Talon Ride quality 1000R

MFG

MFG

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Mar 14, 2019
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East Texas
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  1. Talon R
Does anyone think the slow speed ride quality on the 1000R sucks? I sold my Rhino with I Shock mid travel suspension and shocks in December. It rode like a Cadillac going slow or fast. I would never even foam up your beer. I have not had the Talon out to much the suspension hard yet but the slow speed to me is rough. I have the shocks set on the softest setting and it is choppy. Maybe the shocks just need to be broken in? I was just curious what other people think?
 
JACKAL

JACKAL

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  1. 1000-5

  2. Talon X4
Does anyone think the slow speed ride quality on the 1000R sucks? I sold my Rhino with I Shock mid travel suspension and shocks in December. It rode like a Cadillac going slow or fast. I would never even foam up your beer. I have not had the Talon out to much the suspension hard yet but the slow speed to me is rough. I have the shocks set on the softest setting and it is choppy. Maybe the shocks just need to be broken in? I was just curious what other people think?

It was made for higher speed hits. As a cheap workaround try backing off your spring preload some, don't get crazy, small steps. Properly should have shocks sent in and have low speed rebound and compression revalved, that would give you the better low speed ride you are looking for.
 
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Vondy

Vondy

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Mar 10, 2015
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  1. Talon X4
I thought the X would have a smoother ride as well. Not really complaining, maybe I had overly high expectations. I would like to ride in and R to find out if it is better. Still happy with it overall, hopefully the shocks can be tuned in a little more.

I am coming from a P500 with walker evans, it's still a huge improvement.
 
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Ragnar406

Ragnar406

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  1. 1000-5
I am betting that there will be a lot more options to spring tuning here soon. Might check on / reach out to Shock Therapy and see if they have plans on anything. I have gotten to ride a short trail in the R and really want to ride in the X now to see the difference on Trails
 
MFG

MFG

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Mar 14, 2019
191
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East Texas
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  1. Talon R
I am betting that there will be a lot more options to spring tuning here soon. Might check on / reach out to Shock Therapy and see if they have plans on anything. I have gotten to ride a short trail in the R and really want to ride in the X now to see the difference on Trails
I have already looked at shock therapy. That is probably what it needs when it becomes available.
 
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D

Dwight

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Oct 25, 2015
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Kansas
Doesn't the Talon come with dual rate springs? If so you should be able to adjust the crossover rings so the heavier rate comes in later.
Dwight
 
M

Moto4

Member
Mar 18, 2019
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Vermont
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  1. Other Brand

  2. Talon X
Doesn't the Talon come with dual rate springs? If so you should be able to adjust the crossover rings so the heavier rate comes in later.
Dwight
I have an X which does have dual rate springs but does not have the adjustable cross over like the R does. On rocky trails the ride is a little rougher than I like at low speeds but great when pushed harder. I run the shock in the soft setting. What gets me is that the smaller low rate portion of the spring is pretty much coiled bound at the stock spring setting. I tried backing off the spring pressure. That helped a little but I didn't like losing the ride height so I put it back to near original. I only have 75 miles on it so we will see if it loosen up over time. If not, no big deal. I just plain love this machine. Very high fun factor rating.
 
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snuffnwhisky

snuffnwhisky

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Sep 21, 2016
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  1. 1000-5

  2. Other Brand
The X has a Tender top spring and not considered a dual rate. It is there to get the ride height correct per honda specs with a too heavy of a rate lower spring. Generally tender springs are coil bound at ride height. If it didn't have the low rate spring up top, to get the same ride height, the lower spring would be bouncing around loose at full droop. The X could use a dual rate setup with all new springs or maybe lower rate lower springs for slower speed stuff. The R crossovers looked liked they need to be ran all the way up against the preload nuts for a better ride in the slow stuff. Minimal preload will help on both also for the slow riding. Jack it all the way up to full droop, back off the top nuts all the way till the spring is loose and tighten them till you compress the spring about a 1/4". Honda tends to spring everything for max payload capacity. Removing the rear swaybar tends to make a pretty big difference in ride quality for slow speed stuff but will probably suck high speed.
 
Smitty335

Smitty335

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  1. 1000-3

  2. 1000-5
The X has a Tender top spring and not considered a dual rate. It is there to get the ride height correct per honda specs with a too heavy of a rate lower spring. Generally tender springs are coil bound at ride height. If it didn't have the low rate spring up top, to get the same ride height, the lower spring would be bouncing around loose at full droop. The X could use a dual rate setup with all new springs or maybe lower rate lower springs for slower speed stuff. The R crossovers looked liked they need to be ran all the way up against the preload nuts for a better ride in the slow stuff. Minimal preload will help on both also for the slow riding. Jack it all the way up to full droop, back off the top nuts all the way till the spring is loose and tighten them till you compress the spring about a 1/4". Honda tends to spring everything for max payload capacity. Removing the rear swaybar tends to make a pretty big difference in ride quality for slow speed stuff but will probably suck high speed.
Your the wizard ! HA! After riding with the X & R at the Take Over, think I will go with the R and keep the P1 for yard work and hauling the pups on trail rides! Hope all is well with you and yours!
 
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MFG

MFG

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Mar 14, 2019
191
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East Texas
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  1. Talon R
Your the wizard ! HA! After riding with the X & R at the Take Over, think I will go with the R and keep the P1 for yard work and hauling the pups on trail rides! Hope all is well with you and yours!
I finally went back to Barnwell mountain this weekend. With the cross over rings adjusted the ride quality is much better. I also ran 12psi in the tires instead of 16psi. I am still amaised at the Talons climbing ability
 
J

JimmyTalon

Active Member
Apr 13, 2019
130
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SE Minnesota
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  1. Talon R
Yes, it climbs like a goat.
There is a small but very steep hill on my property. I've ridden sport quads and utv here for thirty years and never attempted that hill, it's just too rough and steep. A week ago I stopped the R at the base of the hill while riding by. We'd had massive rains here for a week previous, so everything was pretty muddy and slick. I figured, why not put it in low and 4wd, and putt really slow partway up that hill, till it breaks loose and I can always back down safely. So I started up the hill. The talon would not slip, and crawled without drama up the hill, around a power pole, thru multiple cross ditches where cattle had made trails across the hillside years ago. It was amazing. Guess I have a new trail!
 
Last edited:
D

DAJO

Active Member
Mar 31, 2019
182
125
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Indiana, Arizona
Ownership

  1. Talon R
I finally went back to Barnwell mountain this weekend. With the cross over rings adjusted the ride quality is much better. I also ran 12psi in the tires instead of 16psi. I am still amaised at the Talons climbing ability

Where do you have your crossover rings set at? I have moved mine up a 1/4" above factory settings. Don't know how much I can go up until spring coils bind.
 
MFG

MFG

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Mar 14, 2019
191
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East Texas
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  1. Talon R
Where do you have your crossover rings set at? I have moved mine up a 1/4" above factory settings. Don't know how much I can go up until spring coils bind.
I think mine are about a 1/4 to 1/2 inch from the top. I will measure and get a picture tonight. I don't know if they coil bind or not but it sure took the harshness of the small bumps out. Where we ride there is a lot of choppy terrain and rocks. My neck was sore from the first outing. This time I was fine.
 
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Talonpalooza

Talonpalooza

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Feb 25, 2019
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Michigan
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  1. Talon X
I thought the X would have a smoother ride as well. Not really complaining, maybe I had overly high expectations. I would like to ride in and R to find out if it is better. Still happy with it overall, hopefully the shocks can be tuned in a little more.

I am coming from a P500 with walker evans, it's still a huge improvement.
I set my rear shocks to 1 and front to 2 and happy with ride.
 
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D

DAJO

Active Member
Mar 31, 2019
182
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Indiana, Arizona
Ownership

  1. Talon R
I have a 900XP RZR with Shock therapy dual rate springs that rides very well.

When the Talon R does not send a sharp pain up my back when hitting a hole then it will ride ok. Not there yet.
 
B

bjniceguy

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May 25, 2019
322
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Iowa
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  1. Talon R
did you get a chance to do pictures of crossover setting? Thanks
 
H

hondabob

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May 14, 2013
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  1. Other Brand

  2. 1000-3
I adjusted the rear tender springs crossover rings up 1/2 inch, that is 7 turns. I removed the sway bar too. The ride is way better now. Today I adjusted the rear crossover rings up 4 more turns. The rear tender springs still have a way to go before coil bind. I adjusted the front crossover rings up 4 turns and there is still more to go before coil bind. I will be testing on Tuesday and will have my 2,000 mile report too.
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Plumber32

Plumber32

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  1. 1000-5
I adjusted the rear tender springs crossover rings up 1/2 inch, that is 7 turns. I removed the sway bar too. The ride is way better now. Today I adjusted the rear crossover rings up 4 more turns. The rear tender springs still have a way to go before coil bind. I adjusted the front crossover rings up 4 turns and there is still more to go before coil bind. I will be testing on Tuesday and will have my 2,000 mile report too. View attachment 133318 View attachment 133319 View attachment 133320 View attachment 133321
Do me a favor and post a fist next to your odometer so I know you are real.
 
D

DAJO

Active Member
Mar 31, 2019
182
125
43
Indiana, Arizona
Ownership

  1. Talon R
The R sure seems stiff it will not hardly move when you push by hand or hang on the side. Will be trying the sway bar disconnect soon. There is no body roll on this machine. My RZR has a lot of body roll at high speed but the ride is good a t low speed with (shock therapy springs). Calculated the initial spring rates, the Talon and RZR are very close in numbers. Hope the quality of springs Honda chose is better than the junk Polaris chose.
 
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