P500 Why Would You Buy A P500

[Buford]

Off topic but most diesel trucks have an engine brake. Whether it be Jake brake, power leash or manufacturer made,
Exhaust brakes were lost for a time as most manufacturers moved away from them but they are back and stronger than ever now, with Volvo,Mack, KW/Pete and Cummins integrating them with vga turbos in their manufacturer platform.
What used to be an engine brake you couldn't feel and really only made it so a truck sounded like it was getting chased in a lost episode of Mad Max now will stop a truck on 9% grade. Personally tested on Bisti.

What I meant to say was they have no compression braking to speak of on their own, unlike a gas engine has. I agree, an exhaust brake or jake brake will do the trick.

 

[Admin]

 

[Jshell3]

.

What I meant to say was they have no compression braking to speak of on their own, unlike a gas engine has. I agree, an exhaust brake or jake brake will do the trick.

Little know fact... (true story)
I had a buddy that got a ticket for Jake Braking coming into a town.

The municipality had
"No Jake Braking"
metal signs up at the city limit.

Turns out, "Jake Brake" is a registered trademark for a company that produces an actual patented product... and they do not want the "Jake Brake" to be linked by negative connotations.

So a letter by my friend, to the Jake Brake company, in turn produced a letter to the municipality requesting to take the signs down. Which the city did. Only to replace them w
"No Engine Braking". Shortly afterwards.

But it sure the heck made my buddy feel better. Lol

 

[JTW]

.

Little know fact... (true story)
I had a buddy that got a ticket for Jake Braking coming into a town.

The municipality had
"No Jake Braking"
metal signs up at the city limit.

Turns out, "Jake Brake" is a registered trademark for a company that produces an actual patented product... and they do not want the "Jake Brake" to be linked by negative connotations.

So a letter by my friend, to the Jake Brake company, in turn produced a letter to the municipality requesting to take the signs down. Which the city did. Only to replace them w
"No Engine Braking". Shortly afterwards.

But it sure the heck made my buddy feel better. Lol

Well played!

 

[trigger]

.

Little know fact... (true story)
I had a buddy that got a ticket for Jake Braking coming into a town.

The municipality had
"No Jake Braking"
metal signs up at the city limit.

Turns out, "Jake Brake" is a registered trademark for a company that produces an actual patented product... and they do not want the "Jake Brake" to be linked by negative connotations.

So a letter by my friend, to the Jake Brake company, in turn produced a letter to the municipality requesting to take the signs down. Which the city did. Only to replace them w
"No Engine Braking". Shortly afterwards.

But it sure the heck made my buddy feel better. Lol

The only reason I have any knowledge of this is that I am a construction manager. Always in a busy area and neighboring businesses always complain, complaints come to me. In turn, I b**** at the truck drivers, some of which are friends and know where I live. I have no stop signs or intersections within a mile of my house but it's not uncommon to hear a truck do a little Jake Brake in front of my house at any time of day or night. Their way of saying hi!

 

[JWB]

Why would anyone buy a P5 when you could spend a little more and get a P7 with more power, wider stance, more suspension travel and carry more passengers? Or spend a little more yet and get a P1K with even more of those qualities? Seems like the 500 has been losing some of its shine lately.
Because, if either of those machines had been trying to follow my tracks today they would've gotten their ass kicked. 50" quad trails all day. Some areas opened up but a lot of them were so tight they were even beating on the P5, thought I ripped my light bar off once. These are trails that those machines wouldn't even turn into and attempt. And there were lots of them. Never realized how limited the big machines were until today. I even drove through the woods, high brush and dodging trees to get back to a creek that I just had to see...kinda sucked once I got back there and wasn't really worth it, but I got back there! Found myself riding on a bike trail at one point, got off of that one pretty quick.
So, for those that say the little 500 is under powered, too small and not enough suspension, (it has its limitations) you could say the same about any machine compared to the next step up. They can have their minimal amount of trails, I'll take mine, ride all day and never see the same trail twice. A lot less traffic too.
And don't forget...bullet proof!
View attachment 43580
More impressed with this machine every time I take it out...zero regrets.

I'll try to keep a long story short. Looked at the other available 50" machines- was ready, money in hand ready, to buy the 2016 wildcat- over $16k. Started looking at reviews- a lot of issues. Looked at the Better Business Bureau site- holy s**t! Then I looked up the other brand machines- HOLY S****T! almost decided to just not get into this at all, and then looked up Honda, found the P500 at just a little over 1/2 the price of the others, and then checked the BBB site again......0 complaints- that's right- ZERO. What's really stupid, is that our company is a Honda marine dealer.... Oh well, never said I was the sharpest pencil in the box. So that's why I bought it, and this is why I love it. It aint sexy, it's not fast, needs a front diff-lock, rides (rode) rough as hell, but, really easy to get in and out of, love, love, the transmission, and the paddle shifters, it's bloody bulletproof, it's still a riot at 5 mph, or 41 mph, it's amazingly good on fuel if you don't drive like a maniac,( I only mention that because I've seen other machine owners and journalists ridicule the 4 gal capacity- it takes serious stamina to burn that up in a day) the Princess wants to go riding with me, and every time I look at it, it just puts a smile on my face. The initial cost is low enough so that personalizing(customizing) it doesn't put knots in ur stomach, and no fear whatsoever of breaking down, you just get in and have fun! Trigger nailed it about the tight trails, it'll just 'buldoze' it's way through brush, over small trees, and between insanely narrow obstacles. The plastics just flex, deflect, and bounce right back- haven't cracked any of the body work yet, and I can promise you, I would have been missing all of that in a $16k wildcat, or anything else that expensive! I think the word FUN is what best describes the P500. Or maybe worry free fun would be even better. IMHO

 

[trigger]

I'll try to keep a long story short. Looked at the other available 50" machines- was ready, money in hand ready, to buy the 2016 wildcat- over $16k. Started looking at reviews- a lot of issues. Looked at the Better Business Bureau site- holy s**t! Then I looked up the other brand machines- HOLY S****T! almost decided to just not get into this at all, and then looked up Honda, found the P500 at just a little over 1/2 the price of the others, and then checked the BBB site again......0 complaints- that's right- ZERO. What's really stupid, is that our company is a Honda marine dealer.... Oh well, never said I was the sharpest pencil in the box. So that's why I bought it, and this is why I love it. It aint sexy, it's not fast, needs a front diff-lock, rides (rode) rough as hell, but, really easy to get in and out of, love, love, the transmission, and the paddle shifters, it's bloody bulletproof, it's still a riot at 5 mph, or 41 mph, it's amazingly good on fuel if you don't drive like a maniac,( I only mention that because I've seen other machine owners and journalists ridicule the 4 gal capacity- it takes serious stamina to burn that up in a day) the Princess wants to go riding with me, and every time I look at it, it just puts a smile on my face. The initial cost is low enough so that personalizing(customizing) it doesn't put knots in ur stomach, and no fear whatsoever of breaking down, you just get in and have fun! Trigger nailed it about the tight trails, it'll just 'buldoze' it's way through brush, over small trees, and between insanely narrow obstacles. The plastics just flex, deflect, and bounce right back- haven't cracked any of the body work yet, and I can promise you, I would have been missing all of that in a $16k wildcat, or anything else that expensive! I think the word FUN is what best describes the P500. Or maybe worry free fun would be even better. IMHO

Just an FYI, don't know how many miles we put on during the group ride Saturday but we rode for hours. We discussed filling my Roto Pax before we left and then decided, 'nah, we won't need it'. Started with a full tank and had two bars left at the end of the day. We weren't putting around either, that was 2wd and 4wd, climbing and gearing down hills, sugar sand, some speed runs and playing on the sand hills at the end. That's a pretty good day on what...2 1/2 or 3 gallons of fuel? And I know I'm hauling far more weight than most P5's. 0 complaints and 0 regrets here. Inexpensive worry free fun!

 

[WillB]

After riding multiple trails with my Sportsman up north and locally, the 50" width of the P500 will serve me well. Not using a CVT trans is a huge advantage too. I love the rear rack too, no need for a dump bed.

I have never ridden a big bore atv, so the power of the P500 is more than enough for me.

I looked at a P1000 at my dealer, just too big.

I love that the P500 will fit in the bed of a truck.

 

[WillB]

I'm the only one...on this forum. ..I think
is a BigFoot....searcher...I don't go out of my
way....for it..but have dabbled in a few...groups
hunts...p5 was a big hit...fun..met some kool
people. .

I am an amateur big foot fan. Every time I go north we usually do a night ride. Many sightings in northern ontario, will keep searching.

 

[WillB]

I'm definitely seeing possible issues now that I think about it in my long legs and somewhat cramped leg room in the P5. Today I tried gas/braking with my left leg/foot. Time will tell on some of the longer day trail rides. I too might be seeing another larger machine in the future but also keeping the P5 for it's excellent qualities and usefulness.

How tall are you? I am just 6' and love long trail rides, this concerns me.

 

[rocmar]

Yeah..there's not alot of...
...leg room..I Usally stop..
get out have a drink..look around
...about every 30 / 45 mins...
so not to bad...for me

 

[rocmar]

I am an amateur big foot fan. Every time I go north we usually do a night ride. Many sightings in northern ontario, will keep searching.

I'm searching. ..in the 4 corners area..mostly
Colorado. ...LA Plata. ..area..
steep..thick..when alone..spooky
find myself bearing Arms...to the
chirp....of a Frickin cricket. ...

 

[100Acre]

How tall are you? I am just 6' and love long trail rides, this concerns me.

6'9" tall. I've not yet had any really long hours in the seat. I am in full knowing that the cramped space will become something of an issue over time. I am also Hoping the Throttler Maxx that I bought from @trigger will alleviate some of the leg cramping. Like someone mentioned before, " I'll just have to get out more often to stretch". OR, I could cut a hole in the floor board behind the gas pedal and move the pedal backwards somehow. The possibilities are there for changes to be made.

 

[trigger]

6'9" tall. I've not yet had any really long hours in the seat. I am in full knowing that the cramped space will become something of an issue over time. I am also Hoping the Throttler Maxx that I bought from @trigger will alleviate some of the leg cramping. Like someone mentioned before, " I'll just have to get out more often to stretch". OR, I could cut a hole in the floor board behind the gas pedal and move the pedal backwards somehow. The possibilities are there for changes to be made.

Sorry, it made me think of this. Lol.

 

[WillB]

Well my dealer finally had a P500 set up - I am in love. Not quite ready to buy yet, but its so comfortable. This seems more comfortable than the 50" Ranger that I looked at.

 

[rocmar]

Well my dealer finally had a P500 set up - I am in love. Not quite ready to buy yet, but its so comfortable. This seems more comfortable than the 50" Ranger that I looked at.
View attachment 46636

Best time..to buy
....wash the PoPo..
off yourself....
become...one of US....

 

[Smitty335]

Why would anyone buy a P5 when you could spend a little more and get a P7 with more power, wider stance, more suspension travel and carry more passengers? Or spend a little more yet and get a P1K with even more of those qualities? Seems like the 500 has been losing some of its shine lately.
Because, if either of those machines had been trying to follow my tracks today they would've gotten their ass kicked. 50" quad trails all day. Some areas opened up but a lot of them were so tight they were even beating on the P5, thought I ripped my light bar off once. These are trails that those machines wouldn't even turn into and attempt. And there were lots of them. Never realized how limited the big machines were until today. I even drove through the woods, high brush and dodging trees to get back to a creek that I just had to see...kinda sucked once I got back there and wasn't really worth it, but I got back there! Found myself riding on a bike trail at one point, got off of that one pretty quick.
So, for those that say the little 500 is under powered, too small and not enough suspension, (it has its limitations) you could say the same about any machine compared to the next step up. They can have their minimal amount of trails, I'll take mine, ride all day and never see the same trail twice. A lot less traffic too.
And don't forget...bullet proof!
View attachment 43580
More impressed with this machine every time I take it out...zero regrets.

You'll never hear me blaming the P5's i've riden with some, cool machines.

 

[Smitty335]

If I did just a paper analysis, probably would not choose a P500 or is it a P1000/2? When my son brought it home, all I could think was how could that little engine be big enough to haul too people around? I'd consider that engine only big enough in an ATV. Also, hadn't seen a SXS this small before. You could say I was very skeptical going in.

The machine has proven to be the proverbial mountain goat for us. It goes everywhere and does everything we need it to do. I have grown to love the geared transmission and very seldom use the brakes coming down even steep hills. The very low granny gear has come in helpful on steep hills and moving boats around the yard. While it doesn't have a front locker, it hasn't been stuck once yet. Most of the woods trails we go on, the bigger machines would probably fit, but would need to be much more careful.

So, after owning one, I'd choose another. The biggest drawback with all of them is all the accessories you keep adding.

I just can't figure out why they don' come with a bed, great rigs.

 

[WillB]

I just can't figure out why they don' come with a bed, great rigs.

I actually like that they do not have a dump bed, makes them more nimble becauae they are not as long.


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[JTW]

I actually like that they do not have a dump bed, makes them more nimble becauae they are not as long.


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[JWB]

Well my dealer finally had a P500 set up - I am in love. Not quite ready to buy yet, but its so comfortable. This seems more comfortable than the 50" Ranger that I looked at.
View attachment 46636

You gonna buy that bad boy or what!? Same color as mine- gotta be a good one