2024 HONDA TALON LINEUP

2024 Honda Talon Lineup – Small changes for an improved ride By the staff of Dirt Wheels

While Honda’s utility UTV lineup consists of four different power options and a dozen trim levels, the sport Talon is only available as a two- or four-seater with or with Live Valve shocks. New for 2024, the non-Live Valve versions are now equipped with Showa-branded shocks, while Fox shocks remain on the Live Valve offerings. Expect more of the Japanese manufacturers to start switching over to Showa suspension very soon.

2024 TALON PRICING

The most affordable Talon is the two-seat X at $20,399. Add $1000 for the wider R version and $2200 for the Fox Live Valve suspension. Two back seats and a longer wheelbase will fetch an extra $2500, with the Talon 1000R-4 Live Valve topping out at $25,899. A non-Live Valve version is not available for the Talon 1000R-4.

LIVE VALVE

Honda’s Fox Live Valve system is a little different than what’s found on the other brands. The computer still does all of its sensing magic, which reads speed, throttle position, steering angle, etc., to keep the UTV planted firmly on the dirt. However, the driver is limited to what they can control. The toggle switch left of the steering wheel is not only hard to see when you are driving, it only gives you only two options: Sport and Normal. Most other brands offer a three-position toggle. According to Honda, the non-Live Valve Talon have .2 inches more front-wheel travel and are equipped with premium Showa shocks with 12 position adjustments. This was the result of a close collaboration between Honda and Showa engineers, who focused on enhancing ride comfort and rebound control while maintaining the shocks’ bottoming resistance for bigger impacts. All are ideal for delivering off-road adventure to a driver and passenger.

Showa is a well-known brand in the dirt bike space, and we expect the shocks to be even more tunable than the older Foxes. Plus, you will see a motorcycle shock specialist bring their expertise to the SxS game as well in the near future.

6-SPEED POWER

The Talon is the original 6-speed-equipped powerplant and the second to feature a belt-less power transfer. The gear-on-gear, dual-clutch transmission makes acceleration instant and very peppy for the normally aspirated mill. In this rig, the driver has the option to shift via steering-wheel-mounted paddles or let the computer do the shifting automatically. We typically leave it in automatic, and if we ever want or need to grab a gear, you can do that by tapping either hand on the paddle. In a recent rock-crawling test, we found that the Honda transmission liked the technical terrain much more than the 6-speed on the 2024 Yamaha YXZ1000R. The exciting nature of the Talon engine signs off or bangs the rev limiter around 75 mph. Fuel mileage is very good at 120–150 miles per tank.

All Talon Live Valve versions come with an electronic Launch mode. Activated via a dash-mounted switch and a simple sequence of shift-paddle and accelerator-pedal movements, Launch Control enables wide-open throttle starts from a dead stop, significantly reducing acceleration time and minimizing work for the driver since the automatic transmission manages upshifts. Once forward movement is initiated, a control program monitors the sensors at all four wheels and automatically reduces torque to low-traction wheels to minimize yaw and keep the vehicle tracking straight even on surfaces with uneven traction between the left and right tires.

COCKPIT

All Talons are very nimble when compared to their competition, and cockpit space is minimal for comparison. The ergonomics are great, and for 2024, Honda added a few greater comforts like under-seat storage and a full door with additional storage. Strength was added to the ROPS on the four-seaters last year, and all versions now have the instrument display located in front of the steering wheel. For 2024, aside from the Speed UTV, the Honda Talons are the only sport UTVs that come standard with window nets.

2024 HONDA TALON LINEUP