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HondaTech
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Doubt it, the Talons only been out 3 model years. Honda wont change anything except the colors.
Well that sucks. Ive heard that getting an r2c filter solves 99 percent of the intake problems. Whats the best remedy for gear engagement? Different oil or shifter gate?
If you keep your shift cable adjusted properly you won't probably have an issue. If you add a shift gate with a little extra throw into low It will even be less of an issue and problem solved. Shiftgate cost is around $50. The air intake isn't the best location but I get 750 to a 1000 miles on my air filter and it has still been gtg. I don't ride in the dusty desert areas out west though. That is mostly Tennessee riding.
CID
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Lifetime Member
Supporting Member
The Low range engagement issue is usually a driver training issue. If possible don't use Low until it's warmed up, always make sure the display shows L not - (dash). Shifting at a SLOW roll helps the shift dogs align, so does having your foot off the brake.
The air intake is in a terrible location whether you're using the stock Talon filter or an R2C. One solution is a prefilter on a snorkel, a fairly simple job for anyone handy with tools. That project is covered with photos in the thread linked in my sig - it's HondaBob's idea and has worked very well for many of us - having the prefilter out in the open where you can keep an eye on it is a huge time saver and you're not constantly opening up the stock airbox to service the filter.
highpocket74
Well-Known Member
Vendor
Properly adjusting the shift cable is the key to good shifting into low. Take your time to adjust and it will shift well. After my last adjustment my Talon shifts really good. My father-in-law's Talon was out of adjustment by 1/2" and it never shifted well. I don't think it was ever right from the factory. After fine tuning the adjustment, his shifts great too.
No matter what air filter you install, it will get filthy. R2C has more filter surface to help. Upstream particle separator or some kind of snorkel is a good solution. Many people do that. I have not because I don't want a hole in my plastic.
What do you guys reccomend for the best shift gate or is it not needed once cable is adjusted properly?
highpocket74
Well-Known Member
Vendor
An aftermarket plate is not absolutely necessary with proper adjustment. But if you want a good, I have them.
I just want to try and 100 percent remedy the issue. Ill be picking one up very soon now that theyre becoming available again.
highpocket74
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Vendor
I should have silver plates available again next week sometime. We've been Honda people for most of our lives, until the RZR came out. My father-in-law was mostly disappointed with his Talon shifting into Low from day one. That was one of the driving forces behind designing a better shifter plate. Besides that I just hated the way the OEM plate shifted because you HAD to look at it to shift properly. But the trick was figuring out how to adjust the shifter cable and tune it to where it shifts like you think a Honda should. I haven't ground low gear since we fine tuned the cable adjustment.
Im a diehard honda guy, but I feel that there are some points that need to be addressed for 22. Id still take the talon over a polaris product after my experience with my last 2 rzr’s.
highpocket74
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Vendor
As a diehard Honda fan you should know that historically Honda only addresses issues of new colors and graphics. They build the same machines for decades with no mechanical changes.
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hondabob
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Lifetime Member
Just up today. S&B particle separator parts, $50. Nothing like an easy install without cutting anything. Thanks for the info Rambo.
Frankenstein Snorkel
Frankenstein Snorkel
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My new Talon shifts very easily and engages perfectly. Maybe the factory is doing a better job of adjusting, or maybe I just got lucky!? 
As for the air intake, Honda really messed up on that. Fortunately the fix is fairly painless. I copied the HondaBob Air Intake System (patent pending) before I ever rode my machine in the dirt. I spent around $130 and 3 or 4 hours to do that modification. That is roughly the cost of 3 genuine Honda filters. I think that is likely a better solution than Honda might come up with. I agree, we shouldn't have do things like this, but I got over it. I see very little downside to that modification, and I expect BOTH of my filters to easily last 5,000 miles without further attention. Only time will tell. 🤞
I would suggest not waiting for Honda to address these items. Buy a 2021 (if you can find one) and go have some fun!
As for the air intake, Honda really messed up on that. Fortunately the fix is fairly painless. I copied the HondaBob Air Intake System (patent pending
) before I ever rode my machine in the dirt. I spent around $130 and 3 or 4 hours to do that modification. That is roughly the cost of 3 genuine Honda filters. I think that is likely a better solution than Honda might come up with. I agree, we shouldn't have do things like this, but I got over it. I see very little downside to that modification, and I expect BOTH of my filters to easily last 5,000 miles without further attention. Only time will tell. 🤞I would suggest not waiting for Honda to address these items. Buy a 2021 (if you can find one) and go have some fun!
not necessarily true...all of my dirtbikes have had yearly updates then total redesigns. Ive owned 9 crf250/450’s. Their utility quads are mostly the same every year, but I figured their sport sxs would have the bugs fixed.
highpocket74
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Vendor
Good point. But honda does not spend the same effort or money on the ATV/UTV line as the racing dirt bikes or street bikes. Never have since the TRX250R days of the 80s when they really were the leader in off road.
I’d still buy another Talon though! Go get one and start having fun!!
I’d still buy another Talon though! Go get one and start having fun!!
I would not go to the RC2, see photo. The cheapest way is to put a snorkel on with a filter. The best way is to put a prefilter on like the S&B or KWT. I went with KWT.
KWT X2 1400 mile review
I just got my production model KWT X2 pre-filter, so time to look at how the pre-production model has performed. Here it is with 1400 miles on the filter.
hondasxs.com
SLOWPOKE693
Well-Known Member
Supporting Member
Im going to be the asshole........ How the hell is that a better filter than stock? Id doesn't even look like it has the surface area of a stock filter. WTF? Im glad I passed on getting one of those!
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fartsalot
Well-Known Member
My r2c has never left my air box looking like that,, yea I have not ran in the desert but ate lots of dust on gravel/dirt roads behind other UTVs. I check it often and not one spec of dust in the box, I would bet that dude did not get the lid snapped down right and did not put grease around the sealing surface. Just for safety I keep the intake tubes covered with one layer of the uni green foam that is oiled. I have checked that foam just to see if anything got past the r2c and nothing found.
Ive never met anyone disappointed with the r2c performance. That picture looks like it wasn't sealed properly.
