We’ve been using our Kunz AcrEase Rough Cut Field Mower for a few years now. It continues to amaze us with its ability to mow through tall/thick grass. We decided to see how our new Honda Pioneer 500 would do pulling it.
Our mower is a Kunz Engineering MR55B Rough Cut model with 57″ cutting width, electric start engine, manual clutch engagement and powered by a large 23 HP Briggs & Stratton Intek Twin Cylinder Engine. The mower is pretty big and decently heavy, so I was wondering weather the little Pioneer 500 could handle it.
The Honda Pioneer 500 is powered by Honda’s proven 475cc four-stroke engine. This powerplant pumps out plenty of low-end torque along with a smooth, fun-to-use powerband.
The Pioneer is just 50-inches wide so I was able to get the mower right up to the fence
One of the most notable features of the Pioneer 500 is the five-speed gearbox and the electric paddle shifters mounted on the steering column. This gives the vehicle a feeling of performance that you wouldn’t normally experience on a side-by-side with a 500cc engine. First gear is lower than you find with other UTVs CVT transmission, so you can really maneuver through tight areas with lots of throttle control. The engine produces plenty of torque for pulling the mower and with the 5-speed gearbox, it was nice to not have to worry about any CVT belt issues.
When moving slow like this and towing the mower, overheating is a concern of mine. With no ram air, the radiator is solely dependent on the fan to keeps temperatures in check and the Pioneer 500 handled it just fine. Even when the temps hit 90 degrees and with some uphill mowing.
The Pioneer 500’s small size allows it to get into places other UTV’s can’t
