Talon vs X3

SpeedBuggy

SpeedBuggy

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
Supporting Member
Jan 1, 2020
1,289
10,214
113
WA
Ownership

  1. Other Brand

  2. Talon R
Getting close to arrival. I’ve got a pile of parts ready. Buddy just got his new XRC rock crawler version. Here’s what I’ve found so far.

build quality, fit and finish- Honda definitely higher build quality and more like a car. My wife went with me for a quick rip in my buddies new xrc and said it’s like all tires and a cage. She did like not sitting on the gas tank like our talon. I didn’t tell her it’s now right in front of her.. gas fill is way better. No burping and slow forever pour to get it full.
Strength- Honda - the Can Am needs bulkhead, shock tower and rear radius rod upgrades right out of the box if you plan to whomp on it at all. Not double shear at most factory suspension points. That’s a fail for can am and you shouldn’t need to tear a brand new machine down and add a thousand dollars of bracing and gussets to get to the way it should have been manufactured.
Front diff - can am - 2wd, 4wd, smart settings and a diff lock,
Storage - this one is a toss up. Honda has a better bed. The can am has more options for interior storage, better door bags, larger center storage, under seat storage on both sides and the seat slides up on both as well. For shorter guys like me that’s storage behind the seat, as both slide forward. More leg room in the can am.
Electrical - I’m sure the Honda quality is better but the can am does come with a built in bus bar for accessories and also has several switch spots built in. XTC street legal kit is all plug and play. Equal on ease of installation.
Suspension - can am - took a ride in my buddies new xrc and it was night and day how it soaked up the bumps. More squat and dive under acceleration or braking though
Power - no question Can Am, will light the tires on dry pavement no problem. It is seriously fast right out of the box
Transfer case - the can am has a true low gear. Really low. Feels lower than a buddies rzr with gear reduction.
Seating position - Honda, I like being more upright. Have seat risers that should fix it.
Dash - can am - I think we can all agree the Honda gauges suck.
seats - can am, comfortable and form fitting. Also comes with 4 point harnesses stock
Transmission- Honda, lots of belt anxiety on the can am forums.
ground clearance - can am, xrc had 17 from dealer set up
Turning radius - over the R it is way tighter. About the same as my buddies turbo s. It’s longer wheelbase but the tires turn more.
wheels and tires - I give this one to the can am. It has equal track width front to back so no spacers needed, same size wheels and tires all the way around, comes with 32’s on bead locks
 
SLOWPOKE693

SLOWPOKE693

Well-Known Member
Supporting Member
Mar 10, 2020
1,849
7,329
113
Somewhere in Texas
Ownership

  1. Talon R
Get with S3 Powersports and/or CT Raceworx for double shear brackets and chassis gussets.

Another thing to watch out for is the front diff carrier bolts. They loosen over time and destroy the front diff when they back out. A friend I race with just had this happen. It was ugly and cost him a whole front diff to the tune of $1,100.
 
SpeedBuggy

SpeedBuggy

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
Supporting Member
Jan 1, 2020
1,289
10,214
113
WA
Ownership

  1. Other Brand

  2. Talon R
Get with S3 Powersports and/or CT Raceworx for double shear brackets and chassis gussets.

Another thing to watch out for is the front diff carrier bolts. They loosen over time and destroy the front diff when they back out. A friend I race with just had this happen. It was ugly and cost him a whole front diff to the tune of $1,100.
Thanks! Great advice. Funny you should mention those two companies. I have the S3 shock tower brace color matched and the CT raceworx bulkhead kit that double shears upper and lower A arms. Both great products.
They put a new diff in 2020 I think it was, but all the 200hp machines now get the smart lock diff or whatever it’s called. Solved the nut backing problem.
 
SLOWPOKE693

SLOWPOKE693

Well-Known Member
Supporting Member
Mar 10, 2020
1,849
7,329
113
Somewhere in Texas
Ownership

  1. Talon R
Thanks! Great advice. Funny you should mention those two companies. I have the S3 shock tower brace color matched and the CT raceworx bulkhead kit that double shears upper and lower A arms. Both great products.
They put a new diff in 2020 I think it was, but all the 200hp machines now get the smart lock diff or whatever it’s called. Solved the nut backing problem.

Good deal.

Enjoy your rubber band. Just like condoms, make sure you always carry extras, cause sometimes they break for no reason. 🤣
 
CumminsPusher

CumminsPusher

Just a Honda doing Honda things.
Lifetime Member
Supporting Member
Club Contributor
Oct 14, 2015
42,064
322,690
113
Washington/Idaho
Ownership

  1. Other Brand

  2. 1000-5

  3. Talon X LV
Good deal.

Enjoy your rubber band. Just like condoms, make sure you always carry extras, cause sometimes they break for no reason. 🤣
Ya I probably would’ve gone through half a dozen each time on a dozen things I’ve done to the Pioneer it wasn’t even close to being designed to do. Seriously. I wouldn’t think of doing any of that crap to our Wolverine but obviously different uses
 
Sheetmetalfab

Sheetmetalfab

Liberal kryptonite. truth and logic….
Lifetime Member
Jul 21, 2019
2,177
13,630
113
Alaska
Ownership

  1. Do not currently own

  2. Talon X4
Getting close to arrival. I’ve got a pile of parts ready. Buddy just got his new XRC rock crawler version. Here’s what I’ve found so far.

build quality, fit and finish- Honda definitely higher build quality and more like a car. My wife went with me for a quick rip in my buddies new xrc and said it’s like all tires and a cage. She did like not sitting on the gas tank like our talon. I didn’t tell her it’s now right in front of her.. gas fill is way better. No burping and slow forever pour to get it full.
Strength- Honda - the Can Am needs bulkhead, shock tower and rear radius rod upgrades right out of the box if you plan to whomp on it at all. Not double shear at most factory suspension points. That’s a fail for can am and you shouldn’t need to tear a brand new machine down and add a thousand dollars of bracing and gussets to get to the way it should have been manufactured.
Front diff - can am - 2wd, 4wd, smart settings and a diff lock,
Storage - this one is a toss up. Honda has a better bed. The can am has more options for interior storage, better door bags, larger center storage, under seat storage on both sides and the seat slides up on both as well. For shorter guys like me that’s storage behind the seat, as both slide forward. More leg room in the can am.
Electrical - I’m sure the Honda quality is better but the can am does come with a built in bus bar for accessories and also has several switch spots built in. XTC street legal kit is all plug and play. Equal on ease of installation.
Suspension - can am - took a ride in my buddies new xrc and it was night and day how it soaked up the bumps. More squat and dive under acceleration or braking though
Power - no question Can Am, will light the tires on dry pavement no problem. It is seriously fast right out of the box
Transfer case - the can am has a true low gear. Really low. Feels lower than a buddies rzr with gear reduction.
Seating position - Honda, I like being more upright. Have seat risers that should fix it.
Dash - can am - I think we can all agree the Honda gauges suck.
seats - can am, comfortable and form fitting. Also comes with 4 point harnesses stock
Transmission- Honda, lots of belt anxiety on the can am forums.
ground clearance - can am, xrc had 17 from dealer set up
Turning radius - over the R it is way tighter. About the same as my buddies turbo s. It’s longer wheelbase but the tires turn more.
wheels and tires - I give this one to the can am. It has equal track width front to back so no spacers needed, same size wheels and tires all the way around, comes with 32’s on bead locks
Sounds like a fun car.

go tear it up!
 
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
Yall just need a turba snuffnwhisky krx lol.

20211008 221728


20211008 221706
 
advertisement
jmneill

jmneill

Member
Aug 5, 2021
12
43
13
Dixie
Ownership

  1. Do not currently own
Transmission- Honda, lots of belt anxiety on the can am forums.

The "How is everyone storing their spare belts" thread over there is turning up folks that keep as many as three spare belts on board at all times.
Being a guy that's about to pull the trigger on one of these two vehicles, I can tell you it's giving me some level of anxiety, too.

The home for my machine was delivered last week, so the time has come for me to s*** and get off the pot, or something along those lines...

Garage
 
Last edited:
Sheetmetalfab

Sheetmetalfab

Liberal kryptonite. truth and logic….
Lifetime Member
Jul 21, 2019
2,177
13,630
113
Alaska
Ownership

  1. Do not currently own

  2. Talon X4
The "How is everyone storing their spare belts" thread over there is turning up folks that keep as many as three spare belts on board at all times.
Being a guy that's about to pull the trigger on one of these two vehicles, I can tell you it's giving me some level of anxiety, too.

The home for my machine was delivered last week, so the time has come for me to s*** and get off the pot, or something along those lines...

View attachment 299446
That’s $900 in the extreme duty belts 😳😳

just for spares. 😵‍💫
 
Sheetmetalfab

Sheetmetalfab

Liberal kryptonite. truth and logic….
Lifetime Member
Jul 21, 2019
2,177
13,630
113
Alaska
Ownership

  1. Do not currently own

  2. Talon X4
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!