Expanding The Talon Lineup
This February, the Honda Powersports team put together a soft launch or “introduction” for two exciting new Talon models. The first look and press interview took place at the King of The Hammers event in Johnson Valley, CA. This particular event and weekend was especially important to the Honda Talon crew, as the highly contested race would also be the Honda Talon Factory Race Team debut. The Proctor Racing Group/Honda Team will be contesting the SCORE BAJA Series and a few select BITD events, but KOH would be the kickoff to their rookie season.Honda proudly unveiled the 2021 Talon 1000R FOX Live Valve and Talon 1000X FOX Live Valve models.
Important additions to the Talon family, these two seat side by sides will add an incredible drive experience through “intelligent electronic suspension.” This Live Valve system uses Honda’s proprietary software to automatically adjust to terrain and driving situations for optimal handling, performance and comfort in varying conditions.The FOX Live Valve suspension automatically adjusts compression damping on all four shocks independently of each other, at a rate of up to 16 times per second for minimized body roll and bottoming. This Live Valve system also incorporates a Suspension Mode switch, allowing the driver to choose between Sport or Normal settings to bias the system towards the planned type of driving.
New For 2021
These two new Fox Live Valve 2-seat Talons will also come equipped with an electronic Launch Mode. Yea, that’s not a typo or a joke, we couldn’t make this up. Honda engineers developed an easy to use system to add exciting starts to your Talon drive experience. A dash mounted button that initiates full throttle acceleration from a dead stop,with faster and more accurate shifts than a human can replicate. The closest comparison would be dumping the clutch off the start line with a manual clutch, but the “dead accurate” computer controlled shifting would be hard to replicate. Launch Mode is as cool as it sounds, and will leave you smiling under you helmet, time and time again. The Honda team wanted these two new Live Valve Talon models to look as exciting and “Premium” as they truly are. To accomplish this, the super cool looking new Pearl White and Metallic Grey color schemes were complimented with a color matched chassis, frame, and ROPS. These two models both feature a deep blue powder coat finish on not only the roll cage, but also the entire frame, suspension components, even the shock sprigs and included accessory bumpers. The new color matched chassis really grabs your eye and looks every bit as good in person as it does in photos.
The Talon Story
The Honda Talon was arguably the most highly anticipated Sport Side by Side to date. Honda’swell earned reputation for durability, reliability and craftsmanship was exactly what many loyal customers were waiting for in the Performance UTV market. The trail friendly, 64” wide Talon 1000X and the 4” wider, longer travel, desert ready Talon 1000R were finally introduced to the public in November, 2018. These first 2-Seat Talon models both shared the same naturally aspirated power-plant, putting 104HP to the crank. Looking purely at specs, this brand new Talon would be very similar in performance to the N/A Polaris RZR XP1000, Maverick X3, or Wildcats that have already been on the market for 4-5 years. These first two Talon models might not have wowed the world with incredible turbo-charged engine performance, but they impressed none the less. Precision handling, drivability, and the incredible build quality we’ve come to expect from Big Red was more than enough to label the new Talon a contender.
Backed by years of intensive R&D and durability testing before ever bringing it to market, the Honda Talon’s new 999cc engine,was rubber-mounted and mated to a performance tuned version of their already proven Dual Clutch Transmission. The DCT eliminates the need for a CVT and the belt issues that come with it. The 3 mode DCT offers 2 fully automatic shifting modes, (Drive & Sport) and a manual option with steering column mounted paddle shifters. In Drive mode, the engine will run at lower RPMs for more relaxed driving, whereas in Sport mode, it holds gears longer for higher RPMs and more aggressive driving. While driving in automatic modes, the driver can still instantly override the auto shift with the paddle shifters, sot here’s always power or engine braking on tap. To compliment the Talon’s highly reliable automotive type DCT transmission, Honda engineers also developed an incredibly durable drive train and oversize cooling system.
The Talon gets oversize U-Joints for torsional strength and durability, and the driveshaft components are high-mounted to maximize ground clearance and reduce susceptibility to damage. The cooling system gets an oversize, 8 blade electric fan to compliment the large radiator. Both of these are areas where other manufactures have faltered a little in the past, but Honda engineers claim to have tested and developed under extreme conditions, and over-built to a near zero failure point.
Covering All The Bases
The well received introduction of those first Honda Talon two seat models left the industry thirsty for more. By more, they meant things like four seaters and turbo chargers. Honda engineers had already been busy developing their four seat model, and these requests were met quickly with the follow up release of two different four seat Talon models. The Turbo option came to light as a factory backed,warrantied, and finance-able aftermarket turbo kit from Jackson Racing.In Fall of 2019, the media was able to get behind the wheel of two brand new Talon 1000X-4 models. The 64” 1000X-4 with FOX Podium QS3 was pretty much what we were all expecting. A 72cm longer wheelbase Talon that excels in high speed handling and features comfortable stadium style seating for four. It was now possible to share the Talon SxS experience with the whole family, and Honda also now had an ideal Desert platform. The second four seat Talon model was expected by most to be a wider, longer travel Talon 1000R-4, but it wasn’t.
Instead we were first introduced to the FOX live Valve Suspension on the 64” wide Talon 1000X-4FOX Live Valve. Developed as a collaboration between FOX, Bosch, and Honda, the Live Valve suspension offered a constantly varying and adjusting ride quality like had never been seen before – plush when needed, and instant compression when needed for abrupt impacts or landings. They features 2.5” bodies with 7/8” shafts for quick response and minimal fade under extreme use. The sensor and computer driven compression system provides near perfect damping over a variety of terrain, and was well received by everyone that experienced it.
This Live Valve system has proven itself valuable and effective in nearly every offloading situation. It improves body roll without limiting travel, like no sway bar ever could. All day comfort is achieved with minimal compression at lower speeds, and instant impact resistance keeps you confident at any speed, on any trail. This was the natural progression to the two seat lineup, and surely will be incredible paired with, and tuned for the wider,longer travel Talon 1000R model.
HondaAccessories
Honda recognizes that side-by-side owners love to make their vehicle uniquely theirs, and continues to expand its lineup of accessories for the Talon. Genuine Honda accessories available for the Talon 1000R FOX Live Valve and Talon 1000R FOX Live Valve include:
Aluminum Roof
Aluminum Doors
Fabric Upper Doors
Lower Door Panels
Auxiliary LED Lights
Horn Kit
Horn Kit Wire Harness
40” LED Light Bar
Switch Plate/Wire Harness with Volt Meter
Windshield Wiper Washer Kit
Accessory Sub Harness
Flag Kit
Rear View Mirror
Side Mirrors
Rear Panel
Fabric Rear Panel
Winch
Winch Mount Kit
Glass Windshield
Half Wind Deflector
Full Poly Vented Windscreen
Cargo Bag
Center Storage Bag
Storage Cover
Lower Door Storage Bags
Corner Storage Bags
Roof Storage Bags
Front Bumper
Aluminum Front Bumper
A-Arm Guards
A-Arm Guards
Trailing Arm Guards
Trailing Arm Guards
Side Skid Plates
Frame Skid Plates
Rear Bumper
Aluminum Rear Bumper
Nerf Bars
Floor Mats
Audio System
S&B Particle Separator
Intrusion Bar
Because they are so confident in the quality of each of the Honda Accessories, they offer one oft he best warranties in the industry. One-year warranty begins on the day accessories are purchased by the customer.
SPECS:2021 HONDA TALON 1000R / 1000X FOX LIVEVALVE
ENGINE/TRANSMISSION
Engine type: Liquid cooled, Unicam OHC longitudinally mounted, parallel twin, w/4 valves per cylinder
Displacement: 999cc Bore x Stroke: 92mm X 75.15mm
Compression Ratio: 10:1
Horsepower: 104 HP to crankshaft
Lubrication system: Dry sump Induction: EFI with 46mm throttle bodies
Ignition: Full Transistorized
Starting/back-up: Electric/none
Starting procedure: Turn ignition switch
Air Filter: Paper Pleat
Transmission: Six-speed automatic DCT, reverse and high/low sub-transmission
Clutch: 2-Multiplate Wet
Drive train: Honda’s I-4WD w/brake traction control system (BTCS)+torque biasing diff
Final drives: Direct front and rear drive shafts
Power Steering: Electric Power Steering (EPS)
DIMENSIONS/CAPACITIES/WEIGHTS
Fuel capacity: 27.6 liters (7.3 gals) including 4.1liter (1.1 gal.) reserve
Wheelbase: 1000R 235.4 cm (92.7”), 1000X222.5cm (87.6”)
Overall length/width/height: 1000X314cm/163cm/191cm (123.9”/64”/75.3); 1000R314cm/174cm/192cm(123.9”/68.4”/75.6”)
Ground clearance: 1000X32cm(12.7cm); 1000R33cm (13”)
Turning Radius: 1000X 5.4m (17.7 ft.); 1000R 6.5m(21.3 ft.)
Claimed dry weight: 1000X 690kg (1521 lbs.);1000R 708kg (1,561 lbs.)Cargo Box Capacity: 136 kg (299 lbs.)
ROLLING CHASSIS
Frame: E-coat dipped, powder coated one-piece frame
Suspension/wheel travel:
Front: 1000X Double wishbone; 37cm (14.4”) of wheel travel 1000R Double wishbone; 45cm (17.7”) of wheel travel
Rear: 1000X 3 Link trailing arm 37cm (15”) of travel; 1000R 4+ Link trailing arm, w/ 51cm (20.1”)of wheel travel
Shock: FOX Podium 2.5 shocks w/ Live Valve Brakes/actuation:
Front: Hydraulic discs 250 mm w/twin piston calipers, Electronic Brake force Distribution (EBD)
Rear: Hydraulic disc 250 mm w/twin piston caliper,Electronic Brake force Distribution (EBD)
Tires:
Front: AT 28×9-15 Maxxis
Rear: AT 28×11-15 Maxxis
Wheels: 15 inch Cast Aluminum Wheels
ELECTRICAL
DC Outlet…Console
Lighting:
Front: LED Hi/Lo Headlights
Rear: LED tail lights/brake lights
DETAILS
Colors: FOX Live Valve 1000R Metallic Grey / FOX Live Valve 1000X Pearl White/Metallic Blue
Instrumentation:
Digital or Analog
Speed/odo/trip/hour/RPM/fuel/gear/clock/2wd-4wd
Winch: N/A
Protection: Included front bumper, Injection molded full skid plates, premium half doors, and HD CV boot guards
Warranty: 12-months Standard Honda CareWarranty, and available up to 48 months Extended Protection Available
PRICE: TBD
