New Honda Talon to launch Nov 27th 2018!

sand shark

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Mar 30, 2009
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Honda never intended for a 20K ( + or - ) Talon to 'compete' with a 30K ( + or - ) Turbo S.
With the government's current and perhaps permanent engine displacement size boot on UTV manufacturer's throats, the worldwide economy less than certain and disposable income in a luxury market at risk for countless other reasons…why would they? A UTV will not turn a measured culture on its head. Take a look at the entire Honda vehicle lineup and tell me where they are looking to capture every segment of a market at any price point….ever.
https://automobiles.honda.com

Honda isn’t feared here for what will happen this spring. It is the fact that most current owners are running less than quality overall systems spinning rubber bands driven by often overworked engines with Honda now in the game. Should Honda decide to shift gears again? A lot of people are going to be disappointed in their choices of not only machines but employers and aftermarket investments. These are not get-a-new-machine-'whenever' decisions for working families (period).

We’re headed for a shakeup in the UTV market and those still standing in the aftermath might just not be all of the usual suspects.
Well my subpar X3 spinning a rubber band made it through 4 days of dunes in Glamis. My poor rubber band is still going strong with 2000 miles of dunes and desert on it.




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It'sYourLegacy

Banned Por Vida
Mar 29, 2015
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Well my subpar X3 spinning a rubber band made it through 4 days of dunes in Glamis. My poor rubber band is still going strong with 2000 miles of dunes and desert on it.
(Previously from SS):
"...I now own a X-3 RS and the primary clutch was bad from the factory (replaced under warranty at 86 miles). I also have have issues with the check engine light and limp mode. As I tear into the car I often shake my head. Had all three spark plugs drowning in anti-seize from the factory and discovered a kinked and pinched fuel vent line. The car is an absolute blast to drive, but so far Can Am has not impressed me with quality control or overall quality..."

Hey, at least your belt hasn't shredded to pieces (yet) at an inopportune moment or taken any other critical drive component(s) out with it in the ensuing explosion.
It's those with the above experiences and those agreeing with your assessment of "overall quality" involving a good number of CVT driven machines who will be purchasing the groundbreaking gear driven Talons.
 

sand shark

Well-Known Member
Mar 30, 2009
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(Previously from SS):
"...I now own a X-3 RS and the primary clutch was bad from the factory (replaced under warranty at 86 miles). I also have have issues with the check engine light and limp mode. As I tear into the car I often shake my head. Had all three spark plugs drowning in anti-seize from the factory and discovered a kinked and pinched fuel vent line. The car is an absolute blast to drive, but so far Can Am has not impressed me with quality control or overall quality..."

Hey, at least your belt hasn't shredded to pieces (yet) at an inopportune moment or taken any other critical drive component(s) out with it in the ensuing explosion.
It's those with the above experiences and those agreeing with your assessment of "overall quality" involving a good number of CVT driven machines who will be purchasing the groundbreaking gear driven Talons.
There you go with "groundbreaking" and "game changer" type language. How about you just stick with DCT set up. Honda is being really dumb by not having the Talon at the dealers now. They are missing out on lots sales for those ready to run away from the CVT set up. Or maybe it is really smart so the west coast sand crowd can't get their hands on one to show how it will perform in harsh conditions.

Yep I had some issues with my Can Am and do not claim that is built perfectly, nor do I claim any of them are built perfectly.
 

sand shark

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Mar 30, 2009
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How much weight did they throw in the bed to get it to wheelie like that? The Pioneer does not have the punch to wheelie without some help.
 

It'sYourLegacy

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"...Honda never resting in continuous product cycles of improvements and added features has filed a patent US 10150481 that in layman's terms allow you to pull back on both paddles simultaneously, pin the throttle, and let go to effectively dump the clutch for high powered launches. This would also allow for spooling up a turbo for the most effective acceleration possible. Currently only the Yamaha YXZ has a similar feature. Every CVT machine effectively cuts power if you press both the brake and accelerator together to prevent burning up belts.
This would be especially effective for getting off the line quicker in competitive events, etc. Operating principle is described in ABSTRACT of screenshot. Full patent attached below....
https://hondasxs.com/threads/honda-...n-dct-with-paddle-shifters.16062/#post-360392
 

sand shark

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Mar 30, 2009
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Launch control. The UTV drag racers have that on their rubber band turbo cars.

Launch control is not going to help it much racing against the others. CVT is instant power and get the car in the happy rpm range quickly.

The turbo cars don’t have much lag with a CVT set up.




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It'sYourLegacy

Banned Por Vida
Mar 29, 2015
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...
Launch control. The UTV drag racers have that on their rubber band turbo cars.
...and I heard that 'any day now' the rubber band manufacturers are going to catch up (over 2 years later) with Yamaha and 'launch' a no-extra-cost/no extra wear 'belt drag system' installed in every wind-up-toy car sold moving forward.

I also heard that once they get the autonomous driving thing figured out...the snowflake generation will be able to 'have fun' without messing with any annoyingly loud gears, seat wrenching shifts or anything required other than watching themselves 'go'...on their phones...from their drones!

Thank heaven that they're already at least half way there with these no-shift-option-whatsoever rubber band toys. :)


 

It'sYourLegacy

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It got pretty quiet when that DCT launched itself out of that guy's driveway and Honda's launch patent confirmed Yamaha's smart move in that direction (already) as well.

Folks just aren't all that in to smelling rubber burning unless its their tires. ;)
 

Blue Coyote

Member
Jul 31, 2009
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It got pretty quiet when that DCT launched itself out of that guy's driveway and Honda's launch patent confirmed Yamaha's smart move in that direction (already) as well.

Folks just aren't all that in to smelling rubber burning unless its their tires. ;)
My rubber band driven Teryx would pull the front wheels up, as would the MTEG car (musta been the 350cc Honda power).
Cool tech and feature- yes. Fear of racing against one - never. Once they come out and get some hours racked up - that will be the proof.


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sand shark

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It got pretty quiet when that DCT launched itself out of that guy's driveway and Honda's launch patent confirmed Yamaha's smart move in that direction (already) as well.

Folks just aren't all that in to smelling rubber burning unless its their tires. ;)
It’s quiet because this forum is pretty quiet. Don’t see a big wave of excitement over the Honda on the social media outlets either. Probably because it’s not at the dealers yet. Maybe more excitement will come in April when the Talon is available for purchase.


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It'sYourLegacy

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"Racing" a yet-to-be built Talon or better yet "Fear" surrounding the racing of a mythical Talon.
Only Honda could ever elicit such emotions with but a 104 HP NA car driven by a geared transmission system like no other.

I'm glad that Honda is waiting until spring.

New UTV owners in the next few months are going to be making some tough decisions with Polaris having to play their hand very soon.
 

sand shark

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Mar 30, 2009
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"Racing" a yet-to-be built Talon or better yet "Fear" surrounding the racing of a mythical Talon.
Only Honda could ever elicit such emotions with but a 104 HP NA car driven by a geared transmission system like no other.

I'm glad that Honda is waiting until spring.

New UTV owners in the next few months are going to be making some tough decisions with Polaris having to play their hand very soon.
Only you are hyped. The rest of us are just fine and not worried about a 104hp Honda.

Polaris has nothing to worry about. The RZR name is synonymous with a SXS. More people know what a Polaris RZR is then a Honda Talon. Not much will change. Polaris is a marketing machine.




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It'sYourLegacy

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Only you are hyped. The rest of us are just fine and not worried about a 104hp Honda. Polaris has nothing to worry about. They RZR name is synonymous with a SXS. More people know what a Polaris RZR is then a Honda Talon. Not much will change. Polaris is a marketing machine.
The DCT or exponential fun multiplier is not "hype". 104 HP is nothing but a place setter for an an extremely conservative offroad culture built on quality first. Polaris did not approach the market in this manner and suffered mightily for it, Consequently, no amount of marketing fought off the introduction and successes of basically well built machines like the XX or recently improved YXZ. Honda cautiously dipped their feet in to a mature market limited by displacement, profit margin realities and a more than likely economic storm on the horizon.

New owners will be looking new introductions over much more closely than many did in 2014 when...a whole bunch of new Honda owners in 2019 (necessarily) began their conversions.
 

sand shark

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Mar 30, 2009
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West Hills, CA
The DCT or exponential fun multiplier is not "hype". 104 HP is nothing but a place setter for an an extremely conservative offroad culture built on quality first. Polaris did not approach the market in this manner and suffered mightily for it, Consequently, no amount of marketing fought off the introduction and successes of basically well built machines like the XX or recently improved YXZ. Honda cautiously dipped their feet in to a mature market limited by displacement, profit margin realities and a more than likely economic storm on the horizon.

New owners will be looking new introductions over much more closely than many did in 2014 when...a whole bunch of new Honda owners in 2019 (necessarily) began their conversions.
You clearly are blind if you don’t understand the power of marketing. Go out to any riding area in this country and tell me how many Polaris products you see compared to the others. Can Am is making some strides with the X3.

Until this year in Glamis there are almost as many Can Ams (X3s) as Polaris XP1000s and XPTs. You see maybe 20 YXZs on a busy weekend and maybe 6 Wildcat XX. If there was every a place for a car that your can shift it would be the dunes, you would think. But the numbers say otherwise.

When I go out to the desert or trails it is almost 80% Polaris. Rarely see a YXZ on the trail or desert. More X3s are popping up.

Honda will offer a nice SXS, but it will make a slightly more splash than the YXZ. The only reason is because the suspension set up on the Talon looks to be better than the YXZ.

Polaris has set the standard for marketing and Can am and Textron are trying to copy what Polaris does.

The Japanese are behind in the marketing game in the SXS world and will never catch up.

So enjoy your 104hp Honda. I will be interred when it comes with a turbo.






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CSG

xc racer - UTVUnderground Approved
Jul 13, 2009
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Honda is not going to build anything game changing fast, that all died with the 250R and the CPSC tricycle fines.
 

tatum

Hans Solo - 2009 UTV Baja 500 & 1000 Winner - UTVU
Feb 10, 2009
1,450
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arizona
Most people only care about the numbers on the spec sheet. Well mine has more HP! Oh yeah, well mine has more wheel travel ! IMO I would start with the best platform to build the best UTV and it isn't a Polaris, Canned Ham, Yamaha, or the new Honda. The XX easily has the best chassis with easily the best steering and suspension geometry front and rear. It also has the best motor that is capable of more HP than all manufacturers except of course Yamaha since they are the same.
 
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sand shark

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Mar 30, 2009
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West Hills, CA
Most people only care about the numbers on the spec sheet. Well mine has more HP! Oh yeah, well mine has more wheel travel ! IMO I would start with the best platform to build the best UTV and it isn't a Polaris, Canned Ham, Yamaha, or the new Honda. The XX easily has the best chassis with easily the best steering and suspension geometry front and rear. It also has the best motor that is capable of more HP than all manufacturers except of course Yamaha since they are the same.
Yep that Wildcat Cat XX is a really nice platform. When they release a turbo version it is going to the bees knees.

I love the look of the Speedcats. Going to be fun watching who they do in Dakar starting next week.
 

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