traditional five-speed foot shift or dual clutch transmission with high and low range the Hydro transmission was from the very original Rubicon up until recently but now discontinued.
Sure appreciate your comparison thoughts! The one big thing to me that you didn't mention was the difference in 4wheel drive systems on the 2 machines. I would run out and get a pioneer right away to replace my Rzr 800 with 7500 miles if it wasn't for the lack of a locking front differential on the pioneer. 😩 That extra bit of traction the RZR has would make a big difference in certain situations I bet.
I agree except I also no not like the RZR's AWD system either, so for me it's almost a trade-off as the Honda's 3-wheel drive works far better than it should.
rzrdan to me this is the biggest done fall of the pioneer 500 a lack of front locker.
What is a done fall?
THANK YOU Doug for addressing the Polaris reliability issues, unlike Dirt Trax. I like their videos but man oh man they push Polaris hard and they never discuss the well known reliability issues. I've owned several Sportsman's and even though they are nice looking, fun to ride and fast I don't think I'll ever own another one. Way too many reliability issues for me and I simply don't trust them anymore. I wish Honda and Yamaha would come out with an 850 or 1000 utility quad. Polaris spends a lot of money being innovative but they don't spend much on quality control.
Interesting to read this, I am a subscriber of yours. That Can Am must be treating you well. I'm looking into getting a SxS and think I'm leaning towards a 50" but I cant quite decide. If I go wider, after watching your videos, I might have to go Can Am.
Hi John, I've had good luck with the Can Am so far and I put 3000 km (1800 miles) on it in the last year. The gas tank filler tube was leaking slightly from a bad weld and the dealer replaced it no questions asked. They also replaced my front diff seal no problem. I ruined a set of rear shocks but it was my fault for hitting a series of large whoops too fast. The shocks were pretty reasonable to replace. My machine is the XT version so it doesn't have the Fox Shocks unfortunately. The engine in the Commander is strong and works well and the thing gets almost as good mileage as my friends ATV's when we go on long rides together. It's 62.5 inches wide so it's not a small machine but I still manage to go everywhere my friends do with their ATVs. If you get one I suggest getting a 2" lift kit, rock sliders and mirrors immediately. If you need storage get a Commander, if you don't need storage and want a bit faster machine with a sportier suspension go for the Maverick. Good luck with your choice!
EastCoastATV Thanks for the input, I'm definitely going to weigh options. And skid plates/bumpers are a must on everything. Haha.
I probably should put skid plates on but they're so expensive I usually don't bother. Bumpers are a must have too. If you get the Commander XT it comes with front bumper, 4500 lb winch and side rails on the bed box. The XTP adds beadlock wheels, removable winch you can put on the front or rear, and Fox Shocks.
rzr is awsome
I'm still waiting for a 50" RZR wrapped around Honda Powertrain, preferably the 700 with a 6 speed and diff lock.
That would be perfect! I did forget to mention that the RZR looks way better....
+ATVTV how about a motor swap a Honda 700 into the P5 . I have a P5 I like it but don't love it needs more top end
Buy 2 Hondas for price of one RZR
your right, no help at all!!!
Sorry 3006USMC I accidentally deleted your comment.
You really can't beat Honda reliability. I always thought EZ-GO had the right idea with the ST 4x4 by going with a Honda engine. Too bad it was loud, slow, and expensive.
Couldn't agree more, where is that 50" ....Yamaha.....i.e. middle of the road between sport and utility..... till it shows up I'll never see a reason to have a side by side, which is a bummer because they could make a killing off a machine like that. There is a huge market for it of people like me who will never buy a Polaris and want to buy the Honda but it's a farm and ranch machine, not a trail machine.
I also will say that when I saw the rack on the back of the Pioneer I thought that was the best idea ever part of the problem with the sport machines is that my ATV has more cargo room... the Honda rack is Ultra wide and capable for hauling your crap, elk, deer, gear, whatever, but those seats would suck if you're riding for now than 10 minutes..... again.... Yamaha.... where are you? Stop hiding please..... I'm trying to come up with ways to make a Rhino 700 50" wide....
I've never owned a machine with that much mileage. That's my hesitation. Then again it's a Honda. it's probably just broken in HAHA
I've seen that Honda engine go 20,000 miles without an issue. So much depends on how it was maintained.
the yamaha rhino was that lol
But not 50"
it's kind like arguing who's better? Bruce Springsteen or Billy joel. it all depends on what mood your in
More like Bruce Springsteen and George Strait. See that's why I do this for a living and not you :-)
When I have the conversation with friends I ask if you had to drive to the east coast in it and your life depended on the machine. Its an easy choice, Honda. Now that being said why oh why Honda will you not build the machine I would purchase in a heart beat. I have a RZR in my garage at this time and I am wrenching on it again, so disappointing.
The question is why are you working on the RZR? What is really wrong with it? People always mention well my xx machine is broken again but nobody bothers to actually say why its broken...most likely because it was operator error that broke it rather than a flaw with the machine itself?
That is a stretch.
Well you could always throw the RZR into Park if you needed "Emergency" braking LOL. the machine will stop but you won't LOL. Yep I agree, a separate parking brake or "emergency" brake should be standard, I don't care what machine it is, things can happen, and more so on a machine that gets driven in very extreme conditions that can cause a broken brake line, dump out the brake fluid and you have no brakes....hope the hill you are going down isn't steep LOL. This is why I really wish they would still make a completely manual transmission, at least you have some gears to help slow you down...a CVT ain't gonna help, you just try shifting from H to L while moving LOL...
One thing I seriously wish these dealers would do for someone that's about to spend $10k+ on a machine is let that customer test a few machines of different brands for a weekend. Any damn machine can drive across a paved parking lot...hell my electric golf cart does that and actually can somewhat go where these UTV's can go if I put regular ATV tires on it...but anyhow back to the point. If I'm going to spend $10k+ on a machine I want to know what it can do in the conditions I need it to operate in. I already made a $11k+ mistake with a Yamaha Rhino a few years ago...yep it went up and down the trails, skidded across rocks, but it sucked for utility purposes in several ways, one being the locked rear differential. Yamaha completely lacks any accessory support compared to the Polaris system which of course is expensive but you do get what you pay for.
Honda is more reliable because their machines are slow, Yamaha is the same way, they've changed their machines and the sizes of them but they've stuck with a proven drive train. They didn't build them for speed like Polaris and many others have gone to doing. Rather than building the machine to handle the drive train they build the drive train and use the old chassis design creating several weak points.
I've operated them all, and for my purpose of utility needs and the ability to accessorize the machine to whatever I need it to do that goes to Polaris. If I were just out putting around the golf course a Honda would be great as they're reliable, they've got a proven drive system that is smooth and effortless almost golf cart type.
why not a ranger vs pioneer? rzr is a sport vehicle and pioneer is utility. two completely different catagories
Did you watch the video? I compared them because they are so different yet have one thing in common - they are both 50" wide.
YAMAHA, SUZUKI, KAWASAKI!!! ARE YOU LISTENING?????!!!!!!!
Had a 2011 Yamaha Rhino, biggest waste of $11k I've ever made. Yep it went up and down trails just fine, but when it came to its utility purpose it was terrible unless you like destroying your lawn when you try to turn around, even a mild turn would tear stuff up, its not only hard on the lawn but its hard on the tires and differential being locked all the time when most of the time it isn't needed. I know Polaris has the Turf Mode in their Rangers, I think Can-Am has a select-able rear differential as does John Deere I believe, or at least they used to.
People have taken what once was a utility vehicle and turned it into yet another sport...prices have quadrupled, speed has gone up, and overall utility has gone by the wayside making way for them to just go fast. They need to go back to the basics...no I'm not saying 25mph John Deere Gator speeds but 50+mph is ridiculous in a golf cart and people wonder why they flip them over. Its just like the old 3 wheelers, it wasn't the machine that was the problem it was the idiot drivers that were the problem. I don't want to go fast, I don't need to go fast so in my case the Ranger is perfectly fine, as it serves all my utility needs and still plenty of capable out on the trail during hunting season, but the Ranger is heavier and larger than my Rhino so it has better utility capacities as I would need as well. Honda has the proven drive train, Polaris has the utility function down solid, if we could get a Polaris Ranger with a Honda engine and transmission I think the utility folks would be in heaven LOL...although I'd still love a manual transmission in a utility machine HAHA!!
Amen To it wasn't the machine. I had a Honda ATC when I was young. Any time I got hurt it was because of the way I was operating the machine not because of how it was built.
polaris better engine better suspension better seating better towing ect
Well said. I can NOT sit comfortably in the Honda. Very awkward seat and peddle positioning.
slow sucky hondas