Is the bottom of the Pioneer in the picture above buried in dirt? This is confusing to me. Looks like a lot of fun though. I'm glad that you can change the seating easily. This will make it useful for actual work, and also for roaming around with friends and family for fun.
Honda Pioneer First Look
Powered by Hondas proven 675cc liquid cooled overhead valve four stroke and coupled to an automotive styled gearbox. The new tranny features a hydraulic torque converter, three hydraulic clutches and an ECM to regulate between shift modes, Cruise or Sport.
The Pioneer offers 2WD, 4WD and 4WD with differential lock drive modes. Power is directed to the wheels through a 3 speed transmission, moving away from slushy CVT setups.
While it weighs in at 1,396 pounds, the Pioneer-4 feels light and nimble. The Pioneer uses 25-8x12 rubbers up front and 25-10x12 in back. There is no power steering, but Honda insists the eight-inch front tires, along with the suspension and general geometry, make the vehicle easy to turn. Slowing down is brought to you courtesy of 200mm disks up front and 170mm in the back grabbed by Nissin pads. There is no hill descent assist, with only transmission, brake and slight engine braking to keep you steady.
Attractive to buyers will be the Pioneer-4's convertible seating, which is easily convertible from two-seat to three-seat to four-seat configurations and back to an open bed without the use of tools. The bed offers 1000 pound payload capability.
In the name of safety getting in and out of the Pioneer can be a bit of bother: Open the door, unlatch the safety net, climb in, close the door, buckle the safety net and strap into the three-point safety belt. Consumers using the Pioneer for utility purposes could find the process hassling.
The Pioneer features 7.9 inches of travel via its double-wishbone independent front suspension and 9.1 inches of travel in the rear via its IRS with adjustable shocks. coupled with 10.3 inches of ground clearance, the Pioneer is allowed to tackle a bevy of undulating obstacles.
Deliveries of the Pioneer-4 begin in mid August while those in the market for a two-seater Pioneer will have to wait until mid September. Available colors include Red, Olive Green and Honda's trademarked Phantom Camo ($600 option).
You also may want to look into the 50-some accessories that will be made available with the rollout of the vehicle. List Available here
