Honda

**Editors Note-This project Honda High Lifter 355 originally appeared in the December 2000 issue of Dirt Wheels magazine. High Lifter Honda 300 4x4 Honda’s 300 (2WD & 4WD) has been one of the best workhorse ATVs of all time. For over ten years now, it has racked up an enviable sales and reliability record that is unmatched in the industry. But with the introduction of Honda’s Rancher line of ATVs in 2000, the 300 was put out to pasture and replaced with this more powerful and versatile 350cc 4-wheeler. There…

This was the epic Sport Shootout between the Honda 400EX the Yamaha Raptor 660R and Bombardier's DS 650. Not since the halcyon days of the late eighties has there been as much excitement in the high-performance ATV ranks as there is right now. Honda got the ball rolling just a few years ago with the introduction of their excellent-handling and ex­tremely nimble FourTrax 400EX. The Honda set new standards with its sporty ride characteristics and impressive reliability record. Only Yamaha’s twin-cylinder…

**Editors Note-This story originally ran in Dirt Wheels April 2000 HOT MODS FOR QUADS Several years ago, CT Racing developed the first aftermarket aluminum cylinder for the Honda 250R engine. Called the Pro-Cross (originally Pro-X), this new cylinder allowed ATV racers much more leeway with motor modifications than the stock 250R offered. In the motorcycle motocross world, engines with various types of power valves have been standard equipment for well over a decade. Virtually every 250cc and 125cc race bike has…

By the staff of Dirt Wheels XTC POWER PRODUCTS 2019 HONDA TALON TURBO Chris Leaming is a facilitator. He and his father Rob are partners in Gilbert, Arizona-based XTC Power Products. They moved there to grow their company that specializes in UTV electronic parts, such as street-legal turn-signal kits, and switch and wiring solutions. Rob and Chris have owned and built a large number of machines over the years. Despite not owning many Hondas lately, Leaming describes himself as a “Honda guy.” Among his current…

The modern three-wheeler you can buy today By the staff of Dirt Wheels The restoration and collection craze of vintage three-wheelers is at an all-time high these days. However, have you ever wondered what a modern-day three-wheeler would be like? A four-stroke engine, fuel-injection, new tires and new suspension can all make a 2020 Honda ATC so much better than they used to be. Unfortunately, Honda got out of the three-wheeled game in 1987. However, BVC trikes saw the demand for three-wheelers using modern technology…

By Staff of DIRT WHEEL HONDA U.S. 90 ATC Many of the fully restored machines you see gracing the pages of Dirt Wheels Magazine lately are the work of Mike Palmgren, owner of Vintage Motorsports Restorations. Mike not only loves restoring machines back to their former glory, but he also owns a few as well. His latest project was this unique HONDA U.S. 90 ATC. For years Mike sat on this untouched, first year,  Honda U.S. 90 ATC. Now he thinks it should have a new home. Today, he’s crating up the rare Honda, with a…

By the staff of Dirt Wheels Photos by Kevin Wing 2020 HONDA FOREMAN RUBICON.  Here is a fun fact: the recreational utility ATV market is still Honda’s bread and butter in the four-wheel category. When Honda had multiple sport quad models on dealer floors, the ranch-style performers easily had double or more sales. Honda 4x4s have a reputation for being the most durable and long-lasting in the business, which obviously helps sales. People purchase 4x4 ATVs for work and recreational performance and enjoyment. It…

By the staff of Dirt Wheels DUNCAN RACING HONDA 250R. After only four years in production (1986–1989), the Honda Fourtrax 250R became the most popular sport ATV of its time, and they sold tens of thousands of them easily. In the 1990s and early 2000s, many were transformed into masterpieces like what you see here. It was a time without current production machines to build and compete with, but that didn’t stop hungry racers from using the best, and at that time, it was hands down the best 250R two-stroke. Today,…

By the staff of Dirt Wheels 2020 CAN-AM MAVERICK VS. HONDA TALON. Can-Am and Honda make two of the newest and most impressive 1000cc, normally aspirated, trail-focused UTVs on the market. It seemed only natural to get them together for a rigorous comparison to see which one has the goods for trails, and to find out where they excelled. Can-Am sent the all-new 64-inch 2020 Maverick Sport X xc that starts at a price of $21,199. It faced off with the $19,999 Honda Talon 1000 X. Of the two available two-seat Talons,…

Options and more options By the staff of Dirt Wheels What an exciting year for the UTV world! There have been big changes in the sport side, with Honda stepping up with a pair of two-seat Talon models. The Talon X is trail biased, and the longer-travel, wider Talon R is more pure sport. A pair of Talon X-based four-seat Talons will be 2020 models as well. Kawasaki introduced the all-new Teryx KRX 1000. Even though it has long travel and a track that matches the Talon R track width of 68 inches, we expect the KRX to be…

By the staff of Dirt Wheels 2020 HONDA TALON 1000X-4 & 1000X-4 FOX LIVE VALVE We were in the room when Honda announced the 2020 Talon 1000X-4 and Talon 1000X-4 Fox Live Valve to the dealer network. There was no mistaking the dealers’ excitement; however, our enthusiasm was somewhat tempered by the announcement that the 1000X-4 siblings would be based on the shorter-travel 64-inch Talon 1000X rather than the long-travel, wider Talon R. A great percentage of long-wheelbase, four-seat sport UTVs are sold where…

By the staff of Dirt Wheels TRX650R ONE-OFF HONDA Way back around 2004, Jay VanValkenberg had been riding a big-bore TRX250R two-stroke for 15 years. He bought it brand new back in 1989. Then he decided to add a four-stroke quad to his collection. He was sick of waiting for Honda to get in gear and offer a big-bore-thumper, straight-axle quad. Being a diehard Honda fan, he wanted a thumper that had plenty of torque and plush suspension. He decided a fully built TRX450R wouldn’t satisfy him, so he decided to build…