P500 2017 - AT option saves us!

[Klegrand37]

Yesterday the boy and I were testing the ability of the P500. We were on a logging trail on the farm and had to get up a fairly steep hill. I was in MT mode at the time I tried to go up the hill but it wasn't able to make it every time I had to shift it would pause and I would lose momentum. I tried this 4 times without success. At this point I backed down the hill and chose AT mode and without fail it went right up the hill. Oh I forgot to mention the trail had 7in of snow. Super impressed with this machine!

 

[gullyjumper]

Take any pictures ?

 

[Klegrand37]

Take any pictures ?

Unfortunately I did not. Riding with a 5 yr old all your thinking about is not getting stuck and having to carry him out of the woods. Haha. I'll go back out there tomorrow or Wednesday and take some photos.

 

[Deleted member 3748]

How steep was this hill?

 

[Deleted member 3748]

I haven't found any really big, steep hills yet. The ones I have found were easy for the P5 to conquer. I don't have the option of AT but I just climb most hills in 2nd gear... slow and steady. I went through my videos and pieced together clips of Davy Sprocket thumping up some hills. The snow hill may have been in 3rd gear.

 

[doolin64]

Unfortunately I did not. Riding with a 5 yr old all your thinking about is not getting stuck and having to carry him out of the woods. Haha. I'll go back out there tomorrow or Wednesday and take some photos.

I got stuck with my daughter in the winter once when my daughter was 3...I was panicking! We were on my Canned Ham Renegade and the snow was just too deep. Somehow I got us free. But it wasn't a good feeling.

 

[Klegrand37]

How steep was this hill?

I know without a doubt I would have had no issues if there wasn't a good amount of snow. The major problem I had run into is the approach the trail is windy then turns sharply to go up the hill. I'm guessing it's a 15' rise at 50 degrees. I will take pictures when I'm back down there.

 

[Jshell3]

I haven't found any really big, steep hills yet. The ones I have found were easy for the P5 to conquer. I don't have the option of AT but I just climb most hills in 2nd gear... slow and steady. I went through my videos and pieced together clips of Davy Sprocket thumping up some hills. The snow hill may have been in 3rd gear.

"No hills for a Stepper!"

 

[Buford]

Yesterday the boy and I were testing the ability of the P500. We were on a logging trail on the farm and had to get up a fairly steep hill. I was in MT mode at the time I tried to go up the hill but it wasn't able to make it every time I had to shift it would pause and I would lose momentum. I tried this 4 times without success. At this point I backed down the hill and chose AT mode and without fail it went right up the hill. Oh I forgot to mention the trail had 7in of snow. Super impressed with this machine!

I wonder if the '15-'16 (geared lower) would've climbed it better than the '17 in manual mode possibly.

 

[Klegrand37]

I wonder if the '15-'16 (geared lower) would've climbed it better than the '17 in manual mode possibly.

It might, I have never had the opportunity to drive an older model.
However I did drive back to the original location yesterday and we climbed right up it without any problems. There is no snow anymore . The first time I was blazing the trail through 7in of snow or more and trying to climb the hill.

Here are some photos of the "trail" and hill.

 

[Smitty335]

Yesterday the boy and I were testing the ability of the P500. We were on a logging trail on the farm and had to get up a fairly steep hill. I was in MT mode at the time I tried to go up the hill but it wasn't able to make it every time I had to shift it would pause and I would lose momentum. I tried this 4 times without success. At this point I backed down the hill and chose AT mode and without fail it went right up the hill. Oh I forgot to mention the trail had 7in of snow. Super impressed with this machine!

When I first started looking at S X S Looked at the 500, the 700 and the 1000, bought the 1000, and snickered at the 500. Went riding with some guys with 500's and I was really impressed, not fast,tippy, needs a tilt bed, no need to buy a big trailer. Great rigs!

 

[trigger]

When I first started looking at S X S Looked at the 500, the 700 and the 1000, bought the 1000, and snickered at the 500. Went riding with some guys with 500's and I was really impressed, not fast,tippy, needs a tilt bed, no need to buy a big trailer. Great rigs!

You forgot, gets you through some tight sh**, @Smitty335 . It's only 5 mph slower than a 700. Some guys prefer the rack over a tilt bed, I think if your going to work it, hook up a trailer. Better for plowing as it's smaller and more nimble in tight spaces. Sips the gas and a way cheaper OTD price. Advantages and disadvantages with all of them but I wouldn't trade mine for anything.

 

[Smitty335]

You forgot, gets you through some tight sh**, @Smitty335 . It's only 5 mph slower than a 700. Some guys prefer the rack over a tilt bed, I think if your going to work it, hook up a trailer. Better for plowing as it's smaller and more nimble in tight spaces. Sips the gas and a way cheaper OTD price. Advantages and disadvantages with all of them but I wouldn't trade mine for anything.

Don't blame you, I think I would like to have a 500, trick it out with a wider stance, not much, wouldn't want to lose much of the nimbleness.

 

[trigger]

Used to run spacers with stock wheels but just put after market ones on, pushes it out to 53". But it's 2" higher too with 26" s. No pucker factor anymore. Still fits between the wheel wells too. It's biggest disadvantage is that it needs a front locking differential. I figure I can go just about anywhere the bigger machines can, just at a slower pace, but they can't go everywhere that I can.

 

[Smitty335]

Used to run spacers with stock wheels but just put after market ones on, pushes it out to 53". But it's 2" higher too with 26" s. No pucker factor anymore. Still fits between the wheel wells too. It's biggest disadvantage is that it needs a front locking differential. I figure I can go just about anywhere the bigger machines can, just at a slower pace, but they can't go everywhere that I can.

Crap I do most of my trail riding in yard mode. I think Honda needs to offer a two wheel drive option and drop a bunch of money off asking price. I would put a winch on it though.

 

[hoosiermatt]

Used to run spacers with stock wheels but just put after market ones on, pushes it out to 53". But it's 2" higher too with 26" s. No pucker factor anymore. Still fits between the wheel wells too. It's biggest disadvantage is that it needs a front locking differential. I figure I can go just about anywhere the bigger machines can, just at a slower pace, but they can't go everywhere that I can.

I'm still trying to figure out how to set mine up, and still ride atv trails. Was it wider with the spacers, or now, with after-markets (what size width did you choose)? Is there a noticeable difference in handling or the feeling of tippiness between the two? I saw a post that spacers may add stress to the bearings, but I don't know if that's true. What made you decide to switch? That's the last of my toddler "why, why, why" questions...I sware! thanks

 

[trigger]

I'm still trying to figure out how to set mine up, and still ride atv trails. Was it wider with the spacers, or now, with after-markets (what size width did you choose)? Is there a noticeable difference in handling or the feeling of tippiness between the two? I saw a post that spacers may add stress to the bearings, but I don't know if that's true. What made you decide to switch? That's the last of my toddler "why, why, why" questions...I sware! thanks

Lol...this forum is the main reason for me adding and modifying all kinds of stuff! All of it for the better though.

Read up before I bought mine and had ordered bigger tires before I got it. 26" was the concensus, went with 9" s in front 11" s in rear, stayed with the stock wheels. It didn't add much to the width at all, wanted to stay narrow. First ride out, too much pucker for me! Added 1" spacers on all four, WAY better. Put me at about 52" on width. As for putting stress on bearings and such, it's been discussed in length, either option pushes your stance out and changes the mechanical properties, I feel the difference is minimal and the Honda will take it.

Changed to after market wheels mainly for the look. Although they do have a bigger bead lip, possibly lighter...? Selling the stock wheels and tires helped justify the cost. Four 12x7 with 5+2 offset. Haven't trail ridden them yet, still working on other mods, but moving it out an 1" will only make it more stable.

 

[KYhillbilly]

I have the same set up 12x7 with 5+2 offset wheels and 26" tires 9" front and 11" in rear. Still managed to tip it over so I added 1.5" spacers to the back giving me around 56" width on the rear, think front is around 53" with 5+2 offset. Spent the weekend trail riding and had some pretty sketchy cross terrain trails, I got nervous a few times but it never thought about tipping.