Smitty335
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nctrailboss
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50 inch trails..LoLTo choose the P5 you have to be committed to small. Its physical size, weight and gas mileage are the advantages it has. It looks comical and puny at the trail head next to the buses with 100+ HP and 20" of suspension travel, they'll leave you in their dust on wide open trails. Then they try to follow you into the tight stuff and all that HP and suspension goes out the window, now you're waiting on them.
As for how much you can pack, it depends on how you set it up. I carry more than most and still have room for more.
Here's a video showing two P5's in their element, you won't see any buses on these trails. Advantage 500!
nctrailboss
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Go with the 18,you are gonna need the 300 for"stuff"........
NTCPrezJB
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NTCPrezJB
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As in I agree.
If it was as in how much you will need it would be more like x20 (to at least get started)
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CumminsPusher
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You “over the hill” gents remember, I’m still young, don’t got that problem *yet.
700 to me is the better value, more room for people and trail stuff, its the machine for some who wants one. once you go outfit the 500 with all the suspention and lockers and everything you need to make it kinda as good as a 700 its way more than the 700-2. never felt like it needed any more power, its got a ton of low end. I pull heavy metal wood trailers in the snow, through ditches, always does it fine. there was a vid on youtube I think of a big red with this engine pulling a full load of round bales. easier on it putting bigger tires too. the 2 fits in the woods just about as good too its 59 inches
Mudwing
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I think they’re two different machines for different purposes so it’s tough to compare. Especially between the 500 and 700-4. For me, I needed the four seater for the family. And I’m with @jwfirebird on his take of the 700. I haven’t been in a position where I felt like it needed more power. I’ve climbed steep hills and pulled wheelers out of some thick mud. It comes down to your needs, budget, etc. If I did buy another SeXieS, it’d be another 700 though. Wider stance, shock travel and bed are what I’m looking for. 
lee
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I don't buy some of the reasons to not get a P500.
If a p700 is better suited to what you do then get one.
(If you still have 88 payments on your p700 and need to feel better about yourself post up about how your buddies Popo is in the shop again)
The 50" trail thing is real.
It is related to Clinton's roadless wilderness initiative.
After the court battles where done a 50" trail was not a road but a trail allowing Jeeps or other full size vehicles was a road.
So, if you want access you need to be 50" or less.
Also, if you are a real American (ie. a gun owning conservative that gives a damn about exercising some of your few remaining rights) then you need to be 50" or less.
On top of that, I heard that some of the honda team that desinged the p500 where real Americans.
So that makes me feel better about having one even if I don't have a picture to prove it.
50" gate, Reddington pass Az.
50" gate Piute trail Utah.
Edit: no picture of a 50" gate in my home state (Ohio), here you come around a corner and a ranger is standing there with there ticket book at the ready.
If a p700 is better suited to what you do then get one.
(If you still have 88 payments on your p700 and need to feel better about yourself post up about how your buddies Popo is in the shop again)
The 50" trail thing is real.
It is related to Clinton's roadless wilderness initiative.
After the court battles where done a 50" trail was not a road but a trail allowing Jeeps or other full size vehicles was a road.
So, if you want access you need to be 50" or less.
Also, if you are a real American (ie. a gun owning conservative that gives a damn about exercising some of your few remaining rights) then you need to be 50" or less.
On top of that, I heard that some of the honda team that desinged the p500 where real Americans.
So that makes me feel better about having one even if I don't have a picture to prove it.
50" gate, Reddington pass Az.
50" gate Piute trail Utah.
Edit: no picture of a 50" gate in my home state (Ohio), here you come around a corner and a ranger is standing there with there ticket book at the ready.
DG Rider
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lee
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Need to search the net for a 50" trail scat picture...
East of Tucson.
The 50" trails parallel Redington pass road and connect the trails you are allowed to ride on.
It's kind of a nice set up for the non street leagle crowd.
UMVM at this website:
Coronado National Forest - Maps & Publications
Down load the Santa Catalina Ranger District UMVM.
Redinton road is about the middle of the map.
DG Rider
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thats the real reason to get the 500, if you have 50in trails or laws, probably the most reliable way to take two on those, if your wife and daughter would rather not drive like mine. my area has been open to bigger vehicles for like 5 to 8 years, our local trails, state trails are far away but utv sized, we have been making all the bridges 8ft and cutting brush about 6, couple people with full size rangers and a 1000 pioneer, the commercial parks started clearing with a 7ft bullddozer 6 or 7 years ago. the wider ones are better for families that want to go out on the trails and have more room and comfortable stable ride
Backwoods
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As I have said before I have owned both . The 500 is a great machine but the 700 will spank it on the trail. I have a deluxe flip it in Manuel let it stay in first it don t back off no hill you will quit before it does just keep giving it throttle it will go.
J
Looks like you have given this a lot of thought already. I have never been around the 700 except in the showroom so I can't comment on it. I own an Artic Cat 500 ATV and a Honda P5. I was introduced to ATVing a few years ago and it provided some of the thrills and escapabilities I enjoyed many many years ago when I rode a dirt bike forever in the woods of southern LA and MS. Now much older, retired, and living in Maine where most of the trails are across private property so "leave no trace" is the watchword or we'll loose privileges which happens every year in every trail system. I rode the ATV a couple years but wanted to put a little more and just escape, watch nature, picnic and maybe camp: so I bought the P5 this Spring. We had a really wet Spring/beginning of Summer so I had to ATV if and when a trail opened in mid-June and across my 50ac property. The ATV has more ground clearance, more wheel travel, is shorter more maneuverable and has mud tires. So far we haven't introduced a passenger into the story so lets go. I put a two up style seat and footpegs on the ATV and because this caused a bit of tipsiness and general clumbsiness in the maneuverability it only lasted one ride. There was the breaking point and I bought the P5. For older listeners who may have limited strength and flexibility let me step back a second and mention that with my RA (rheumatoid arthritis) I had to recoup for a week every time I rode the ATV which was another part of the decision to go SxS. The RA was so bad that getting the ATV in and out of these modern 10 ft high truck beds caused me to start trailering it which added to the chore of finding a good loading area. So if I have to trailer anyway and I want to putt sometime, the question simply became which SxS to get? First consideration like yours was what do I want to do with it and where. Now I'll jump ahead here and state that with the P5 I cannot go on a lot of trails up here that have water hazzards because the P5 has golf cart like ground clearance and limited suspension travel. There's a lot of submerged "gottchas" in those water/mud pools and no way in the P5 to go around as I could on an small ATV. But, I can go on a lot of trails the average SxS cannot because of size restrictions. SO there's the first big consideration. If you do not have this to consider then it releases you from being limited to the P5. The downside consideration is whatever the ground conditions are where you hunt as around the house is probably not enough to sway a decision. My ATV will run through the snowpacks up here up to probably a foot or so as long as I can race through the snowdrifts. NOT the P5. So no hunting with the P5 in the Wintah. As I say these things I know there will be other's comments about my challenges and I really hope you and I get some good feedback on how to overcome them. The P5 comes with size 24s and the dealer suggested I could go as large as 28s but larger than that would rub the frame/cause steering and other suspension issues and may even cause driveline damage if too large tires are tried. Sooo. How can that be overcome without replacing the A arms and probably widening the P5 beyond the 50" advantage? The P7 has this solved for a little more ground clearance but now you would not be able to ride the limited access trails up here, which may not be an issue for you. Next the P5 is really noisy. All that gear shifting transmission noise and engine noise right at your back. Helps to wear ear protection but that limits communication. Yes the do make add on mufflers but that doesn't stop the rest of the noise. I'm working on solutions for that in the bahn now. Any different with the P7? Probably not. Dust is a big problem on the trails but may not be a consideration; anyway the dust affects P5 and P7 the same. I have long legs and the P5 wheel well on the driver's left really cramps that leg room which is a blessing because I get out and stretch more. P7 has more room. The P5 does not have power steering. With my RA it was too hard on my hands and severely limited driving it because of the wheel jerk over rocks and tree roots etc. I installed the PS kit off ebay for 329 dollars and its awesome! NO more wheel jerk. When I bought the P5 I had the dealer install the winch and split windshield and I installed the roof. I'm not impressed with where the winch installs on either Ps for a couple reasons but there are other options that I didn't feel urgent at the time. The P5 has never overheated as some 4wheelers do after getting muddy water etc up in the radiator. You didn't say you were a mudder so probably not a consideration for you. Honda makes world class engineered products too, so you're pretty safe with either. Now here's a consideration I recommend - what are you going to modify/add etc? For instance the winch installation added a power block right up front under the hood which was very helpful when adding other accessories because you don't have to run cables all the way back to the battery which is way back under the bed at the passenger side. This block unfortunately interfered with the placement of other things which is a learning experience. Here goes - the aftermarket folks aren't particularly interested in our mods and they sell their accessories as though its going to be installed on a unmodified unit. ALL of them do it especially the biggest named one I will not mention. So when I purchased the glove box and installed it on my P5 I had to make another bracket and remount the electrical block for the winch and go back and forth with its maker with photos etc etc.. When I installed the PS unit I had to mount its control box in a different place in order to allow an under hood tray space to fit. Then the new improved plastic tray from a dealer who used to have a metal one with access to your coolant overflow will not fit on the P5. I will not mention their name but they were useless when negotiating this with them. So I bought a 6 dollar plastic Wallmart box and mounted it there instead of their new improved 135 dollar did no longer fit model. I first ran the P5 with things bungie corded to the cargo tray in back where the P7 has the dump body and they squeeked and drove me nuts even over the noisy transmission. So I padded it with rubber insulation used on AC units and I tie down a large heavy duty plastic box, another cheep purchase from wallyworld, vice the expensive Honda bag. This cargo tray is very convenient for trail riding and camping but I don't think it the best choice for yardwork unless you add a dump bed but I believe the P7 will hold more there. I regret getting the very expensive Honda roof because there are adequate ones out there for a third the price. I think the P5 runs nicely about 25 mph loaded with passenger and camping gear down the trail and has enough guts to up and down with the best of them. Limited by ground clearance. Because this is a P5/7 discussion its moot but these Hondas with transmissions are well behaved going up and down because you have engine braking not freewheeling and braking and loosing steering like with CVT style rigs, but that may not be a consideration for you with your needs. So I think you would be served well by thinking as much about how you will accessorize your unit as you do about how and where you will use it. Enjoy!
B
If you live near restricted trails, definitely go with the 500. If you have can afford it, add power steering and Walker Evans shocks... Cost you about $1800 but you will get an entirely different machine that will take you comfortably wherever you want.
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