3-way drag, 2 hondas, 1 polaris
Jul 3, 2000 | 12:06 AM
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My friends (you can read about them in some of my other posts) and I decided to have a series of races including a drag race on a long strait dirt road by our trails (Kholar road if anyone lives in Stonecreek/Port Washington OH area), a race through a 2-mile section of trails with steep hills, a mud pit, small 3ft jumps, and a series of sharp turns in loose dirt, and timed runs through a pipe that goes underneath the interstate to prevent flooding with 7in. deep water, and finally a competition to see who could pull a sled of bricks the furthest. The 3 participants were a '99 Honda Recon all stock (me), a '00 Polaris Magnum 4x4(all stock), and an xr100r with a FMF turbine 2. Here are the results:
Top speed:
XR------1
Recon---2)\Almost a tie
Polaris-3)/
The Xr won this because of the obvious. It's light high reving and designed for recreation, and the Polaris lost because it was designed for the exact oposite.
Acceleration:
XR------1
Recon---2
Polaris-3
Pretty much the same reason here, only the recon won by a large margin over the polaris because of the weight difference and the responsiveness of a 5-speed compared to a clutch.
Hill Climbing:
XR------2
Recon---1
Polaris-3
This is an awsome activity for the recon because of its light weight, low center of gravity, and size demensions. The XR didn't do as well because 1 narrow wheel can't get as good of traction as 2 wide ones. Once again the polaris lost because it was not designed for hill climbing.
Mud Pit:
XR------3
Recon---2
Polaris-1
This is where the Polaris's big size, awsome 4-wheel drive system, and auto really shine. No shifting with muddy feet, missing a shift or 3 wheel drive with this bike. The Recon beat the XR because, well... 4 wheels is just more efficient in mud than two.
Small Jumps:
XR------1
Recon---2
Polaris-3
The XR won becaue dirtbike are just plain better in every aspect of jumping. The Recon won over the polaris because the magnum seemed to nose dive off of jumps no-matter who was driving.
Sharp Loose Turns:
XR------2
Recon---1
Polaris-3
The recon won this because of its light weight, low center of gravity, and abitlity to be thrown around. The XR was actually was layed down in one really sharp turn, and the polaris felt like it was gonna' roll in every turn.
Flooded Pipe Runs:
XR------3
Recon---1
Polaris-2
The recon won because of no belt, and excelent stability. The XR lost because of the fact that the owner almost layed it down in the water (not good for the air-box) because of lack of traction, and the polaris cam in second because of minor belt slippage.
Pulling Power:
XR------3
Recon---2
Polaris-1
This IS what the Magnum was made for. Equiped with 4x4, lo range, and a 325 engine it stopped hauling a huge distance rom whereb we started because of a lack of traction. The recon pulled about half the distance of the polaris, it to lost traction (probably because of its light weight). The XR didn't buge the sled one bit, just sat there and dug a hold with the back wheel.
OVERALL:Just from looking at the results you should be able to tell what these machines are for.
The 98 Honda XR100R: Good for fast riding, and trais, and jumps well. Doesn't work worth a crap.
The '99 Honda Recon: Great all around machine good at moderate speed trail riding, and the occasional small jump. But this isn't a racer, it isn't so hot at deep mud pits, any jumps bigger than 3ft, and heavy pulling (the front just goes up in the air instead of moving forward with a heavy load).
The '00 Polaris Magnum 325 4x4: Great for Heavy work and the occasional romp in the woods. Good Points: Pulls like there's no tomarow, good in mud, and awesome 4 wheel drive system. Bad Points: Slow Trail riding at fastest. High Center of gravity, a tippy feeling in turns, an (this kinda freaks me out on a new quad) it overheats and backfires when ridden at high speeds for more than a minute or two (even though it comes with an oil-cooler that is fan assisted).
P.S. I didn't post this to offend anyone, make anyone mad, or put down polaris, or honda. I was just stating the facts that all 3 riders agreed on after the test.
Top speed:
XR------1
Recon---2)\Almost a tie
Polaris-3)/
The Xr won this because of the obvious. It's light high reving and designed for recreation, and the Polaris lost because it was designed for the exact oposite.
Acceleration:
XR------1
Recon---2
Polaris-3
Pretty much the same reason here, only the recon won by a large margin over the polaris because of the weight difference and the responsiveness of a 5-speed compared to a clutch.
Hill Climbing:
XR------2
Recon---1
Polaris-3
This is an awsome activity for the recon because of its light weight, low center of gravity, and size demensions. The XR didn't do as well because 1 narrow wheel can't get as good of traction as 2 wide ones. Once again the polaris lost because it was not designed for hill climbing.
Mud Pit:
XR------3
Recon---2
Polaris-1
This is where the Polaris's big size, awsome 4-wheel drive system, and auto really shine. No shifting with muddy feet, missing a shift or 3 wheel drive with this bike. The Recon beat the XR because, well... 4 wheels is just more efficient in mud than two.
Small Jumps:
XR------1
Recon---2
Polaris-3
The XR won becaue dirtbike are just plain better in every aspect of jumping. The Recon won over the polaris because the magnum seemed to nose dive off of jumps no-matter who was driving.
Sharp Loose Turns:
XR------2
Recon---1
Polaris-3
The recon won this because of its light weight, low center of gravity, and abitlity to be thrown around. The XR was actually was layed down in one really sharp turn, and the polaris felt like it was gonna' roll in every turn.
Flooded Pipe Runs:
XR------3
Recon---1
Polaris-2
The recon won because of no belt, and excelent stability. The XR lost because of the fact that the owner almost layed it down in the water (not good for the air-box) because of lack of traction, and the polaris cam in second because of minor belt slippage.
Pulling Power:
XR------3
Recon---2
Polaris-1
This IS what the Magnum was made for. Equiped with 4x4, lo range, and a 325 engine it stopped hauling a huge distance rom whereb we started because of a lack of traction. The recon pulled about half the distance of the polaris, it to lost traction (probably because of its light weight). The XR didn't buge the sled one bit, just sat there and dug a hold with the back wheel.
OVERALL:Just from looking at the results you should be able to tell what these machines are for.
The 98 Honda XR100R: Good for fast riding, and trais, and jumps well. Doesn't work worth a crap.
The '99 Honda Recon: Great all around machine good at moderate speed trail riding, and the occasional small jump. But this isn't a racer, it isn't so hot at deep mud pits, any jumps bigger than 3ft, and heavy pulling (the front just goes up in the air instead of moving forward with a heavy load).
The '00 Polaris Magnum 325 4x4: Great for Heavy work and the occasional romp in the woods. Good Points: Pulls like there's no tomarow, good in mud, and awesome 4 wheel drive system. Bad Points: Slow Trail riding at fastest. High Center of gravity, a tippy feeling in turns, an (this kinda freaks me out on a new quad) it overheats and backfires when ridden at high speeds for more than a minute or two (even though it comes with an oil-cooler that is fan assisted).
P.S. I didn't post this to offend anyone, make anyone mad, or put down polaris, or honda. I was just stating the facts that all 3 riders agreed on after the test.
Jul 3, 2000 | 11:07 AM
#5
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Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 1,474
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Correct me if I'm wrong but is the Recon not a 229cc utility entery bike and the Magnum a 499cc utility bike.The Magnums I see around do over 55mph easily and the 250 utility would be lucky to make 50mph.I hear the 350 Rancher just gets over 50mph and you say a 250 Recon is even faster?No 250 4 stroke is will out accelerate a 500 unless it's broken and then it may still be close.I guess if Honda made a 500 Recon it would be a 90mph Banshee killer.
Jul 3, 2000 | 01:02 PM
#7
Weekend Warrior
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 7
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It is nice that you show this little competition but half of the stuff if not accurate. You cant really compare the little recon 250 to a 325, and then you say that the polaris pulls like there is no tomorrow. My Honda 300 4x4 would out pull that thing like there is no tomorrow. Im not mad, im just saying that the polaris 250 explorer might have been a better bike to compare the recon to.
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Jul 3, 2000 | 01:50 PM
#8
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Joined: Dec 1999
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I thought this was a very good read. Interesting to see someone state things they found in the real world with honesty. I would assume about the same results if I would do that test.
On another note, the 325 should not overheat and backfire. He may have a problem. Especially since you said it happened at high speeds. I would assume a jetting problem.
Again, very good post.
On another note, the 325 should not overheat and backfire. He may have a problem. Especially since you said it happened at high speeds. I would assume a jetting problem.
Again, very good post.
