UTV News focuses on new UTV and Side by Side vehicle news and reviews.
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1312066
It is no surprise that most off-road rigs will be in terrain that may require more than the drive of the two rear wheels to get you through sticky situations, so Honda developed a system just for those occasions. First showing up in Honda's Pioneer off-road utility SXS lineup, i-4WD has been adapt- ed very well to the new selection of Honda's sport SXS lineup. Looking into the Honda Talon family this is actually the second generation of i-4WD, specifically formulated for even quicker response and finetuned for sport use. The intelligent i-4WD system is a complex creation, yet it functions simply and seamlessly in use. As the industry's first brake-traction control system for side-by-sides, i-4WD uses computer sensors to monitor wheel speed and then utilizies brake bias to manage the slipping wheels – driving power to wheels with traction. This system can add almost 4X power to a wheel with the most traction. Honda describes it as a combination of brake traction control with a torque-biased limited slip front differen- tial. Digging in just a little deeper you will find that the brake lines are routed through a complex manifold that is electronically controlled by automotive style sensor tech- nology for each wheel. This entire process is happening so fast that most Talon drivers will never feel it working other than the slight pulse feel in the brake pedal, and the constant feel of traction. The system works well at higher speeds and crawling. Let's look at another way the i-4WD changes the ride for the better. If you think of traditional full four-wheel drive (referring to a fully locked front differential) the first thought that might come to mind is stiff or heavy steering. Throwing on power steering hides this. However, even most power steering equipped UTV models still translate some of the heavy feel of the steering into the driver's hands when in full diff lock. This can be tiresome over a long day in rough terrain. With i-4WD the reduction in that heavy feel as well as feedback through the steering wheel is drastic as the front differential is not fully locked in order to get the Honda Talon maximum traction. Ultimate- ly, with Honda's i-4WD you get lighter steering effort, more stability, and confidence-inspiring traction in most UTVNEWS.COM 53