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UTVNEWS.COM 75 Honda Talon 1000R vs Honda Talon 1000X The Honda Talon 1000R is wider and longer with more suspension travel than the 1000X model. It's at home blitzing the whoops and taking on the harshest g-outs the open terrain of deserts and sand-dunes can dish out. It tracks better through previously-ran racecourse roads, proves to float more easily across higher speed washboards and stutter-bumps and just behaves nicely at higher speeds throughout a wide-open day. The Honda Talon 1000R measures 4.4 inches wider than the Honda Talon 1000X at 68.4 inches. Its wheelbase is 4.9 inches longer at 92.7 inches and the suspension travel increases considerably. The front suspension travel is up 3.1 inches at 17.7 inches total and the rear boosts 5 inches over the 1000X at a whopping 20.1 inches. When choosing a new Honda Talon SXS, the choice simply comes down to terrain. If you're going to be carving tighter lines and crawling through narrow gaps, the 1000X and its more compact wheel placement and more agile suspension travel is the right ride for you. If you're going to be driving faster across rougher terrain and more open landscapes, the 1000R and its larger footprint and longer suspension travel is your ride. Back to Tucson It's pretty clear why we chose the Honda Talon 1000R for our Real World Ride in Tucson. The desert in Tucson is big, with valleys stretching between impressive mountain ranges in nearly every direction. Even though it looks vast and open, the roads and trails are very defined thanks to foreboding vegetation that keeps vehicles contained. Yes, you can get into some technical, rocky terrain as you approach the foothills in Arizona, but for the majority of the rides, the 1000R and it's open-terrain bias is going to be the best choice. Real World Rides: Honda Talon, Tucson First Impressions While they're in the market for a SXS, Brent and Haley hadn't actually seen a Honda Talon until we unloaded it from the trailer. They really liked the way it looked and while they've watched a few videos and read some reviews about it, they were basically newbies when it came to the details of the machine. First, the six-speed automatic DCT was a big eye-opener for them. All their SXS experience is with CVT-style transmissions and they honestly weren't totally sure what Honda's DCT even was. Having a manual override via the on-wheel paddle shifters and the option to put the automatic transmission in Sport mode really impressed. "The DCT transmission sounds like it basically takes any driving issues or durability issues out of the equa- tion," Brent said. "I like that it's an automotive-style transmission and having the paddle shifters to go in manual mode, and a more aggressive Sport should be a lot of fun to experience." We constantly hear this reaction when discussing Honda's DCT. It's a standout feature in powersports. It simply works, intuitively, and continues to impress us with its overall usability. For us, DCT is a winner every time we try it. Next up, the cockpit comfort and ergonomics stood out. They commented the Honda Talon was easier to get into and out of than other SXS's they have used, and the seats were comfortable. They would like to see

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