I'm Going to buy a new sport quad can't decide between raptor, ds650, 400ex, new suzuki 400, cannondale 400 and have heard that kawasaki may be bringing out 650 twin in a sport can someone confirm this. I like the idea of a twin cylinder but also like the injection on the c-dale. I'm fairly tall so maybe the DS may be suited to me better. Also does anyone know the hosepower figures for these machines. thanks a reply would be grateful.

 

the kawasaki is still just a prototype, as far as i know, but by the sounds of it its going to be an automatic (rumors, just rumors but we'll know for sure soon) if you cant make up your own mind, you've got some really tough choices ahead of you, because they're all really great bikes, as far as hp goes, and this is just a ballpark i have no hard facts so nobody slam me on my #'s Raptor-38 stock, DS-41 stock, 400ex-29 stock, im not sure what cannondale'$ #'s are but im sure somebody will tell you, another thing you want to look at is weight, the DS is the heaviest but it does have a decent suspension,

my choice: pick the one you can afford and love it, (cause you will)

good luck

and as far as the zuk goes, all we have is the #'s in the brochure, wait until its been out a few days before you go order one (who wants a headache like the first production year Raptors anyhow?)

 

FIRST of all you should tell us what kind of riding you do. i would be saying get a trx250 when your going to be duning.

trails and wheelies and fun:400ex

dunes: ds650

z400: were not sure bu it might be the next best thing to the 400ex

racing and jumping ect: cannondale

raptor: problems...

 

I'd hold out for release of the suzuki z400. I think suzuki is going to have a real contender. Sources say it produces approx. 38 hp stock. That is impressive considering the raptor is at 36.5hp. Catch my drift? My buddy has a deposit down already and is expecting it in March. I ride with a DS650 and 400EX. DS650 is too bulky and heavy but powerful (dead even with my stock raptor) and the 400EX, although a good jumper, is just too damn slow....better yet, a terd....lol

 

Thanks for the replys fellas. I would really like to know the horsepower figures for the cannondale if anyone knows. I'm 6'2" so would the c-dale be to small for me? I'm from Australia so mainly ride on beaches so I want something fast.How would the c-dale compare to the DS and raptor for top speed and torque?

 

If your riding mainly open area's, et a Banshee and mod the he!! out of it. I'd love to have a C-Dale, but if all I did was haul *** all the time, the Banshee is the way to go, unnless your a real man and can handle being on three wheels, in which case an 85-86 ATC250R is the way to go.

 

DS650: 38-40 hp
Cannibal: 38-42 hp
Raptor: 35-38 hp
400ex: 25-28 hp

top speed
DS650: 75 mph
Cannibal: 78 mph
Raptor: 72 mph
400ex: 65 mph

DS650: narrow powerband, stong mid range and top end, bad low end. heavy, if you get one get the baja
Cannibal: best low end out of all the quads, very strong mid and top, handles almost as good as 400ex, have to keep it up well
Raptor: very torquey engine, strong low, middle, and top end power. pretty good handling, reverse
400ex: best handling, many mods available, very reliable

i have a cannibal and would strongly recommend that.

 

actually the 400ex does 68mph stock...that could be fixed easily...after all it is the chespest out of the other 3 by a few hundred dollars

 

CornDog, I salute you! 100% reliable info w/ zero BS. This is unheard of!!!

BTW- I fanally got to see a C-Dale in action. I went to a Monster Truck show last night where they also had Quad Wars. One of the riders had one which looked to be a Canibal. Most of the rest of the field were on highly modified 250R's (330's?). In the stait aways it looked very quick and held it's own against the Honda's. In the turns it was handicapped by stock suspention (the other bikes all had wide axels & front ends) and a very crapy rider. It was BY FAR the best sounding quad there.

I hope Cannondale has the reliability issues worked out now, because these things are so cool!

 

TRXter, were the quad wars the state V.S. state ones? I am trying to find some information about them but don't know where to look. Do you know who puts on the shows? I know it isn't PACE or anything big like that. I think that 4 strokes must have a big disadvantage on a small ourse because when I saw the quad wars, a Raptor got spanked by an LT250, and a bunch of 250R's.