P500 ATV to SXS: What to expect?

[Twangin]

Hello all- Pretty new to the forum but have glanced over most of the P500 threads while researching/considering moving into a SxS. I’ve ridden Honda ATVs my entire life, and currently own an 09 Foreman 500 and a 2000 Recon 250. Long story short my riding style has changed to where my wife and I mostly enjoy slower paced trail riding and the occasional small mud holes (rarely, mostly if I’m by myself). I think a SxS would make this style of riding even more enjoyable being that we could more comfortably be on the same vehicle cruising around.

So, I’m considering selling/trading my Foreman 500 for a P500 and will still keep my Recon (it was my first ATV and is still a blast to zip around on). What I’m curious to hear from you all is what are some things I can expect when moving into the P500 from my Foreman?
- Ride quality similar?
- “Sportiness”- can you still break the rear end lose on the P500 around corners on the trail? Will the P500 accelerate similarly?
- how will 26-27” tires affect the above characteristics? Or would I even notice being these are geared low?
- Anything else you would like to mention

Thanks for any info you can provide


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[Admin]

 

[Neohio]

Welcome to the club.
Not ever owning anything before my pioneer, I really cannot comment with any authority on your questions. Just popped in to say welcome.

 

[trigger]

Welcome Twangin. The P5 was made for 26's and gives you a little more ground clearance too, just don't recommend getting real heavy ones. I went with the 2.0's because they're a little lighter. The suspension just sucks and there's no denying it, short wheel base and limited suspension travel make it a wobble box. Not much sportiness to be had with it, you're not going to be throwing roosters or anything. It is a capable machine in regards to getting through the crap and you'll fit where others won't. I would recommend test driving one so you don't have any regrets and know what you're getting. Best thing about this entry level Honda is that it's the most bullet proof sxs on the market.

 

[Alan aka Davinci]

Hello all- Pretty new to the forum but have glanced over most of the P500 threads while researching/considering moving into a SxS. I’ve ridden Honda ATVs my entire life, and currently own an 09 Foreman 500 and a 2000 Recon 250. Long story short my riding style has changed to where my wife and I mostly enjoy slower paced trail riding and the occasional small mud holes (rarely, mostly if I’m by myself). I think a SxS would make this style of riding even more enjoyable being that we could more comfortably be on the same vehicle cruising around.

So, I’m considering selling/trading my Foreman 500 for a P500 and will still keep my Recon (it was my first ATV and is still a blast to zip around on). What I’m curious to hear from you all is what are some things I can expect when moving into the P500 from my Foreman?
- Ride quality similar?
- “Sportiness”- can you still break the rear end lose on the P500 around corners on the trail? Will the P500 accelerate similarly?
- how will 26-27” tires affect the above characteristics? Or would I even notice being these are geared low?
- Anything else you would like to mention

Thanks for any info you can provide


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At one time I did not think I could ever live without motorcycles or ATV's and like you my riding style has changed. I have the P5, it is not a hot rod but neither is a old jeep but it gets the job done. I really like the very low end and on steep declines you seldom have to tap the brake and the spousal unit really like the sxs. You can haul more stuff than a ATV, it doesn't wear you out as much. It does have it limitations but has taken us everywhere we want to go.

 

[Twangin]

Thanks for the info so far @trigger and @Alan. I definitely understand it won’t be a speed demon like the RZR’s and stuff like that. And that’s ok, not what Honda meant for it to be. I always lean more towards utility than sportiness in most things so I feel like it would be a good fit. That said it’s still nice to break the tires lose here and there on the trails. I mostly like how customizable these things are. I mean some of you on this forum have them looking like a mini truck or a Jeep with all the tool boxes, baskets, windshields, etc. So cool.


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[sgerksinwi]

Hello all- Pretty new to the forum but have glanced over most of the P500 threads while researching/considering moving into a SxS. I’ve ridden Honda ATVs my entire life, and currently own an 09 Foreman 500 and a 2000 Recon 250. Long story short my riding style has changed to where my wife and I mostly enjoy slower paced trail riding and the occasional small mud holes (rarely, mostly if I’m by myself). I think a SxS would make this style of riding even more enjoyable being that we could more comfortably be on the same vehicle cruising around.

So, I’m considering selling/trading my Foreman 500 for a P500 and will still keep my Recon (it was my first ATV and is still a blast to zip around on). What I’m curious to hear from you all is what are some things I can expect when moving into the P500 from my Foreman?
- Ride quality similar?
- “Sportiness”- can you still break the rear end lose on the P500 around corners on the trail? Will the P500 accelerate similarly?
- how will 26-27” tires affect the above characteristics? Or would I even notice being these are geared low?
- Anything else you would like to mention

Thanks for any info you can provide


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Definitely get 26 when you can.
As far as speed and agility .not so much.
Something you and Ma taking a nice relaxing ride it is great.
If you need for a chore helper if fills that bill also.
Welcome and good luck

 

[Mudder]

Welcome @Twangin. Same comments as above, and still have the Rancher atv. Mostly wooded trails so 10-15 mph is the speed I ride and 95% in manual shift (vs auto). Can still fishtale a bit in 2wd, paddle shifting is a blast if you want to push it. Thing is like a mule. Bigger tires Worth it and you can air down for a smoother ride. Wife and I enjoy the rides together. NO regrets here after many years of many dirt bikes and atvs. At my age, the easy in/out seat is appreciated. For what it was made for, I think Honda did good for the price, and you can tailor the accesories for your style down the road. (27 tires, power steering, roof, windshield, winch, strongmade bumper and cargo bed...so far). And for dependabilty, here’s a poll from a while back. P500 - Poll- P500 trouble costs (not maintenance/accident) Hope this helps (50+ age rider).

 

[Alan aka Davinci]

Thanks for the info so far @trigger and @Alan. I definitely understand it won’t be a speed demon like the RZR’s and stuff like that. And that’s ok, not what Honda meant for it to be. I always lean more towards utility than sportiness in most things so I feel like it would be a good fit. That said it’s still nice to break the tires lose here and there on the trails. I mostly like how customizable these things are. I mean some of you on this forum have them looking like a mini truck or a Jeep with all the tool boxes, baskets, windshields, etc. So cool.


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You can break the tires lose, just takes a little work on harder stuff but on ice and pure mud it's easy.

 

[ALM76]

Being an Honda Atv guy all my life I was a little unsure of venturing into sxs world... I'll tell ya after having the P5 for a year, I sold my Rancher and haven't looked back. The wife and I can enjoy the trails, get muddy and can do just about everything the Atv could do if not more and use it as utility around the house. I'll also throw in that I don't feel as "beat up" after riding all day. There is a learning adjustment period from atv to sxs. I'm running 27" ITP Blackwaters, it'll break the rear loose and do donuts in the muck. Don't really notice any power loss with typical Honda low end torque.

Welcome to the site!

 

[Mlaz81]

Well, are many advantages to a SxS over an atv. For a two seater it is much more comfortable and far safer than a 2 up. Having a steering wheel and a pedal is much less fatiguing than handlebars and a throttle. Most importantly though, at least with this machine is that it is 50 inches wide. There are also some downsides. No front locker, power steering, turf mode, sub par tires, and very little suspension travel. I know Honda is trying to keep costs down, but why not at least offer these features? Look at all the options you have when purchasing a rancher. If Honda added all the stuff I mentioned the price would at most be in line with other machines out there, but would have something they don't, Honda quality. The first thing I did to my 500 was add 26's and a power steering kit. I bought this machine for plowing and chores around the property though, so I don't mind some of the shortcomings. The only trail riding I will be doing on it is putting around some friends properties that are just too wide for anything else. I would never dream of even considering taking it down to hatfield on an eight hour ride, some the young bucks here might be able to handle it, just not me. I'll take the YXZ instead. I bought the 500 with a specific purpose in mind, and so far it does it very well, I've just learned to keep my expectations in line with the limitations of the machine. Good luck!

 

[swsebek]

The 500 is a very cool little critter, capable as hell and small.... I would hang on to one wheeler in case You get more then 4 people as company. Or until you make your mind up. For myself I have the 700 all decked out and the areas I hunt and ride are not always safe to leave and overly accessorized machine alone while I hunt.So I kept my wheeler for times as these...And to just rip out through woods... remember the 500 don't go over 35mph. So if you have people on your property riding 500 quads. You won't be able to catch them.

 

[Ichybod]

Hello all- Pretty new to the forum but have glanced over most of the P500 threads while researching/considering moving into a SxS. I’ve ridden Honda ATVs my entire life, and currently own an 09 Foreman 500 and a 2000 Recon 250. Long story short my riding style has changed to where my wife and I mostly enjoy slower paced trail riding and the occasional small mud holes (rarely, mostly if I’m by myself). I think a SxS would make this style of riding even more enjoyable being that we could more comfortably be on the same vehicle cruising around.

So, I’m considering selling/trading my Foreman 500 for a P500 and will still keep my Recon (it was my first ATV and is still a blast to zip around on). What I’m curious to hear from you all is what are some things I can expect when moving into the P500 from my Foreman?
- Ride quality similar?
- “Sportiness”- can you still break the rear end lose on the P500 around corners on the trail? Will the P500 accelerate similarly?
- how will 26-27” tires affect the above characteristics? Or would I even notice being these are geared low?
- Anything else you would like to mention

Thanks for any info you can provide


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I had two Ranchers when I bought my P500. Thought I would keep them and still ride them. Once I got the P500, I used it for everything that I used the ATVs for, and after not riding them for over a year, I sold them both.]

The Pioneer is not a speed demon, but I find it to be agile and zippy. It is also very utilitarian around the house. With a winch and a bed, I get a lot of work done around the place with it.

26" tires are a noticeable upgrade. Gives you a little more ground clearance.

For your described riding style, I think you would be very pleased with it.

 

[Twangin]

Thanks so much to everyone who’s chimed in so far. You all are touching on the exact things I was wondering about. Sure sounding like it will fit the bill to a T!


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[NTCPrezJB]

I had a 250EX (stock) and I've had a couple of 400EX's (1 stock and 1 heavily modified). I've never formally raced, but I've redlined everything I've ever owned (including the minivan) and more rental cars than you can imagine. That said I just bought a P500 recently. It isn't fast, but I like taking the wife around in it or even riding with her as she gets used to what this off road life is all about. It is plenty capable for trails and I'm really happy I didn't let the lack of speed and a little bit of a lack of foot space stop me from getting it. Finally our entire family can truly go out and enjoy riding and we haven't busted the budget to do so. If I'm really in the mood to go flat out, I'm going to jump on the modified 400EX, if I want to take a more normal "don't kill us pace" then the P500 is still plenty of fun.

 

[NitroxDiver]

I have had Honda atv's all my life and the last one was a 420 rancher. I delayed going to a sxs for a long time because I didn't care for the Polaris or Yamaha machines. When the p5 came out it had my attention. It took a little while to get used to not using your body weight to stabilize the machine but other than that it was an easy adjustment to the p5. I went with 25" tires as I didn't want to loose too much power, I ride lots of steep trails and load down the machine when hunting. It's a fun machine for trail riding and it's nice to be able to talk with the passenger. It has never failed to do what I needed it to do. The p5 has a bench seat but its contoured more like a bucket. I can ride all day with this seat and not be fatigued like I would on an atv. Overall it's a fun trail machine and I have no regrets.

 

[Alan aka Davinci]

I have had Honda atv's all my life and the last one was a 420 rancher. I delayed going to a sxs for a long time because I didn't care for the Polaris or Yamaha machines. When the p5 came out it had my attention. It took a little while to get used to not using your body weight to stabilize the machine but other than that it was an easy adjustment to the p5. I went with 25" tires as I didn't want to loose too much power, I ride lots of steep trails and load down the machine when hunting. It's a fun machine for trail riding and it's nice to be able to talk with the passenger. It has never failed to do what I needed it to do. The p5 has a bench seat but its contoured more like a bucket. I can ride all day with this seat and not be fatigued like I would on an atv. Overall it's a fun trail machine and I have no regrets.

I agree with nothing larger than 25"s and not wanting to lose power, look at the elevation in this picture and you will understand why plus my Rip Saws are heavy enough.

 

[Twangin]

Wow, yeah I’d say that’s a pretty good sloped hill. Nothing at all like that here near the coast of NC. I’d have to travel 4-5 hours for any terrain even close to that!

Someone mentioned the difference in the P500 being a lot more comfortable/less fatiguing after a long day of riding.. that’s something I never thought about and I would view that as an excellent benefit. Steering my Foreman all day, pressing the thumb throttle can be a bit of a nuisance at times, especially for those times you need to have a hand free while cruising.


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[Alan aka Davinci]

I agree with nothing larger than 25"s and not wanting to lose power, look at the elevation in this picture and you will understand why plus my Rip Saws are heavy enough.View attachment 63498

That hill isn't nothing here is a picture looking from the same spot put to the south. Yea, you would be hard pressed to find a mountain in NC that is over 12K in elevation

in feet

 

[Mlaz81]

Wow, yeah I’d say that’s a pretty good sloped hill. Nothing at all like that here near the coast of NC. I’d have to travel 4-5 hours for any terrain even close to that!

Someone mentioned the difference in the P500 being a lot more comfortable/less fatiguing after a long day of riding.. that’s something I never thought about and I would view that as an excellent benefit. Steering my Foreman all day, pressing the thumb throttle can be a bit of a nuisance at times, especially for those times you need to have a hand free while cruising.


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Yes the ergonomics of a SxS are inherently better in terms driver fatigue. With the 500 though, I wouldn't want to be in one for extended periods of rough terrain. There's a good chance you'll feel it at the end of the day and may have to see a dentist to get any fillings replaced.

 

[RumpRocket]

I agree with nothing larger than 25"s and not wanting to lose power, look at the elevation in this picture and you will understand why plus my Rip Saws are heavy enough.View attachment 63498

Whats that dog doing?