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your driving style even in rutted or whooped out terrain. Now let's switch over to Sport mode. At slower speeds the suspension might be a tad harsher but drastically improves as the throttle is turned on. Most long travel sport vehicles tend to handle with a little more aggressive feel until they are at speed and that's when the results of all the engi- neering will come alive. When your level of throttle input picks up as well as the speed and side load or chassis roll increases, you can count on this system to cover your six. The intelligent system realizes you are about to get serious on some o-road terrain and begins to oer up some real time adjustments for your driving style. Although this is just a simple two-way switch the real work is being done in milliseconds through the computer system onboard. The sensor set up is incredible in itself with each and every item it monitors while you drive your Honda Talon. Starting with the speed of the vehicle as well as how you are using the gas pedal, this system is calculating at a rapid rate. The onboard IMU (Inertia Measure- ment Unit) along with 5-Axis accelerometer are computing information at a speed of 200 times per second. The IMU calculates input while cor- nering as the chassis shifts its weight from side to side. This device also takes into consideration the shift of weight from front to back during hard stops or bucking terrain. Working with the electronic brake force distribution by-product of Honda's i-4WD the shocks will adjust the compression of the Honda Talon suspension as you come to a stop by stiening the front shock while proportioning the rear shocks accordingly. This results in a nice smooth and more controlled stopping ability by the Honda Talon. So how does the Honda Talon Live Valve actually handle in a real world setting like the high desert or extreme rocks and whoops at speed? I'm glad you asked. We've tested this system extensively from the deserts of Nevada to the mountains of Montana. Climbing into our Honda Talon 1000x-4 at the Chief Mountain West OHV in Nevada, it was clear to myself as well as my passenger that there would The shock is looking at these items in real time to gather the informa- tion it needs to make changes to your ride while on the trail. Suspension Mode Switch position – Allows driver to choose suspension modes. Suspension ECU – This electronic control unit manufactured by Bosch calculates all of the info and adjusts the signals accordingly. Steering angle sensor - Monitors if you are turning or going in a straight line through sensors in the EPS unit. Engine - DCT ECU (Dual Clutch Transmission) - Monitors throt- tle position, Vehicle speed, Gear selection and engine RPM Brake Pressure sensor – Calculates how hard you brake and when. Bosch IMU (Inertia Measurement Unit) - This 5-Axis iner- tia measurement unit adjusts suspension to Roll, Pitch, Yaw as well as G-forces inputs generated during the ride. All these inputs determing shock compressions settings in real-time! CYCLENEWS.COM 45

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