When you own an accessory manufacturing business as popular as Assault Industries (AI), keeping up with the latest fitments, model changes and trends is a full-time job in itself. Testing what you build to make sure it’s up to AI’s quality standards is still work but is also considered a perk of the job. The Assault Honda Talon project machine is a test mule for Assault Industries’ latest products for Honda’s popular sport UTV.
They incorporated a larger cargo area for this build. There’s more than enough room for a spare tire, cooler, tools and other necessities. The Shorty BuggyWhips help it stand out even more.Assault designed their own custom cage for this Honda and took the drawings and dimensions to Privateer Motorsports for the final fabrication. What’s unique is the tubing size, which is 1.75 inches, while stock is 2 inches. Strength was added without a bunch of extra weight.Banging through the gears listening to the revs build and drop was music to our ears. Evo handles that sound well. Of course, the Assault radius rods come into play, since this Talon is sure to be driven hard. Assault makes radius rods for any UTV that requires them. They are a must-have, as stock is not good enough.The cool Stealth front bumper is one of the products the Assault guys are testing on this ride. In the near future it will house a winch, as well as the front skid plate and light bar. That 10-inch light bar is $329 from Baja Designs and can be purchased through Assault Industries.
Assault had Hybrid Wraps do a custom wrap on this Honda while keeping the OEM design and the Assault logo and name. It stands out and is subtle at the same time.A matching billet shift handle is only one of many nice touches this Honda received.When comfort is key, Simpson seats and Assault’s four-point harnesses deliver it. We went on a three-day trip in this rig and had zero complaints from anyone inside.The Assault steering wheel retains the stock paddle shifters, but a push-to-talk button has been added to operate the Rugged Radios system. The Assault device holder makes navigation easy in any brand car using a smartphone and a GPS app.
Assault made a name for themselves when they introduced a trick, billet side-view mirror for UTVs. The Bomber mirror is still a top seller today.The EFX Motovator RT is a lightweight (36-pound), 32-inch tire that is perfect for a car without a turbo and even better with one. On the Talon, the taller-than-stock sidewall really helped improve ride quality in every terrain. The KMC wheels look great as well.Rugged Radios has a mounting kit for a clean install of their system in any brand UTV. In the Talon, the radio and intercom sit on the right side.
We invited owner Marcelo Danze on a trip through the Mojave Desert with us to take a look at some of his latest products. He brought along a newly built Honda Talon 4 as his test mule, and it was outfitted with a full complement of Assault Industries’ goodies, as well as a few from partnering companies he regularly deals with.