P1000m5 One week in...

[MNnice]

Desperately disappointed.

I have a history of owning Honda motorcycles.

I went to the dealer to look at Rangers, need Turf mode because a lot of my driving is on pavement. I owned a RZR 570 that just wasn't getting any use.

And what to my eyes would appear but a glorious Honda 1000-5 Deluxe.
I brought my little RZR in the following morning and began the wait for my chosen color (white). Three days later it arrives!!

Spent the first 20 miles cruising and keeping the rpm fluctuating. Transmission shifts were harsh in H and whiplash inducing in L. H has improved. L not at all. Can't shift from H to N, have to go up to R then down.

I didn't shift out of turf mode until I hit 30 miles. Took about 4 miles to get it to go back. Didn't want those nubs on the tires anyway.

Drug a dethatcher across the beach to gather up the weeds on the shoreline, two turns in 4wd Lock and the EPS light comes on and the EPS is gone. Pulled the fuse, all good, restart and it's back working.

I know it's been mentioned, but the heat is terrible...

It doesn't change between drive modes reliably. No idea when, or if, it will go back. 2wd Lock engages randomly. These tires look worse than the ones on the RZR I traded with 600 miles on them.

I've resorted to using the paddles, I really can't get my head around this being a Honda, the whole driveline is just that f***ing terrible. Dual clutch should be seamless. Im worried that the down shifts in AT would injure the neck of a kid wearing a helmet. I wouldn't let a kid get in if I had to drive it in L...

Did I really just spend $18k on this? I'm afraid of what my wife is going to do when she drives it. Total f***in meltdown...

12 hours and 76 miles.

Does this get better? Please tell me that something magical happens during that first service and this POS starts working like a Honda should.

 

[KevinSC]

Desperately disappointed.

I have a history of owning Honda motorcycles.

I went to the dealer to look at Rangers, need Turf mode because a lot of my driving is on pavement. I owned a RZR 570 that just wasn't getting any use.

And what to my eyes would appear but a glorious Honda 1000-5 Deluxe.
I brought my little RZR in the following morning and began the wait for my chosen color (white). Three days later it arrives!!

Spent the first 20 miles cruising and keeping the rpm fluctuating. Transmission shifts were harsh in H and whiplash inducing in L. H has improved. L not at all. Can't shift from H to N, have to go up to R then down.

I didn't shift out of turf mode until I hit 30 miles. Took about 4 miles to get it to go back. Didn't want those nubs on the tires anyway.

Drug a dethatcher across the beach to gather up the weeds on the shoreline, two turns in 4wd Lock and the EPS light comes on and the EPS is gone. Pulled the fuse, all good, restart and it's back working.

I know it's been mentioned, but the heat is terrible...

It doesn't change between drive modes reliably. No idea when, or if, it will go back. 2wd Lock engages randomly. These tires look worse than the ones on the RZR I traded with 600 miles on them.

I've resorted to using the paddles, I really can't get my head around this being a Honda, the whole driveline is just that f***ing terrible. Dual clutch should be seamless. Im worried that the down shifts in AT would injure the neck of a kid wearing a helmet. I wouldn't let a kid get in if I had to drive it in L...

Did I really just spend $18k on this? I'm afraid of what my wife is going to do when she drives it. Total f***in meltdown...

12 hours and 76 miles.

Does this get better? Please tell me that something magical happens during that first service and this POS starts working like a Honda should.

A lot of your shifter problems is the linkage needs to get adjusted. Also the eps cutting off sounds like a ground issue to me. As for the clutches getting better, yes they do. The adjustment and ground I cannot help you with, but if you search for it on here you can find it pretty quick.

 

[GlockMeister]

Give it time.. it gets better time. mine was pretty rough shifting to begin with but as it learns your driving habit and the gears begin to wear in you notice it less and less. as for the 4wd shifters I'm sure they are out of adjustment. They are cables and will stretch. There are multiple threads on this site on how to adjust them. And the heat... well... ya it's hot but again there are actions to combat that as well.
Welcome..you have stumbled on one of the best sites on the net full of knowledgeable people and lots of helpful information.

 

[Jbird]

I have noticed variations of all the problems you have noted with the exception that my main problem is going from Turf to 2 WD and back again. My transmission in AT mode is one rough turd but not as bad as you are describing. I can tell it is gradually getting slightly better but, like you, I can't believe Honda put this transmission on the market in this condition. That and the rediculous heat problem. Here in Arkansas the average summer day time temp is 85-95 degrees. Try sitting on a blast furnace in this climate! We ordered an under seat heat shield from a guy that is selling them for $22.00 and it is nothing more than bubble wrap with aluminum foil on both sides. It doesn't do squat. On an optimistic note we are taking our unit in for its initial service tomorrow and we are hoping some of these issues will be resolved. Other than the transmission and heat issues we love this machine but Honda should make this right and I hope they will. We have owned and/or do own dozens of Honda products and they have ALL been trouble free till this one. Why do we have to spend our time trying to work around the short comings of a new $18000 machine?

 

[walexa07]

Sounds to me like the dealer didn't really go through the machine during setup - as in your cables sounds out of adjustment from the factory. Mine has never really done anything squirrely with the shifting but I am going to go ahead and adjust it per the service manual this weekend and I am a little over 400 miles. I run in high AT 95% of the time, and the machine does learn your driving style. Things do quieten down or you just get used to it. The constant shifting sorta seemed obnoxious when I first got it, but it doesn't seem to do that anymore and we really like our pioneer. The heat really only seems bad if you are idling or crawling for long periods of time, but we clip along pretty good so it hasn't really been too bad. I do hope Honda comes out with some additional heat shields, fans, etc. to reduce the heat though as I'd like to be able to ride at whatever speed I want without worry about things getting hot.

Good luck........

Waylan

 

[MNnice]

Update: 212 miles, 36.7 hours. First service was done at 102 miles. No magic. Drivetrain

Wife drove it in L yesterday... My ears still ring. The shifting still sucks really f***ing bad.

The mode cables have been adjusted for the second time. Was way off on the first adjustment. No way those cables stretched that much... The modes do change, the dash indicator only shows turf mode, doesn't change. Ever.

The shift cable has been adjusted, less than a full turn. In the plus column, I can shift from H to N without having to visit R.

Still have the EPS shut down in 4 lock when turning to full lock. Has only been used in deep, loose sand. Works after shutting off the machine. Should be lots of fun when trying rocks...

New issue is lurching. I can't maintain a constant speed below 20 mph without this POS choking on a gear change.

 

[hondabob]

Mine needs turning left and right while going very slow to get back and forth from turf mode to locked and sometimes I back up a little. You will get hard shifting on pavement but its not as bad on dirt. We have to remember the 1000 wasn't designed for pavement use. Mine is better with some miles on it and I'm over 2,500 now. I have a 3 seater frame #24 and just bought a 5 seat model frame # 4719. They both drive about the same and have about 350 miles on the 5 seat.

 

[hondabob]

Try manual mode until you get some miles on it. I use manual mode a lot and if you forget to down shift it will down shift for you to avoid slipping the clutch.

 

[MNnice]

I need a neck brace for the downshifting in L.

Seriously, had to move the rearview farther to the right.

Short shifting in manual mode is fine on acceleration, doesn't help the downshifts.

Why does it feel like it's hunting for a gear when in manual mode? The bucking is getting really old/embarrassing.

 

[Crow_Hunter]

I need a neck brace for the downshifting in L.

Seriously, had to move the rearview farther to the right.

Short shifting in manual mode is fine on acceleration, doesn't help the downshifts.

Why does it feel like it's hunting for a gear when in manual mode? The bucking is getting really old/embarrassing.

You need to take it back to the dealer or call Honda, I think there is something wrong with your machine. It can downshift pretty hard but it shouldn't be that hard. Especially with the number of miles that you have on it now.

I noticed mine get noticeably less severe between 50 and 100 miles.

I spent most of the day today driving around in 1st and 2nd gear Low with the occasional jump into 3rd and only every once in a while was the shift severe enough to jerk me forward when dropping down into first. That was usually when I had started down a very steep downhill run and was coming off the top of the hill in 2nd with some speed and it would downshift pretty hard and us going downhill would add some forward momentum.

Sounds line you may have something screwy going on.