P1000 P500 vs P700 vs P1000

[McPioneer]

Hi all,

Just joined your great Forum, so much to learn!

I live in British Columbia, Canada. I have been looking for a side by side for a month or so now and I am now ready to make a purchase. I want a Honda but I really can't decide what one. I would be using it for hunting and recreation, lots of trails and fire roads where I live so I don't think the extra width of the 1000 would be an issue. I will also like to use it all year round. We can have -4 in the winter to 104 in the summer here, not sure if that makes a difference. It would be myself and my son out riding so I don't need the 5. I had kind of settled on the 1000, it is at the top end of my budget.....well maybe it's just past what I'm comfortable with but I can manage. I don't really think the 700 is where I want to be because it's not a whole lot less money than the 1000 so it's easy to justify the jump in price due to the 6 speed and suspension.

This leaves me deciding between the 500 and the 1000. Not sure if any of you guys have both or traded up from the 500 to the 1000 but at 70% more money than the 500 I would like to know if I would be just as happy with the 500 for my needs. I don't have a farm or need it for work just hunting and recreation. I don't want to by the 500 and wished I had spent the extra to get the 1000 but at the same time don't want to buy the 1000 and find that the 500 would of been just what I need. I have been all over the net trying to read reviews, my dealer says that I would not be happy with the 500 or the 700. He says that Honda never quite got there with those models but nailed it with the 1000. He also sells Can Am and was trying to push them because they will deal and move on price. Apparently Honda in Canada have the mind set that if you want it then you can pay full price and don't offer any deals. I went to another dealer 3 hours away and he said no deals on price or finance rates, Said the same thing Honda don't deal. He said come the spring they might offer $300 towards accessories. The 1000-3 is $18,500CAD out the door. Keep in mind that just now $1US is $1.70CAD.

When I buy I like to buy something that will last me for a long time with little problems and also suit my needs if they ever change. I have only ever had ATV's before.

Thanks in advance for your time and comments.

 

[Admin]

 

[SuperYeti]

What part of BC are you in @McPioneer? I'm down in the lower mainland. I'd be happy to take you for a rip in the 700 so you can see what you're missing! I find it's a really good size, I can still make it where pretty much any other SxS can make it in the trails in the lower mainland with a little finesse, and even though it's not the fastest, it just hooks up and goes, I've had it on some insanely steep pipeline roads around the Loon Lake area, no issues, it wasn't spinning the tires, it just kept chugging way no slip, just go. The 500 is a nice machine, but i really like having the capability of carrying cargo or the 4th passengers in mine, and wouldn't have it any other way. The 1000 would be nice, but it's much to large to fit on my truck, or make it through any of the terrain in the lower mainland IMO.

 

[allgm1]

Don't forget to factor accessories into your budget also. By buying a 700 you could put the extra money into a roof. windshield ect, which you will want when it gets to -4. My 700 does everything I need it to.

 

[McPioneer]

What part of BC are you in @McPioneer? I'm down in the lower mainland. I'd be happy to take you for a rip in the 700 so you can see what you're missing! I find it's a really good size, I can still make it where pretty much any other SxS can make it in the trails in the lower mainland with a little finesse, and even though it's not the fastest, it just hooks up and goes, I've had it on some insanely steep pipeline roads around the Loon Lake area, no issues, it wasn't spinning the tires, it just kept chugging way no slip, just go. The 500 is a nice machine, but i really like having the capability of carrying cargo or the 4th passengers in mine, and wouldn't have it any other way. The 1000 would be nice, but it's much to large to fit on my truck, or make it through any of the terrain in the lower mainland IMO.

Thanks SuperYeti, I'm in the Interior. I will have to trailer whatever I buy as my truck is set up with a canopy and a I have built beds inside for when we want to camp. I was initially deterred by the 3 speed. I really like the idea of being able to shift into the gear you need for that situation. I will take another look at it though, my dealer said he will take me out into the bush on any of the machines I want. He can only trailer one at a time though, would have been nice to do a direct compare.

I would be financing part of my purchase and it's an extra $90 per month for the 1000 compared to the 700. However, the 500 would be half the payment on the 1000 at $135 per month.

Do you ever find not having a low selector as being a problem?

 

[McPioneer]

Don't forget to factor accessories into your budget also. By buying a 700 you could put the extra money into a roof. windshield ect, which you will want when it gets to -4. My 700 does everything I need it to.

Thanks Allgm1, I did think about that too. I would certainly not be able to kit out the 1000 the way I want for a while as it would be at the top of my budget.

This just makes my choice even more difficult. I think I would be happy with either model but when you read so many good reports about the 1000 it just makes me wonder if Honda will update the 700 and put the 6 speed in with paddle shifters. I know I would go with the 700 if that was the case.

I will ask my dealer to take me out on all three and go from there.

 

[hondarock]

I am not a Honda owner so am unbiased.

If you can afford it the 1000 is the way to go. No contest, it has it all. You will love turf mode. The 1000 has power AND a low range. Much better suspension. TWO cylinders for smoothness. Locking 4WD all around. Not much larger than the 700 overall. Much larger tires as standard equipment. Etc.

1000..................

 

[ghost]

What part of BC are you in @McPioneer? I'm down in the lower mainland. I'd be happy to take you for a rip in the 700 so you can see what you're missing! I find it's a really good size, I can still make it where pretty much any other SxS can make it in the trails in the lower mainland with a little finesse, and even though it's not the fastest, it just hooks up and goes, I've had it on some insanely steep pipeline roads around the Loon Lake area, no issues, it wasn't spinning the tires, it just kept chugging way no slip, just go. The 500 is a nice machine, but i really like having the capability of carrying cargo or the 4th passengers in mine, and wouldn't have it any other way. The 1000 would be nice, but it's much to large to fit on my truck, or make it through any of the terrain in the lower mainland IMO.

Not trying to argue but which dimension is "much larger" ? The 1000 is only 3.5 inches wider. For the BC trails I ride its not a big deal but I don't ride lower mainland.
I went thru the same process - deciding which model to get. When you really compare the 700 and 1000 the only significant drawback of the 1000 for me was the price. Since this might be the last sxs I will buy, I decided to go for it (1000-5) and have no regrets.The 500 has the advantage of much smaller trails but no more than 1 passenger and much smaller cargo capacity - and of course none of the new features of the 1000.

I actually went to buy a 700 on Black Friday sale but I got a twist in my stomach that told me not to.
Pull your wallet out and see how it feels.

 

[Johnny_C]

I was looking hard at the 700, but decided
to step up to the 1k3 for the High/Low ranges,
and Turf saver, for in the yard & dry pavement.

I drove a little last night in the snow we got
yesterday and It was awesome. I can't wait to
get out where I can really drive the thing.


John

 

[SuperYeti]

Not trying to argue but which dimension is "much larger" ? The 1000 is only 3.5 inches wider. For the BC trails I ride its not a big deal but I don't ride lower mainland.
I went thru the same process - deciding which model to get. When you really compare the 700 and 1000 the only significant drawback of the 1000 for me was the price. Since this might be the last sxs I will buy, I decided to go for it (1000-5) and have no regrets.The 500 has the advantage of much smaller trails but no more than 1 passenger and much smaller cargo capacity - and of course none of the new features of the 1000.

I actually went to buy a 700 on Black Friday sale but I got a twist in my stomach that told me not to.
Pull your wallet out and see how it feels.

For me it was a few things the made my decision, first the 1000 wasn't out yet, and there were no estimates on when it would be, the service manager at my dealership also suggested it might be wise to wait a model year or 2 as well as it's a brand new drivetrain, and not be a beta tester. But the main reason was that I needed to fit my machine on my truck, when towing my TT. The 700 was the biggest machine I could fit up there, after the 1000 came out, I'm glad I didn't wait, as it's too long, and a bit too wide for my deck.



That being said, I've had it on some crazy steep climbs, and never felt the need for a low range, sure it would be nice to have a bit more speed, but 70km/h is still good on most FSR's I've been on. Here's a google earth snapshot and a irl picture of probably the steepest i've climbed, the pictures don't do it justice, but lets just say that while I was going through the cross ditches, my phone slid out of the little cubby in the dash lol. It wasn't the fastest going up it, but it just kept chugging away climbing as long as I had the cajones to keep on the skinny pedal. YMMV


The above picture is from the last pitch of the green line below.

 

[McPioneer]

If money was no object I would buy the 1000 and not look back. As I said in my previous post, I can afford the 1000 but its really pushing the limits, this means that I will have to hold off on accessories from the get go. I will get a winch but things like a roof, windshield will have to wait unless I can fabricate myself. Enclosing the cab would be a long way off on either of the models.

The trails I ride are mostly forest hills with not much on the flat so I wont be riding at any speeds that require the 1000cc. I think due to the hills the 1000 will be a benefit due to the low range though but in saying that I will also ride a lot of forestry roads that don't need low range. The third seat would be nice to have but not a must for me. I am sure that there will be time when 5 seats would be nice but the 5 is not a consideration due to the price.

I have never purchased a toy this expensive before. The last purchase was $11,000 on an Yamaha Grizzly 700 4 years ago and it was an easier decision to make, for me anyway, the wife, not so much. The Yamaha was tried and true plus all the ATV's in that price range had things like hi and low and good suspension. The Honda side x sides are not so easy to pick when you are not overly concerned with power or using it for work. All three have different transmissions and only the 1000 having a dedicated low range selector. Regardless of the model I will take the extend warranty for as many years as I can. especially on the 1000 due to it being a first model year. My dealer said that the 1000 was in development for 4 years before being released and that most other manufacturers only test for 2 years and that there will be no surprises. Not sure if that true (hard sell) but its what he said.

Sorry to ramble on so much but I am sure there are other reader with the same concerns. Here is what keeps me awake:

1. I don't think the 500 is truly what I want but the technology is tried and true. For the price I could keep it for a couple of years and then see what changes Honda will make to the 700 or 1000. Of course, I may not have full enjoyment that I expect for the duration I have the 500 and will lose when it come to trade up but at this price point its not going to drop that much.

2. If I buy the 700 which is in my ideal price point and for 2017 or 2018 they bring out the 6 speed transmission with low range in it or just add low range then I will be kicking myself for not waiting. I would also loose big if I wanted to trade as it would be known that the transmission was improved.

3.
a) If I buy the 1000 and it has engine or transmission issues that are inherent with this model year but rectified for 2017 or 2018 again this will be something that will irk me to eternity. My main fears are that the 1000 is a first model year, reading some posts about the transmission shuddering, yes I understand that this may be just down to getting to know what gear to be in but it did raise my concerns.

b) If i wait for next year to buy the 1000 and the Canadian dollar remains at the current exchange rate with the US then Honda may be forced to put the price of the machines up in Canada and as such put the 1000 out of my price point. The out the door price for the 100-3 with EPS is $18,500 here, that equates to $10,8882 US

Ahhhhh!!!!

Thanks for all the feed back.

 

[CBC89]

I own the 500 for the similar reasons you stated($). I sold my 2013 Foreman and with a little extra I now have the perfect hunting machine. Fits down any atv trails( May not matter to you as you stated), gear selection, and plenty of room for 2 grown men. Its a workhorse. I built a bed for the rear carrier that is large enough to haul 2 deer out of any hole( field tested). In low gear with 4wd it has enough torque to pull a bottomed out Rhino in thick mud without slipping. Top speed is 42, But I trail ride often and hunt religiously and only reason I could find me stepping up to the 1000 if I had the funds and wanted to go fast with the entire family. If it's just you and your son, you will not be disappointed with the 500. It is an impressive machine. Few things are a must: larger aggressive tires, bed rack, and overhead storage bag. Other than that, she is perfect for any hunter. Size of the unit was selling point for me. I have tight trails where I hunt. Its all a matter of personal preference and wallet size! The 1000 is beast with a ton of cool features. You can not go wrong with either one.

 

[Johnny_C]

I could not justify the cost of the plane,
but I built one anyway. You just have to
pony up if you want to play. That goes
for a 4 wheeler or SXS.

I went for the gusto when we bought the
1k3. I believe it is something we can enjoy
for many years.

Unless it's for business, you just can't justify it.

Buy it & enjoy it while you can. No one is
promised tomorrow.

John

 

[sthomp54]

Based on your concerns I would probably get the 500... have fun with your son and stay well under your budget. If you decide to trade up to the 1000 in a year or two then you will have more information on the reliability of it. Plus, I really dont think you would lose much money on the 500 if you trade/sell, its a great machine. I was in a similar situation as you and got the 500, its exceeded my expectations...enough so that it has delayed my purchase of a 1000. It can basically go anywhere a 4wd ATV will, but hauls 2 people comfortably. Good luck with your decision!

 

[solrus]

McPioneer, I was in the same boat P500 or P1000, P700 was out of question.

But after really looking at my needs, space I went for P500. At this point of my life , I dont have family and primary doing solo trips or with my GF. Once a year my dad comes and hunts with me. I've already had small trailer and did not plan to buy truck to haul p1000.
I dont race on trails and 40 mph is more then enough. Financially it also makes more sense.

Once my family grow then I might get p1000 or similar machine.

About pricing on p1000 in Canada, forget them and buy it in USA. All my friends from Calgary, AB got their motorcycles from Montana. Demand is very low here and they go very cheap. At the border we paid very low % commision. I remember ~ 150$, I was very surprised that there is no rip off on imported moto/cars.

I vote for P500 if rides are mostly solo/duo/hunting/non sport trail riding/cabin servicing/elk hunt

or may be bc I'm from Europe where cars are tiny , minimalist concept.

 

[PioneerPete]

I have the 1000-5, and I can attest that it is an awesome machine and a lot of fun. But everyone has to fill their own needs. I bought the 1000-5 to haul my whole family on the trail.
It sounds like your needs would be filled by the P500, and it would be well within your budget. No reason to stress yourself financially for a toy. Either one is gonna put a smile on your face, and you wouldn't lose much on trade in if you decided to upgrade in a year or two after the p1000 has a little more time to prove it's reliability.
@JACKAL is the only person on the forum that I know for sure has both the 500 and 1000. He may be able to offer some better insights into the comparison and contrast of the 2 machines.

 

[JACKAL]

@McPioneer Welcome to the club. I can appreciate your quandary in which model to buy that suits your desires and needs. I can tell you why I bought each the P500 and P1000 and perhaps one will strike a chord to help you decide.

P500 - I wanted a 50" wide trail machine to ride all the same trials that ATV's normally travel, being more compact in size and considerably much lighter (750 lbs lighter) than a P1000 the P500 it easily manipulated in tight trails. Something I could take hunting with just me and the all gear I would need. It fits in the back of my truck so I do not have to trailer it, (moot for you) but that was a positive for me. The price was nice the 2015's were selling for around $7300 US when I got mine ($12,400 CA) so it was inexpensive enough to set up any way I wanted. I like the 5 speed paddle shifting you decide what gear you want to be in and that pretty much negates the smaller engine size, it will go anywhere may not go as fast as the bigger machines but it will take you where you need to get to. The top speed is a bit lacking and it really doesn't like running much over 35 mph even though it will top out at 40. I would buy one again without reservation. Now it's strongly suspicioned that Honda may do a significant P500 upgrade bringing to it the technology on the same 500 platform ATV by introducing a 5 speed DCT transmission model for 2017 / 2018 model year. If you want a fully automatic it may be worth it to wait, the price difference between the DCT and non DCT ATV is $500 so not that big of a price difference.


P1000-5 I wanted a machine that I could take the grandkids out in and have plenty of room, it does easily seat 5 and has all performance you could ask for after driving a P500. Despite it being 14" wider and 750 lbs. heavier the P1K feels much more agile than you expect it to be when you first drive it. The suspension and ride quality at trail riding speeds is far superior to the P500 just like its price tag. If you were to buy a P500 and then decide to go up to a P1K it would cost you a bit more than if you just spent the money the first time. Not having a SXS before once you have one you will discover all kinds of uses for it that you may have traditionally jumped into the pickup for and with the bed and towing capacity this model will be up to most any task you could ask of it. Even though you mention only two of you will likely be riding together this will leave plenty of room for additional gear in the back for all day or even overnight excursions.

So it all boils down to your wants vs. needs vs. budget the same quandaries that torments us all. Good luck with your decision making hope to see you posting pics with your new Pioneer.

 

[hoggr9]

Well I opted for the p500. Mainly for the size. I hunt and this thing goes anywhere I wish to go.
with a bit of lpoking and planning I can get through most places in the woods to recover downed game. It fits down any established atv trail. It will climb any hill that most normal people are willing to try. And through most soft muddy places that you have any business going. Basically unless you are looking for a challenge to see if it will go or not...it will get you there.
The only drawbacks are the lack of top speed...25-30mph is about all I feel comfortable pushing it for any length of time. And the suspension is a bit rough if you are pushing the machine hard.
But for the low price I was able to add a full cad for the cold. Tires and wheels and a winch.
if this fits into what you want to do with the machine then you will not be disappointed.
best of luck with whichever machine you choose.

 

[jawquin]

Hi all,

Just joined your great Forum, so much to learn!

I live in British Columbia, Canada. I have been looking for a side by side for a month or so now and I am now ready to make a purchase. I want a Honda but I really can't decide what one. I would be using it for hunting and recreation, lots of trails and fire roads where I live so I don't think the extra width of the 1000 would be an issue. I will also like to use it all year round. We can have -4 in the winter to 104 in the summer here, not sure if that makes a difference. It would be myself and my son out riding so I don't need the 5. I had kind of settled on the 1000, it is at the top end of my budget.....well maybe it's just past what I'm comfortable with but I can manage. I don't really think the 700 is where I want to be because it's not a whole lot less money than the 1000 so it's easy to justify the jump in price due to the 6 speed and suspension.

This leaves me deciding between the 500 and the 1000. Not sure if any of you guys have both or traded up from the 500 to the 1000 but at 70% more money than the 500 I would like to know if I would be just as happy with the 500 for my needs. I don't have a farm or need it for work just hunting and recreation. I don't want to by the 500 and wished I had spent the extra to get the 1000 but at the same time don't want to buy the 1000 and find that the 500 would of been just what I need. I have been all over the net trying to read reviews, my dealer says that I would not be happy with the 500 or the 700. He says that Honda never quite got there with those models but nailed it with the 1000. He also sells Can Am and was trying to push them because they will deal and move on price. Apparently Honda in Canada have the mind set that if you want it then you can pay full price and don't offer any deals. I went to another dealer 3 hours away and he said no deals on price or finance rates, Said the same thing Honda don't deal. He said come the spring they might offer $300 towards accessories. The 1000-3 is $18,500CAD out the door. Keep in mind that just now $1US is $1.70CAD.

When I buy I like to buy something that will last me for a long time with little problems and also suit my needs if they ever change. I have only ever had ATV's before.

Thanks in advance for your time and comments.

Good luck on your purchase.

I have a 700-4 and a 500. I like them both. Good things about each of them.
Buy a Honda is my recommendation.

 

[HondaTech]

Here's my honest, 8 year Honda Technicians opinion on each machine.
P500: Great unit, a test bed for the paddle shift, solid reliable engine (same as 500 foreman since 2012 and 420 since 2007. Proven combo with a few quabbles imo. First the shifting is sporadic from model to model but only from 1st to 2nd, some will go grab 2nd and others you have to release the gas a second to get it over the hump it seems. We've tried everything to make one or the other constant, nothing. But other than that and a few loud rear ends, awesome machines. What Honda needed for the guy who isn't quite ready for a full size or is on the fence about a sxs vs atv.
P700: The SXS Honda should have made from the beginning(skip the Big Red). Solid chassis, overall good package. Suffers from same problems as the Big Red and 680 Rincon. Transmissions are solid as long as you keep the thing out of water and change the oil religiously. Little noisy, but its a big single. Took the Big Red's problems and fixed them. Needs Power Steering and maybe low range, if I had to choose between the two options, I'd go PS.
P1000: Where do I start. An awesome all around machine, but they haven't really been out long enough to nit pick. A culmination and showcase of Honda R&D and engineering. Shows what a company can build when they break the mold in a market that's been sewed up by Polaris for awhile. Fast, technology packed, and hopefully the step towards a full sport machine. But still based on stuff Honda has been perfecting for years,(dct, electric shift, power steering). There's a few things I could point @ and say hey this should've been.., but overall great machine.

All in all if I was to buy one right now, it'd be a 1000-3 PS in White. Top, w/s, winch, bumpers,led h/l and a nasty set of wheels

 

[ghost]

But the main reason was that I needed to fit my machine on my truck, when towing my TT. The 700 was the biggest machine I could fit up there, after the 1000 came out, I'm glad I didn't wait, as it's too long, and a bit too wide for my deck.

Yeah - I know what you meant about size now. I had to upgrade my trailer to fit the 1000. The trailer upgrade was going to happen anyway - just sooner than planned.

If I got the 500, hauling it around would be easier. And sometimes while riding the 1000, I look enviously at those narrow trails where a 500 would fit. But I wont be thinking about that when my buddy and I and drive out of the swamp with camp gear and a 1000 pound moose in the back of the P1000.

No tool is going to do every job.