Newby from Boise

Idahotruckman

Idahotruckman

Well-Known Member
Feb 15, 2021
83
388
53
Boise, Idaho
Ownership

  1. 500
Hello all,
A couple years ago I saw two Honda Pioneer 500s at the campsite across from me at Warm Lake Campground, located near Cascade, Idaho. One was red and one was blue. They intrigued me with their compact size, but I truly thought they were the most unusual looking atv/utv/?? whatever kind of vehicle I had ever seen. I come from the atv world, own four atvs and have been riding a Yamaha Grizzly 700cc atv for years, and am used to riding pretty aggressively. I asked the folks that owned the Pioneers all kinds of questions, mostly about how they handle the trails. I then researched the heck out of the little utvs for the next year and decided to finally purchase one. Of course, the next model year offered the 520 with more power and a dump bed with better shocks, but I still like the 2020.
I only had the Pioneer 500 out on the trails a few times but I am impressed with how it manages the trails. I am in my late 60's and don't ride as fast as I used to, so the Pioneer suits me fine. I don't even miss the power steering, but might add it later. The power it has for the small displacement was a pleasant surprise. Going up steep hills is no problem.
What I really, really like is that my wife likes to ride with me now. She never was comfortable riding on the back of the big grizz, or riding her 350 grizzly beside me. Even more shocking is that she likes driving the Pioneer 500, and now claims it is "her ride." Since she allowed me to spend the cash to purchase it, I will let her think it is "her ride." She likes the automatic mode and I like taking it through the gears.
Two of my biggest complaints after first riding it, is that 1. the tires suck, and 2. the shocks suck. I put 26" bighorn 2.0 tires on the 500 almost immediately, and have some front Walker Evans shocks ordered for the front. I also added a 4500 lbs. winch, a half windshield, Honda soft top, black center caps for the stock wheels, some awesome side mirrors, a rota-pax gas container and mount, a roll bar storage bag, and some large plastic tool boxes for the rack.
I am anxious to learn all I can from all you folks about this great little machine.
Idahotruckman

Ute front view
 
Smitty335

Smitty335

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
Supporting Member
Oct 3, 2016
35,445
208,728
113
NWA Arkansas
Ownership

  1. 1000-3

  2. 1000-5
Hello all,
A couple years ago I saw two Honda Pioneer 500s at the campsite across from me at Warm Lake Campground, located near Cascade, Idaho. One was red and one was blue. They intrigued me with their compact size, but I truly thought they were the most unusual looking atv/utv/?? whatever kind of vehicle I had ever seen. I come from the atv world, own four atvs and have been riding a Yamaha Grizzly 700cc atv for years, and am used to riding pretty aggressively. I asked the folks that owned the Pioneers all kinds of questions, mostly about how they handle the trails. I then researched the heck out of the little utvs for the next year and decided to finally purchase one. Of course, the next model year offered the 520 with more power and a dump bed with better shocks, but I still like the 2020.
I only had the Pioneer 500 out on the trails a few times but I am impressed with how it manages the trails. I am in my late 60's and don't ride as fast as I used to, so the Pioneer suits me fine. I don't even miss the power steering, but might add it later. The power it has for the small displacement was a pleasant surprise. Going up steep hills is no problem.
What I really, really like is that my wife likes to ride with me now. She never was comfortable riding on the back of the big grizz, or riding her 350 grizzly beside me. Even more shocking is that she likes driving the Pioneer 500, and now claims it is "her ride." Since she allowed me to spend the cash to purchase it, I will let her think it is "her ride." She likes the automatic mode and I like taking it through the gears.
Two of my biggest complaints after first riding it, is that 1. the tires suck, and 2. the shocks suck. I put 26" bighorn 2.0 tires on the 500 almost immediately, and have some front Walker Evans shocks ordered for the front. I also added a 4500 lbs. winch, a half windshield, Honda soft top, black center caps for the stock wheels, some awesome side mirrors, a rota-pax gas container and mount, a roll bar storage bag, and some large plastic tool boxes for the rack.
I am anxious to learn all I can from all you folks about this great little machine.
Idahotruckman

View attachment 255209
WELCOME from NW Arkansas! There a lot of P5 owners here and have a wealth of knowledge about the P5's. Ride safe!
 
SILVER_ALERT

SILVER_ALERT

HONDA SXS Club Flounder
Lifetime Member
Supporting Member
Jan 6, 2016
3,130
21,380
113
Route 66 Oklahoma
Ownership

  1. 500
Howdy from Oklahoma and welcome to the forum from a fellow senior citizen, I can relate to the wife prefering the P500. We still have 3 Honda ATVs and I seldom get to drive the P5. By the way, no matter what some of these dunderheads say, the blue ones are the best lookng and the fastest. ;)
 
Remington

Remington

POIDH Enforcement Officer
Lifetime Member
Supporting Member
Jul 24, 2016
20,253
115,817
113
Michigan
Ownership

  1. 1000-5

  2. Talon X
Welcome from another Great Lake Stater!

Wow! That was a hell of of book you wrote there! Lol.
Nice machine! I like the blue.
 
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tjoreo

tjoreo

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
Feb 18, 2015
1,025
1,975
113
Southern Idaho
Ownership

  1. 1000-5
That would be great. I rode my atvs alot in the South Hills - Porcupine Springs area. Can't wait to try "Ute" on those trails.
I grew up in Twin and bought a brand new foreman in '03. I put thousands of miles below Magic. I've never really rode much above there during the summer because it gets too busy for me, but we rode alot of snowmachines in the winter. I now live in Richfield, so most of my riding is out on the desert by our house or up by Galena. A cool place to see is called Boulder City but it is named that for a reason. The trail is pretty rocky so make sure you are skidded up. I haven't been there in a few years, but maybe this summer.
 
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