I normally perk up my ears when Reconranger has something to say.

In my world we go through a heck of a lot of utility quads and few sport quads
In his end of the states it is just the opposite, I believe they run more on the sport quad side.



-----gimpster-----

 

they need to fire whoever designed the looks of that thing. then fire whoever approved it. a 500lb pig. they should have went with a solid axle.yuck yuck yuck. what a waste of metal and plastic.

 

A very small percentage of ATVs ride on Dunes and a very low percentage of 700 Sport ATV see a track because the 450 class is the most organized for track racing. The majority of riding is on trail like the Hatfield & McCoys trail type riding. Chain drive and 4-5" of Ground clearance just does not cut it on rough trails where most ATV are found to be riding.

Honda knows this so they when with IRS to give the bike much more ground clearance,soaks up bumps better and no chain to mess with constantly. They made the new ATV for the masses not the dune riders and track racer that buy up 10% of them.

BTW a IRS can power slide easily even the clumsy Utility ATVs.

 

Up here in Alberta, you see STOCK, mid-sized Honda ATV's in the back of 75% of the trucks on the road. Thing is, the vast majority are company trucks (oilfield, surveyors, etc.). If you have some employee out in the field, you want them on a machine that won,t require much in the way of maintenance or repairs, moderate performance, and easy/safe operation. You don't want them tearing around and having TOO much fun at work. That basically accounts for Honda's sales success (and the look of their new side X side, lol).
The remaining 25% of the machines belong to enthusiasts. These are the true price vs. performance indicators, and there seems to be a healthy mix of brands in those pick-up truck beds.

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: reconranger

gary-Obviously you don't ride desert, so desert racing doesn't mean anyting to you....just like all those eastern woods races (what this 700 was obviously built for!) don't mean anything to me!



Baja is the superbowl to us desert riders....while the rest of you go wallowing in your mud holes....</end quote></div>

agree 100%

to me this quad wont be selling very much in my area. most people in so cal want a swingarm and axle. most people around here eather drag race or desert race and swingarms really shine in those department. you dont want the wishy washy feeling of irs when your doing close to 80 down a wash road.

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote> you dont want the wishy washy feeling of irs when your doing close to 80 down a wash </end quote></div>

Actually the IRS advantage is it hold it,s composure much better at high speed through bumps over a Swing Arm because it has mush more supension travel.

Open dessert racing should be a advantage with IRS.

 

TLC is right on. I think the 700xx is going to be a hell of a machine.
If you have rode a 525 outlaw you no what im talking about.

 

I think there is a nice sized market for IRS sport quads. In most areas i ride in, GC is an issue, and the SRA's on the sport quad are always getting hung up. I can't count the amount of times I have had to help my buddy lift his raptor 700 out of the ruts. Along with the Outlaw 525, these will be two of the fastest quad's out on the trails, and they shouldn't get stuck as often. I do believe that there is a market for both SRA's and for IRS quads. Don't knock Honda for trying something a little different. If this quad is as in reality as it is on paper, then they might help establish a new style of quads. If not, maybe they learn a little more about what customers want and need, and the next quad will be that much better.

As for the SxS, in stock form, it is butt ugly. All promotional materials for that thing should have shown it loaded with extras such as bumpers and bigger tires.