P1000m5 MichDave's Family / Trail-riding Build

[michdave]

I normally don't do build sheets, but like most, I'm finding myself at home a lot more than normal these days. I've lurked around a lot on here, FB's Groups, Instagram, etc for ideas and came up with a few on my own. I grew up riding dirt bikes, and even got the wife into that. But, a year and half ago we had our first child. That and after riding my father's Mule Pro FXT, gave me the idea that a UTV would be a great way to keep the family involved in power sports and spending more time out in the woods.

My brother followed suit and picked up a Yamaha Wolverine X4 at the same time I grabbed my 1000-5. Due to my toy hauler garage size, the Pioneer 1000-5's size was much more attractive to me. Plus...(I'm not always brand loyal...but I grew up Riding Red) I like Honda's and haven't had many bad experiences with them. A few years back, the wife and I picked up a set of Honda Grom's and we decided that we would sell those, her dirt bike (she wasn't
that" into off-road riding) and use that money towards a more family friendly hobby.

Most of our riding wouldn't be crazy, as the baby and/or nieces and nephews will always be coming along. Although I'm a Michigan native, I'm currently stationed in the National Capitol Region ( 🤢 ) so when we get to use the machine, most trails aren't as "wide-open" as out west. Taking all of that into consideration, I wanted a machine that would be as narrow as could be, maintain a low center of gravity, and remain as comfortable as possible for all day rides.

We've had the machine just under a year, and I've made some good progress on it. I've always been a mechanic who grew up in the power sport industry. The Air Force has had me turning wrenches the last 14 years, so I've performed all work and maintenance myself. I'll do a list format on what we've added, and then post a few pictures of stuff that may be interesting.

Weather Protection:
- Honda Soft-Top and Back window
- SuperATV Flip-up windshield

Storage / Organization:
- Honda Underdash Storage
- Honda Underseat Storage
- Door Cup Holders
- Oversized Dash Cup Holders

Protection / Recovery
- Honda LE Bumper/Brush Guard
- Factory UTV 1/2" HDPE full-length skid plates
- Aluminum A-Arms Skid plates (Front and Rear)
- Mile Marker 5000lb Winch (steel cable)
- KFI Winch Mount

Electronics / Lights / Sound
- Relayed and Fused Accessories Block
- Dash Switch Plate
- Rigid Industries D2 Dually HIGH/LOW Beams (Front Bumper)
- Rigid Industries D2 Dually Long Range Beams (Front bumper)
- Rigid Industries D-series Pro Flood Lamp (A-Pillar lamp)
- Rigid Industries Ignite Pods (Reverse lamps)
- Rigid Industries Ignite Flush Mount (Side lamps)
- Infinity Kappa 4100msb Amplified Soundbar
- A lot of OTRATTW switches
- Red dash lights
- Dome Lights

Cooling
- Underseat insulation
- SPAL 6 inch pusher fan
- SPAL 6 1/2 inch puller fan installed in home-build downspout shroud
- Tusk Thermo-switch and controller

Other Extra's
- Rear Area overhead carnet / attic (I'm not sure if this will serve a purpose or not. I had it laying around from my MotoVan leftovers and figured I would give it a shot for soft storage.
- Door Pin bushings x4
- Car Seat mounts for front seat

On Order:
- Walker Evan's Shocks (Front and Rear)
- Throttle-Max (for the short wife)
- WFOSXS windshield handle

 

[Admin]

 

[michdave]

As it sits now...

On the side you can see my flush-mount lights .

I've been playing around with the configuration for awhile now. I never planned on having this many lights, but when I sold other toys and/or vehicles, I pulled the lights off because they never add value to a used machine. Now...they're all ended up on the Pioneer to live their lives. Needless to say, I have 360º of light around the rig for night ventures. And bright light at that! I'm sort of a Rigid Ind fanboy after running them for so many years when I was big into Jeeps.

 

[michdave]

Continued...

Dash plate and a lot of switches.

You can see the sound bar here. (Has anyone mounted their's on the very back bar? It's sort of loud right behind your head and I can't say that I'm real crazy about it.

And during my COVID home stay...I added some red dash lights (they don't seem to bug my night vision while driving at night) and some brighter dash lights. I used some spare truck-bed lights that I had laying around. Used some 3M and secured them under the lip of the SuperATV windshield. Best part is you don't even see them because of the bends and mounts on the windshield, so its pretty clean looking. Oh...and they're super bright.

 

[michdave]

Continued...

First picture is the child seat mounts. I used some leftover stainless steel motorcycle fork tie-down rings and ran a bolt through the frame where there is normally a plastic push-pin. It made a very solid restraint for the seat.

The second, third, and fourth picture is my air scavenging (sucker) fan and shroud. I used a 6 inch 90º PVC tube and mounted a SPAL fan at the top end. I ran the wiring through the elbow and routed it up under the seat to the Tusk thermo-switch. The thermo-switch is programable and controls both fans that I installed (The under-seat and the puller fan talked about here). The shroud itself bolts to another shroud, and then to the skid plate. There I cut out a 6 inch hole (I know, I know....the cut is ugly) and that's where it dumps the hot air.

What's amazing is that I originally had JUST the undersea fan. When it kicked on, until it cooled down enough to kick off would range between 40-60 seconds. When I installed the puller fan that dumps out beneath the machine, I have never had them kick on longer than 10 seconds! The puller fan made a huge difference. It made me wonder if a smaller fan near the back of the machine that constantly pulled, would help better than the pusher fans beneath the seat? It would be a lot quieter.....just a thought. Maybe I'll play around with that later.

 

[jcoxdmd]

Love this build. Following for more ideas. Thank you for posting! I want that switch plate set up!

 

[Isaiah]

Looks good

 

[michdave]

Thanks guys!

Few other small parts made it here today...

Throttle-Max (mostly because the wife is short, and she can’t plant her heel and reach the pedal).

SPAL radiator fan upgrade. That thing was a little more work than I anticipated to install. Pulling the front facia piece almost reminded of pulling apart one of my sport bikes...where every little piece of plastic interlocked into the ones touching it, hidden screws, clips, etc.But, once you locate them all, the radiator hoses leave just enough flex to carefully pull the radiator forward and sneak out the fan housing and mount.

 

[michdave]

Love this build. Following for more ideas. Thank you for posting! I want that switch plate set up!

I purchased the switch plate from a member on the forum. I think it’s was username Mystic? I’ll dig around and see if I can find it.

 

[jgardner]

That purchase photo appears to be Timbrook Honda in Winchester, Virginia. I recently purchased my 2020 1000-5 there just over a week ago.

I live in Northern Virginia and likewise purchased the Pioneer to introduce my family to motor sports.

 

[Lady01]

nice build, I am doing similar add-ons... where did you get your switch plate panel, and is it really necessary? I see most everyone on the forums use a switch plate, apparently cutting into the plastic for the switches is not strong enough? Thanks for your response.

 

[ToddACimer]

nice build, I am doing similar add-ons... where did you get your switch plate panel, and is it really necessary? I see most everyone on the forums use a switch plate, apparently cutting into the plastic for the switches is not strong enough? Thanks for your response.

I wouldn't say you have to have a switch panel but if you don't it's more difficult to pull the switch and access the wires. With a large hole and a panel you can just unbolt the panel for access to the wires and switches

 

[michdave]

That purchase photo appears to be Timbrook Honda in Winchester, Virginia. I recently purchased my 2020 1000-5 there just over a week ago.

I live in Northern Virginia and likewise purchased the Pioneer to introduce my family to motor sports.

It is! They took pretty good care of me. I'm actually stationed in MD and tried to buy at 1 of the 3 dealers within a 40min drive, and they're all such poor customer service. FMS down in Fredericksburg wasn't working hard on the prices either for "left-over" models when I purchased (rightfully so, I guess, because they sold the one I was looking at for MSRP!...couldn't believe it). But I think shopping close to DC, folks just pay more for stuff and everything is about volume. It was night and day difference in the people, service, and willingness to negotiate going out away from the DMV. When I was playing around with Ducati's, it was the same way...I used the Duc Pond out there as opposed the dealer in MD....way better!

 

[michdave]

nice build, I am doing similar add-ons... where did you get your switch plate panel, and is it really necessary? I see most everyone on the forums use a switch plate, apparently cutting into the plastic for the switches is not strong enough? Thanks for your response.

Another Michigander! I miss living up there...even more so after having to live near DC ( 🤢 ).

But, switch panels. As stated by @ToddACimer above, a switch plate allows you to mount and wire all your switches, and simply unbolt/unscrew the plate and remove it for easy access to the backside of all your switches. If you're only run 2-3 switches, you could probably just cut some holes or purchases a universal switch plate and it would work without a doubt. The area there is plenty strong enough. Th biggest issue is access the the back side of the dash from beneath the hood...it's a long stretch.

@mystic1219 is who I ordered my switch plate from. I ended up cutting out my dash to mount the plate. Instead of nuts/bolts, I utilized automotive nut plates so that I could use screws and simply remove the dash plate from inside the cab. Prior to ordering it, I already had it planned out how many switches I needed, what accessories would be there, and so-forth. I ordered a relayed fuse block and installed that under the hood along with a second battery, battery isolator and a heavy-duty ground block. Then I installed all of the taps for headlight power switches, and key-on power.

I built a wiring diagram and built the wiring harness before installing the switches and mounting plate. This way, all of my wiring ran to the switch plate is secured in one large harness; I left about an extra foot of slack so that when I remove the switch plate, I have plenty of room to let it hang and easily access the back side for changes of additions.

On a side note, buy quality switches. I ordered most of mine from ( OTRATTW - The standard in high quality custom rocker switches. ) and those are awesome. But a few others I picked up from Rocky Mountain (Tusk brand) and one from Amazon (SSV I think?) and they were garbage compared to the OTRATTW switches. They fit like crap, the Tusk switch sticks (and it's my horn so it's really annoying) and the SSV switches were outright garbage...didn't even use them.

 

[Lady01]

I wouldn't say you have to have a switch panel but if you don't it's more difficult to pull the switch and access the wires. With a large hole and a panel you can just unbolt the panel for access to the wires and switches

Yes, I see your point now... I wasn't sure if you (others) cut out the plastic leaving a large hole... that certainly would make things easier for updates/repairs later. Thanks

 

[michdave]

I got all excited when my shock showed up today....Then as I was bolting them on, I realized that something wasn't right. They sent me the wrong spacers and forgot to sent the billet reservoir mounts. Ugh...trying to get it sorted out now with them.

 

[ToddACimer]

I got all excited when my shock showed up today....Then as I was bolting them on, I realized that something wasn't right. They sent me the wrong spacers and forgot to sent the billet reservoir mounts. Ugh...trying to get it sorted out now with them.

View attachment 201615

That's a total bummer

 

[Lady01]

Another Michigander! I miss living up there...even more so after having to live near DC ( 🤢 ).


Yes, I really enjoy Michigan! Thanks for the response, I wasn't sure about the switch plate but after seeing the response, I totally understand, cut out the dash and use a switch plate!

My wife and I are north of the Flint area but our P1K-3 lives in northeast Michigan (Alcona County)... that is where we do most of our riding. View attachment 201521

 

[michdave]

Awesome! I spent most my time growing up in Metamora (Lapeer County) before joining the Air Force and the family has a cabin in Atlanta, MI. I was lucky enough to bring the machine up there last year and cruise the trails a bit and we’ve got another 2 week trip planned for some up north riding this July....pending the DoD lifts it’s damn stop-movement order due to the ‘rona. Haha.

If you haven’t used it yet, Michigan DNR have a pretty awesome interactive website with all of the trails.

ArcGIS Web Application

midnr.maps.arcgis.com

Polaris Ride Command App seems to have a lot of them populated as well and that works good for real-time tracking when you’re out riding.

 

[michdave]

That's a total bummer

I called and they are getting it corrected. They air shipped the mounts and wider spacers. Mine must have originally gotten shipped on the Friday afternoon...😬

 

[Lady01]

Awesome! I spent most my time growing up in Metamora (Lapeer County) before joining the Air Force and the family has a cabin in Atlanta, MI. I was lucky enough to bring the machine up there last year and cruise the trails a bit and we’ve got another 2 week trip planned for some up north riding this July....pending the DoD lifts it’s damn stop-movement order due to the ‘rona. Haha.


Nice area both Lapeer and Atlanta, we are in Clio, and Black River... half way between Harrisville and Ossineke.