What kind of HP can the Talon be built to that's reliable?

HPnMORE4J

HPnMORE4J

Well-Known Member
Mar 8, 2021
1,037
6,096
113
NW Oregon
Ownership

  1. Do not currently own
New to the Honda SXS world as I run other SXS machines and lot of 250-400hp set ups out there which work great for the sand where I mostly ride other than ATV/ UTV's for trail/work use.

Since I've always liked and owned Honda's since the '70s for many reasons and other purposes, I've been doing a lot searching and not finding too much other than a Turbo option and curious what they are capable of handling and what is available.
So far I've found an additional 11hp stage 3INT tune.

What's the latest and greatest?
 
red1329

red1329

Well-Known Member
Mar 4, 2021
109
471
63
central il
Ownership

  1. 1000-5
They are pushing 500hp out of a triple! Can't say the reliability is there.... ;) 😜
i will say, from my pioneer standpoint, the transmission is going to be the biggest hiccup.. the 6 speed tranny is great bust if you but your tires free and don't let up on the petal the pioneer will sit there and rev limit the engine instead of slamming it into the next gear.. this could probably be tuned out.. who knows maybe the talon doesn't have the same issues. now if you can get past the tranny shifting issue id say even if you could only make say 300hp you'll get way more to the ground through the Honda tranny!
 
HPnMORE4J

HPnMORE4J

Well-Known Member
Mar 8, 2021
1,037
6,096
113
NW Oregon
Ownership

  1. Do not currently own
Even if you could get to 200-250hp with the tranny holding up would be enough to call it good.

Edit: Found this, pretty impressive.
 
Last edited:
F

Fyathyrio

Well-Known Member
Sep 24, 2019
245
675
93
Utah
Ownership

  1. Talon R
All those high HP numbers I've seen for other brands are fictional theories at the crank, not the wheel, and are pulled out of marketing's azz since they aren't backing up the claims with dyno numbers.

The Honda trans applies power completely different from rubber band powered machines, so it isn't a direct comparison.

You can add all the power in the world, but that 74MPH limit will still haunt you.
 
HPnMORE4J

HPnMORE4J

Well-Known Member
Mar 8, 2021
1,037
6,096
113
NW Oregon
Ownership

  1. Do not currently own
All those high HP numbers I've seen for other brands are fictional theories at the crank, not the wheel, and are pulled out of marketing's azz since they aren't backing up the claims with dyno numbers.

The Honda trans applies power completely different from rubber band powered machines, so it isn't a direct comparison.

You can add all the power in the world, but that 74MPH limit will still haunt you.
The most reliable one I've found for the Can Am
  • E85 | WS340XR Tune; 334 Wheel Horsepower @ dyno | ~380 Crank Horsepower
KWI holds the 2019 stock turbo 0-60 record at 2.97 seconds in a Can-Am X3 with Whalen Speed WS205ME E85 tune using the AO clutch kit. Not sure what the WS340XR is doing :oops:
 
Last edited:
H

HondaTech

Guest
All those high HP numbers I've seen for other brands are fictional theories at the crank, not the wheel, and are pulled out of marketing's azz since they aren't backing up the claims with dyno numbers.

The Honda trans applies power completely different from rubber band powered machines, so it isn't a direct comparison.

You can add all the power in the world, but that 74MPH limit will still haunt you.

The speed limiter has already been bypassed.

Ive heard 160-180 @ wheels before the clutch is a problem.
 
snuffnwhisky

snuffnwhisky

Village Idiot
Lifetime Member
Supporting Member
Sep 21, 2016
3,308
18,181
113
Cullman, AL
Ownership

  1. 1000-5

  2. Other Brand
HPnMORE4J

HPnMORE4J

Well-Known Member
Mar 8, 2021
1,037
6,096
113
NW Oregon
Ownership

  1. Do not currently own
advertisement
PaulF

PaulF

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Lifetime Member
Jul 1, 2019
1,462
4,815
113
Utah
Ownership

  1. Talon R
New to the Honda SXS world as I run other SXS machines and lot of 250-400hp set ups out there which work great for the sand where I mostly ride other than ATV/ UTV's for trail/work use.

Since I've always liked and owned Honda's since the '70s for many reasons and other purposes, I've been doing a lot searching and not finding too much other than a Turbo option and curious what they are capable of handling and what is available.
So far I've found an additional 11hp stage 3INT tune.

What's the latest and greatest?
I'm sure you can muster up 300+ hp out of the Talon motor with enough money and the right skills but you used the "reliable" word. None of those high HP machines are going to be reliable. The clutch, belt, trans, gears, diffs, axles, etc. will never reliably handle that much power.

There are reports of stock Talon pistons failing with the Jackson Turbo when used in long races. Also, someone here toasted their 1-3-5 clutch with the Jackson Turbo (although I believe he over boosted his and was getting a little more power).

You can reliably add the Jackson Turbo (~165 HP) and for the dunes, I suggest replacing the pistons with some CP forged.

You can also reliably do the Hess top end work (~135 HP) for a little cheaper and again, I suggest the forged pistons for the dunes.

DO NOT waste your money on exhaust and tunes, they are all BS and add little to nothing. The claimed HP gains are all just sales hype. They compare their worse stock dyno run against their best modded run when in reality, the average runs are much closer together. If they disclosed all the facts, they wouldn't sell anything.

11HP gain that PwrTune claims with an exhaust and a tune is a pipe dream. I had all that crap and it did nothing but make noise and run funky. The HMF and DynoJet tunes were not any better (or worse for that matter). I took it all off except I use that expensive tuner to raise the rev limiter and lower the fan temps.
 
HPnMORE4J

HPnMORE4J

Well-Known Member
Mar 8, 2021
1,037
6,096
113
NW Oregon
Ownership

  1. Do not currently own
I'm sure you can muster up 300+ hp out of the Talon motor with enough money and the right skills but you used the "reliable" word. None of those high HP machines are going to be reliable. The clutch, belt, trans, gears, diffs, axles, etc. will never reliably handle that much power.

There are reports of stock Talon pistons failing with the Jackson Turbo when used in long races. Also, someone here toasted their 1-3-5 clutch with the Jackson Turbo (although I believe he over boosted his and was getting a little more power).

You can reliably add the Jackson Turbo (~165 HP) and for the dunes, I suggest replacing the pistons with some CP forged.

You can also reliably do the Hess top end work (~135 HP) for a little cheaper and again, I suggest the forged pistons for the dunes.

DO NOT waste your money on exhaust and tunes, they are all BS and add little to nothing. The claimed HP gains are all just sales hype. They compare their worse stock dyno run against their best modded run when in reality, the average runs are much closer together. If they disclosed all the facts, they wouldn't sell anything.

11HP gain that PwrTune claims with an exhaust and a tune is a pipe dream. I had all that crap and it did nothing but make noise and run funky. The HMF and DynoJet tunes were not any better (or worse for that matter). I took it all off except I use that expensive tuner to raise the rev limiter and lower the fan temps.
The Rotax with upgraded head studs/manifold, turbo, injectors along with clutch work has proven to be reliable to 220-240hp rwhp. The cat being the biggest culprit in the exhaust, an important part of flow. A tune is needed for proper ignition/injector timing and to override the stock ECU. One thing about the CVT is they are an easy and inexpensive vs a transmission. Hence why most high hp sand cars run Mendeola. KWI really has it down with the CVT to keep belt temps down and longevity.
 
snuffnwhisky

snuffnwhisky

Village Idiot
Lifetime Member
Supporting Member
Sep 21, 2016
3,308
18,181
113
Cullman, AL
Ownership

  1. 1000-5

  2. Other Brand
To make big hp reliable you really need a standalone ecu. The hondas transmission controller is integrated in the ecu so that kills big hp setup. Not sure how the clutch would hold up. Here's a stock yxz clutch compared to the honda.

Attachments 2 Attachments
 
Last edited:
Smitty335

Smitty335

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
Supporting Member
Oct 3, 2016
35,445
208,729
113
NWA Arkansas
Ownership

  1. 1000-3

  2. 1000-5
Killer223

Killer223

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
Jan 15, 2019
265
530
93
86004
I'm sure you can muster up 300+ hp out of the Talon motor with enough money and the right skills but you used the "reliable" word. None of those high HP machines are going to be reliable. The clutch, belt, trans, gears, diffs, axles, etc. will never reliably handle that much power.

There are reports of stock Talon pistons failing with the Jackson Turbo when used in long races. Also, someone here toasted their 1-3-5 clutch with the Jackson Turbo (although I believe he over boosted his and was getting a little more power).

You can reliably add the Jackson Turbo (~165 HP) and for the dunes, I suggest replacing the pistons with some CP forged.

You can also reliably do the Hess top end work (~135 HP) for a little cheaper and again, I suggest the forged pistons for the dunes.

DO NOT waste your money on exhaust and tunes, they are all BS and add little to nothing. The claimed HP gains are all just sales hype. They compare their worse stock dyno run against their best modded run when in reality, the average runs are much closer together. If they disclosed all the facts, they wouldn't sell anything.

11HP gain that PwrTune claims with an exhaust and a tune is a pipe dream. I had all that crap and it did nothing but make noise and run funky. The HMF and DynoJet tunes were not any better (or worse for that matter). I took it all off except I use that expensive tuner to raise the rev limiter and lower the fan temps.
do you have to pull the entire engine to swap the pistons etc or cvan you just take the top half off while still in frame?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Biteme and red1329
PaulF

PaulF

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Lifetime Member
Jul 1, 2019
1,462
4,815
113
Utah
Ownership

  1. Talon R
The CVT with proper clutch work versus this..... Hopefully someday, however it will all be electric by then!
If you want a big HP fast duning machine, you are looking at the wrong brand. The Talon will not make you happy if that is what you are primarily after. Not only because of the lack of power required for the dunes but the suspension geometry. It is all wrong for the dunes. This includes all models, the R and the X2 and X4. None of them have the proper suspension for dunes or desert.
 
HPnMORE4J

HPnMORE4J

Well-Known Member
Mar 8, 2021
1,037
6,096
113
NW Oregon
Ownership

  1. Do not currently own
If you want a big HP fast duning machine, you are looking at the wrong brand. The Talon will not make you happy if that is what you are primarily after. Not only because of the lack of power required for the dunes but the suspension geometry. It is all wrong for the dunes. This includes all models, the R and the X2 and X4. None of them have the proper suspension for dunes or desert.
Unfortunately agreed from what I'm finding
 
advertisement

About us

  • Our community has been around for many years and pride ourselves on offering unbiased, critical discussion among people of all different backgrounds. We are working every day to make sure our community is one of the best.

User Menu

Buy us a beer!

  • Lots of time and money has gone into making sure the community is running the best software, best designs, and all the other bells and whistles. Care to buy us a beer? We'd really appreciate it!

    Beer Fund!

    Club Membership!