Polaris 570 Ranger vs. Honda Pioneer 700

[fishin2Dmax]

I came across a Polaris industries produced comparison between the Polaris 570 Ranger and the Honda Pioneer 700. What I found interesting is the HP and rear wheel Peak Horsepower ratings. I would be curious if the numbers were estimates or from an actual certified Dyno test? This is the first published numbers I've seen on HP and PRWH on the Pioneer. Of course the comparison is loaded with bias toward the Polaris 570. Some of the spec's are truly impressive for the 570. The one specification Polaris can never compare to a Honda is reliability. I'm sure if Honda were to conduct a comparison of the two models, there would be different results and claims - take for what it's worth. Here is the Link to the comparison.

http://cdn.polarisindustries.com/EM..._enus_compressed_012014.pdf?primary&WT.mc_id=

 

[DG Rider]

Polaris always puts out this kind of stuff. Some of it may be true...but some of it is clearly reaching. I mean, a 15% smaller foot opening...LOL!

I seriously doubt that any CVT machine gets better mileage at 25. CVT's eat gas. I'd also wager the Pioneer kills the 570 in torque.

Still, I've come up with my own....

Honda Pioneer requires 75% less ball joints over a life time.
Honda Pioneer requires 90% tie-rod ends over a lifetime.
Honda Pioneer requires 100% less belts over a lifetime.

Oh...and those numbers do seem slightly low compared to some i have seen for the Rincon, but they seem close.

 

[Hondasxs]

Haha. DG, I think you sold me on a Pioneer. Lol.

 

[duwops]

If you rode the Polaris and felt the vibration I think you could see this as a chick magnet. Girl would never want to get out of it.

 

[fishin2Dmax]

Just a couple of things Polaris failed to compare:

OEM Tire Ply's : Ranger =2 , Pioneer =4
Ground Clearance: Ranger = 8", Honda= 9"
Doors: Ranger = N /A, Honda = 2 or 4
Transmission: Ranger CVT (Belt) , Honda = True automatic
Passengers: Ranger = 2 or 4 w/ long wheel base crew, Honda =2 ( 700-2) or 4 ( 700-4)
Towing capacity: Ranger = 1000 lbs, Honda = 1500 lbs

 

[Jerry3]

Oh of course Polarass wouldn't highlight there downfalls in anything they produce

 

[lviolette123]

I got a Honda Pioneer 700 4 in late Sept I wish I knew what I know now I would have another Polaris If Honda had recall on the Pioneer I would send mine back

 

[The Wire]

I got a Honda Pioneer 700 4 in late Sept I wish I knew what I know now I would have another Polaris If Honda had recall on the Pioneer I would send mine back

What are the issues you are having with the pioneer that you want to get rid of it?

 

[slowdryrider]

I got a Honda Pioneer 700 4 in late Sept I wish I knew what I know now I would have another Polaris If Honda had recall on the Pioneer I would send mine back

That's too bad to hear that your not happy with the Pioneer.We are all different in what we like and dislike. You say that if Honda had a recall you'd send it back. I'am sure if your not happy with your Pioneer that if you put it up for sale you'll have no problem selling it too some one who is waiting and looking to buy one. Put it for sale and you'll be blown away with how fast you sell it.Good luck with your future machine that you replace the Pioneer with.Hope it's problem free. :lol:

 

[DG Rider]

I got a Honda Pioneer 700 4 in late Sept I wish I knew what I know now I would have another Polaris If Honda had recall on the Pioneer I would send mine back

What are the issues you are having with the pioneer that you want to get rid of it?

I believe it comes down to a tailgate not lying flat.

 

[lviolette123]

The issues I have with the Pioneer are it shifts hard. Also, when running in four wheel drive, the whole machine vibrates. When you put four people in it the lack of power really shows. The tailgate not laying flat is definitely an inconvenience. There are things I like about the Pioneer. The fit and finish and its very quiet. I drive my wheelers about 3000 to 3500 miles a year. Normally I trade every year because of the miles. I've had Hondas, Suzuki's and Polaris. My last four were Polaris two of them UTV's. I never had any real problems with any of them but I do regular maintenance. I always liked Honda. I guess I expected more of my Pioneer

 

[DG Rider]

The issues I have with the Pioneer are it shifts hard. Also, when running in four wheel drive, the whole machine vibrates. When you put four people in it the lack of power really shows. The tailgate not laying flat is definitely an inconvenience. There are things I like about the Pioneer. The fit and finish and its very quiet. I drive my wheelers about 3000 to 3500 miles a year. Normally I trade every year because of the miles. I've had Hondas, Suzuki's and Polaris. My last four were Polaris two of them UTV's. I never had any real problems with any of them but I do regular maintenance. I always liked Honda. I guess I expected more of my Pioneer

Maybe you should take it back to the dealer and let them examine it. Maybe a loose engine mount or something.

Mine shifts so smoothly under most conditions that its hard to tell at times. I also feel more vibrations in 4x4, but most things do that. Your Polaris SxS's didn't do that because they use that goofy on-demand system. One of the boards has a fix for the tailgate...short brackets on the cables fix it right up.

 

[t-man]

Mine shifts hard when cold. After warming up it works fine. This is my first sxs so I really don't have an opinion on a Polaris. I know I have met a lot of Can-Ams on the trails so they seem to be popular here in eastern Canada.

 

[JoKer150]

I love Hondas! Honda dirtbikes, 4wheelers, even cars. I've had them all. When the pioneer came out, i didn't test drive it or research it. I just bought it. Butttttt, I also am disappointed with my pioneer. The lack of power, my brakes going out at 250 miles, the rough shifts, and the vibration are the things that make me feel like the Honda quality i expected is not present in my pioneer. If i had the opportunity, I would look at other SxS's before i purchased.

 

[fishin2Dmax]

Joker 150, I'm really sorry to hear of the issues you're having with your Pioneer. On the brake wear issue, do you ride in mountainous areas with very steep descents ? I'm curious as to why some owners have almost perfect brakes after 100's of miles and others are reporting worn out brakes after a few hundred miles? My brakes show no signs of wear at all and I've been really hard on my brakes plowing snow earlier in the year? I previously owned a Polaris Rzr, and I can tell you from experience it had way more problems than what you're experiencing with the Pioneer. I do agree with you that Honda could have done a few things better on the Pioneer, but we didn't pay $16K for a new (stock) machine either - within every machine and brand there is always trade offs and none of them are without their own unique issues. If you're unhappy with it, you should have no problem selling it. I've had people walk up and ask me if I would to sell my Pioneer (cash on the spot) as I came out of a home depot store to get back into my truck. I had it also happen at a local riding as I was unloading it (it always draws a crowd asking about it) at a local riding area. There are some really loyal Honda fans out (like us) that will buy anything Honda. The timing is also good for selling since most Honda dealers can't keep them in stock and there continues to be backlog or orders. Good luck in whatever you decide. Before you give up on the Pioneer, contact a local Honda dealer and see if there is anything they can do to address the root cause of the brake issues and hard shifts - you might be surprised what they'll do.

 

[JoKer150]

fishin2Dmax: i live in Louisiana, so there are definitely no mountains, or even steep hilly areas. The 700-4 is totally stock. No lift-kit, no tires, nothing. I have never towed anything, or hauled anything with it. I HAVE driven in mud and sand 3 times at an ATV park.

I talked to the dealer i purchased it from on 2/12/14 and i was told, "If you have have driven in water or sand, 30 days is normal life for pioneer brakes" I told her, even if i lived in sand, the brakes should last more than 30 days. She raised her voice and repeated herself. I asked her to call the honda rep, and she said, "bring the unit up here and in a week, week and half, maybe we can look at it." So i called honda motorcycle customer service wednesday 3/19/14 and talked to a national rep. He was very sympathetic and apologetic, but told me he was sorry, there is nothing they can do about brakes even though i purchased the extended warranty.

It seems the majority people have hundreds of miles of their pioneers, with minimal wear on the pads. Shouldn't this reinforce my claim that something is wrong for brakes to go out at 30 days?

 

[Dick]

Joker150 there is no way it can be your fault the brakes wore out that quick, I don't care how you drive. Any dealer that would tell me the brakes will only last 30 days well I would be looking for a new dealer!

I am going on 800 mi and no sign of wear and I went through mud all fall. We all know mud is hard on brakes and makes them wear rough, but I don't even see any roughness to mine yet. Something is not normal on your machine.

 

[oden]

I came across a Polaris industries produced comparison between the Polaris 570 Ranger and the Honda Pioneer 700. What I found interesting is the HP and rear wheel Peak Horsepower ratings. I would be curious if the numbers were estimates or from an actual certified Dyno test? This is the first published numbers I've seen on HP and PRWH on the Pioneer. Of course the comparison is loaded with bias toward the Polaris 570. Some of the spec's are truly impressive for the 570. The one specification Polaris can never compare to a Honda is reliability. I'm sure if Honda were to conduct a comparison of the two models, there would be different results and claims - take for what it's worth. Here is the Link to the comparison.

http://cdn.polarisindustries.com/EM..._enus_compressed_012014.pdf?primary&WT.mc_id=

looks like I should buy a polaris 570 if it just wouldnt have a belt drive.

 

[fishin2Dmax]

Oden,

Don't believe everything written by biased Manufacturer test. I agree the Polaris 570 is the best value machine in the Polaris SxS line-up. However, the best way to judge a machine is not by manufacturer's propaganda, but looking at what the actual owners have to say. The Pioneer isn't perfect (power) , but if offers a great value when compared to many other brands (feature for feature) and the vast majority of owners seem very satisfied.

 

[fishin2Dmax]

fishin2Dmax: i live in Louisiana, so there are definitely no mountains, or even steep hilly areas. The 700-4 is totally stock. No lift-kit, no tires, nothing. I have never towed anything, or hauled anything with it. I HAVE driven in mud and sand 3 times at an ATV park.

I talked to the dealer i purchased it from on 2/12/14 and i was told, "If you have have driven in water or sand, 30 days is normal life for pioneer brakes" I told her, even if i lived in sand, the brakes should last more than 30 days. She raised her voice and repeated herself. I asked her to call the honda rep, and she said, "bring the unit up here and in a week, week and half, maybe we can look at it." So i called honda motorcycle customer service wednesday 3/19/14 and talked to a national rep. He was very sympathetic and apologetic, but told me he was sorry, there is nothing they can do about brakes even though i purchased the extended warranty.

It seems the majority people have hundreds of miles of their pioneers, with minimal wear on the pads. Shouldn't this reinforce my claim that something is wrong for brakes to go out at 30 days?

I have to agree there is definitely something wrong with you machine if it's eating up brakes in just a few hundred miles. It sounds like you did call Honda's national customer service and spoke with the Honda power sports manager. You may also want to speak with the regional manager and file a complaint about your local dealer. Honda should be willing to at least look to see if there is a mechanical issue that is contributing to or causing abnormal brake pad wear? Keep us informed as this is concerning that Honda isn't stepping up to the plate on possible premature brake and the many reported muffler failures.