Whats the best winch out there for the Honda Pioneer?

JACKAL

JACKAL

Ancient Honda fanboi
Moderator
Lifetime Member
Supporting Member
Club Contributor
Jun 11, 2015
39,837
272,163
113
Pioneer, TN
Ownership

  1. 1000-5

  2. Talon X4
Don't you guys think 4500 lbs winch is a little too much for vehicles like honda pioneer 1000 (approx. 1550 lbs curb weight). What about (Vehicle Weight * 2) ??
The GVWR on a Pioneer 1000-5 is over 3,330 lbs. And in getting caked with a few hundred pounds of trail mud and 4-5 people the 4500 is barely enough. All those 4500# ratings are on the last row of cable, only the final 10ft out, you lose leverage the farther out the cable is used. FWIW.

Where I ride, I'm considering a 5k to 6k winch and I try to avoid deep mud.

Been running Superwinch Terra 45s since Jan 16 has always been great but I've found it's limits a few times needed 2 snatch blocks to get out.
 
Last edited:
B

bradwin

New Member
Nov 24, 2021
2
10
3
TX
Ownership

  1. Looking to buy
The GVWR on a Pioneer 1000-5 is over 3,330 lbs. And in getting caked with a few hundred pounds of trail mud and 4-5 people the 4500 is barely enough. All those 4500# ratings are on the first row of cable like 10ft out, you lose leverage the farther out the cable is used. FWIW.

Where I ride, I'm considering a 5k to 6k winch and I try to avoid deep mud.

Been running Superwinch Terra 45s since Jan 16 has always been great but I've found it's limits a few times needed 2 snatch blocks to get out.
Gotcha. Thanks, mate
 
Scoop

Scoop

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
Supporting Member
Sep 7, 2021
5,144
20,337
113
Michigan
Ownership

  1. Other Brand

  2. 1000-5

  3. Talon R LV
Don't you guys think 4500 lbs winch is a little too much for vehicles like honda pioneer 1000 (approx. 1550 lbs curb weight). What about (Vehicle Weight * 2) ??

I don't.

As a general rule of thumb, double the weight of the vehicle and buy your winch based on that. However, if I'm going to buy a 3500# winch, I might as well spend an extra few dollars and buy a slightly larger one so that it's not potentially working towards the bitter end of it's rating. Sure, I can drive a Yugo ~90 MPH, but do I get the same warm fuzzy feeling do that as driving a car with larger, more powerful motor 90 MPH? Nope.

There's far more to it than just the curb weight. Are you going to completely unload your bike and remove all the accessories you've installed before winching out? All that stuff adds up. You're also pulling against the muck and mud you're likely stuck in.

You also lose pulling capacity as you spool line onto the drum. Each wrap drops your pulling capacity by about 10%.
 
JACKAL

JACKAL

Ancient Honda fanboi
Moderator
Lifetime Member
Supporting Member
Club Contributor
Jun 11, 2015
39,837
272,163
113
Pioneer, TN
Ownership

  1. 1000-5

  2. Talon X4
For what it's worth, I remember an off the record conversation about a powersports manufacturer testing all major brand winches at an R&D facility.

Of all the brands / models of winches tested, the Mile Marker brand outperformed every other brand and was the only winch that actually pulled strong enough to break the "test line" used in the controlled testing environment.

This has nothing to do with cost / performance just outright brute pulling strength.

 
Biteme

Biteme

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
Feb 15, 2020
222
1,050
93
North West New Mexico
Ownership

  1. 1000-5
Warn 4500#, bought at the dealer when I bought the machine in 2016, paid $600.00 for it, mount and wiring, dealer wanted an additional $600.00 to install.... installed it myself, was much later when I figured out the Honda dealership had a hell of a markup on the winch. That said the winch has had no issues other than pinching the cable and breaking it. For less than $100.00 (on sale and super coupon) I bought a badlands 3500# winch from Harbor Freight and installed on a Kawasaki Teryx4 I bought for the grandkids to drive, have had no issues with it either, both winches have done their share of pulling the machines out of tight spots and both perform well.
 
Scoop

Scoop

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
Supporting Member
Sep 7, 2021
5,144
20,337
113
Michigan
Ownership

  1. Other Brand

  2. 1000-5

  3. Talon R LV
I paid ~$197 for my Harbor Freight ZXR5000. Swapped the steel cable for a SATV synthetic cable (67.95). Have not used it yet (installed last month), but based on all the reviews and feedback I've seen here and elsewhere, I have full confidence in it.

I have a Superwinch Terra 35SR on my Grizzly 700 EPS. Have had zero issues out of it. I paid $279.71 for it on 1/15/2014, but it's $412.99 today.

Comparable to the ZXR5000 setup, the Superwinch 4500SR is $456.99 today.

I'm kinda liking the ~$266 I paid for the ZXR5000 setup. Down the road, we shall see if it was a good choice.
 
advertisement
KevP700-4

KevP700-4

Well-Known Member
Mar 27, 2021
249
610
93
Northern MI
Ownership

  1. 700-4
4500# Warn an the P700-4. Used Honda mount and wiring. No problems moving oak logs. The wired remote worked nice, only better way would have been a wireless remote.
1638819662134
1638819701940
 
M

mpilihp

Active Member
Aug 13, 2021
109
204
43
Maine
Ownership

  1. 700-4
Hi this is a great resource, but Im also looking for info on the winch mount. I was planning on going with the KFI but the plow I want to also go with, the Denali says it does NOT work with the KFI mount. So curious of what other mounts people have used and like. Id like one that is easy to install (similar to the KFI) and mounts winch as high as possible.

Thanks! ~ Phil
 
THEOLDMAN

THEOLDMAN

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
Apr 4, 2018
238
351
63
Washington, North Carolina
Ownership

  1. 1000-5
Don't you guys think 4500 lbs winch is a little too much for vehicles like honda pioneer 1000 (approx. 1550 lbs curb weight). What about (Vehicle Weight * 2) ??
With the toolbox and extra weight spare tire, gas, storage box, ROCKS the wife has to have, I haul in mine warrants the #5000 on mine
 
Buggyman

Buggyman

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
Supporting Member
Jan 3, 2020
44,530
360,019
113
ne. ohio
Ownership

  1. 700-2
I want to put together a winch buyers guide for the Honda Pioneer models. To do this I need some real world input that specs on paper will not give. Some winches cost $700+ while others cost $200 and pack just as much punch. Then there is the $100 disposable models, anyone had luck with them?

Some things I would like to know.
  • What Pioneer do you have? 500, 700 or 1000
  • What winch would you suggest and why?
  • and what which is the best value out there for your Pioneer?
Leave comments below.
Thanks.


Best Winch for your Honda Pioneer!
View attachment 83354
I also have the terra 45 with synthetic rope and hawse. never had a problem with it. mounted on a 2014 pioneer 700
 
  • Like
Reactions: ChadD

About us

  • Our community has been around for many years and pride ourselves on offering unbiased, critical discussion among people of all different backgrounds. We are working every day to make sure our community is one of the best.

User Menu

Buy us a beer!

  • Lots of time and money has gone into making sure the community is running the best software, best designs, and all the other bells and whistles. Care to buy us a beer? We'd really appreciate it!

    Beer Fund!

    Club Membership!