Talon Lets Talk Winches

[MFG]

I have read all the install threads but, I am interested in what winch you chose and why. I am buying one this week and have been looking at the Warn and the ones made by KFI but, I am open to suggestions.
I had a Rhino forever but never bought a winch. I am just wanting to learn a little. My riding is mostly rocky hills. Not much mud. Thanks in advance.

 

[Russ989]

I bought a viper max 4500 for my 700 and I’ll be buying a 5000 for my 1000. The price is right, they work well and they seems to be built well. You can purchase one at the Hondasxs store.
Also, my buddy has a viper max 3500 that stopped working a while back and brought it to me to look at. It had been submerged several times and had formed some rust between the motor and magnets. They were trying everything to get it to turn, hooked up jumper cables from a jump starter and all kinds of stuff. I tore it apart and cleaned it up and greased the seals and then put it back together and it works great so there’s a level of durability there. If you’ll be in deep mud or water go with the elite but if not the viper max is great!

 

[Average_Joe]

My next SXS I will install the Warn Axon 55-S. Simple install positive and negative cables to a battery then connectors for a wand, rocker switch etc I like the simplicity and will make for a clean installation.

 

[Russ989]

My next SXS I will install the Warn Axon 55-S. Simple install positive and negative cables to a battery then connectors for a wand, rocker switch etc I like the simplicity and will make for a clean installation.

They are nice but I don’t think the simplicity justifies the extra $$$$. That’s just my opinion, they are nice winches.

 

[Montecresto]

I have read all the install threads but, I am interested in what winch you chose and why. I am buying one this week and have been looking at the Warn and the ones made by KFI but, I am open to suggestions.
I had a Rhino forever but never bought a winch. I am just wanting to learn a little. My riding is mostly rocky hills. Not much mud. Thanks in advance.

Just bought the Warn Axon 55S

Very sleek, straight lines and simplistic.

 

[Vondy]

In my experience, If you buy the Axon for the Talon you will need winch mount that has a horizontal mounting plate and not vertical. I picked up an L&W mount and it is horizontal back at frame. The rope then rubs on the frame of winch. I think any winch other than the Axon would have been fine. I will likely get a KFI mount instead.

 

[Montecresto]

Warn makes a mounting plate that fits the Talon and works with their Axon winches. So they told me, and sold me. I haven’t installed it yet.

Winch Mount for 2019 Honda Talon 1000 SXS - 102600

 

[Sheetmetalfab]

Seems like the 6k viper elite widespool is the best value.

for 35-65 dollars extra do you really want to be stuck in a hole at midnight wishing you had a bigger winch?

$414 plus the $50 moto alliance mount makes for a very easy install on the talon.

 

[rbtnt]

If you have a bumper/brush guard, make sure your winch, mount and fairlead mount are compatible. I bought a L&W mount for my Warn VRX 45 winch. It fit fine until I installed my SuperATV brush guard. I had to replace the L&W fairlead mount with a SuperATV fairlead mount. SuperATV sold me the fairlead mount and bolts without the winch mount.

 

[alloutdoors]

There are nice winch options out there and would likely go Warn first, but others are good as well. Don't buy too small and I strongly encourage you to get one with synthetic rope, less abrasive on the hands and if it pops under load will simply fall to the ground and that isn't the case for cable. Also, I would pick up some cheap rope to carry along in case you need to reach out, good option here https://www.amazon.com/7000LBs-Durable-Synthetic-Protecing-Offroad/dp/B07XXWV37P/?tag=sxsweb24-20

 

[denniswestfall]

Warn makes a mounting plate that fits the Talon and works with their Axon winches. So they told me, and sold me. I haven’t installed it yet.

Winch Mount for 2019 Honda Talon 1000 SXS - 102600

I used the same warn mount on my warn vrx 4500. Worked fine with the honda acessory brush guard. The 4500 gave me both the in dash switch and the removable remote for the winch. I would had to drill new holes in the Honda winch mount to use the 4500 winch. I tapped into the horn pig tail for the red keyed power wire.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

 

[MFG]

Thanks for all the replies guys. I chose the Warn VRX45 S. I always had good luck with the warn winches on my Jeeps. I got the synthetic rope and there mounting kit for my stock bumper. I ordered the horn power wire kit and the switch adapter from this site to do the install.
I should have a nice install over Christmas.

 

[Cobweb]

I just installed a SuperWinch Terra 45 with synthetic rope and wired remote from Amazon for $400 delivered. I have used Superwinch's for years and believe they are top of the line with the best gears on the market. Comes with a lifetime warranty on mechanical and 1 year on electrical. You will want to cut the provided handlebar style switch off the harness and replace with a toggle (no biggie), but otherwise a very complete and high quality kit.

I can tell you from personal experience that I will not have another Viper. The gears are very cheap and customer service is terrible. On a Viper Max 5000 (came with a used Can Am I had before Talon), the free spool failed and would not engage. So I open it up and saw the cheap gear set they use and did not see any specific issue with the free spool, other than obvious water intrusion and grease that was hardened. I wanted to get new gaskets so I messaged them through their website. After one week with no response, I called. Message said leave return number and they would respond in 24 hours. After another week with no response and, no kidding 10 calls, I finally reached a person. Told me I have to buy a Gear End Kit for $100 to get a $1 gasket. Oh and as it turned out, I did need a $70 kit to fix the free spool (does not include the gasket). So, needless to say I did not purchase the kits, and went out and bought a 5000 lb. Harbor Freight winch with coupon for $140. When I got it, I opened it up and guess what? Same exact gearing as the viper. Viper went into the trash. Harbor Freight winched worked just fine until I sold the Can Am two years later and much abuse.

So my opinion for what it's worth. If you want a cheap winch, go Harbor Freight. If you want a top of the line winch at an affordable price, go with the Superwinch. You could also spend much more for a Warn. Good winch, but very expensive.

 

[Dragon21]

Ive had a lot of winches over the years on different machines. Superwinch was my worst experience as i had a major failure and they needed me to send the winch to them on my dime ($50) just to see if it would be warrantied or not. Warn has been good to me, but im going with Badlands now. I have a 3500 I got for free so will use that until it fails then replace with a 5000lb Badlands.

 

[Sheetmetalfab]

I just installed a SuperWinch Terra 45 with synthetic rope and wired remote from Amazon for $400 delivered. I have used Superwinch's for years and believe they are top of the line with the best gears on the market. Comes with a lifetime warranty on mechanical and 1 year on electrical. You will want to cut the provided handlebar style switch off the harness and replace with a toggle (no biggie), but otherwise a very complete and high quality kit.

I can tell you from personal experience that I will not have another Viper. The gears are very cheap and customer service is terrible. On a Viper Max 5000 (came with a used Can Am I had before Talon), the free spool failed and would not engage. So I open it up and saw the cheap gear set they use and did not see any specific issue with the free spool, other than obvious water intrusion and grease that was hardened. I wanted to get new gaskets so I messaged them through their website. After one week with no response, I called. Message said leave return number and they would respond in 24 hours. After another week with no response and, no kidding 10 calls, I finally reached a person. Told me I have to buy a Gear End Kit for $100 to get a $1 gasket. Oh and as it turned out, I did need a $70 kit to fix the free spool (does not include the gasket). So, needless to say I did not purchase the kits, and went out and bought a 5000 lb. Harbor Freight winch with coupon for $140. When I got it, I opened it up and guess what? Same exact gearing as the viper. Viper went into the trash. Harbor Freight winched worked just fine until I sold the Can Am two years later and much abuse.

So my opinion for what it's worth. If you want a cheap winch, go Harbor Freight. If you want a top of the line winch at an affordable price, go with the Superwinch. You could also spend much more for a Warn. Good winch, but very expensive.

View attachment 171006

can you more accurately define “cheap gear set”?

you also seem to have had a problem with the viper winch you acquired used. Do you know if the winch was abused before you bought the machine it was attached to?

I’ve never been exposed to moto alliance customer service except buying winches (4 bought personally with zero issues after 8 years on the oldest one) so I don’t know if you’re experience is the exception or the norm.

 

[Cobweb]

can you more accurately define “cheap gear set”?

you also seem to have had a problem with the viper winch you acquired used. Do you know if the winch was abused before you bought the machine it was attached to?

I’ve never been exposed to moto alliance customer service except buying winches (4 bought personally with zero issues after 8 years on the oldest one) so I don’t know if you’re experience is the exception or the norm.

As you likely know, most winches are manufactures with gear set mounted to side plates. There are two easy visual indications of quality when it comes to this arrangement and several non-visual indications. The visual are the thickness of the gear and the thickness of the side plates. I don't recall actual dimensions, but the Superwinch has approximately 50% thicker gears and thicker side plates. The swaging method also appears better. As far as non-visual differences, they would include materials use for the gear and side plates. However, I did not do a hardness test of the gears or side plates, so I cannot say plus or minus either way on materials or heat treatment. When I looked at the Viper Max and the Harbor Freight, they had what appeared to be the exact same gear sets. As a point of reference, I am a Mechanical Engineer that works at a gear manufacturing plant for the rail industry.

Honestly, my complaint with Viper is not that my winch failed (everything breaks), it was how their customer service failed to respond and packaged their kits in a way that forced you to buy items not needed. It seams that a 50 cent gasket could be included in all kits since this gasket likely gets damaged anytime you open the winch up. Also, it was allowing water to leak in anyhow.

My point on the gear set quality was based upon the fact that, if I am paying the same price for two winches, i'm going with the higher quality one. I believe that to be the Superwinch over the Viper Max. I do not have any experience with the Viper Elite.

My 2 cents, for what its worth.

 

[Jefferson87]

I put a viper 6k elite wide drum with a kfi mount on mine. Pretty happy with the kit and quality. It's nice that they include extras like a snatch block, universal mount and in cab switch. Haven't got to use it yet. After seeing how hard a 4500 has to work to pull a sxs out of the snow. I personally wouldn't go any smaller in the front.

I also put a viper 4500 narrow drum on the back with modified super atv receiver mount. (I run tracks in deep snow and figured it might come in handy. For the price difference, I should have just done another 6k, but I was trying to save some weight. For the rare case I need more power, I have the snatch block.

 

[PhilCod]

I have the same set up as Cobweb. HMF Bumper, it comes with a winch plate on it, then install the winch on the bottom. I have a KFI 5,000 Lbs. one. That is the 3rd KFI winch I've had and I've been happy with them. You may know this already, but on the Talon they wires for the winch are ran up behind the firewall and taped off. They also have a accessories plug wired there too. I thought it was great that Honda did that as a standard. Depending if your going to add extra accessories that need power, but buying that XTC wiring kit. For about $60 its a great kit that lets you add other accessories that need power. Also, buy that Honda Talon 1000 Oversized Switch Adapter for Live Valve Blank off this site under "store". That way you can take out the oversized blank next to the headlight switch, and snap this new one in with your winch switch.
Back to the winch. I have had Superwinch, Warn, KFI, and SuperATV. Any winch you swamp in deep water isn't going to be great for long. I would say the Warn's have been best followed by KFI. My old RZR 900S has the KFI I put on it. I swamped it by accident about a year ago. The winch still works, but my guess is, it's days are numbered. The SuperATV winch I had on my Teryx got into deep water in a river. It stooped working in about 6 months. Both the Warns I have are still operational on a Rubicon and my Brute Force. My Superwinch on my Rincon lasted about 2 years. Bottom line, keep you winch as dry as possible, and it should last a while. I'm not knocking the SuperATV or Superwinch. I soaked both those winches.

 

[CID]

If you submerge a winch, is it possible to take the cover off when you get home and dry it with an air hose? Or are they pretty much sealed?

 

[MFG]

After looking at a lot of choices for winches and mounts. I chose the Warn 4500 with the synthetic cable and the Warn mount. I think the mount looks just like the Honda mount in the instructions. Installation was simple for the winch. It took a while to loom my cables but it all turned out well and tucks in nice and tight. I also used the switch adapter from this site to install my in and out switch

by my head light switch. I installed the plug for the remote cable under the drivers side wheel well.