BOX1

P1000 Noisy P1000

dougclind

dougclind

Member
Jul 6, 2018
26
62
13
Roan Mountain, TN
Ownership

  1. 1000-5
Reading all the posts I can see that I need to mentally put the noise issue into the "don't care" box and adjust my expectations. I might never get my wife to ride in it but you never know. One of the first things she asked me (and I had no idea at the time) was if they were noisy. I told her no, of course not, it's a Honda. My 2KW generator purrs like a kitten so how different could a SxS be? (Well, so much for assumptions, right?)

I do question the analysis of the demographics though, i.e. that most purchasers would like noisy machines. From what I've read the SxS market has exploded in recent years to include a lot more than recreational riders and a fair amount of older people who, like me, have no particular infatuation with loud machinery. But then, I never have, even in my teens or 20's. If I'm on the outside of the bell curve, so be it but it does seem to me that if a Goldwing and an Odyssey can be whisper quiet then so could a 1000cc SxS. If it's not then it must be intentional and I think they are missing a beat by not making some way to quiet them down. JMO.
 
H

hondabob

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
May 14, 2013
1,155
4,489
113
Prescott Valley, AZ
Ownership

  1. Other Brand

  2. 1000-3
I've had 17 side by sides and my Pioneer 1000 is about as quiet as they get. A windshield makes it worse and I wear a helmet if I'm not driving 10 mph and under doing trail trimming. At about 25 mph without a windshield the wind noise is the problem. My helmet and face shield help with that. Most of the utility models have the engine in the back now to reduce the noise.
 
YardDog

YardDog

Grumpy ol' fart
Lifetime Member
Feb 2, 2017
617
1,937
93
Arkansas
Ownership

  1. 1000-3
I haven't had the opportunity to drive very many of the other brands, but all were much louder inside and out. You actually get used to it and really don't notice as much after a while. As others have said, the hard top reflects a lot of sound, adding a windshield and rear panel reflects a little more. The gear whine is the loudest to me, but since you're setting on top of the motor and tranny it's to be expected. Outside of the cab it's quieter than all the rest. I ride up on wild critters all the time.
 
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oldtrucks

oldtrucks

Active Member
Mar 15, 2015
71
217
33
Pinehurst Idaho
Ownership

  1. 1000-5
We own a 2016 1000 5 seater eps. Top of the line and my only gripe is the gear noise above 20 mph. It just turned over 8000 miles. We have the factory hard top and the glass windshield and the soft divider between the front and back. My point is that when we are cruising around in the woods we can carry on a normal conversation. I had the opportunity to hear it from the outside, me not driving it and couldn't believe how quiet it was. It was running with 2 Honda 4 wheelers.
 
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ghost

ghost

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
Dec 4, 2015
993
1,873
93
BC
If you compare models make sure they have similar configurations (windshield / roof).
I have come across mountain bike cyclists on some trails and they almost fall off their bikes cause they don't heart me coming around a corner.
I'm not going fast but Its truly amazing that they could not hear me.
But with my windshield and roof , there is noise in the "cab" for sure. Not as noisy as others thought - that partly why I bought it.
 
Buford

Buford

Well-Known Member
May 9, 2016
362
586
93
U.S.A.
I've owned a Maverick1000r, Yamaha YXZ1000r, rode in and worked on every Polaris model known to man and bought a Pioneer 1000-5 due to the quiet operation and general feeling of quality. I urge you to find a quieter, better built and more versatile machine. That machine does not exist.

A person can just feel the quality when you grab ahold of the "cracker jack box" steering wheel, and see the quality when you look at all of the 1,000 plastic push pins holding the machine together.
But what makes a person feel the best is when you get all the recall / update notices in the mail, you know that you are not forgotten :D
 
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WVbowhunter

New Member
Sep 5, 2016
4
0
1
WV
Ownership

  1. 1000-5
Took a test ride on a P1000-5. I thought people said these were one of the quietest sxs's? You mean the others are louder!!! Holy cow! Engine noise, gear noise ... was there something wrong with this one? Or did Honda intentionally make a noisy machine just to appeal to the troglodytes? Forget about stealth, riding through a forest. Probably would scare away any animal within a quarter mile.

I'm looking to buy a sxs to do work on my 180 acres in the mountains but now I'm not sure I want a Honda, or any sxs if they're all like this ... or worse.

Can you quiet these things down?
 
W

WVbowhunter

New Member
Sep 5, 2016
4
0
1
WV
Ownership

  1. 1000-5
They're definitely quieter than a Polaris general, JD Gator, or Yamaha viking.
I can't speak for anything else.
They are louder to you the driver than to people or animals off to the side. The first time I heard mine being driven out in the woods by someone else I was surprised, it was quieter than my old 250cc 4 wheeler
 
3

301

Well-Known Member
Jun 21, 2018
175
493
63
Kansas
Ownership

  1. 1000-5
They're definitely quieter than a Polaris general, JD Gator, or Yamaha viking.
I can't speak for anything else.
They are louder to you the driver than to people or animals off to the side. The first time I heard mine being driven out in the woods by someone else I was surprised, it was quieter than my old 250cc 4 wheeler
Add Polaris Ranger/RZR, Can-Am Maverick and Yamaha YXZ to the list.
 
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