A Bit of Boost Makes the Talon Just Right…

Honda knows the rules, and Jackson knows how to break them...

Behind the wheel of a Honda Talon 1000R-4 Live Valve, I was desperately clawing for traction in the futile hopes of climbing the mountain of sand in front of me. It was already a somewhat demoralizing task. At the top of this hill was an (almost) identical Talon and our photographers enjoying the view and conducting a shoot I and my vehicle were meant to take part in. Sliding precariously downward from three-quarters of the way up the rise, my face contorted into longing, pitiful glances at the peak as attempt after attempt to ascend only rewarded me with a further bruised ego.

While sitting at the bottom – taking a quick moment to collect myself before once again pinning the throttle in some delirious hope that “things will be different this time, I can feel it,” I had enough time to collect myself. And yes, the fact that this essentially defines a psychopath doesn’t elude me. So, why was this other Talon able to gallop up this dune so effortlessly while I lay stuck at the bottom in a battle between my right foot and my brain? The answer was simple, at least after it presented itself in the form of an SCCA (Sports Car Club of America) legacy and leader in high-performance products: Jackson Racing.

While the Talon is admittedly one of my favorite UTVs to drive, its 104-horsepower output is outclassed by what is on offer from Can-Am and Polaris in the sport segment now. Even more, as other manufacturers seem to be catching up on putting DCT transmissions or otherwise improved versions of CVTs that promise more reliability, the Talon’s DCT selling point is becoming less of a special feature and more of a standard. 

So, what are Talon owners who want to punch a bit higher meant to do? It seems the option of a Jackson Racing Turbo kit is the wink and nudge answer from Honda to help the Talon get a bit more punch to fight back. Providing a 60% increase on top of the 104 horsepower from the Talon’s power plant, bringing it to about 160 horsepower by pushing 8 Psi of boost through the motor.

Eight psi was all it took to make this Talon go from a fun to drive (but admittedly slower machine for wide open performance) into something that had me fully engaged. Climbing the same sand that I had been incapable of in the N/A model, power still felt shockingly linear, with virtually nonexistent lag from the Garrett turbo lodged behind me as it whistled its gentle tune. Handling was unchanged, with the Fox live valve suspension still doing as good a job as ever, and after a few minutes for my brain to re-calibrate to this added kick from the throttle, the Talon felt like a whole new animal. 

This kit has interesting, deep-seated roots as well. Made by Jackson Racing, a company famous for their work on Hondas in SCCA road races, this package was produced in partnership with Honda and retails for $5,799 on their website. The Japanese juggernaut wanted to offer options for those who were sick of making the “it has enough power” argument and wanted to let loose.

Being a fully CARB legal kit removes any fears of regulatory headaches which might result from boosting a vehicle with other options on the market. And offering a firm statement that adding this turbo kit will not void your factory warranty adds to this compelling case. In fact, several Honda dealers will install this kit for you, although we were assured it is a DIY-able project even for a semi-mechanically literate monkey like me. 

The difference that this 8-psi change made was immediately apparent. Paired with the astounding amount of effort that goes into Jackson Racing’s tuning for the DCT, the Talon’s computerized brain would row through its gears faster than one could comprehend, and downshifts into corners still felt intuitive and at least as good as what I could manage. Being a kit sold through Honda dealerships, it was evident that reliability and refinement were high on the list here.

Having left every other aspect of the Talon unchanged, it really showed off how big of a difference this added power made. It felt like an entirely new machine, and one with a level of fit and finish that felt like it had rolled off the assembly line like this, leaving me with the only question of “why isn’t it like this from the factory”. 

While it can now feel a bit more comfortable in a head-to-head contest with something like a RZR Turbo R, it certainly still has its disadvantages when comparing the two motors. Of course, with the RZR you miss out on the dual clutch transmission, instead having a more typical CVT unit and the various disadvantages that brings with it, but it still has roughly 20 horsepower on the Talon.

This feels like the Talon should have come with this level of power, everything from the chassis to the suspension feels like markedly better handling when you get to use it at a higher speed, but its place in the market still is a bit hard to pin down. Those who want high power are still likely to gravitate to those machines from Can Am and Polaris, especially after you factor in the price of a Talon and the turbo kit and whatever installation cost if you choose to not DIY it. "In the end, the turbocharged Talon offers an exhilarating ride and improved handling, making it a compelling choice for high-performance enthusiasts. The Jackson Racing turbocharger, with its motorsports heritage and reputation for excellence, adds significant value and is well worth the investment."