Yamaha YXZ vs Honda Talon - UTV Action Magazine

If you want the trill and control of shifting through gears on a new
UTV or are just tired breaking belts you have two brands to choose
from; Honda and Yamaha. This test pits the 64”inch wide Honda Talon 1000X against Yamaha’s YXZ1000R SS with paddle shifters. Which one came out on top? Well you'll have to wait and see by watching the video to the very end. Our testing staff put countless hours on these machines to deliver you the most comprehensive and detailed shoot out to date. Enjoy and don't forget to hit that subscribe button.

[jasonholt]

I recently had the opportunity to compare the new Talon R vs. my 2017 YXZ SS with Packard SC. I Spent the day at Sand Hollow rock climbing and riding dunes. I swapped back and forth between both machines frequently. As an effort to even the playing field during the comparison the Packard Charged YXZ carried additional ~300-350lbs ( passenger & cargo) the stock Talon R had 180-220lb single driver (no passenger no cargo).
Results as follows:
Drag racing (sand): Talon has the edge due to torque advantage and traction, although the YXZ always runs Talon down especially if the YXZ is initially launched from high rpms.
Drag racing (gravel/ hardpack):
Talon gets the jump everytime.. The Talons tires are surprisingly good as compared to brand new 28x10 terramasters installed on the YXZ, again the YXZ overtakes the talon mid third gear but the Talon is surprisingly quick and consistent out of the hole.
Sand dunes (steep hill climbs):
Talon climbs dunes with ease, torque + wider rear tires, Talon edges out the YXZ & the Talons transmission keeps the engine in the heart of the torque curve and to our surprise climbed right up the "infamous" backside of the dunes fairly easy.
Rock Climbing:
Despite not having the ability to see the front tires over the hood the Talon easily wins this comparison, the Talons motor has plenty of torque on tap, engine braking in low range is superior to the YXZ even in high range the Talons torque made obstacles easy. The Talon simply outperformed the YXZ in every single rock climbing scenerio.
High/ low speed Rocky trail riding:
YXZ wins this comparison due to better suspension less body roll and precise steering. (YXZ equipped with base Fox RC2s)
Jumps & high speed sending it:
I'm calling this a draw.. Talon performed slightly better on the big steep faced jumps (multiple nose dives & frequent bottoming out experienced on both machines) The Talon R has more travel than the YXZ therefore bottoming out in the Talon was a bit less harsh in full firm shock settings, , but the YXZ suspension/ springs were set for trail riding ---pre load was not dialed in for big jumps.
Overall engine & Transmission/ performance:
The talon wins this comparison, the engine & transmission+ power delivery is more refined than the YXZ, the Talon simply outperformed the YXZ in this segment, the engine consistently and predictively pulls hard..especially in sport mode, plus you can select auto regular mode and lug the engine if you into that sort of thing..
Chassis & Suspension:
The YXZ is more planted below 60mph but the Talons steering is less twitchy at higher speeds on smoother gravel roads.The YXZ chassis feels more rigid but somehow more connected & comfortable.
Fit & finish:
Regardless of the Honda quality hype, , , the YXZ is built better, fasteners/hardware & build quality IMO Yamaha is the better built machine. During the comparison the Talons odometer was 300 miles basically brand new machine vs the YXZ's 2000+ miles. The older higher mileage YXZ chassis is still tight with minimal rattles/ squeeks and no clunky noises. The Talons doors constantly rattle even after full adjustment there was a intermittent loud clunky noise somewhere near the front diff especially noticeable when rock climbing. I'm the real rough stuff the Talons chassis sometimes feels loose & disconnected --similar to AC products--🧐, in addition, the Talons center mount digital screen is plain cheap outdated junk..
Regardless at the end of the day I feel the Talon is a great machine, would be excellent with chassis/suspension & display refinements. The YXZ is decent chassis with an outdated transmission and engine but is fun to drive, , that fun somehow never gets old..
If I was to purchase a new machine today I would lean towards the Talon X as the motor and transmission is at this moment far ahead of YXZ..😁

[FilthyKnobsOffRoad]

Both are great machines. I have had the yxz for two years and it has been absolutely reliable. I love being able to drop down a gear and rip around turns. Its so exciting to drive. It never gets old.

[cynthialau-a]

I love my Honda Talon. I have also a Polaris General but as far as experiencing the two, I chose Honda, in fact I will trade the General to a Pioneer 1000 as my utilitarian as soon as I pay off the Polaris. Nothing wrong with General but I’m no mechanic, I don’t know how to replace the belt if I break it! I have peace of mind when driving geared transmission!

[rugby]

Consumer reports says Honda and Yamaha are the most reliable

[Cronicncars]

I think honda should've got it primarily due to the hi and low transfer case that the yxz doesn't offer.

[bearkawiboy]

Yes sir. Been in both machines and hands down the Yamaha is King.

[denisleblanc]

Doesn't the Talon have a low range? Thats a big plus for the trail riders. Then there's the torque of the Talon in mid-range and lower. It doesn't have to be wrung out to make torque. Another big plus for the Talon. I suspect it also gets substantially better milage than the YXZ. The YXZ is probably more ''fun'' but the Talon a better machine for everything except high speed open terrain.

[redcanyonoutdoorquest]

Why wouldn’t you compare the YXZ against the Talon R? Makes no sense when you’re “comparing” suspensions.

[DaveLara-ji]

I have the 3 pedal yxz and love it nothing beats the the ability to shift yea the turbos are fun and fast in a straight line but i find it that i get bored of driving faster than i do in the yxz. Not to mention when climbing a dune and it starts to bog down u can down shift and bring your rpm’s up.. it all depends on what type of of riding you do and what you want to be doing while driving.. which one is better is a relative term.

[TheJohn]

I have a talon and drove the yxz, that's why I bought a talon. drive both.

[sargenthp]

What made the Talon win my cash was the low range option. Also the Talon is so much quieter with the shifting.

[jerrycarter]

This comparison should have been done with the talon R. More comparable units. Cool video

[mega-hbre]

I went to the sand show and I love the can -am and polaris but I have to admit that the Honda is the most comfortable and reliable( no belts with an Acura transmission) out of all the utvs out there .

[MrBerett]

Depends on terrain. I'd want the Talon down south

[tacticalhomestead]

no mention of GYTR factory turbo or gearing and clutch options for the YXZ? I'm a yxz guy but seems to me like we are comparing apples to oranges here. the talon is clearly a stump jumper and the yxz is a go fast machine

[deborahchesser]

My two favorite manufacturers, so it would be a tough choice, luckily I’m nowhere near well enough off to afford a $20, 000 toy

[wolves]

Let's get things straight. The talon x is for tight technical trails. Like back east in forest and such. The talon R is for open desert trails like the ones your showing here. Aren't we being a little biased?

[streetslayinggto]

Why did you not use the talon r which is a direct competitor to the yxzrss

[Dive-Bar-Casanova]

YXZ is easier to look at and way more fun to drive.

[Wooskii]

First off let me say that I'm a huge Yamaha fanboy! That being said I'm a bit disappointed that you didn't talk about the Talons low range T-case (the thing I find most interesting)... How do they compare climbing hills/rocks, how much clutch slippage, jerkyness, and how much difference does low range in the talon make? Is it better than the Yamaha in 4-low? I'm really interested in the question: Does low range give the Talon a practical edge over the Yammie?