There’s work to be done at the ranch! Across 128 acres we live, work and play.
Most of our videos will likely cover our take on homesteading in Ontario Canada as we slowly progress in growing more of our own food and become more sustainable. Stay tuned and you’ll probably catch us barely staying out of trouble, as we post random fun videos as well. From radio controlled, to snowmobiles going a bit to fast, to product reviews of proven items we hold near and dear, to our 9-5 work projects, we will try to keep it interesting!
Glad you like the setup. It actually works so well and only takes a few minutes to mount up since I now leave the front bumper off. Thanks for watching!!
I am a homesteader in ontario looking at a pioneer 520 or rubicon, after 23 dutiful years of service from our first honda. I'd love a quick update on how the pioneer 520s are holding up for y'all
Thanks for tuning in! The 520's are holding up pretty well! Over 5000 kms on mine, much of that higher revs road running (tire treads are starting to show their age lol). I must point out some rust forming at the welds on Richy's 520, which is pretty odd since it has seen less rain/snow than my 520, hes not happy about that. I have since added a superATV power steering kit and torq locker front diff, which really have transformed the P520 to another level, at a bit of a steep cost albeit. This was to help make trail grooming more fun/manageable. The power steering is really nice when manoeuvring around the yard projects etc. We both agree that EPS should be standard, having said that, we do both run larger wheels and tires, which doesn't help the steering factor. Hope that helps. Thanks again for watching and happy homesteading!
You are to be commended for a very useful review. And you don’t give us 10 minutes of what it’s like in the driver’s seat! I have a 2017 P500 and it has been a love hate relationship. I built a plywood box and painted it black, a bit bigger than the 520 box and it serves well carrying stuff but doesn’t dump of course…I’ve never seen much value in a dump box…if I carry firewood I have to stack it piece by piece anyway and have a small Kubota tractor loader to move rocks and soil. I also am in Canada and thought that tracks would eliminate the need for a snowmobile. After 2 winters I sold the tracks. 1. very hard to steer. 2. No longer 50 inches for narrow trails. 3. Physically, putting the tracks on and off is for young folks…they take muscle and grunt to move around. Though great in the snow, I use a narrow bush snowmobile for winter trails. Also, with the tracks on and off with the seasons, it’s not just a simple take the wheels off and put on the tracks…unless you want brackets hanging down, there are steering components to take off and install each time which will wear out bolts/nuts etc. 4. I felt that with tracks, the engine and drive was just too small. It moves them but I think running the engine at high rpm’s all the time is going to take its toll. It is a Honda and might be ok but the 475cc engine while great on wheels is close to maxed all the time with tracks. Your dad is correct, power steering would be nice. The 500/520 are really little mules that are tough and long lasting. I went from a Honda 350 fourtrax (Rancher) atv to the P500 and was shocked and dismayed at how loud the 500 is…with the factory plastic roof it is difficult to communicate with a rider. You are correct about the noise. Also, I thing a dash handle for the rider is a must as the driver can brace with the steering wheel but its really rough for the rider. My first addition was a full windshield that opens. Nice to have but it creates a vacuum from behind and if on a dusty road at any speed, the dust just gets sucked into the cab. Long enough…again, your content and production is tops!
Thanks for the kind words! You point out some very valid key info regarding the Pioneer 500/520. I rarely dump firewood as well. If we do, it's when we gather some blocked hardwood from downed trees in the bush that our tractors can't get to, so it's handy to be able to bring that wood out of the bush to the yard and dump it by the splitter, times like that I love the dumping box of course. Did you have the larger tracks or the smaller 'under 700cc' size tracks? We have the X4s which is meant for smaller machines, the 520 seems to do fine with them other than shifting isn't so nice when the machine wants to almost come to a stop before it gets in the next gear... About the power steering, we finally did that upgrade, as it was starting to get a bit cumbersome, especially with tracks and trail grooming. I like the idea you have about the dash handle as well. As for the sound levels, the plastic roof isn't great, for sure. The bimini top on Dad's is much quieter. I wonder if some sound absorbing panels could be added under the roof. Now you have me thinking...next mod maybe! -Thanks for watching and happy riding!!
I really like your videos, very informative ! i'm in the exact same situation as your dad as i purchased a P1000-3 in 2019. Sell it because it was too wide for my needs. I really like the 520 size. I'm just i little hesitant on purchase one because of the suspension. I want to use it 30-40% on club trails and 60-70% on my wood lot... What do you guys think?
Thanks, so glad you enjoy the vids! The 1000 feels much larger indeed. You have good reason to be unsure about the suspension on the 520, as it can be rough at times. Soft sidewall tires help and run a bit less PSI in the tires depending on your trails. Upgraded suspension would be very, very nice though. Hope that helps! Happy riding and thanks for watching!
Good point, and thanks for commenting. As of 2024, the Pioneer 520 is narrower (50" wide) than the ranger 570 at 56", which may be important to some buyers. The Ranger has some nice features like the added ground clearance and suspension travel above the Pioneer 520. In many ways the 570 could be considered a better rig. Having said all that, to this day, I still prefer shifting for the type of riding/work I do with the 520. I can see why many people would prefer the Ranger 570 though. Also I'm not someone that believes belt/CVT transmissions are a bad thing, there are pros and cons with both transmissions. I really like the ability to keep the rpm low when I'm just putting around on the flats or driving past cranky neighbours! If I lived somewhere that needed the tracks on all year, I would say a CVT option would be the winner since shifting with tracks on isn't ideal. As for the Subaru, you're correct that it is CVT, but it uses a all steel 'belt' that is built from a bunch of sandwiched steel plates. It is electronically controlled to have the engine running at low rpm for fuel economy, and then 'fake shifts' more like a 7 speed auto transmission when more power is required and so on. So far it has been a great transmission as a daily driver. If I were the sole driver of that car, I would have gone for something with a manual transmission, since I do almost no city driving. Thanks for watching!!
Yes, the higher RPMs of the belt drive CVT can be annoying but they are also much easier to repair vs the Honda gear transmission should anything happen. Polaris recently introduced a much more modern CVT with a steel belt and computer-controlled clutch pulley position to simulate gears just like your Subaru. However it’s only on the large and expensive machines for right now.
@tylermacconnell217 I’m sure once that tech gets cheaper it will be on all the machines. By then Honda might make the switch. Although the new pioneer 1000 shifts like actual butter, seems like they have it down to a science on that machine.
Great question, a bit tricky to answer. I was never really bugged by the lack of power steering on trails with gentle turns and travelling at a decent speed. The slower you go and tighter the trails and turns, you start to feel it, but manageable much if the time. Of course you always have to watch out for bumping an object and having the wheel spin and jamb a thumb etc. especially when backing up. Hold that wheel tight. Frankly the more time you spend doing three point turns, backing up, chore/work type stuff, you quickly start to wish for power steering. We have since added power steering to the one 520 that does all the trail grooming with tracks on and it’s a dream now. So now our opinion is that Honda should just make it standard, but as viewers have stated this continues to drive the price of a ‘value’ rig up and up. Hope that super long winded answer helps you out! Happy riding and thanks for watching! -stay tuned for the torq locker vid coming up; we have it all recorded. We talk about the power steering kit a bit!!
@OceanBreeze2022. We got our SuperATV kit through our local Honda dealer here in Ontario, Canada. Here’s a link to the superATV site, they also sell direct I believe. www.superatv.com/honda-pioneer-520-power-steering-kit
I always let my wildcat sport 700 fuel pump prime b4 starting it. The pioneers remind me of the wildcats, just a simple yet capable rig for a decent price point. Wish my wildcat had a dumping box
Smart! I should have figured to do that from day one but assumed it wouldn’t be needed on a newer era machine, but I guess that tech hasn’t changed much in the P520. Gotta love the simplicity of a value machine!! Thanks for watching and happy riding!!
Awesome video. However, I would never ever buy a UTV that didn’t have turf mode. Absolutely destroys lawns and rips up trails and by your accounts here it makes it very difficult to steer in the snow with tight turns.
Glad you enjoyed, and good point. I'm not sure what other models there are for UTV's with open differential/turf mode in the same class as the Pioneer 520 if you require the compact size. We have had great success recently by adding the Torq Locker front differential and SuperATV power steering kit. You still have to throw the steering wheel from nearly lock to nearly lock in really tight trails, but its basically effortless now. The downside is tossing a bunch more money at a 'value' priced machine, but the outcome is really, really good. Thanks for watching!!
That was a REALLY good video on the Pioneer 500 vs 520. I also got a 500 and immediately they came out with this.... i was so pissed lol. So after a few years yea i want to sell the 500 for the 520. Is the engine actually different? or just upgraded. i wonder if the air intake/ exhaust would bolt right up? They are def updated and straightened out, less extra nonsense.
Glad you enjoyed the video! It was a move I didn’t see coming from Honda in the 500 size but pretty cool that they did. Would have been nice if Honda had done this from the beginning thought. I’m not sure about the engine mechanics other than that it is just slightly larger displacement, but it’s likely very similar. Thanks for watching!! Happy riding
Oh hey, that mention thing works!!! That's awesome! The Agro Trend looks clean man. Looks well built. Definitely appreciate the quick hitch capability. And based on what I'm seeing I like the access panel handles much better. Great video and thank you!
Oh good to know! First time I’ve used the mention feature! I wish YT shorts could be like up to 3-5 minutes tho. So hard to cover all the bases in under 60 seconds sometimes… The Agro is a winner I believe especially with the cost being much more affordable. It looks like getting at the chain is easier too!
@@ranchroadhomestead I tag companies on here, but was never truly sure that it did anything. yeah I agree if shorts could be a little longer, it would masks it alot easier to pay other than clips. I like the framing built into the agro trend unit.
@ROCKINRODNEY cool! Yeah the Agro trend is a very solid unit. Well over 1000 lbs for a 78”. The manual doesn’t have specs but lifting it off the delivery trailer you could tell it’s well built. 👍
@goblue2708 I would check your closest dealer for those manufacturers, because of added shipping costs etc depending where you are located. Here in Ontario, Canada the Agro Trend is about $100 CAD per inch of width, whereas the Cyclone is more like $150 CAD per inch. Hope that helps 👍
Yes we did, it seems to help the snow keep ‘rolling’ in the groomer which is great. They are a fairly weak point though, as one caught on something last year and broke. Thanks for watching!!
Great video friend! Thanks for taking the time to put this together. Do you believe most of the blowers these days are quick hitch compatible? I bought a box blade recently and was surprised to find it was not, and completely blew my mind. Happy New Year!
Glad you enjoyed the vid! I wouldn’t say most blowers are quick hitch, I would say land pride, MK Martin, and Agro trend likely are. At least with our experience and Category 2. We ordered a used Pronovost Cyclone blower used from out of province with the understanding that it was, but sadly on receiving it turned out that was not the case. We will be selling it and switching to Agro Trend blowers now. They are very impressive pull blowers!! Happy new year to you and thanks for watching!!
@@ranchroadhomestead what is it that you find advantageous with the agro trend? I'm not familiar with any of the brands yet, but see the cyclone is very popular. Yours is the first I've seen mentioned of the agro trend. So I'm very curious to know more.
@ROCKINRODNEY sounds like a great topic for a video, wish we had more time for videos! Maybe I’ll do a RU-vid short this weekend of side by side comparisons… Simple answer is, the new (not sure when) Agro Trend I’m speaking of is the hybrid pull type, and it’s very similar to the cyclone. Enclosed chain, rear access hatch for fan (wayyyy better latch system to access) but add the Quick Hitch! A few other nice improvements too. I really like that the cyclone is galvanized however. Can’t win them all. 👍👍
@@ranchroadhomestead I agree. Was going to suggest it as a video topic, but wasn't sure if you'd want to commit the time for doing it. I'm subbed, so I would appreciate watching it anyway.
Nice commentary and video. I'm looking to buy a SXS and this Honda 520 is leading the way so far. I like the fact that it can fit in a truck, I'm in SE Texas and will never need snow tracks but I watched from start to finish.
Glad you enjoyed the vid. I guess you sure don’t get much snow in Texas. We haven’t put our tracks on yet this season. The rain is putting the damper on things. Thanks for watching!!
Thinkin seriously bout gettin a 520 in the next few years. See if I can make a deal with Bancroft or Petawawa? As far as tracks, the verdict is still out on that. Seen a lot a guys augered bad with them in the slush on the lakes around here the past few winters. Ice has been poor. And really have trouble gettin them out and thawing them out afterwards. No thanks. But as far as a putt around machine for the wife and I huntin partridge or gettin a deer out of the bush, hey it fits my purpose to a tee. What would one set you back now?
I’m not sure what the out the door price is these days. On Hondas site they show the pioneer 520 at 16,000 plus taxes. And yes, the tracks are not the answer for everything unfortunately. Sure wouldn’t want to get stranded out on the lake in the slush that is for sure. The locking front differential we just added has made a big help! Thanks for watching!!
Finally a review that doesnt tout the “gear” transmission as more durable…. They ARE infact different… your mileage may vary, but belts dont just quit, and they are easy to replace… unlike gears… and they act differently… agian, depends on what your doing…. I DO like the idea of shifting though, especially while hauling and stuff
Very true. There are pros and cons with both I suppose. Like you said though, it depends what you are doing with the machine, and everyone has different needs. Personally, I like when I’m putting around the yard, and able to keep the revs low and quiet with the gear transmission. Thanks for watching!!
Glad you could find the video useful. We have since added a locking front differential, and will be adding power steering. This really transforms how the machine performs, but at added cost for sure. Thanks for watching!!
Sadly it does not. We were told it was by the dealer that shipped it to us, but on arrival it was a no go. We might adapt it to the qh20 in the future. It’s possible a cat 1 QH might work, I’d like to look into that but will be a bit light duty. Thanks for watching!!
Always wanted a SxS, a light utility some fun mini machine, was looking at a quad but for a little more, a mini SxS. 520 for the box, in all honesty, it will be barely driven but it would force me to get out more which I would like. The actual transmission is a big selling point for me. Id push the machine to its limits in some senses, I like utility over comfort and speed. With the kind of use I would have, it would be something I would run for 20yrs...
Thanks for the comment. The pioneer 520 definitely ticks all of those boxes! I was planning on having the 500 for 20 years but the 520 with box came out which was an easy move at the time in 2021. Hopefully we have this one a long time. Just went over 4500 kms on the 520 and going strong. Thanks for watching!!
@ranchroadhomestead the problem will be finding one, might have to settle for a 500 and build my own box but a 520 would be prefered... Still have to wait for next year...
@stevencampbell1603 didn’t know they were still so hard to get. Not sure where you are located, but our local dealer has a green one in stock currently FYI.
Rev limit is 38 ish mph or 62 kmph on the display. I definitely notice some heat at the seat where the buckles are, but not too bad in our climate at least. Thanks for watching!!
That works great! It looks like your 520 has no issue with traction now that you've got the lockers on the front. My P500 had the lockers before I got the tracks and it's something- I can't wait for snow. I added power steering at the end of the season- what a nice difference!
We are stoked to get back to grooming! The locker is so awesome with the tracks for sure. How much transformation with the power steering? Thinking seriously about adding it before winter.
they made it affordable, youre trying to make it more expensive for people that want stock one, itll last for ever, thats why theres aftermarket for someone like you, i would like the plane jane and not pay for stuff
I agree. I only meant that it would be nice to have an optional ‘deluxe’ model for some of the people that would be okay to pay for some more features. Of course keep the base machine as it is as the main seller. Thanks for watching!
I just bought last week a 2019 Honda pioneer 500 white in perfect condition with glass windshield and honda Roof . 208 miles $7200 . Absolutely love it . I got got rear soft window and nice fancy sporty rear mirrors. I want to get 27”s tires maybe 26”s must people are putting 26”s I think 27”s would be better I’m just worry that would not work. Maybe 27”s are to big?? What do you think??? 28”s would be perfect but I don’t think the honda Pioneer 500 can handle it
Sounds like it's practically new, awesome. We run 28's on both pioneer 520's and it works very well. The ground clearance is much better for the type of riding we do around here. There is a bit of rubbing, but doesn't bother me at all. I just know the limits and where the rubbing can occur, and try to avoid those situations. Of course the tire model can have a big effect, as not all tires are the same physical size from one model to the next. If you're very worried about any rubbing at all, I would check on some forums to see what other 500/520 owners are doing. Hope that helps. Thanks for watching and happy riding!!
@@ranchroadhomestead brother thank you so much for taking your valuable time to reply back to me. You are awesome I’m probably go for 28” Tusk Terrabite maybe 27”s . Thank you so much for replying back to me
Very happy to help, and thanks for the kind words. Something to point out since our last videos - After a few years now (since 2018) I've been running the same set of GBC kinati mongrel tires (28x10x14) on my 500 and then later the 520. Maybe it's because I'm getting older and more picky, but the mongrel 10 ply tire is now making me rethink what the 500/520 should have on it for some folks; it rides much harder than I like on trails around here. They don't flex under the weight of these lighter machines, so it gets pretty bouncy. 10 ply is nice for the protection it offers from rocks etc, and when there's a big load in the box, but costs a lot in the comfort category. Richy's 520 has Maxxis Bighorn 1's (also 28x10x14) and it rolls and rides much much smoother due to the fact that they are 6 ply instead of 10 ply, though those tires are much wider physically even though still listed at 10" and he does get considerably more rubbing up front when turning. Since the tusk your are looking at are 8 ply, you might be okay there, but I guess it's the 'wont know until you try it' situation. Just thought it was worth a mention since it's a more recent discovery on our part, and probably a good subject for another video! Personally I love the Tusk/Mongrel 'truck' tread style, but next time around I think I will consider looking for a tire with that style of tread but with a 6 ply rating so I don't feel so rattled after a few minutes in our rocky/root filled trails here... I have been debating suspension upgrades, but it's another expensive add on. Let us know how you like the tires you do go with, if you do end up going with aftermarket tires. Always good to hear what folks are doing! Not sure if any of this helps, but thought it was good information since you might be tire shopping.
For the money does your dad miss the having the 1000? Or does the 520 give him the thrill of riding? I’m in the same situation to where 18k for a base model 1000 pioneer def breaks the bank,
Great question! Richy’s answer is basically that he sold the p1000 to get some income that was needed at the time and downsizing for our trails and the riding we do mostly made sense. He hasn’t looked back! So I would say no, he doesn’t miss the p1000, however he does wish that the 520 had some of the features the p1000 had (mainly 4 wheel locking 4wd, turf mode, and power steering). Hope that helps. Thanks for watching!!
@@ranchroadhomestead thanks and thanks for the time and effort you put into your videos and thanks for your response. The 1000k has marketed themselves out of a reasonable man’s budget…. I’m 6’2 and I’m probably going to have to settle for a 700
You're very welcome! Yes, the bigger machines get pretty expensive quickly indeed. The 700 is a great machine, sized nicely in the middle roughly. Happy riding.
Apologies for the very late reply! Yes, the battery is in the back on the passenger side behind a black plastic panel with two 10mm bolts. Very easy to get to when you dump the box. Thanks for watching!!
The stock tires are just okay. Going to larger diameter gets you a lot more floatation which makes a big difference as well as an aggressive tread as you mentioned. Thanks for watching!!
Great video! How much rpm’s do you run the tractor on when you’re snowblowing? It sounds like you don’t slow down the rpm when your «back and forward» by the garage? Is that not a problem for the clutch on the tractor?
Hi and glad you enjoyed! After a normal snowfall we run around 2100-2300 rpm. Our tractors are hydrostatic transmissions, and there is no clutching. Infinite forward and backward speeds with the right foot pedal. Very good setup for manoeuvring a tractor in tight spaces! Thanks for watching!!
