I'm talking literally...i was unable to make the race myself but a couple buddies of mine raced and gave me the details. Apparently, the FX was smokin pretty bad. when the rider was asked what was up? his explanation was anti freeze had overflowed onto the pipe. Was anyone else there? I'm really looking for some good news on this machine...but it ain't surfacing.

 

Typical outcome look at their dirt bikes, cannondale needs to take time and go over a new machine extensively before offering it to the public.

I'm sure that machine was at it's boiling point to be douching antifreeze through the overflow.

2000 SCRAMBLER 400 2X4

SCRAMDADDY400

 

I was at the race, watched the FX race and talked to the factory rep that was riding it.

Was the coolant coming out due to the crash he suffered in the second moto?

I didn't notice any smoke coming from the FX when I watched him race. I stopped by the Cannondale rep's trailer between motos. While looking at the quad I did not notice any signs coolant that had spilled. (not that I was looking) And the rep did not mention it.

It was very fast at the track. I was impressed to say the least.

 

The radiator got packed with mud and it boiled over in the first race. The front of the frame was taped up and it was fine in the second race. There were a couple of other quads that overheated as well, it was muddy for the first half.

 

Now that you mentioned that, I remember the rep saying that his radiator was clogged after the first race. I don't remember him saying it was smoking all that bad, nor did I notice it on the track.

My radiator on the Banshee was plugged solid after each race as well. If that was the reason for the over heating, then I would not count it against the quad.

 

I'm really looking for some good news on this machine...but it ain't surfacing.

Raptor660RNH, you must not be looking too hard if you have not found any good news on this machine.

- Cannondale is using the motor directly from the MX dirtbike. That alone is good news since every other production quad uses a motor from a trail bike that has been tamed down and utilizes old technology.
- Cannondale announces they will produce quads with components only previously available from the aftermarket (nerfs, shocks, axle, a-arms, etc...). This is the best news yet, with these machines it will no longer be necessary to buy a quad and then replace half the components on it to make it perform properly.
- Cannondale signs on as the title sponsor for the ATV National in Orville Ohio. Any serious quad enthusiast should be elated to see a manufacturer finally putting time and money back into the quad segment instead of only the dirtbike market.
- Cannondale decides to make running corrections and improvements to the quad. To make corrections or improvements mid-year is unheard of. Most of the time the manufacturer makes changes only when the new model year comes out which means all 1st year units will suffer from the same problem. And many of the manufactures don't even make improvements with the new model year! How long did the Banshee, Blaster, 300EX, and now 400EX remain unchanged?
- A few pros are running the Cannondale in the GNCC and GNC National events. This alone speaks volumes about the potential and performance of this machine.

I suppose that is enough good news on this machine to make my point. Of course the reliabity needs to be proven, but I am excited about a manufacturere that wants to build PERFORMANCE quads.

 

Uhm.... No its not. Majority of your comments are cannondale promoting there Brand. I'm not interested in who they trying to buy or align themselves with. i'm interested in in the performance of the fx400 not their dirt bike. if you would like to take another sarcastic shot at posting some info regarding the performance of the quad itself...i'd love to here it...don't get me wrong i am completely aware of the fundamentals of starting a company and breaking into a competitive market. I took a chance with the Raptor and i may give Cannondale a chance. But these guys need a good right up by someone other than themselves...

 

An essentially stock FX ridden by Steven Holbert recently took 3rd overall in a GNCC event. That good enough for you? That's gotta say something loud and clear.

 

Just thought I'd add that he was less than 20 seconds off the leader & even had some problems he had to overcome (flat tire or something similar, can't remember).

 

Raptor660, who are you looking for a good write up from? If your looking for a mag to give it too you, you probably won't hear it until the FX is winning.

I have been writing about my impressions of how my FX has performed in this forum and I think I have given an honest assessment of it's quirks and its performance so far. Although I am not a highly experienced quad rider and havn't ridden a Raptor or EX or a Banshee, I don't have much comparison to go by except I raced some highly modified Banshees and a Raptor this last weekend up some bowls at Sand Lake. I held my own and was ahead half way up against the Banshees until there top end kicked in and they'd get by me near the 3/4 mark. I went 1 v. 1 against the Raptor and beat it the first 2 runs and I blew my start on the 3rd run, left it in 1st gear and wheeled the start, but had caught him 3/4 way and tied him. He left after that so I didn't get anymore runs against him. I didn't get to go up against anymore Raptors and no 400EX's would race.

The bike isn't perfect but any imperfections seem minor, I didn't have any troubles with over heating, I did foul the plug which was a hassle to remove, I got in a hurry with the starting procedure. The kill switch is mounted in a bad position, imho, it rubbed against my left thumb knuckle. But it was easy to adjust it and isn't a problem now. 4th to 5th gear spacing feels a bit too high, rev it out in 4th before shift to make it useful. Some complain about the noise it makes, the mags do, but as a former roadracer I know what a race engine sounds like, I love it.

It feels and looks like a solid piece of machinery and feel good about picking this as my first quad to get into serious atving.

Moto24
'01 FX400
'98 Kawi ZX-9R
'90 Kawi ZX-7 (superbike)
'84 VF750R
'80 Kawi KZ650