[1ADMP]

Hello All,

I’m in the market for a new SXS. The Talon has certainly gotten my attention and is now at the top of my list.

I am looking at the Polaris RZR XP4 1000 and the Turbo version as well. I can get into the non Turbo for cheaper than the other two so that’s attractive but honestly having to buy a roof from the start will put me close to the price of the Talon.
I’m looking for a machine that I can take the wife and son out on the trails or to the sand dunes and play with but also use it for hunting. Since I would certainly get more use out of it playing this is why I’m gravitating towards more of a sport machine.
I have some questions for the group.

How well does the transmission work in low range going down steep long grades? I am thinking it will work better than the RZR since they do not have any engine breaking system. My quads have the EBS and it really helps when up in the mountains.
For those of you that have moved to the Talon from the RZR, How did the RZRs do in this situation? How did they do driving slow up mountain roads? Would I burn up a belt in this situation? I know my quads handle fine but then again they don’t weigh 1600-1700lbs either.

Neither on the machines have much of a Cargo area to put gear or an animal. One thing about the RZR is the rear seats come out super easy and that frees up a lot of space. Does the Honda do anything like this?

I love how the Honda has the stadium seating and has more leg room than the RZR. I can’t sit in the back seat of the RZR because my knees are smashed up to the back of the drivers seat. My son liked the rear seats of the Honda better because he could see more as well.

I wouldn’t say I’m an aggressive driver, especially with the wife or son on board. However with that said I know that if I was out playing in the sand dunes I would be playing hard. This seems to be where problems are with belts. Also living in the desert I’m sure the heat doesn’t help the belt drive as much as the transmission.

I’m sure I’ll have more questions to ask when I can think of them.

I appreciate any comments good or bad.

 

[PaulF]

The Talon transmission does compression braking much like a car with a manual transmission. Just downshift and let the engine slow you down. It is an automatic but you can manually override it anytime you want or put it in complete manual mode.

The Talon does OK at the dunes but like any N/A machine, it is a little under powered. With paddles, you can keep up with the turbo machines until you get to the larger hills and bowls. If you plan on mainly duning, the stock Talon is not for you. For duning, buy a Turbo or add a turbo to a Talon.

The RZR Turbo is borderline too much power for a belt and the 200 HP CanAm is way over the belt limit. I see belt changes on those machines in the middle of our local dunes almost every time I am out but most of those guys are careless and don't know how to make a belt last. One of our riding buddies has a Turbo S and has 2500 miles on his belt, mostly at the dunes but he knows how to not fry a belt. On the other hand, 2 of his shocks blew out at 1500 miles so he ended up having to redo his shocks anyway.

The Talon rides rough. The Live Valve rides a little better. Depending on your riding style, you will probably want to get the shocks re-sprung and re-valved.

As far as durability, there are some reports of front diff seal leaks and Live Valve electronics issues but I think the dealers are getting a handle on them. The sub-trans is also susceptible to grinding and wearing the shift dogs if the cable is out of adjustment and/or you are not careful. I have 3300 miles (around 2500 rough miles at the dunes) on my R and never had any issues or warranty work done. I just picked up another R with over 15,000 miles and never had any work done. A member on another forum has almost 20,000 miles and has had a seal replaced. Not many major issues except for early Turbo flash problems that took out several motors. Jackson Racing took care of those.

Every machine is going to have its fair share of problems but I think overall, the Talon is the most reliable machine. I used to have a Rhino so by habit, I carry a lot of tools but never use them for my rig however, I am constantly fixing, towing, helping RZR's out all the time. CanAms don't seam to mechanically break but their suspension and frame are light and weak and they just literally fall apart while driving them. The KRX was touted as some sort of Talon killer but has turned out to be a heavy pig with many problems of its own.

You now have to choose, good luck!!!

 

[Brandon952]

Good luck on finding a 4-X in stock anywheres...I've been waiting for one for a few weeks and put a deposit on one for when they get another in stock. I've called multiple dealerships with zero luck, if you happen to find somewhere that has one call me or text me anytime 912-678-4715 and I'll be on the way as long as its east of the Mississippi River.

 

[Kbar 38]

The Talon does OK at the dunes but like any N/A machine, it is a little under powered. With paddles, you can keep up with the turbo machines until you get to the larger hills and bowls. If you plan on mainly duning, the stock Talon is not for you. For duning, buy a Turbo or add a turbo to a Talon.

You now have to choose, good luck!!!

WOW!! Thanks very much for an excellent analysis of all the makes. I learned some things I didn't know!

For the quote that I captured, do you feel that if someone primarily wants to go to the dunes, and drives conservatively and doesn't try to keep up with turbos, can a 2 seat Talon 1000R be a consistent duning machine WITHOUT converting to turbo?

I've watched the YouTube videos from GO TALON, and he seems to have a conservative yet fun riding style in the dunes in his non-turbo 2 seat Talon 1000R. I've included his channel link below.

GO TALON

Adventures in Off-Roading

www.youtube.com

 

[1ADMP]

Good luck on finding a 4-X in stock anywheres...I've been waiting for one for a few weeks and put a deposit on one for when they get another in stock. I've called multiple dealerships with zero luck, if you happen to find somewhere that has one call me or text me anytime 912-678-4715 and I'll be on the way as long as its east of the Mississippi River.

Yeah i'm a little further west of the Mississippi.

 

[PaulF]

WOW!! Thanks very much for an excellent analysis of all the makes. I learned some things I didn't know!

For the quote that I captured, do you feel that if someone primarily wants to go to the dunes, and drives conservatively and doesn't try to keep up with turbos, can a 2 seat Talon 1000R be a consistent duning machine WITHOUT converting to turbo?

I've watched the YouTube videos from GO TALON, and he seems to have a conservative yet fun riding style in the dunes in his non-turbo 2 seat Talon 1000R. I've included his channel link below.

GO TALON

Adventures in Off-Roading

www.youtube.com

Absolutely, I dune at least twice a month in my stock R and pretty much keep up with some very experienced drivers and one of them is in a Turbo S. I keep up just fine most of the time except on longer hills and the huge bowls. Our dunes are many bowls and not a lot of wide open areas so we can only go so fast. I assume at places like Glamis, I would have a little harder time keeping up but I don't really like to go that fast anyway.

The key is the correct tires and pressure. I have tried a few different tires with varied success but just got some used Skat Trak Extreme 30 inch 10 paddle running 5psi front and 6psi rear. WOW, what a huge difference and the floatation they provide makes up a lot for the lack of power and I feel a lot safer. At 5000 feet, I feel these tires are about as much paddle tires as my Talon can handle. At sea level, you might get away with 32's at 3 to 4 psi.

 

[1ADMP]

Absolutely, I dune at least twice a month in my stock R and pretty much keep up with some very experienced drivers and one of them is in a Turbo S. I keep up just fine most of the time except on longer hills and the huge bowls. Our dunes are many bowls and not a lot of wide open areas so we can only go so fast. I assume at places like Glamis, I would have a little harder time keeping up but I don't really like to go that fast anyway.

The key is the correct tires and pressure. I have tried a few different tires with varied success but just got some used Skat Trak Extreme 30 inch 10 paddle running 5psi front and 6psi rear. WOW, what a huge difference and the floatation they provide makes up a lot for the lack of power and I feel a lot safer. At 5000 feet, I feel these tires are about as much paddle tires as my Talon can handle. At sea level, you might get away with 32's at 3 to 4 psi.

How does the machine do in the sand without the paddles? I just can’t see myself buying a set of paddle tires for the few times a year I would use them. Would the stock tires be ok with three to four people in the machine?
I’m not a racer or speed freak so I’m not looking for top speeds throughout. I’m just looking for a fun time with the family for weekend trips. My riding would mostly be trail riding, hunting, and a few weekends a year playing in the sand.

 

[PT1911]

Good luck on finding a 4-X in stock anywheres...I've been waiting for one for a few weeks and put a deposit on one for when they get another in stock. I've called multiple dealerships with zero luck, if you happen to find somewhere that has one call me or text me anytime 912-678-4715 and I'll be on the way as long as its east of the Mississippi River.

I'm not east or west of the Mississippi, but if you want to travel to southern MN I have a 2021 X4 I'm going to sell. Like new.

 

[1ADMP]

I'm not east or west of the Mississippi, but if you want to travel to southern MN I have a 2021 X4 I'm going to sell. Like new.

What are you replacing it with?

 

[Kbar 38]

Absolutely, I dune at least twice a month in my stock R and pretty much keep up with some very experienced drivers and one of them is in a Turbo S. I keep up just fine most of the time except on longer hills and the huge bowls. Our dunes are many bowls and not a lot of wide open areas so we can only go so fast. I assume at places like Glamis, I would have a little harder time keeping up but I don't really like to go that fast anyway.

The key is the correct tires and pressure. I have tried a few different tires with varied success but just got some used Skat Trak Extreme 30 inch 10 paddle running 5psi front and 6psi rear. WOW, what a huge difference and the floatation they provide makes up a lot for the lack of power and I feel a lot safer. At 5000 feet, I feel these tires are about as much paddle tires as my Talon can handle. At sea level, you might get away with 32's at 3 to 4 psi.

I keep hearing about the 9 or 10 paddle Skat Traks for the best duning. When I buy the Talon I need to get some ASAP.

Where are your dunes? I'll look for some videos and see what's going on over there

 

[PaulF]

I keep hearing about the 9 or 10 paddle Skat Traks for the best duning. When I buy the Talon I need to get some ASAP.

Where are your dunes? I'll look for some videos and see what's going on over there

Little Sahara Sand Dunes in Utah (not to be confused with the ones named the same elsewhere). 60,000+ acres of soft fluffy sand. Here is a video of what is known as "The Back Side" where most of the more challenging stuff is. Paddles highly recommended here...

 

[studmuffin]

Good luck on finding a 4-X in stock anywheres...I've been waiting for one for a few weeks and put a deposit on one for when they get another in stock. I've called multiple dealerships with zero luck, if you happen to find somewhere that has one call me or text me anytime 912-678-4715 and I'll be on the way as long as its east of the Mississippi River

 

[studmuffin]

Try Big St. Charles just west of the Mississippi. Near St. Louis. It is suppose the be the biggest dealer in the country. I just bought 2 X's Live Valves there. I couldn't find them anywhere. Good Luck

 

[1ADMP]

Little Sahara Sand Dunes in Utah (not to be confused with the ones named the same elsewhere). 60,000+ acres of soft fluffy sand. Here is a video of what is known as "The Back Side" where most of the more challenging stuff is. Paddles highly recommended here...

Watching that video brings back a lot of memories from when I was a kid. We used to go to little Sahara a few times a year. Back then I had a Honda 200x 3 wheeler. Man was that a good time.

 

[Kbar 38]

Little Sahara Sand Dunes in Utah (not to be confused with the ones named the same elsewhere). 60,000+ acres of soft fluffy sand. Here is a video of what is known as "The Back Side" where most of the more challenging stuff is. Paddles highly recommended here...

Thanks for the video. It looks like a very large dune area with lots of variety. Your frequent riding there proves that the Talon is great for the dunes!