re: Best UTV these days given my needs

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Did you have a 500 Pioneer SxS or a 500 ATV?

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I've had both. A few of the sxs 500 but my last foreman was probably 2006 or so

I have a 2004 450 Foreman and a 2005 350 Rancher. Both ES. Great motors. They weren't made for south LA mud and water (except for engine) so have had issues with wheel bearings, axle bearings, tie rods, rear brakes, shift sensors. Fortunately I can do all that. But now frame is rotting away. But both start up like a race horse out of the gate and engines are smooth as silk.

I wouldn’t care if the 700-4 was delivered from a time machine and assembled by the finest Japanese craftsmen, those things are dogs. I’m sure Polaris has had its issues with how many they sell, but at least they design them like they actually went out and used one first.

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How old is your oldest Polaris?

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I love this question.

1986.

If we’ll talking strictly longevity in the face of neglect, I’ve got a Yamaha big bear from the 90s that is still kicking.

I don’t care if it lasts 30 years if it’s a pain in the arse to use and I don’t enjoy it.

I have a 2015 pioneer 700-4 and a 2023 can am defender 900 2 seater. There is no comparison between the 2. Honda is severely under powered, slow, rough, and when you think you may get stuck theres no gasing on it to get out bc there isnt enough power. The defender is smooth, power for days and way more accessories available for them. Not to mention the Honda has constant transmission issues.

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The 900 has more power than a 700??? Who would have thought?

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While you think this makes sense... It doesnt. It has more than double the HP. A lot more.

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Sure rangers will be better in deep mud and for bogging. I’m old, I don’t do that anymore. I just want it to crank and go where I want it to, which is around mid holes if possible.

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Then get a ranger.

I took my wife's 88 year old grandmother all over the woods and property yesterday, not one complaint about bumps, or heat, or being loud.

While we were riding around I saw a girl who looked ten months pregnant taking pregnancy pics in a pasture. The photographer drove her out there in a big crew defender

Poor girl was probably 115lbs with 70lbs of belly. She couldn't have even fit in a pioneer, much less tolerated the ride.

You’re a Honda is 10 yrs old. Your Can-am less than 2 perhaps.

Do you think Honda has improved the Pioneer power and suspension since 2015?

Do you think Your Can-An will be as dependable as the Honda is, at 10 yrs?

Not sure comparing a 2015 and 2023 is conclusive. Did yo I test the 2023 Pioneers when you bought your 2023 can am?

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I just want it to crank and go where I want it to, which is around mid holes if possible.

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The pioneer 700 sucks at even doing that. If they would have just focused on the suspension and comfort and not tried to make it some weird jack of all trades then you would be right, but as it stands the machine makes you work harder to do the same as any other bike just to get from point A to B.

The transmission has three gears, but it might as well just have one. It’s going to shift into second as soon as you hit the gas and stay there until the engine is screaming, so get used to treating it like a manual with electric shift. All the engine heat comes up into the cab from below the seat and goes up your back, turning the cab into a sauna if it’s not freezing outside. Because of that engine placement, it is a pain in the arse to balance on a trailer and you really need a 16ft to keep the weight off the tongue, and it tows like a brick. You say you’ll go around mud, and it’ll get stuck trying to do that. On hard ground it’ll knock your teeth out. For all this Honda reliability people talk about, the winch connections not working have left me stuck twice, and another bike wouldn’t have gotten stuck there in the first place.

I don’t give a shite about mud riding, I use a sxs to haul things around my lease and work on acreage at home. You couldn’t pay me to do that in a pioneer 700 again.

So if you love Polaris and have one that was made in 1986, why did you buy the Honda Pioneer 700?