P500 Transmission failures???

[ehart814]

So my dad is on vacation. They were in Utah and rented a p500 to go on a ride. (They rode 72 miles in one ride)

I asked him about it. He said the guy that rented it to him said that the transmissions fail around 3500 miles. He trades them in at 3000 to avoid dealing with it. So if what I heard is true, the p500 is tough enough to go over 3000 miles in severe conditions. If they are driven anything like the typical rental car, I'd say they must be pretty tough!

He couldn't tell me any details about what specifically fails. Something about all the engine braking they are going down mountains??? And my dad is a Polaris guy, so he isn't trying to compliment a Honda in any way I'm sure. He was excited to tell me that the trannys are only good for 3000 or so miles.

Has anyone else heard of this???? I'm not sure I even believe it. Maybe the clutch would wear out...I could believe that.


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[Admin]

 

[Tflynn]

I have a hard time believing this. A really hard time. REALLY hard! Odds are he heard that somewhere and keeps repeating it, or it happened to one of his rentals that got abused so he thinks they're all like that. So my 700 with an automatic lasts longer than a p5? Come on no way.

Lastly, none of you guys have over 3500 miles on the clock to disprove this??? I'm disappointed

 

[500oneer]

3,800 miles on mine. No problems. Wouldn't trade it for a new Polaris.

 

[Hondasxs]

Na..
3000 is nothing for a rental unit. There is a guy in WV pushing 10k already on his private P500. He is most likely at 15,000 by now.
The 500 is built on the foreman drive train. Its solid as a rock. Maybe he is getting his Polaris units confused. lol.

 

[Montecresto]

I'd like to see the guys paper trail of P5's dropping their tranys at 3.5K and the process of coming to this realization that the savvy business move was to trade them in at 3K. That didn't happen overnight.

 

[rocmar]

I'd have to...wait till
I got that milage on mine
....to believe that...unless
a bunch of Honda Guys
...witness it .PoPo owners
saying it......NOT SO MUCH
...but that's just me..

 

[Alan aka Davinci]

Remember the key word is "rental" and those things are treated worse than a rented mule or the red headed step child. My neighbor bought a used rental Arctic Cat got a "great deal" on it and after putting a few thousand dollars into it it's pretty good shape for now.

 

[highpocks]

So my dad is on vacation. They were in Utah and rented a p500 to go on a ride. (They rode 72 miles in one ride)

I asked him about it. He said the guy that rented it to him said that the transmissions fail around 3500 miles. He trades them in at 3000 to avoid dealing with it. So if what I heard is true, the p500 is tough enough to go over 3000 miles in severe conditions. If they are driven anything like the typical rental car, I'd say they must be pretty tough!

He couldn't tell me any details about what specifically fails. Something about all the engine braking they are going down mountains??? And my dad is a Polaris guy, so he isn't trying to compliment a Honda in any way I'm sure. He was excited to tell me that the trannys are only good for 3000 or so miles.

Has anyone else heard of this???? I'm not sure I even believe it. Maybe the clutch would wear out...I could believe that.


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a friend of mine has a honda formen with 33,000 miles on. and still going strong. just a little smoke behind it. granted its not a pioneer.BUT it is a honda

 

[ehart814]

Yeah considering the source of the info, I am very skeptical. It's basically a motorcycle transmission. It's pretty hard to hurt them, even if you're trying.

I'll probably have more to add to this later on, after I try to get more details. Again, I was skeptical from the second I heard this, I just figured I'd throw it out on the forum to see if anyone here had heard of an issue.


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[Arizona]

I think 'rentals' is a key word. Can you imagine what the general public, many who have none or little experience driving machines like this, the torture they might inflict? Say they rent a P-500, and sometimes forget which paddle shift lever does what? Cruising 22 mph. in 4th gear, then hit the left paddle and bang it down back into 3rd gear? Or starting out, forget to shift into 1st gear, rev it up in neutral, before it gets back to idle, pull the paddle shift lever and... BANG! Personally I would never rent out a machine that needs shifting, auto trans only, and still a greatly reduced lifespan being used as a rental.

 

[pFive]

I could see the pads on the centrifugal clutch wearing down or even the clutch plates...but not the trans. These drive trains have been out for ever.

 

[Montecresto]

Yeah considering the source of the info, I am very skeptical. It's basically a motorcycle transmission. It's pretty hard to hurt them, even if you're trying.

I'll probably have more to add to this later on, after I try to get more details. Again, I was skeptical from the second I heard this, I just figured I'd throw it out on the forum to see if anyone here had heard of an issue.


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Ask your dad for the name of the renter and we'll go to his website and email him and ask about the service of his P5's.

 

[ehart814]

Ask your dad for the name of the renter and we'll go to his website and email him and ask about the service of his P5's.

LOL i actually was searching online trying to find the place... I don't know the name of it yet. I did find a place in Utah that rents P5's. I didn't bother calling them though...

 

[Montecresto]

LOL i actually was searching online trying to find the place... I don't know the name of it yet. I did find a place in Utah that rents P5's. I didn't bother calling them though...

There you go, let us know if you end up finding him and talking with him, what he says about it.

 

[Go-Getter]

Anything about the P5 not wanting to or hesitating to shift?

 

[Jason1234]

I had that happen. Hard to get into 1st sometimes....mostly when cold. During my first service I asked to have that checked. Honda dealer adjusted and now shifts nicely.


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