Best Honda Talon Upgrades – Making a Really Unique UTV

Big Red did not waste any time introducing the four-seat Talon, which featured Fox Live Valve innovation and a brand-new Launch Control modification. The Talon 1000 two-seat variants for the 2021 model year were later revealed, with similar Fox Live Valve shocks and Launch Control.

Mods and upgrades highlights

• Commonsystems:engines, interior, exterior, suspension
• Average prices:$1,500 - $7,000
• Average waiting time:7 - 21 days
• Commonreasons:higher speed, power, and visual improvements
• DIY mods:just minor visual changes
• Level of satisfaction:high

Improve Talon Ride Quality

The two-seater 1000R is the only one with an actual double spring set with adjustable crossovers to enable fine-tuning of the ride quality against bottoming resistance; suspension optimization is high on the list of the Honda Talon additions.

There is a dual spring per shock in the Talon 1000X and no crossovers. Dual coil spring sets are available to improve the quality of the ride while maintaining bottoming resistance. The WR Edition dual coil spring with an inner shock absorber modification set plus crossover and preload parameters costs $1240, while the Weller's DRS kits cost $260. The crossover bands are included in the similar WR Edition set, costing $1320. 

The Talon 1000R double spring set from Shock Therapy costs around 600 dollars and is specially designed for at least 21 variations of weight; all springs are manufactured in the United States and come with a lifetime warranty.

Shock Therapy aims to increase ground clearance, enhance bottoming, and eliminate rear-end bouncing. They also supply an improvement system for the Talon ride, which alters internals and boosts circulation through pistons, adjusters, shafts, and bypass tubing, they also change the bump stops plus the extension spring sliders.

Talon Radiator Relocate

The Polaris RZR RS1 and Yamaha YXZ1000Rs from 2019 and later are the only ones with bed-mounted radiators. The Hess Motorsports radiator repositioning kit is one of the best Talon improvements because it is a solution to the muck and roost blockage that causes overheating in the front-mounted radiator.

Hess Motorsports created this kit to avoid clogging and overheating while not obstructing sports racers' rear-view mirrors. The radiator relocation boosts coolant volume, cooling circulation, and more with bigger CBR radiators and two high-output fans.

Customers get a radiator with fans, hoses, mounting brackets, caps, clamps, wiring with a fan-over-ride control, and all necessary hardware for assembly.

Wheel and Hub Upgrade

Honda makes its own tires, with large 28x11-15 rear wheels on 33mm (5.25 inches+2.75 inches) offset rims for all Talons.

Many racers prefer upgrading to tougher tires with bead locks and rear front-width tires. Racers on short course tracks prefer narrower rears for faster turn rotations, while desert racers prefer spares because they take up minimal room on the bed and make chase vehicles easier to equip.

Hess prefers race tires, but no one has yet manufactured 5.25 inch+2.75 inch offsets, reducing hind width and allowing the front end to plowing. Hess applies the 1.5-inch spacer in the rear to regain balance and rotation.

For those switching to 5-inch+2-inch race wheels all around, Hess is manufacturing aluminum hind hubs with an extra 1.5-inch diameter.

Steering Upgrade

Hess Motorsports is known for its steering quickeners, which adjust the factory standard steering system's ratio, affecting the car's response time and general handling. The 2:1 Talon steering quickener keeps the standard steering and paddle shifters while retaining full tilt capability.

The billet aluminum mounting installs without any alterations. Hess has designed the Hess steering setup with a greater motion to enforce the 1000R steering range on the other side of the column.

For the 27% larger rack gear, the pinion gear sits on double bearings with strengthened bushing. The Hess rack's casing is made of 6061 billet aluminum and is coated for a long-lasting finish. It can be completely rebuilt and greased. Moreover, the sectional design facilitates bushing replacement without removing the rack. 

Front and Rear Billet Knuckles

Due to the fragility of the OEM cast knuckles at the bottom ball joint, Hess Motorsports has developed front knuckles made of billet aluminum. The lower ball joint on the custom cast knuckle is narrow; the knuckles fashioned from billet aluminum have more substance at the ball joint and tie-rod mounting.

They are nimbler and sturdier than stock because they are made of aluminum.

Hess is also developing billet aluminum for the back wheel knuckles to replace the flimsy single top radius-rod shear installation that tuners and competitors have been shattering. The rear knuckles are double sheer and lightweight, with extra metal in key places.

Tougher Tie-Rods for Competing

A lot of people have shattered the standard Talon tie rods. From the rod end, they decrease from 12mm down to 8mm threads; heavy hits snap them at the 8mm strands. It can be remedied by using tie rod fitting from a Toyota truck with 12mm studs; these also have tougher sleeves with lock nuts and cotter-key holes.

Increase Talon Fuel Capacity

The Talon's fuel reservoir is one of the smallest among the UTV sport vehicles, with 7.3 gallons. Hess offers a fuel cell that adds 3 gallons to the 7.3 gallons of the custom tank. It is still compatible with the OEM pump and cover. It costs around 400 dollars and comes with all the necessary hardware.

Power Upgrades

The Stage 2 engine kit developed by Hess includes cylinder head cleaning and polish, a valve with five angles, refacing the valve, surfacing the head, a camshaft for high performance, ECU tuning, as well as a head gasket.

This kit boosts flow by an extra 30 CFM, adding a 30% horsepower to the back wheels for a total of 163 horsepower. The ECU tuning enhances the fuel mapping and the ignition timing. It boosts the top speed to about 95 mph, optimizing shifting, and it is configurable for tire size. 

High-Performance Exhaust

For all Honda Talons, HMF Performance offers quick installation and complete exhaust systems. The 5-inch exhaust delivers three horsepower and 4.07 Nm of torque while saving 9 pounds of weight. When the vehicle is idling, the Titan QS is 5 dB louder than the factory kit, while the XL is just 2 dB noisier. 

HMF's entire exhaust system for Talons includes the heads and two 5-inch Performance canisters. The 4-inch performance set made of aluminum delivers four horsepower with 5.42 Nm of torque while reducing weight by 10 pounds above standard.

Titan complete setups have steel mufflers that are 5 inches and come in XL and QS internal core configurations with a 5-pound reduction of weight. Racers will prefer the XL since it has 7.5 extra horsepower plus 5.15 Nm of torque, as well as 6 dB more sound at idle than standard.

The QS set produces 4 dB more noise on public lands. 

Passenger Harnesses

A set of two DragonFire safety harnesses with override plug with lap mount bolts has been rigorously tested by the DragonFire Racing crew in the most extreme situations.

The harness will keep the occupants secure and improve the ride whether one chooses rock ledges, mud tracks, dunes, or hard terrain in distant areas.

Amongst some of this product's "luxury" qualities are the memory foam shoulder pads and the movable sternum clamps.

Aside from that, DragonFire took individual style into account while designing the harness: one may purchase it in black, red, blue, or grey, according to the color theme of their Honda Talon.

Side View Mirrors

A UTV resembles an automobile in appearance and operation. No car is complete without side vision mirrors; therefore, Seizmik Pursuit side mirrors are the best option for one's Honda Talon's safety and reliability.

Cast aluminum mountings, a broad range of convex safety mirrors, and one-bolt assembly are among the most appealing aspects of these mirrors. The mirrors will withstand a lot of abuse before needing to be replaced.

Another choice is the Seizmik Halo-RA CAST rear-view mirror if someone is looking for variety in performance and safety mirrors.

Final words

In sum, the Honda Talon stands out amongst the beloved UTV fraternity. The people that proudly follow this manufacturer's badge love it for its beautiful design, flawless performance, and high levels of comfort.

One would believe that all they have to do is just drive or put it to work once they receive it from the vendor. True UTV enthusiasts, on the other hand, understand that even the newest, most competent UTVs require some improvements, especially when aftermarket additions improve luxury, safety, and efficiency.

With the above upgrades, one will definitely have a unique UTV that delivers while not compromising on the values.