P1000 WHATS THE PROBLEM WITH HIGH ALTITIUDE RIDING ON A 1000

[Diyguy]

If I get a 1000 it will live at high altitude, 8800 - 10,000 ft. Whats the issue with them? Not a cheap investment to have problems where I ride.

 

[Admin]

 

[IvanGirderboot]

Mine is up at 9,000 (I'm over in Coal Creek Canyon) and I can't say i've seen any issues. Plows snow and hits the trail with no issue. Maybe slightly harder to start in the extreme cold but it always turns over. Lot's of honda SxSs around here so I don't think you'll have any issues! The Pioneer is fuel injected so no carb adjustments needed. As with any fuel-burning engine, you will have less power than at sea level.

 

[Remington]

Over heating when riding hard at high altitudes can b an issue. I had that prob as some others did when we were in Colorado but it wasn’t bad. In the Hondasxs store there is a inexpensive fan switch adaptor to help with this so u can mainly turn your radiator fan to constant or to leave it in auto. I find myself using it being a handy mod even when I’m not in high altitude, like my heater. I can leave the radiator fan to off to build up more heat for my cab heater.

 

[tdhanses]

I’ll have mine in the same high altitude as you through out the year, I just bought and I’m not overly worried but did buy the fan override to be safe. My property is at 9k and I’ll be anywhere from 1k to 12k with mine.

 

[JTW]

The cooling system is marginal at best for the machine. If things aren’t perfect it will overheat. Also, you’ll lose that bottom end grunt with elevation if you’re heavy or run larger tires. They aren’t a bad machine... but it depends what you want to do with it and how and where you’ll ride. Do you need 5 seats or no? Are you looking for a machine to mostly trail ride with or are you looking for more utility. If you want a PK5 I know a guy that has one for sale!!

 

[Diyguy]

Thanks guys.
I was concerned about overheating.
Probalbly go with the 3 seater, not 5. Will be used for trail riding.
Switching to Amsoil in my Rincon helped with heat. The fan runs less especially with 2 riders.

 

[Cuoutdoors]

Keeping factory tire size will really help. Even moving to 28" tires made me lose low end at high altitude. Radiator is marginal but there is an aftermarket option if needed.

 

[JTW]

Thanks guys.
I was concerned about overheating.
Probalbly go with the 3 seater, not 5. Will be used for trail riding.
Switching to Amsoil in my Rincon helped with heat. The fan runs less especially with 2 riders.

If you’re just looking at a machine to trial ride. I’d really suggest looking into the KRX. Maybe it’s not what you’re after.. but for a trail machine. You’d be doing yourself a disservice not to look into it.

 

[Diyguy]

Well known fact if you go to bigger tires you need to regear. Lots of talk on the truck site I visit about this.

 

[Diyguy]

KRX? I like Honda's reliability. How's the KRX?
I will look though.
And no belts for me.

 

[JTW]

KRX? I like Honda's reliability. How's the KRX?
I will look though.

Kawasaki KRX... there are several of us here that have made the switch. So far they’ve been impressive. Honda’s “reliability” all depends how you ride. These aren’t the machines of days of old. But when you talk about where you’re looking to ride... we had 3 Krx’s and 3 pioneers this year in Moab. 2 of the 3 pioneers had to stop multiple times to keep from over heating on the drive up to elevation in the LaSal mountain. I don’t care what you buy... I’m just giving you a heads up on what I’ve experienced multiple times first hand. Last year in Colorado it was the same story. The pioneer has its place and there are things I really like about it. But it really depends on what you’re expecting from your rig. Do you want a nice plush ride? Do you want to haul a bunch of people? Do you want power? Do you plan on riding width restricted areas? There are lots of things to consider before pulling the trigger.

 

[Diyguy]

Thanks JTW. I'm not a hard core rider. Our trails around here are mild I beleive.

 

[Remote]

Our Pioneer lives at 8,800 feet and never been over 2 bars on the temp gauge in the 4 years we have had it as far as I've noticed. It does a lot of work and not so much play. Our son has a P1000-5 that does epic long hi altitude trips during the summer ( usually loaded with his whole family) he has had zero issues with cooling. We also do the KRX thing. It is a very well thought out machine that won our diehard Honda hearts over. It is a joy to drive (and work on). Not too much seat time in that unit but never seen temps over 185f on it. Frankly, we love both of them. It's like having an f 250 and a Cayenne different rides for different purposes.

 

[CID]

KRX? I like Honda's reliability. How's the KRX?
I will look though.
And no belts for me.

After 25 years of snowmobiling, I'll do whatever it takes to never own another belt driven vehicle; that ain't happenin'. For that reason, my only two choices were the YXZ or the Talon (I love Japanese quality and reliability). After watching the YXZ fail miserably in several videos, my choice was simple - Talon for the win. Who doesn't love a dual range, six speed, off road, shifter kart? Make no mistake, I don't think it will do the extreme s*** that JTW does but I won't do that with my ride. I'll learn what its limitations are and live with them just to have the pluses of the DCT, direct throttle response to the tires not that mushy 'turbo lag' throttle response of a belt drive.

I'll rarely have one passenger, so a back seat is irrelevant to me. If you need or want a back seat then obviously a 2 seat Talon won't work and the 4 seater looks like a limo in comparison. The Pioneer is short for a 5 seater.

Good luck in whatever direction you choose.

 

[TimG]

Just stay away from big HEAVY tires and Big Front bumpers that BLOCK the air from the radiator and you'll be fine. Myself and many others rode elevations 8000 to 12,600 the last 3 years no problems yet.

 

[Diyguy]

Thanks All Again.
I like Honda. Period. On our 4th Honda vehicle.
I gave up doing mods many years ago.
Belts are to hold up my pants.

 

[NTCPrezJB]

Thanks All Again.
I like Honda. Period. On our 4th Honda vehicle.
I gave up doing mods many years ago.
Belts are to hold up my pants.

If you won't listen to the drawbacks of a machine why bother to ask the question?

 

[Diyguy]

Well Jeremie I got my question answered IMO.

 

[tdhanses]

Truthfully I don’t think there are many drawbacks to this machine, I’m only a new owner but the issues there have been seem to be easily resolved. There isn’t a single machine out there that is perfect but to have 5 seats in such a short wheelbase and zero belts is a pretty big positive over everything else. Also I don’t think anyone doing extreme trail rides or rock crawling would be looking at the pioneer, imo, the pioneer is the work and play for a family ride that is plenty capable within reason. It’ll still haul butt down forest service roads, handle rocks that aren‘t crazy out there all while taking the family. It also will do just fine getting bloody come hunting season.

Now if you want to mod it there can be risks but that also goes with anything, I’m building mine to be a family ride and for trails, snow, hunting and so on, to me it is the perfect match for this kind of use.

 

[NTCPrezJB]

Well Jeremie I got my question answered IMO.

If you're happy, I'm ecstatic. Ride Red!
You may want to look for the threads on burping the radiator/changing the coolant on your future machine when you change out to that Amsoil coolant. Many members have found out they had air in the system when it overheats on the trails. Or don't, I still won't have any skin in the game. ✌