I wondering how the SP500 HO can be approx 38 hp and the 450 be only 23hp,and only guessing that the Ruby is between 23 and 30hp but the HO can only run approx 54mph top speed!Are these hp readings true or what do you think?Is Polaris guessing or is Honda just telling the truth.

 

Are you sure a 450 oly has 23 hp?I have a slow lawn tractor that has 20 hp.

 

it is possible a quad is geared way different then a slow *** lawn tractor

 

You should also think 23hp out of a 450 is a little low because that would make a 300 about 15hp which is close to my 12hp snow blower.

 

Douglasss,

HP does not dictate top speed. More HP does not automatically mean more top speed. The gearing in the transmission and the final drive determine how the HP is used.

A 5HP machine may do 120 mph if geared right. It will be gutless, but it will go fast. You may have to push it from a dead stop to get it going, and you have to be on flat ground or it will slow down.

A 60HP machine (say my farm tractor) will pull and pull and pull, endless power, but there is no way in heck it will go fast!!!

It is all in the gearing.

DJ

 

Hey thats what I was going to say!!!!!!
(just kidding)

I could not agree with you more "ITS ALL IN THE GEARING" I have a Recon and apparently it only has around 15-17 hp but goes around 48mph, But you see the recon does not have a very strong mid to top end range. But its bottom end is excellent. Thats why people who have chain driven quads can make there bike accelerate better or go faster but just changing there sprockets. The point that I am trying to make is that 5hp go karts can go up to 70-80mph with a 200lb person. You dont need a lot of hp to go fast but you do need a lot of hp to accelerate faster.

1998 Honda Recon, Sur Tracks on ITP aluminum, UNI air filter, shockwears.
www.geocities.com/hondapride_98