P500 Ride Quality, vs atv

[futzin]

Forgive a SxS noob, my only experience with a side by side is my buddy's Ranger 1000. Comfy ride for sure.

My wonder though is how the P500 rides vs my '06 Foreman ES. I'm happy with my Foreman, love it. I think a P5 would be a perfect complement to it for my wife and I. She can solo in it or we can ride out together.

And from what I've read, I shouldn't be concerned about pulling rocky hills with both of us on board? 300 lbs plus whatever we strap to the back...

Mostly trail ride, in woods if possible! I like to ride slow and quiet and enjoy the ride...

 

[Admin]

 

[Alan_Vander]

only real difference is the independent suspension. and you can use your legs on the foreman as far as ride quality. but for slow trail riding and pulling hills you will enjoy it. they make a locker for the front that not that bad to put in. that will help with the hills ... if you start getting to its max tilt that is. some do without the sway bar some keep in on . really depends on what your riding is.

Sent from my moto z3 using Tapatalk

 

[Eltobgi]

only real difference is the independent suspension. and you can use your legs on the foreman as far as ride quality. but for slow trail riding and pulling hills you will enjoy it. they make a locker for the front that not that bad to put in. that will help with the hills ... if you start getting to its max tilt that is. some do without the sway bar some keep in on . really depends on what your riding is.

Sent from my moto z3 using Tapatalk

I believe the 06 foreman has a solid axle on the rear which is comparable to the P5 as I owned one back in the day! They are both great machines but it’s tough to compare them as one is sat in and the other is sat on allowing for full body movement! I can say the P5 is not the most comfortable ride out there but it sure is fun!

 

[Badblubug]

Forgive a SxS noob, my only experience with a side by side is my buddy's Ranger 1000. Comfy ride for sure.

My wonder though is how the P500 rides vs my '06 Foreman ES. I'm happy with my Foreman, love it. I think a P5 would be a perfect complement to it for my wife and I. She can solo in it or we can ride out together.

And from what I've read, I shouldn't be concerned about pulling rocky hills with both of us on board? 300 lbs plus whatever we strap to the back...

Mostly trail ride, in woods if possible! I like to ride slow and quiet and enjoy the ride...

For me the ride quality between my 420 rancher solid axel and the 500 is no comparison, the rancher ride is far better in just about every way especially in choppy surfaces, you can easily get on the throttle with the rancher to smooth that out, in the pioneer you feel every bump and know it

 

[DG Rider]

I think a good riding IRS quad with p/s is probably more comfy. You don't really realize how much you use your legs to help, even without intending to.
But...here in AZ, the sun is brutal, so that roof overhead is a big factor.

Or, just buy one of the bigger machines and get both.

 

[futzin]

Good stuff guys, thanks. I think we're ok with a bumpy ride, but I'd be thrilled as well if the Mrs. would ride an IRS Rancher. I just don't think she would, much; even with auto trans. I think the P5 will get a ton of usage from us both. A wider SxS is a no-go for me. I hate that feeling even in my truck of passing by a trail knowing I can't fit!

 

[Mudder]

Have a P500 and the wife has a Rancher. Have 50 inch restricted trails. Sometimes we ride separate and sometimes together. Enjoy the wooded trail rides at 10-15 mph. Consider adding Power Steering to the P500, think both of you will be amazed. Winch was first mod for safety. So much info on this forum and the Search feature can help you dig deeper if needed.

 

[DG Rider]

Good stuff guys, thanks. I think we're ok with a bumpy ride, but I'd be thrilled as well if the Mrs. would ride an IRS Rancher. I just don't think she would, much; even with auto trans. I think the P5 will get a ton of usage from us both. A wider SxS is a no-go for me. I hate that feeling even in my truck of passing by a trail knowing I can't fit!

I don't like that feeling either. Except in the 500's case for me, it would be bypassing and gnarley obstacle that I would have tried without thought in my old 700. Most people are overly pessimistic when it comes to size vs fit. The 700 is a 10" wider, but that 10" buys you a much better ride and difficult terrain capability (and a nice big bed if that matters).

If you have 50" restrictions, then the 500 is an easy choice, but that's the only way I would ever buy the 500 again over a larger machine.

 

[futzin]

Great post, thank you. Their are several trails I've been riding this year that are informal, non-maintained. P5 great for these. There are some Nat'l forest trails here that are 48" restricted I figure I can run. Anything bigger than that I figure I'd be putting up with the bigger, faster, louder boys. Not interested in that, much.

Thank you again for another viewpoint. Hopefully I don't put it on its side!

 

[DG Rider]

Great post, thank you. Their are several trails I've been riding this year that are informal, non-maintained. P5 great for these. There are some Nat'l forest trails here that are 48" restricted I figure I can run. Anything bigger than that I figure I'd be putting up with the bigger, faster, louder boys. Not interested in that, much.

Thank you again for another viewpoint. Hopefully I don't put it on its side!

Never heard of 48" restrictions before. There were some 50" over in the Daniel Boone NF that I wanted to try, but never got to. Certainly, that's the type of trail where the 500 shines.

 

[futzin]

Perhaps I'm mis-remembering, aka 'wrong'. I am indeed referring to DBNF.

 

[DG Rider]

Perhaps I'm mis-remembering, aka 'wrong'. I am indeed referring to DBNF.

About the restrictions?

 

[DG Rider]

White sulphur springs is the one is was wanting to go ride, I think...

Daniel Boone National Forest - White Sulphur OHV Trail System

 

[lee]

Never heard of 48" restrictions before.

Ohio used to have a state forest with a 48" trail width restriction.
Others state forests where 50".
Now Ohio is standardized on 62" for the state forest but the national forests (Wayne) is still 50" last time I checked.

Some years ago the national forests standardized on 50" in wilderness restricted areas, based on a law suit over the roadless wilderness debacle.
Judge decided a jeep trail was a road because street registered vehicles could drive on it.
But 50" was a trail So it was ok.
Thank God the judge didn't know about duel sport bikes.
(Don't complain to me, I didn't vote for that guy (Or his wife))

 

[DG Rider]

Ohio used to have a state forest with a 48" trail width restriction.
Others state forests where 50".
Now Ohio is standardized on 62" for the state forest but the national forests (Wayne) is still 50" last time I checked.

Some years ago the national forests standardized on 50" in wilderness restricted areas, based on a law suit over the roadless wilderness debacle.
Judge decided a jeep trail was a road because street registered vehicles could drive on it.
But 50" was a trail So it was ok.
Thank God the judge didn't know about duel sport bikes.
(Don't complain to me, I didn't vote for that guy (Or his wife))

There's forest in Ohio?

 

[lee]

There's forest in Ohio?

Not to my way of thinking.
Funny part is, it is all reclaimed strip mine.
Makes for great riding areas but really makes me wonder about the enviroterrorists - do they know what they are trying to save?

 

[futzin]

About the restrictions?

Yes, I was thinking 48".

 

[futzin]

White sulphur springs is the one is was wanting to go ride, I think...

Daniel Boone National Forest - White Sulphur OHV Trail System

Near Morehead?
I'm wanting to hit Redbird Crest, among others.

 

[DG Rider]

Near Morehead?
I'm wanting to hit Redbird Crest, among others.

Not familiar with Moorhead, but there's a big map on that page somewhere. There's also a park that opened up called hollerwood near the Red River. And there's wild cat.

 

[futzin]

I'd consider Wildcat on a weekday maybe. Do they have any narrow trails?