So I have a question about the heat from the engine. I noticed the engine on the pioneer is not "moved back" under the bed like the ranger and I think the new Yamaha Viking. I was wondering if the heat will be bad on the pioneer. i'm guessing so. does anybody know if this issue was addressed somehow with the design of the pioneer?
ohanacreek
My EcoBoost has I4WD
Moderator
Lifetime Member
From what I have read, the BR doesn't have that issue like the polaris, the polaris engines were surrounded by storage and had weak fans (that was the homegrown fix the Ranger board posters recommended, a bigger or second fan and remove storage compartments) and lets be honest the Pioneer is an upgraded BR. Which is not a bad thing Honda does very well basing other models off of a tried and true platform. The Acura TSX,TL,RL and Accord all share a platform and the Ridgeline, Pilot,ZDX, MDX and Odyssey all share a platform all successful and very different vehicles then you have the Civic, CRV and RDX. So 3 main chassis/base driveline for the entirity of Honda/Acura models. That said there Motorsports division is far more varied in designs. But even if it is Honda and a fancied up BR, the engine is somewhat enclosed compared to the BR, lets hope Honda is Honda, that they figured this out 5 years ago and that responsibility didn't fall to the same guy who caused the shipping damage issues. Either way no belt to get dirt in and wear out when actually using it for something more than carrying kids around a neighborhood. I plan on using his around our farm/hunting land so it will be taken care of but used heavily, I believe the Honda based on my history of owning a gammet of Honda products will be hands down better than the alternatives. If they would only make a full sized V8 truck, guess I'll stick to my Chevy.
Remember the old Heinz commercial ... "Good things come to those who wait" and they borrowed that from the Bible.
Long soapbox post, our IT dept has controll of my laptop so I am killing time while I watch them try to fix Win7 which is why I'm in the soapbox mode.
Remember the old Heinz commercial ... "Good things come to those who wait" and they borrowed that from the Bible.
Long soapbox post, our IT dept has controll of my laptop so I am killing time while I watch them try to fix Win7 which is why I'm in the soapbox mode.
[
Remember the old Heinz commercial ... "Good things come to those who wait" and they borrowed that from the Bible.
I agree with you I think the pioneer will be worth waiting on for a while, however I sold my 04 Rhino ( to buy a Pioneer) I bought my Rhino new and used it for everything from duck hunting in swamps to pulling jet skis out of the lake and I never had a problem with the belt and never replaced it. I know Polaris has a lot of belt issues but Yamaha's system served me well for almost ten years. I was on the fence between the Yamaha and the Honda when I sold my Rhino because Yamaha makes a good product also. like I said before I will try to wait on Honda BUT I can not get in the woods on a promise or a "I think it will be here". Another good quote to remember is " The check is in the mail" I am pretty sure Honda will want me to pay for the machine when I leave with it, not in a couple of months or when I think I can get by there with the money. I know it sounds like I am bashing the very product I am wanting to buy, but it does scare me a little to drop over 14k on a NEW machine that Honda hasn't even figured out how to ship!
Sorry to all the Honda lovers I'm not trying to pick a fight. I am just saying what I think some people are thinking...
Remember the old Heinz commercial ... "Good things come to those who wait" and they borrowed that from the Bible.
I agree with you I think the pioneer will be worth waiting on for a while, however I sold my 04 Rhino ( to buy a Pioneer) I bought my Rhino new and used it for everything from duck hunting in swamps to pulling jet skis out of the lake and I never had a problem with the belt and never replaced it. I know Polaris has a lot of belt issues but Yamaha's system served me well for almost ten years. I was on the fence between the Yamaha and the Honda when I sold my Rhino because Yamaha makes a good product also. like I said before I will try to wait on Honda BUT I can not get in the woods on a promise or a "I think it will be here". Another good quote to remember is " The check is in the mail" I am pretty sure Honda will want me to pay for the machine when I leave with it, not in a couple of months or when I think I can get by there with the money. I know it sounds like I am bashing the very product I am wanting to buy, but it does scare me a little to drop over 14k on a NEW machine that Honda hasn't even figured out how to ship!
Sorry to all the Honda lovers I'm not trying to pick a fight. I am just saying what I think some people are thinking...
it's good to hear the BR doesn't have engine heat issues like the rest of the SxS's. Not that it would be a deal breaker for me but i'm glad to hear it. hopefully whatever Honda did to alleviate this on the BR is incorporated into the pioneer.
I, like so many others, do not like the idea of the belt drive...no matter how many people tell me they don't have problems with theirs. I have been against Polaris since the very first ATVs came out...but I have to admit, the more I look at that ranger 900 XP, the more I think it is a very impressive machine.
BUT, I have always been a Honda guy, and I love the looks of the new pioneer, especially with some good cleats on them. love the idea of the "auto-style" transmission vs. the belt. I would constantly be worried about getting in water with a belt drive. and while i'm wheeling, I don't want to be worried about tearing up my machine. and if I wanted to snorkel, it would just be one...not three! only thing I would like to see on the pioneer would be a low gear. I know, I have seen videos of the BR pulling a lot of weight and the pioneer is the same set-up. but I would also like to see a low gear...or a way to choose which gear I am in.
I, like so many others, do not like the idea of the belt drive...no matter how many people tell me they don't have problems with theirs. I have been against Polaris since the very first ATVs came out...but I have to admit, the more I look at that ranger 900 XP, the more I think it is a very impressive machine.
BUT, I have always been a Honda guy, and I love the looks of the new pioneer, especially with some good cleats on them. love the idea of the "auto-style" transmission vs. the belt. I would constantly be worried about getting in water with a belt drive. and while i'm wheeling, I don't want to be worried about tearing up my machine. and if I wanted to snorkel, it would just be one...not three! only thing I would like to see on the pioneer would be a low gear. I know, I have seen videos of the BR pulling a lot of weight and the pioneer is the same set-up. but I would also like to see a low gear...or a way to choose which gear I am in.
I have been a Honda guy all my life. I crossed the fence and bought a rzr 800 8 months ago. Nothing but expensive problems. Bearings, water pump mechanical seal and starter just to name a few. All less than 1000 miles. Anyways, I did have belt slippage problems when I went in water and after I washed it. Polaris can be deceiving with thier twin engines, fancy rims and tires, and colorful paint schemes. The 900 may look impressive but look at the engineering, the fit and finish and the made in mexico stickers everywhere. I know everyone is different and I am not trying to bash polaris owners, but just sharing my experience to help the people who are on the fence decide.
ohanacreek
My EcoBoost has I4WD
Moderator
Lifetime Member
I am a Honda fan, but I did not intend to turn this in to a polaris bashing thread, I was simply pointing out the differences between the MAIN producer/seller of belt drives and Honda's shaft drive and reliability history. I do not presently nor have I ever thought a belt drive was a good idea, its worse than a chain and no where near as good as a shaft drive. There are no belt driven CVT automobiles that are even remotely considered Heavy Duty use, most are micro cars, and I'll wager that those micro cars only see mud when tracked it into the floormats, and pull any kind of additional weight when a person of size drives it. Lets face it in general big folks don't buy micro cars.
I spoke with the local repair shops not the dealers when I was looking into a SxS, they said the belts keep them in business, as well as the high powered sport models because people abuse the heck out of them (soft sand dunes are somewhat more forgiving than rocks and trees when it comes to impacts and we don't have any dunes around here)
Mechanics I spoke with said that they ride Hondas in general for the most part unless they are really loyal to a brand i.e.: Harley
I think everyone has a preferred brand and there may be people who have had genuinely great experiences with a belt drive. If people didn't have a generally good experience they would not continue to be sold.
Call me old fashioned though, I don't want something to work MOST of the time I want it to ALWAYS work EVERY time.
Maybe the old reliable toilet has me spoiled, but it always flushes, unless you are so full of **** that you cause the problem.
Just my opinion though, no one has to agree with it.
I spoke with the local repair shops not the dealers when I was looking into a SxS, they said the belts keep them in business, as well as the high powered sport models because people abuse the heck out of them (soft sand dunes are somewhat more forgiving than rocks and trees when it comes to impacts and we don't have any dunes around here)
Mechanics I spoke with said that they ride Hondas in general for the most part unless they are really loyal to a brand i.e.: Harley
I think everyone has a preferred brand and there may be people who have had genuinely great experiences with a belt drive. If people didn't have a generally good experience they would not continue to be sold.
Call me old fashioned though, I don't want something to work MOST of the time I want it to ALWAYS work EVERY time.
Maybe the old reliable toilet has me spoiled, but it always flushes, unless you are so full of **** that you cause the problem.
Just my opinion though, no one has to agree with it.
No glory toady as my dealer had hoped for. Now they're hoping for next Wed.
I know that good things are worth waiting for but Come On!
I know that good things are worth waiting for but Come On!
T
going to pick my new 2014 pioneer 2 seater right now at the dealer in gadsden ala. it is green they got it in yesterday. YAHOO
Hondasxs
Club Founder
Staff member
Lifetime Member
Supporting Member
Yep... No one has a clue.Pioneeringfamily said:
Actually, They are shipping now. Both the 700-4 and the 700-2 have hit a lot dealers this week. Even my local dealer received a Green 700-4 today. They are not a powerhouse or even close. They sale 4 different brands and have 3 Big Red's siting in there lot right now. So I'm stumped they received them before some of the more higher level dealers I have contacted did.
I have contacted 6 dealers within a 2 hour drive of Charlotte, NC area over the last 2 weeks. 4 of have received a Pioneer already. The ones who sold there said they expect another mid month. 1 dealer has received both the 700-4 and 700-2.. and sold them already.
DG Rider
Member: Triple Clutch Club
Lifetime Member
I see people complain about dust on the Rhinos and RzR's all the time...and heat on the Rhinos and Rangers.
I recently test drove a Rhino for the 1st time. Keeping in mind this was a used until...i was a little disappointed in a few areas...namely the level of mechanical noise and vibration present in the cab. Could be a unit that was abused...but it was said to be owned by an older couple. I was also surprised at how high geared the thing was...even in low.
This got me to thinking that this machine must have been a bad example of the breed....
And then i thought about the 2 Yamaha quads i owned back in 2000 ( Big Bear, traded in on a Kodiak ). That Kodiak was awesome in most respects. Except for the mechanical noise and the plastic vibrating at certain RPM's...but at the time i didn't realize this.
Shortly after, Honda came out with the Rubicon, and i couldn't resist trading the Kodiak in on one....
WOW! Take 90% of the Kodiak's goodness at fast trail riding, and then add 200% of it's smoothness and refinement at casual trail riding speeds, and you'd have the Rubicon. The feeling was of an obsessively though out "whole" of a product. Smooth, no plastic vibes...and very little mechanical noise ( despite that tranny ). It was, IMO, a rolling definition of why Honda is #1. And quite frankly, i was surprised that the refinement gap between Yamaha and Honda was still that great.
This in not to put down Yamaha at all. The Grizz would be my first choice as a new quad, and that old Kodiak ( and to a lesser degree, the Big Bear as well ) were both awesome machines, and i'd recommend them in a heart beat to anyone. And FWIW, i never had any issue with the belt...but as others have stated, it was always in the back of my mind.
The point of this rant is this: If you're worried about things like heat, vibes, or dust, your looking at the right machine. These are the typical details that Honda always knocks out of the park. If the Pioneer has issues with these, then you can bet everything else does as well.
As far as belts go, i would buy one. The Yamaha is as good as it gets, belt-wise. The Polaris is easy to change, which is good...but on them i'd be far more worried about ball-joints and wheel bearings...chronic problems on the RZR.
No. I suspect i won't have to worry about any of these things, since i will likely end up on a Pioneer -4. IF my dealer ever gets one!
I recently test drove a Rhino for the 1st time. Keeping in mind this was a used until...i was a little disappointed in a few areas...namely the level of mechanical noise and vibration present in the cab. Could be a unit that was abused...but it was said to be owned by an older couple. I was also surprised at how high geared the thing was...even in low.
This got me to thinking that this machine must have been a bad example of the breed....
And then i thought about the 2 Yamaha quads i owned back in 2000 ( Big Bear, traded in on a Kodiak ). That Kodiak was awesome in most respects. Except for the mechanical noise and the plastic vibrating at certain RPM's...but at the time i didn't realize this.
Shortly after, Honda came out with the Rubicon, and i couldn't resist trading the Kodiak in on one....
WOW! Take 90% of the Kodiak's goodness at fast trail riding, and then add 200% of it's smoothness and refinement at casual trail riding speeds, and you'd have the Rubicon. The feeling was of an obsessively though out "whole" of a product. Smooth, no plastic vibes...and very little mechanical noise ( despite that tranny ). It was, IMO, a rolling definition of why Honda is #1. And quite frankly, i was surprised that the refinement gap between Yamaha and Honda was still that great.
This in not to put down Yamaha at all. The Grizz would be my first choice as a new quad, and that old Kodiak ( and to a lesser degree, the Big Bear as well ) were both awesome machines, and i'd recommend them in a heart beat to anyone. And FWIW, i never had any issue with the belt...but as others have stated, it was always in the back of my mind.
The point of this rant is this: If you're worried about things like heat, vibes, or dust, your looking at the right machine. These are the typical details that Honda always knocks out of the park. If the Pioneer has issues with these, then you can bet everything else does as well.
As far as belts go, i would buy one. The Yamaha is as good as it gets, belt-wise. The Polaris is easy to change, which is good...but on them i'd be far more worried about ball-joints and wheel bearings...chronic problems on the RZR.
No. I suspect i won't have to worry about any of these things, since i will likely end up on a Pioneer -4. IF my dealer ever gets one!
Attachments
Stopped by my dealer on Friday. My red-4 was supposed to ship on the 27th too. No one has a clue?? Dealer also stated I'd probaly have to wait until the end of October to get the Poly bed liner! I can understand Honda not having all the accessories ready to go when the machines hit the floor let alone having all this shipping stuff screwed up? Either way I'll wait it out....been without my Foreman all Summer ( sold it for $$$ for the Pioneer) a few more days/week won't matter.
Attachments
My ship date went from being the last week to the 6th of Sept for my 700-4. My dealer did get a Pioneer 700 in. I am stopping to look at it this afternoon.
Ugh. Just spoke with my dealer. He says now it may be friday or even as late as Tuesday week before my red 4 seater comes in. Ahhhh! Does the mythical pioneer really exist? 
I was just told the 12th for my red 4. Went from 2 weeks ago to 1 week ago to last Friday to the 12th of Sept...then probably from the 12th to December! Doesn't honda care that i want to go play during the last few sunny summer weekends!
ohanacreek
My EcoBoost has I4WD
Moderator
Lifetime Member
I know you pain.... Got a message this weekend while I was at beach telling me my pioneer was in. Call this morning on my way back and am told its a Red -2, that my green-4 is on track to deliver the 9th.
Getting very frustrating!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Getting very frustrating!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What the heck is going on? They have us lined up to pay for this machine......I'm thinking the 700 4 and the loch ness monster are parked in the same garage! haha
ohanacreek
My EcoBoost has I4WD
Moderator
Lifetime Member
Jimmy Hoffa, Elvis and the shooter on the grass knoll are the top three Quality Assurance managers.
