P700 P700 or Polaris ranger 500

[Badblubug]

presently I own a pioneer 500 and a Honda rancher, I’m thinking of selling the rancher and keeping the P500 and buying either a p700 or a Polaris ranger 500, the most important part of the purchase is ride quality... in my older years I find I can no longer take the beating I get with the p500 and rancher and still enjoy trail riding... I’m looking for a ride similar to a Buick park avenue, but seriously... who has the better ride Honda or Polaris?

 

[DG Rider]

I once got into trouble for saying the Ranger 570 rides better than the Pioneer 700, so I won't...even though it does. I'd bet the 500 ranger is similar. Look at the capacities of each and you can see why.

Either rides way better than a 500, but walking out of the woods/desert is a rougher ride than anything, and that's where the 700 scores big. I don't think Rangers are as junky as some people make them out to be, but I have no doubt that a 700 will Outlast probably 2 of them.

And then there's the P1K...

 

[KyleC]

presently I own a pioneer 500 and a Honda rancher, I’m thinking of selling the rancher and keeping the P500 and buying either a p700 or a Polaris ranger 500, the most important part of the purchase is ride quality... in my older years I find I can no longer take the beating I get with the p500 and rancher and still enjoy trail riding... I’m looking for a ride similar to a Buick park avenue, but seriously... who has the better ride Honda or Polaris?

P700 for the Honda reliability. Swap the shocks for a set off of a Can-Am for the comfort. Have the best of both worlds!

 

[Backwoods]

I think the ranger 500 tops out under 30 mph. I could be wrong. But I have done the Polaris thing , I personally prefer the build quality of a Honda . You should test drive them both and see what works for you. We all have different opinions and reasons but you have to drive it and pay for it at the end of the day. I hope whatever you choose works well for you.

 

[Badblubug]

Thanks for the feedback guys... I was at the local dealer today and they sell both Honda and Polaris, talking with the salesman who sold me the P5 I was asking about both, his reply was They sell more Polaris than Honda and stock more Polaris, a lot more actually... Good points on Polaris was accessories, lots of them and they do a great job, downside was, as he said...grease fittings and lots of them and you better do it or parts fail, he says stay with Honda, they have a 700-2 for $8999 a 2018 seems like a decent price... thinking it over, also said the 700’s are kinda pokey and top end the same as the 500 hmm...

 

[DG Rider]

Thanks for the feedback guys... I was at the local dealer today and they sell both Honda and Polaris, talking with the salesman who sold me the P5 I was asking about both, his reply was They sell more Polaris than Honda and stock more Polaris, a lot more actually... Good points on Polaris was accessories, lots of them and they do a great job, downside was, as he said...grease fittings and lots of them and you better do it or parts fail, he says stay with Honda, they have a 700-2 for $8999 a 2018 seems like a decent price... thinking it over, also said the 700’s are kinda pokey and top end the same as the 500 hmm...

That does seem like a good price, but id be surprised if the 500 popo isn't slightly faster, if that means anything to you.

 

[Badblubug]

That does seem like a good price, but id be surprised if the 500 popo isn't slightly faster, if that means anything to you.

Nope, not at all.. I thought I’d be bummed that the 500 only did 40 but it hasn’t mattered one bit, besides, I’ll still have the 500 if a need for speed arises..lol

 

[DG Rider]

... still have the 500 if a need for speed arises..lol

Can't say I've heard that one before...LOL!

 

[Russ989]

The 700 has more trail capabilities, I pulled out a popo 570 awhile back, it was a pitiful display on the Polaris Rangers part. He got stuck following me!

 

[Reloder28]

I’m thinking of.......buying either a p700 or a Polaris ranger 500,

How is that EVEN a consideration?!

 

[Russ989]

How is that EVEN a consideration?!

You just said what everyone has been thinking.

 

[jwfirebird]

the 700 doesnt ride that bad if you keep your speed down and carry a ton of tools and crap, if you have two people in it and coolers and crap it rides pretty good, jut not by yourself with nothing in it.

if you can swing about 12 the wolverine is a much better trail machine and when you say buick thats what i think, they have the same reliability as honda. i had a rhino for years and beat the snot out of it hauling a ton of wood though a ton of mud and snow, never had to do hardly anything, i put one axle and belt on it because the boots and belt looked dry rotted from age. think the wolverine is faster too

 

[Smalltownbulldog]

if you can swing about 12 the wolverine is a much better trail machine and when you say buick thats what i think, they have the same reliability as honda.

As much as I love my 700, I think this is the right answer for what you want. Maybe even a Viking, they are about the same money as a pioneer. Still, for reliability and versatility, Honda absolutely cannot be beat.

 

[Badblubug]

the 700 doesnt ride that bad if you keep your speed down and carry a ton of tools and crap, if you have two people in it and coolers and crap it rides pretty good, jut not by yourself with nothing in it.

if you can swing about 12 the wolverine is a much better trail machine and when you say buick thats what i think, they have the same reliability as honda. i had a rhino for years and beat the snot out of it hauling a ton of wood though a ton of mud and snow, never had to do hardly anything, i put one axle and belt on it because the boots and belt looked dry rotted from age. think the wolverine is faster too

That’s just been the reason I haven’t purchased a 700, I don’t want to load it down or change shocks to make it ride decent, slowly I’m crossing it off the list, I know Honda’s reliability I own 2 ranchers and the 500
I appreciate the tip on the Wolverine, I haven’t thought about that one, but, I’ll definitely look at it

As for brands other than Honda, around here I see more Polaris on the trails than any other brand, by far... occasionally I see pioneer 700/1000 The dealer here sells both, they have about 50 Polaris machines and about 15 Honda’s in stock

 

[Badblubug]

How is that EVEN a consideration?!

It’s simple, ride quality is what I’m looking for...I’m not a fanboy, Polaris makes a decent machine as do the other big manufacturers, I’m not looking to buy a Kymco or Odes

 

[DG Rider]

That’s just been the reason I haven’t purchased a 700, I don’t want to load it down or change shocks to make it ride decent, slowly I’m crossing it off the list, I know Honda’s reliability I own 2 ranchers and the 500
I appreciate the tip on the Wolverine, I haven’t thought about that one, but, I’ll definitely look at it

As for brands other than Honda, around here I see more Polaris on the trails than any other brand, by far... occasionally I see pioneer 700/1000 The dealer here sells both, they have about 50 Polaris machines and about 15 Honda’s in stock

The thing is...compared to the 500, the 700 is a Cadillac. Have you driven one?

 

[Badblubug]

The thing is...compared to the 500, the 700 is a Cadillac. Have you driven one?

That’s the problem, I can’t test drive on anything other than asphalt and some dirt, you can’t get a good feel for the machine like that, my 500 rode great on that test ride lol
I still like the 500 and I’m not selling it, I’m getting 26” tires put on this weekend than going for a test ride..
Last weekend I had it out and rode about 90 miles and had a blast doing it, but I sure was beat up when I got home

 

[jwfirebird]

polaris is junk after early 2000, we have a club that has a number of different machines, we have the same percent of polaris quads and utvs that you were saying and every single big ride we do is ended by one of them broke overheating or wont start after any sort of water puddle because the idiots put the starting circuit sensors right on top of the plate were the water splashes and sits all the time, they have junk fans and tiny rads we always have to plan our breaks around which popo is overheating. the only reason they sell is because price is all people care about. a number of times ive had to rescue polaris, one time the thing fell apart and locked up so we had to lift it up into the back of the rhino and ride the roads to his house. just about says all you need to for the yamaha, i used to mow the club trails in the summer heat with our thousand lb dr brush mower and the rad would be half plugged with seeds and going two or three mph all day and never overheat

 

[Backwoods]

I've said it before , I got a Polaris one time good for a year. It was not abused but it went down fast it loved eating cv joints. But the kicker for me was primary drive clutch going out. It got a new home. I've owned Yamaha, they are great. And I love my Honda. Had a Kawasaki one time it was ok , but I'm just gonna stick with Honda . Primary drive clutch and assorted pieces were not cheap but I fixed it before I sold it

 

[Badblubug]

Well, tomorrow i get the 26” tires put on the 500 and I’m gonna run it about 100 miles after the tire install, I’m hoping it does well enough with the tire upgrade that a new machine is no longer in the picture..