Honda Pioneer 500

[gatorguy7]

I thought I would post up a review of the Honda Pioneer 500. I have the 2015 model and I don't believe much has changed with the 2016 models that are available now. To buy the pioneer, I traded in my trusty 2006 Honda Rancher 2x4 foot shift fourwheeler. It was a great machine but I thought I could really benefit from the "utility" of a side by side.



The P500 has fit my needs perfectly. I was looking for something that I could use as a tool on the ranch and would still be fun to ride. I found myself wanting something with a bed that I could carry tools, patch/build fence, feed cattle, spray pastures and fence lines amongst other chores. We have a Kubota 1100 RTV on the ranch and while it is a workhorse, it is just plain boring to drive and I don't like the transmission (not to mention it is a boat anchor going through Florida mud!).

The Pioneer 500 comes with the running gear out of a Honda Foreman so the engine and transmission are tried and true. There is a five speed semi-automatic transmission that is controlled by paddle shifters mounted to the steering column. The shifts are smooth, crisp and fast. The ECU is programmed to ****** the throttle automatically as you shift so there is no need to release the skinny peddle while shifting.

The top speed of the P500 is about 42 mph compared to ~55 in the Foreman so the P500 is geared low for more torque. I recently launched a pair of jet skis and was able to pull them out on a soft Florida lake shore without spinning. The suspension is much smoother than my solid axle four wheeler but it is in no way a trophy truck.

I have added the Honda OEM hardtop roof, a big sky gun rack, Strong Made front bumper, 20" Super Bright LEDs light bar, custom aluminum bed with Kolpin tool box (made for Yamaha Rhino) and an 8" LED light bar facing rearward. The next thing to do is to add some taller tires such as the Interco Interforce tires in 27.5 (typical R1 design).









In its stock form, the P500 comes with an atv style rack but I really wanted a bed. I went to a local welder with some plans. I decided on 1" square aluminum sides with 1/8" aluminum sheet as the floor. Overall, the bed weighs about 30 lbs so it doesn't impact the carrying capacity of the machine (officially 450 lbs but it can handle more than that easily).

If anyone would like more specifics I would be happy to share.

 

[Member]

Excellent bed, the Honda accessory bed is inadequate and yours solves all of the problems I would have with it. I don't care about dumping, I have a Pioneer 700-2 and I never dump.

 

[RollingsFarms]

I really like the way yours is set up! The reason I didn't give the Pioneer 500 a serious look is lack of a bed but if it had come with one like yours it would have really made me consider it more. Do you find the engine to be loud and does a lot of dust get into the cab area? My Ranger will cover you in dust even with the windshield folded down if it's really dusty.

 

[Duwop]

I have the Pioneer 700M2 I purchased in Nov 13 and have put 700 miles on it around my 6 acre farm. It's a work horse used for everything around here plus snow plowing. That 700 miles would have been miles walked and since I can't walk that much anymore I'm glad to have it. The dump bed has been handy for rocks picked up out of the garden and carrying my tools. Honda's reliability and engine mounts sold me, I like that I don't have the vibration from the engine rattling my old bones as I move about doing chores.
The P500 has the paddle shift which I like and also comes with the reliability of owning a Honda I am sure you will enjoy it for work and pleasure just as I do the 700

 

[crazyal]

I have a Big Red and hopefully they go to the 5 speed transmission too. I like the 3 speed automatic but I would rather have the extra gears and the ability to shift when I want.

 

[gatorguy7]

Overall, I feel like the engine is pretty quiet. You can get up to speed, shift early and cruise around 30 mph and easily have a conversation. That's the benefit of gears as opposed to a belt drive system.

I don't notice any problem with dust. Then again, Florida is pretty low with dust in general.

Its funny you all like the bed. I try to share my interpretation of the p500 as I too didn't give the pioneer a second thought until I saw one with a custom bed.

 

[rmk700]

I have a Big Red and hopefully they go to the 5 speed transmission too. I like the 3 speed automatic but I would rather have the extra gears and the ability to shift when I want.

The 3 speed auto is a no go for me up in the steep mountain country. Just way to high of a first gear. On a good note Honda is coming out with a 6 speed manual/auto with high and low range which gives it a total of 12 gears. Saying goodbye to my Honda 700 4 and making room for the new Honda SXS.

 

[Gem99ultra]

Thanks for this thread GatorGuy7! It's exactly the info I was looking for. I was just given a new Pioneer 500 to me by my son for Christmas. The pluses you mention are the same things that swayed me to go Honda, i.e. shaft drive, paddle shift, electronic ignition, fuel injected, Warn winch, etc.

But - the drawback that I also have is the rack on back instead of a box/bed. And, there was no way I was going to spend $400 for a plastic thing called a rear tray from "H". I did buy the other accessories you listed except the light bar, which I'll install myself later.

I've started building a rear box/tray with plywood coated with horse stall mat covering. My toolbox is a 48 gallon Rubbermaid box that I can sit on top of the tray. I'll post pictures when I finish, which will be later this week hopefully. Even so, I'd be most interested in getting more specifics on your fine custom made box. It's never to late to switch to something nicer than I've built.

One nice thing about building my own box is the ease of removing the entire rear body assembly for accurate measurements and fitment. Eight easy to get to bolts and off it comes Honda definitely has their act together - for the most part.

 

[Gem99ultra]

Thanks for this thread GatorGuy7! It's exactly the info I was looking for. I was just given a new Pioneer 500 to me by my son for Christmas. The pluses you mention are the same things that swayed me to go Honda, i.e. shaft drive, paddle shift, electronic ignition, fuel injected, Warn winch, etc.

But - the drawback that I also have is the rack on back instead of a box/bed. And, there was no way I was going to spend $400 for a plastic thing called a rear tray from "H". I did buy the other accessories you listed except the light bar, which I'll install myself later.

I've started building a rear box/tray with plywood coated with horse stall mat covering. My toolbox is a 48 gallon Rubbermaid box that I can sit on top of the tray. I'll post pictures when I finish, which will be later this week hopefully. Even so, I'd be most interested in getting more specifics on your fine custom made box. It's never to late to switch to something nicer than I've built.

One nice thing about building my own box is the ease of removing the entire rear body assembly for accurate measurements and fitment. Eight easy to get to bolts and off it comes Honda definitely has their act together - for the most part.

 

[crazyal]

I watched a Mythbuster's episode where they tested spray on pickup bed liner. After seeing just how tough it is I think I would coat what ever I made in it. It might not be smooth enough for dirt to easily slide out if you make the box dump.

 

[gatorguy7]

That's an awesome Christmas present Gem99! I actually built a wooden bed while I waited for the aluminum one.


Building the wooden one helped me visualize the dimensions i wanted and other features I would find useful. I got the light bars from Superbrightleds.com. I recommend the accessory wiring harness From Honda. Its about $8 and gives you key controlled power. The install is really simple- it just plugs into the back of the cigarette lighter.

I'm glad you found my thread useful. Happy riding and wrenching!

 

[ultrarunner]

Any issues with the Pioneer Paddle shifters?

I like technology but tend to own for decades... so reliability is paramount.

 

[gatorguy7]

No issues with the paddle shifters. They are very simple in design and function. Also, I would imagine they are basically a modification to the electric shift buttons from the Honda utility fourwheelers. That system has been around for over a decade so its pretty reliable as well. The beauty of the P500 is it has the engine and drivetrain from the Honda Foreman so it is a time-tested with no first year gremlins like the P1000 is experiencing.

 

[Clifffox]

Do you have plans/design for the custom bed?

 

[gatorguy7]

Do you have plans/design for the custom bed?

I made the plans in excel. I have it saved at work and I'm on vacation for a few days. I'll share them on here when I'm back in the office.

 

[gatorguy7]

Sorry for the delay! I forgot to do this when I came back from vacation. Let's see if I can upload a pdf. Looks like it worked! I got the pictures from someone else's post on the Honda Pioneer Forum. It was helpful to show to my fabricator what I was thinking.

View attachment Pioneer 500 Bed.pdf

 

[Clifffox]

Thanks, got the pdf download.

 

[gatorguy7]

Good deal! Good luck with it. That bed has made my P500 invaluable on the ranch.

 

[gatorguy7]

I wanted to do a quick update on my P500. I've owned my Pioneer for over 6 years now. I only have about 1,500 miles on it. I use it for work mostly - spreading fertilizer, spraying herbicide etc. After purchasing my SxS, I have had 4 other family members go out and purchase their own as well. The P500 is a good size. Its narrow like a four wheeler. Its really convenient as I can drive down cow trails through the woods. You could not do this with a 700 or 1000 since they are up to 66" wide vs 50.

The P500 is very stable. I can ride it all day without any fatigue compared to a four wheeler like I used to have. I really like the transmission and the low end grunt that this unit has. My cousin has Rangers and he has to be careful not to smoke the belt when he is working his machine like I use mine. The new 520 model has added a dump bed but I think that bed is actually smaller than the aluminum bed I made for my Pioneer. I added some Elka stage 1 shocks last fall and that was a huge improvement in ride and handling. It provides performance which you wouldn't think 5" of travel could produce!

Here's my P500 with 400lbs in the fertilizer spreader and 400lbs in the bed.

 

[Rdrcr]

Thanks for the update!

Mike