Honda Talon 1000R arrives
Honda’s first Sports Side by Side machine (Sports SxS), the Talon 1000R, has arrived in Australia.
Making its local debut in Perth in July, the Talon 1000R is described as bringing a new level of off-road excitement, precision, performance and quality to Sport side-by-side driving.
Built purely for performance, the Talon 1000R is powered by a rear-mounted 999cc parallel twin engine that’s broadly similar to the powerplant in the Pioneer 1000 but tuned for strong torque and linear power delivery.
Matched to the engine are piston oil jets and an oversized radiator and fan to keep the engine cool in race conditions. The intake system has also been designed for engine longevity, while the exhaust has been tuned for “performance and sound quality”.
The transmission is a 6-speed DCT, also from the Pioneer 1000, that can be operated in both automatic and manual modes with paddle-shift controls or a conventional shifter. There’s also the ability to operate the Talon in 2WD and 4WD through shift-on-the-fly switching, regardless of engine speed.
The engine and transmission are housed in a one-piece frame - developed by Honda’s years of experience with two- and four-wheel off-road machines – that’s designed to hold its integrity at speed and when launching over sand dunes and large obstacles. Preparation of the frame includes an extensive dipping, baking and powdercoating process to preserve the paint and prevent rust.
Given its competition focus, the suspension is made up of a double-wishbone front and 4+ link (4-link plus toe link) rear, with Fox Podium 2.5 shocks used at each end. These shocks feature ‘Quick Switch 3’ three-position compression adjustability that enables tool-less selection of comfort, sport or aggressive damping settings. Up front, there’s 449mm of suspension travel in the softest setting, with up to 510mm of travel available at the rear.
Overall weight of 701kg maximises the performance of both the engine and suspension and is a full 25 per cent lighter than the starting weight the Talon 1000R originally carried during its design phase.
Standard driver-assistance features include Hill Start Assist, Electronic Brakeforce Distribution and ‘I-4WD’; a Brake Traction Control System that directs engine torque to the front wheel with the most grip when in 4WD.
Also standard is a roof that includes a front lip to reduce wet weather ingress into the cabin and a rear ‘pass-through’ slit that functions as a spoiler at speed.
Supportive seats with 3-point seat belts, central digital dash display, a grab-handle and sturdy footboards for the passenger, side doors, window nets and LED headlights are also standard. There’s even a 12-volt accessory outlet and two bottle holders in the cabin.
The Talon 1000R will be in most Honda MPE dealers by the time you read this. List price for this off-road-only machine is $31,999.
See your Honda dealer for further details.
