Fans of the Big H, get yer checkbooks ready; Honda is set to release a sporty side-by-side.

The market for sporty UTVs has exploded in recent years, with the like of Polaris making ever more powerful versions of its RZR and BRP adding letters to its Maverick like they’re going out of style. Rumor has it the Can-Am Maverick X3 Max X RS Turbo R (that’s is it’s full name, don’tcha know) will encompass the whole alphabet by calendar year 2020.

Okay, maybe not, but you get our point. Any side-by-side maker who’s not serving the thrill-seeking set of customers is leaving a serious chunk of change on the table. No longer willing to concede this part of the market to its competition, Honda wants in on the game too.

According to company reps who were making a presentation at the AIMExpo powersports trade show, American Honda will indeed produce a new sport side-by-side. They said the model name and specs will be announced on November 27^th in conjunction with the launch of an advertising campaign called “Life is Better SxS.”

Sounds like fun. Without official details to go on, we’re left to speculate what the rig will be called and how much power it’ll make. The largest mill in a current Honda side-by-side is the 999cc parallel-twin found in its Pioneer model. Unlike some other makes, it deploys a six-speed automatic dual-clutch transmission.

If Honda wants to play with the leaders, it’ll need to bring its A-game. Fortunately, that hasn’t been too big of a problem in the past. Expect to see goodies like 5-link suspension and at least 20-inches of suspension travel on top trims, with maybe a 3-link setup and less travel on entry-level models.

That speculation lines up with what a few other outlets are reporting, including one that is running definitely-not-official pics of a sporty-looking Honda SxS with the word ‘Talon’ on its flanks.

Honda officially entered the side-by-side category back in 2009 with the utility-focused Big Red. Currently, Honda’s Pioneer 500, 700, and 1000 models are available to customers shopping in the multipurpose side-by-side segment. This new ride will attract new buyers for sure.

Would you consider a RZR/Maverick fighter from Honda? Let us know in the comments below.

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