Matlock first quad across the line on a 450R. Bell first OVERALL on a 450X. Says something for this great engine!

The 450X can beat the XR650, so we don't need a big bore quad after all.........

Looks like the big Can-Am 800 finished back in the pack somewhere.

http://race.off-road.com/race/articl....jsp?id=330982

 

Correction, Matlock was second.

The important point is that the first four quad finishers were on Honda 450R's, with the huge Can-Am 800 in 5th (there is a replacement for displacement!). And, Bell on the 450X dirt bike, beating a bunch of XR650's.

offroad.com was reporting Matlock as 1st, so that is where that mistake came from.

 

Good results, but we still need a Honda sport big bore! People like me desire one. I would buy one in a heart beat! Come on honda give it to us. Reconranger I don't understand your agenda against more choices for the consumer, what gives? The more models available the better it is for the buyers!

 

I don't know what the whole field was like, but if it was as usual, not many quads (big bore or otherwise) from other companies are out there competing in Baja against the Hondas??? What do they know? Maybe they know they can't compete, so they just don't bother showing up???? (At least Can-Am showed up.) Maybe we have a superb quad, and are afraid to admit it because we always want the thrill of anticipating something better?

I too, once wanted a big bore. In fact, I bought the 450R to "hold me over" until a big bore came out. I figured it would be a nice little play quad, but for desert racing you need a big bore (a la the XR650). Now that I have ridden it a while, I realize that there is just no need for a big bore!

The XR650 has been out for a few years now. If Honda were going with that engine, it would have happened years ago. What they should have done, is do a 650EX right after the XR came out. They would have cornered the market. I would certainly have bought one.

But what actually happened, is Honda poured all its R&D efforts into developing utilities with highly complex automatic transmissions, and that's where all their R&D effort went. Meanwhile, sport quad development went neglected, after 1999 when the 400EX came out. They paid the price though, when Yamaha beat them to the market with the Raptor and first 450.