What should I check out buying used?

[IngoTheBarbarian]

I may be driving many miles to buy a used Talon. What should I look for as far as wear, damage, or issues?

I know how to look over a car/truck but I'm an ATV noob. The car I'm looking at is a 2020 Live Valve 4 seat. I know about the leaky diff seal but is there any other endemic problems. The guy just put 32s on the car with stock rims and spacers but it was done at a Honda dealer. It has a little under 2k miles.

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[Admin]

 

[Remington]

If you use the search at top, you can find the things your asking for. I found one for you. Lengthy read but you'll have a better understanding.

New Talon Owners - First Things to Know and Check

I pulled the air filter with ~400 miles (700km) on it just to check, and it is dirty so i'll replace it, but had I of not pulled it I would have no problems running it to about 600 miles (1000km). ~60 bucks every 1000km is fine with me. Not ideal, but not the end of the world. The Polaris I had...

hondasxs.com

 

[Dankathy]

I would pull the cover off the air box and look at the clean side for dirt. How much dirt (if any) is to much is your judgment call. With the trail riding i do i would not expect anything to be worn out at that mileage but i'm a desert guy, your signature doesn't indicate where you're at- if it has been used as a submersible i have no experience. Damage is where you find it, broken plastic and paint flaking around bent and stressed steel are always indicators. Hope this works out for you

 

[CID]

The region the buggy was ridden in will help define what to look for - 'US' doesn't give us much to go on.

Ask why he's selling, make eye contact while he answers. Does he have any maintenance records? A mechanically sympathetic owner will usually have them.

Look underneath for crushed frame tubes if you're in a rocky area - especially if an aftermarket skid looks brand new (hiding something?) Look for immersion signs like mud/water stains in the glove box.

Make sure it goes into Low range quickly and cleanly, if it chatters there may be internal shift dog damage. Check the neutral position of the shifter, it should be centered on the neutral gate (you can feel this). It's ok if it's a bit forward, mine is - that means it will 'push' into Low range better.

Dan's idea of looking inside the air box is a good one, there are only 11 (?) quick clips holding it on. I recommend hosing if off first if dirty or you'll introduce your own dirt.

 

[P1K5Dave]

It would take you an hour to open up and inspect a Pioneer airbox.

 

[sporttrac4x4]

Just saying a lot can happen in a 100 miles

 

[SLOWPOKE693]

It would take you an hour to open up and inspect a Pioneer airbox.

Takes about 2 minutes on the Talon unless you have a pile of crap in the bed blocking the access cover.

 

[HBarlow]

To me, the most important things to know about a late model buggy would be age of the pervious owner and how/where it was used. If it was used in the mud I wouldn't touch it at any price.
If it was traded to a Polaris/Can-Am dealer I probably wouldn't want it either.

I would prefer to buy a used buggy from a private individual, not a dealer. You could visit the seller's home, meet and talk with him, look over his garage and tools, and ask how and where he used it. why does he want to sell it?

 

[IngoTheBarbarian]

Thanks for all the replies. The Talon is in the West. It's a younger guy that I chatted with on the phone for quite a while. I doubt it's been mud bogged by the looks of it. He's got SuperATV arms on the front which I didn't notice at first. 32" tires on stock rims with spacers. Is that a plus or minus?

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[toddvdh]

I would say it’s a plus for arms.

 

[CID]

If it has stock rims it doesn’t need spacers, they have the correct offset. He may have wanted/needed clearance for the 32’s though - it seems the X4 rubs at full compression or full lock with 32’s. That’s no big deal either way. I was anti spacer but got over it. Out west is good, it’s dry out here, for the most part.

The Talon and Pioneer 1000 share in a quirk, the DCT bog. The engine idles at 1500 rpm and the clutches engage at 1800 - there just isn’t any torque down there. So if you run into a vertical step, the engine may bog instead of climbing up. This can be handled by rolling back a few inches and bumping the step (gently) and it’ll usually step right up. All that to say, 32” tires can cause this to be a bit worse since the taller tires affect gearing. Some guys never notice it and other guys go back to smaller tires. I’m running 30” for that reason. But I also ride up to 13k feet - even less HP and torque up here.

 

[HBarlow]

If it has stock rims it doesn’t need spacers, they have the correct offset. He may have wanted/needed clearance for the 32’s though - it seems the X4 rubs at full compression or full lock with 32’s. That’s no big deal either way. I was anti spacer but got over it. Out west is good, it’s dry out here, for the most part.

The Talon and Pioneer 1000 share in a quirk, the DCT bog. The engine idles at 1500 rpm and the clutches engage at 1800 - there just isn’t any torque down there. So if you run into a vertical step, the engine may bog instead of climbing up. This can be handled by rolling back a few inches and bumping the step (gently) and it’ll usually step right up. All that to say, 32” tires can cause this to be a bit worse since the taller tires affect gearing. Some guys never notice it and other guys go back to smaller tires. I’m running 30” for that reason. But I also ride up to 13k feet - even less HP and torque up here.

That's extremely important information for owners to fully understand if they use their buggy for rock climbing, or towing heavy loads. I saw your explanation illustrated recently. I was watching a Pioneer trying to climb up and over a huge rock or small boulder in a short camera video in the "shots from the trail" thread here in this forum. The owner was struggling for the reason you explained above. From experience or instinct he backed off a few inches and hit it again and climbed up and over.

I think situations like that drive encountered are the reason we see an occasional member reporting DCT clutch problems. I'ts also something owners should consider when thinking about larger tires. Taller tires effectively change the gear ratios. The shift from standard 27" tires to 32" tires is probably roughly equivalent to our buggies starting in 2nd gear instead of 1st.

I previously owned a VW Jetta Slportwagen with the infamous 2.0 liter TDI (turbodiesel) engine and a six speed VW DCT. Turbocharged diesels produce massive torque just off idle so it was a great car. Our buggies, with 1000 cc twin cylinder high revving motorcycle engines need to turn a little more rpm to make any torque.

 

[SLOWPOKE693]

Ask for the stock front arms. If he tossed them you can pretty much assume he hit something and tore one up. If/when that happened he may have bent the mounting tabs and/or frame. The SATV arms are adjustable so if one side is screwed way out and the other isn't you can bet something is wrong. Ask for a straight on picture of the front of the Talon...

 

[IngoTheBarbarian]

This is as good as I can get until I go get it.

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[Enigma]

Very good advice from other members. I would also check the vent lines for any discoloration. Make sure the seals around the air filter box are not crimped or cracked.

 

[BrianM]

I would probably do a compression check on the cylinders and use a scope to make sure the cylinders aren't scorched. Check the filters and gearboxes for metal flakes. Scope the gearbox also. In short, find a good mechanic and spend a few bucks to make sure the engine and gearbox are good. Before I did any of that I would take it out for a short drive to make sure it felt right.

 

[IngoTheBarbarian]

Ask for the stock front arms. If he tossed them you can pretty much assume he hit something and tore one up. If/when that happened he may have bent the mounting tabs and/or frame. The SATV arms are adjustable so if one side is screwed way out and the other isn't you can bet something is wrong. Ask for a straight on picture of the front of the Talon...

After talking to the guy more he has the stock arms, stock tires, and a cover for the machine that he's giving me.

Is there a problem running the stock tires now that the machine is setup to run the same size on all 4 wheels? I'm headed to the dunes for Halloween and I think the stock tires will be better than the 32s on it.



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[SpeedBuggy]

SATV arms and bigger tires on stock rims are budget upgrades. Look underneath and inspect skid plate damage and frame stress points and welds for chipping paint. I would ask about service records and inquire about the owners knowledge of their machine. Did they work on it themselves or pay someone. I check my fluids before every ride and warm my Talon like a motorcycle because at its heart that’s what it is. It’s been flawless but I still do it before every ride.

 

[IngoTheBarbarian]

SATV arms and bigger tires on stock rims are budget upgrades. Look underneath and inspect skid plate damage and frame stress points and welds for chipping paint. I would ask about service records and inquire about the owners knowledge of their machine. Did they work on it themselves or pay someone. I check my fluids before every ride and warm my Talon like a motorcycle because at its heart that’s what it is. It’s been flawless but I still do it before every ride.

Lol. You got a bigger budget than me. $900+ labor for the arms and $1200 for the 32s. I'm grateful for the upgrades.

There's 1.5" spacers on all 4 hubs. Is that an issue? I can see that causing stress. I'm most likely going to mount the stock 28s back up for the dunes at the end of the month. Wish I had another set of rims.


Just got back from the 14HR round-trip to pick it up.


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[CID]

32's will probably rub 'some' without the spacers depending on actual tire diameter and tread profile (rounded or square) and your riding style - Ricky Racer or #oleguy. An occasional, lite rub wouldn't bother me but a hard, tire lockup most certainly would.