BOX1

P500 My Review

R

Ray

New Member
Sep 6, 2015
25
7
3
I will try and update this over the next month as I go

=== USAGE BACKGROUND ===
I run a network of broadband transmitter sites which are located on hilltops around our region in New Zealand. In Bad weather I need to visit some of the sites to repair damaged equipment and reprogram radios after power surges. This requires the use of a laptop computer. Previously I would use a quad bike to access the sites after a fault but as the network grows, it is more important to get sites up and running quickly after a fault.

The health and safety laws are up for review and some farmers have now said I am no longer allowed on the property with a quad bike. In the local news over the last 12 months there have been a few quad bike accidents relating to quad bike misuse and so the farmers are making decisions to reduce their liability under the proposed legislation which will come into effect next year. The general trend is that on hilly terrain, quad bikes are out and UTVs are in.

I decided to purchase the Pioneer 500 for the roll cage, and the fact I can have a cab with shelter for working on hilltop transmitter repairs in bad weather.

=== Deciding Factors ===
I did not want to look at other brands due to the lack of tiptronic or semi-automatic transmissions. They were either manual or in most cases, fully automatic. As I am going down hill for approx 50% of all usage, I decided I wanted a tiptronic or semi-automatic with a gear selection option much like my quad bike.

This meant that the flappy paddle gear box was perfect for me. All other UTVs that i looked at were full automatic and did not have the option to use engine braking when going down hill - you had to use the foot pedal brake.

=== Accessories via Dealer ===
I went to the local dealer and they showed me a catalog of accessories from both Honda and a local aftermarket producer Trax Equipment Honda Pioneer 500 Accessories | Trax Equipment

The dealer appears to have ordered the base model P500 with
- Trax Windshield
- Honda Hard top (i am pretty sure)
- Honda 700 windscreen wiper - it fits the trax windshield pre-cut holes
- Wiring loom I didnt use, assuming its for the 700
- Soft rear window
- Honda doors
- Honda under-seat storage bin
- Under hood storage box (yet to arrive)

=== Engine ===
I am quite happy with the performance of the engine. I traded in a Honda Foreman 450 and do miss the performance. The Pioneer 500 has good speed pickup in a low gear while going up hill - you can definitely put your foot down in 2nd or 3rd and speed up.
However its lack of power in 4th and 5th gear when going up hill is noticable when coming from the quad bike which had heaps of power, but of course weighed less.

=== Noise ===
I had the opportunity to ride in a can-am on similar terrain - rolling hills, before I purchased the Pioneer. The most noticable thing about the Can Am was the noise. I could not have a conversation with the driver while sitting next to him as we were going up hill on a small incline. To continue the converstion I would have to wait until the next paddock gate when the engine would idle.

The Pioneer is much quieter - I can have a conversation with the passenger, although our helmets do become a little annoying as they act as ear muffs much of the time.

=== First impression ===
The first negative thing I noticed was the lack of storage space. More below.
The first positive thing I noticed was the
The first mutual thing I noticed was how much our heads move around when going over bumpy track - thankfully we wear helmets otherwise we would be hitting our heads against the roll cage (ROPS)

=== Brakes ===
You have the option to use engine braking when going down hill. The flappy paddle gear box makes this very easy.
The hand brake is a little low - it would be better if it was mounted an inch or two higher so you dont have to bend down so much.
When parking on a steep (but comfortable to exit) track the hand brake is very sturdy and easily holds the ATV.

Foot pedal brake is effective but I found i was mostly using the engine braking when going back down a hill.

=== Transmission ===
The Flappy paddle gear box is awesome. It would be nicer if there was a clicky feel as you pull on the paddle so you know you have activated the switch. Some times pulling and releasing the paddle too quickly will not activate the gear change command.
You can easily change gear at any time without a problem.
It handles changes of gear which I would call high pressure where the revs need to change a great deal to match the speed in the new gear quite easily.

The 5th gear ratio feels still too low. It almost needs a 6th gear. So when you are at maximum speed (approx 65+ km/h) on a beach or flat terrain, your engine revs are quite high.

=== Storage ===
The first thing I do is take a pair of binoculars but there is no glove compartment to store them in. This is becoming more and more annoying. I will need to create a storage compartment myself to fill this void. You can purchase a ROPS storage thingy. Its a long belt with different size and shape zip up compartments which attaches to the top rear bar of the roll cage. The dealer showed it to me and it looked quite handy, but nothing beats a nice convenient glove box.

The seat requires both the driver and passenger to exit the ATV to be lifted for accessing the storage compartment under the seat.

Under the passenger seat is a manual gear change tool for when the flappy paddles fail, the ECU computer and instruction manual.
You could store an extra A4 size books or magazines under here, but not much. It is mostly used by the fuel tank.

Under the driver seat is a blank sheet of plastic. You can remove this and insert a honda storage box. Its not very big - holds a pair of binoculars and not much else. I dont want to put any drinks under here as they may get hot from being so close to the engine.
I have seen alternatives where others in these forums have put in a plastic bin from wallmart or equivalant which matches the dimensions of the hole that it slips into.
Without the hole being filled with the storage bin or plastic sheet, it is simply a hole through to the ground below.

You can also get an under-bonnet storage bin accessory which is much larger. I have since ordered this and am waiting for it to arrive. There is heaps of space under the bonnet and its especially noticable that there is alot of space behind the dash. A glove box could easily have been put there as standard design.
The Trax under bonnet bin is much smaller than the honda one.
Most of the engine is under the ATV and not much is under the bonnet.

=== Roof ===
I believe I have the honda hard roof.
I do like it - it is very easy to drill into. I have been adding items such as a license plate, lights and various other things by drilling holes in the roof, riveting the accessory through the roof and sealing it with domestic roofing silicon.

However there has been one bad thing I noticed:
There is a gap above the windscreen and rear window where in a heavy wind, rain can come up under. I found that rain would condense above the windscreen on the roof, and above the rear window on the roof. With the whole ATV shaking slightly in the wind, the rain condensation would form into droplets and move down the roof towards the front and drop down onto my knees. I dont think i can block the gaps as I transport the ATV at highway speeds on a trailer, so air flow needs to be able to move through the cab. I will find a way to block the gaps when it is stationary through. Perhaps a flap down sheet of plastic on a hinge, similar to a sun visor in a car that will stop sideways rain from coming up under the roof.

=== Wind Screen Wiper ===
So it turns out there is no wind screen wiper for the P500.
The dealer I believe had mistakingly ordered the honda wind screen wiper for the P700.
The Trax windscreen has the pre-cut holes for the wind screen wiper so it fit well.

The wiring was difficult.
The P700 i believe has a special connector under the bonnet in the battery compartment for the wind screen wiper. There is no such connector on the P500.
So I was able to wire up the + and - wires of the 4-core cable that the wind screen wiper comes with.
The control box on the P700 uses the other two wires presumably to detect when the wiper is in its rest position. This means that when you switch off the wiper, it will return to its resting position automatically.
I wired the suppled switch up to a fuse and direct to the battery and so when i switch off the wiper it stops wherever it happens to be at the time.
This is surprisingly not a problem - its easy to switch off at the right time when it passes through the resting position.
Another habit i have is that in a car i only ever use the INT mode on the wind screen wiper. I can flick the switch on for a second and move the wiper across to the extended position, and then flick it again a minute later to return it to the rest position.

A video of me switching off the wiper at the right time while it is in resting position is here

=== Rear Soft Window ===
While I look for a suitable trailer to buy, I have been hiring one from the local hire centre. It has high walls so I cannot get out the door after driving on to the trailer. I have to go out the back window.
It serves its purpose well - it can be zipped open / closed from in or outside.
It does seem to let a bit of water or sideways rain in between the seats around the seat belt receptacles. I think I just need to pull it down and tighten the lower straps around the ROPS to pull it tight.

=== Doors ===
I have the official honda doors.
I do like them however they leave massive gaps around the edges for rain to get in. I will need to some how add some rubber or extend the roof to stop this from happening.
Other than that they work very well.
I positioned the inside handle so you pull it forward to unlock. if you looked at a clock face, the unlocked position would be 10-and-2 and the locked position would be 8-and-11 so you always pull the handle toward you to release the door.
This has the nice effect that in a windy situation you can hold the door open by opening the inner door and locking the handles together.

Video here showing rain gaps:

=== Windscreen ===
I have been in a few ATVs without windscreens, with the little kitty "wind deflectors" and I must say nothing is acceptable unless there is a proper windscreen. On a cold day the windscreen is awesome.

=== Cargo Rack ===
Its a little small - will hold what I need though. Bigger than my old quad bike had.
I am going to get a frame welded on so I can carry sacks of quick mix concrete up hills without the sacks sliding off.

=== Roof Rack ===
Because I have a hard top roof, I loose the ability to use the ROPS to strap poles to.
I sometimes need to take a 4 metre long pole up a hill - with the quad bike it was easy - just strap it across the back and front racks. I am getting some slot-in H racks made up like you would for a Ute so the poles can sit above the roof.

=== Lighting ===
I have not had the opportunity to use the head lights at night.

=== Fuel Efficiency ===
Easy Track: 6.3 litres per 100km or 235kms Range
I tested a moderate gravel forrestry logging road and went 25.3kms and used 1.6 litres of fuel. Mostly going around 30-50km/h and in 4th / 5th gear. No tough up hill, though a couple of fords were crossed. No extra load or weight.


=== Accessories I am adding ===
To-Do list
- Winch. I want one I can attach to the ROPS as well as the front bumper. Not sure when you will need to pull in what direction.
- H racks for carrying poles above the roof
- Amber Indicators. Front and back
- Rear tray welding a small frame so things dont slide off.


Semi or Completed Accessories
I purchased a number of switches from DX and a 20mm drill bit from the local hardware store. I also have a blue light up push button switch which I will label Hi-Beam



=== Cab and Foot Well Light ===
Used this light mounted on the rear end of the roof above head rests. I find it is a nice colour - not completely white, has a nice hint of yellow.
Under the dash next to the reverse lever is this light for lighting up the floor of the cab. Its very white.

=== Light Bar ===
I now regret only getting a 30 watt LED light bar. I should have got a larger one. Its only to complement the head lights anyway so it will do the job. I would advise anyone else to get a 60 watt one and dont get the flood option - get the spot or non-flood option so it has a good throw.

=== Amber flashing Light ===
I purchased an LED amber flashing light. Removed the magnetic base (small amount of weight) and the 12v cable & plug and ran a new wire down to the back of the dash.
It is screwed into the roof and silicon glue around the base to stop water or moisture getting under and condensing inside it. The amber dome can unscrew anyway.

Here is a video of it running:

=== Rear Lights ===
On the rear of the roof I have attached some 10 watt lights which are on a directional switch. for safety and power consumption purposes, the rear lights and front light bar cannot be running at the same time.

=== Dash Cam ===
I ordered a cheap Dash Cam from DX and a 12v to 5v mini USB converter so i didnt have to use the 12v power socket.

=== Window Washer ===
I ordered a 12v mini water pump from DX. The idea is that I will have a push button on the dash to spray water onto the wind screen. A small container has yet to be purchased from our local wallmart equivlant to store a litre of water under the bonnet. Some thin pipe will run from the mini-pump up to the windscreen and act like a leaky garden hose where a drawing pin will be used to prick holes in the pipe so it spreads the water across the wind screen.

=== AMP Monitor ===
I am keeping my accessories consumption to less than 10 amps at any one time - this is due to the gauge of wire I have used between the + terminal of the battery and my secondary fuse box.
A voltage + AMP meter will be used to tell me know many amps I am consuming.

=== USB Sockets ===
I ordered a 12v to 5v dual output USB socket for the dash board for charging cellphones etc. However I had connected the probes up to my multimeter wrong and thus mixed the polarity of the usb socket input - it is now shorting out so it blows any fuse i use when i switch it on. I will need to order a replacement in a few days.


I will try and upload some more videos and photos as I get a chance to take some. At the moment there is wires hanging everywhere in the cab so its not quite suitable for show, and its constant rain for the last week and a half so i am not doing much to it at the moment.
 
Last edited:
Fordman

Fordman

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
Aug 8, 2013
160
272
63
Fayette Al
Ownership

  1. 500
Can't view your videos it's keeps telling me there private
 
C

Chooglin

Guest
Really good review, thanks for taking the time to post it.

I can't view the video's either!
 
JACKAL

JACKAL

Ancient Honda fanboi
Moderator
Lifetime Member
Supporting Member
Club Contributor
Jun 11, 2015
39,110
264,681
113
Pioneer, TN
Ownership

  1. Other Brand

  2. 1000-5
Thanks for posting your thoughts / review.

PS the videos are set to private you can see them no one else can. FYI
 
R

Ray

New Member
Sep 6, 2015
25
7
3
Sorry guys, I have changed the permissions for you
 
R

Ray

New Member
Sep 6, 2015
25
7
3
After a month:
Annoying points:
- Underpowered engine. I am changing my mind on this. I was thinking I dont need much, but when going up a dirt road on the side of a hill, the low gear and high revs requirement is getting annoying with the engine noise. We are only going 30 km/h and it is revving really high.
- Storage. This is getting really annoying now. I have binoculars, drink bottles, beanie, camera, and other stuff that i want to get to quickly. I dont want to have to ask the passenger to get out of their seat so I can access the storage box.
- Hand brake. Its just too low. I would be much happier with a pull handle that you get in some trucks and vans if it could have been mounted higher on the dash board. Some sites I go to require stopping to open about 8 gates along the track. The handbrake seems way too low when continually having to reach for it on these tracks.
 
Last edited:
J

jay dawge

Active Member
Oct 6, 2015
108
62
28
I think the pioneer 500 is to small to do the work you need to do. If you had the pioneer 1000, it would probably haul all the gear you need, go as fast as you need, and the low range would be good for the down hill treks. Not a total bust though, u could sell the P500 and get p1000
 
R

Ray

New Member
Sep 6, 2015
25
7
3
I think the pioneer 500 is to small to do the work you need to do. If you had the pioneer 1000, it would probably haul all the gear you need, go as fast as you need, and the low range would be good for the down hill treks. Not a total bust though, u could sell the P500 and get p1000
The p1000 isnt avaliable in New Zealand.
I also like that its skinny - only the 50" wide is quite nice. We dont actually have much gear to carry in the day-to-day usage of it so thats good.

I did look at a suzuki jimmy which is apparantly the smallest SUV on the market - but its too large for some of the gates we have to get through.

Here is a picture of one of the gates -
The guy that suggested I look at the jimmy said I could just change the gate on the landowner's farm - but there are like 50 of them to change across all the various sites and its just too much work.

But I will test drive the P1000 when it becomes avaliable in NZ
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