Honda Talon Live Valve Spring Kit — Can You Upgrade the Suspension?
Honda Talon Live Valve Spring Kit — Yes, You Can Upgrade It
One of the most common misconceptions about electronically controlled UTV suspension — including the Honda Talon R Live Valve Edition — is that it can't be upgraded or improved with a spring kit. This simply isn't true. The electronic damping system and the springs are separate components, and upgrading the springs on a Live Valve machine dramatically improves how the electronic system performs.
At Schmidty Racing Suspensions in Mesa, AZ, we carry spring kits for the Honda Talon R and Talon X — including Live Valve configurations. Here's everything you need to know.
How Honda Talon Live Valve Works
The Honda Talon R Live Valve Edition uses Fox Live Valve shocks with electronically controlled compression damping. Sensors on the vehicle monitor terrain inputs and automatically adjust compression damping in real time — softening for smoother terrain and firming up for rough terrain.
The key thing to understand is that Live Valve controls damping, not spring rate. The springs that support the vehicle's weight and determine ride height are completely separate from the Live Valve system. Upgrading the springs doesn't interfere with the electronic system at all — and in fact, correct spring rates give the Live Valve system a better mechanical foundation to work from.
Why Honda Talon Live Valve Owners Still Need a Spring Kit
The Honda Talon R Live Valve Edition comes with the same fundamental spring rate problem as every other production UTV — springs designed for a theoretical average rider that sag and underperform under real-world conditions.
As Dirt Wheels Magazine noted in their Honda Talon Live Valve spring kit feature — with just 1,500 miles on the odometer, one of the rear stock springs was already showing noticeable sag. The Live Valve system couldn't compensate for sagged springs because damping control and spring rate are fundamentally different things.
Honda Talon Live Valve owners report the same issues as other UTV owners with sagged springs:
- Lost ride height within the first season
- Harsh, choppy feel at slow speeds over rocky terrain — even with Live Valve active
- Bottoming out on hits that shouldn't reach full travel
- Performance degradation as miles accumulate
What a Spring Kit Does for Your Live Valve Talon
A properly selected dual rate spring kit for the Honda Talon Live Valve restores correct ride height and adds the progressive suspension performance that the Live Valve electronic system can't provide:
- Correct spring rates for your actual weight — the Live Valve system works better when the springs are correctly supporting the vehicle weight rather than compensating for sagged or underrated springs
- Improved small bump compliance — the tender spring handles the slow-speed rocky terrain and chop that the Live Valve system struggled with on sagged stock springs
- Dramatically better bottom-out resistance — the main spring provides firm resistance before full travel that electronic damping alone can't replicate
- Lifetime warranty — every Schmidty Racing spring kit is backed by our lifetime warranty on the springs
Talon R vs Talon X — Different Spring Kits
The Talon R and Talon X have different suspension geometry and travel — the Talon R is wider with more travel. Make sure you're ordering the kit engineered for your specific model. Contact us at (602) 920-1337 before ordering to confirm the right kit for your specific Talon configuration.
Shop Honda Talon Spring Kits
- Honda Talon Suspension Parts & Spring Kits
- Honda Talon Shock Rebuild Seal Kits
- All UTV Dual Rate Spring Kits
Phone: (602) 920-1337
Email: Sales@schmidtyracing.com
Location: 8150 E Germann RD
Suite 104, Mesa, AZ 85212
Hours: Mon-Fri 8am-4:30pm MST
