Hello my fellow Pioneer Pioneers. Sorry it has taken so long to report my impressions of my 4seat Pioneer, but that should tell you something. My initial ride was saturday of Labor Day Weekend. I left my cabin in WV at 6:30am with 1.8 miles. My son and I took turns driving across three different systems of the Hatfield McCoy ATV trails. We got on the highway for about two hours (legal there with seat belts and D.O.T. approved helmets) during a downpour thunderstorm, then got back on the trails after supper and got back to the cabin just before 9. We were supposed to be off the trail before dark, and though it was an honest mistake, we broke that rule for a little while. The day ended with the Pioneer back on the truck and her tach showing around 133 miles. The wrench symbol was flashing for the last couple hours of my trip because that one ride went +30 miles past the recommendation for initial service and maintenance check. That's how you break one in, huh?
I don't have a test track, I don't own sensors to measure centrifugal force, measure impact force, or measure anything other than it is barely narrow enough to fit my 5 by 14 trailer, but I can break it down for you in a way us mere mortals might understand. After 14 hours in the Pioneer this middle-aged, over-weight, bald guy with a very bad back woke up the next day and put 11 hours of four wheeler riding in and my 14 year old son asked me to slow down.
The extra suspension travel over the Big Red made a Big difference on the trail. I had a Prowler xt with more travel inches but the Pioneer was much more comfortable. I encountered a switchback turn with a big gulley down the inside track just as a pair of brand new Wildcats were going around it. Both Wild cats had to go into reverse twice and both reached a point in the turn when one tire came off the ground. I had to use reverse three times and there was a point when I rocked on two wheels, but I also made the turn. Granted, I could have used power steering then, but 133 miles and I pined for EPS maybe 3 times, and the Wildcats handled that turn better, but they cost nearly twice as much and those two could only haul half as many people as mine, and they were designed to ride trails like that and nothing else. On that same trail (pinnacle creek 26) I stayed on a group of Razers for a couple miles and could have continued to but I bounced the cooler over and had to stop and strap it back down.
The day did reveal a couple concerns. After riding in the mud for a bit, the brakes started making a bad screeching noise on long steep downhill sections requiring alot of braking. I informed the techs during the initial maintenance trip. They told me there was alot of mud in the front brakes and around the cv boots. We cleaned it out and the noise is gone. Also during a long day of riding the seat belt rubbing across my neck and shoulder became uncomfortable, a pair of those shoulder belt pads would fix it and they are cheap. Also, on long fast downhill sections, the engine brake can conflict with throttle response and cause some hard upshifts. I found I could either use the brake and slow down to match gear speed or just coast out the hill until it slows on its own before hitting the throttle and I could then get a smooth gear change.
Since the big ride I have also had my split windshield and hard roof installed. Now, along with the standard doors and window nets i feel protected from all the brush, briars, and branches as well as all but the worst downpours. I have ridden in a light rain since the install and I stayed completely dry. But, since others have said they ordered there windshields and roofs already, I feel I need to report that the engine noise inside the cab is way louder once those are added. I don't want to mislead you by understating this, I like the protection from the elements, but it is really a lot louder with the roof and windshield installed.
Bottom line: I am happy with my decision. Forget about price even though I'd have to geta 500 Kymco to get one cheaper, look at this.
1. If I am just going to trail ride I can get a Razer. But my Pioneer kept up pretty good with them and I have a better transmission.
2. If I just want the coolest looking ride I can get a Wildcat. But my Pioneer looks like a Camaro SS yet works like a Mack Truck.
3. If I just want a 2 seat work vehicle I can stick with my Big Red. But my Pioneer still has the same hauling and towing ratings.
4. If I want a family car for the trails I can buy a Teryx. But honestly, even in just that one role my Pioneer is better.
5. I could by a Yamaha Viking if I wanted to...well I'll try to get back to you on that one.
The real point is what I have been saying has proven itself to be true, the Pioneer is the best Side by Side on the market because of the sum of it's parts. It does everything and it does evrything well. I have heard the Swiss Army Knife comparison but I disagree. The Swiss Army knife does lots of things, but does not do them very well, so eventually Leatherman came along and made the All-Tool so consumers can have one tool that does a great job at lots of different tasks. Honda decided to skip the Swiss Army knife stage of UTV progression and went straight into the Leatherman All-Tool of side by sides. And now you can remember the part about getting all of this for less money than nearly every other UTV out there.
