Hey it could happen. That is if Honda wants to do something truly cutting edge and not just make a Honda version of the Raptor. This sport can not evolve till we get away from those heavy and inferior live axles. Stadium ultralights couldn't survive those awesome jumps without those buggy like independent rear suspensions.
For those of you so enamored with live axles,
why don't you put them on the front too if you think they're so great!!
Independent suspension lowers "unsprung weight". That is the part of the suspension that goes up and down, below the spring. The lighter the better. Physics, reciprocating mass, same reason multiple valve heads work better. Smaller, lighter means parts can accelerate, deccelerate quicker, easier. On suspension that means less dampening is needed, tires stay in contact with the track or trail, that means you go faster, and get a better ride.
If Honda wants to rehash the CR with a thumper motor, fine. If they want to stand the ATV community on its ear, the 650 will have real suspension, real power, reverse, and light weight.

 

You can't slide the rear end of a quad with independent rear suspension, you would have to put a sway bar in that was so big it would offset the
positive aspects of an independent rear suspension. Independant rear suspension is good for straight line, offset camber bumps not for powering around a corner, a quad would just rail through like a 4*4.
Bottom line it wouldn't work, and would be prohibitvly expensive to purchase and maintain all the CV joints.

 

You are SO WRONG!! The Polaris Sportsman has a fabulous Independent Rear Suspension, with an anti-sway bar. It costs no more than its' competitors and POWERSLIDES GREAT!! Now my DS does slide better, but it is lower and wider (and a lot more powerful)
If you can't powerslide a Sportsman, you don't know how to ride. They handle, and slide great for a utility quad.
And when it comes to the rough stuff, the Sportsman blow everything else away. We swap rides and follow/ watch each other. The DS and the Honda Foreman just bounce where the Sportsman soaks up the bumps and cruise. We got rocks out here, lots of rocks. As soon as it gets rough, nothing can touch the Sportsman. It is not fast.
It is way too heavy. It's only advantage is the rear suspension. It works. IT POWERSLIDES JUST FINE!! and the fabulous ground clearance doesn't hurt either.
These quads have double A-arm front suspension, that's as good as it gets. Then they have chain driven live axles, just like a 1920's Mack Truck. Oooo,, now that is State of the ART??
I think the Gross Misconception that independent rear suspension can't slide came from the old Volkswagon swing axle used in many early dune buggies, before A-arms and swaybars. This suicidal approach to suspension geometry is not what I'm talking about.
ATV's are 30 years behind Dirtbikes. $7,000 bucks and the shocks suck? What the hell is that about? These things should come ready to ride.
Race-prep is one thing, but we are being ripped off by an industry that is raking in the dough while we are just trying to have some fun.
The first Sport quad to come out with a well designed Independent Rear suspension is going to revolutionize this industry. It may have to be aftermarket since the industry itself is such a non-leader.

 

DirtWheels and ATV Action both had project quads with IRS a few years ago. I think TripleEEE made a IRS quad chassis. It did not work as well as a straight axle for cornering. If I remember right, it was butt heavy too.
If they want revolutionary, they will make it High power, under 350lbs and strong.

 

First attempts at anything are usually "Butt Heavy" and not as effective as tried and true designs they are trying to replace. Think overhead valve replacing flathead Fords. It took a while to overcome the years of experience and fine tuning that had massaged these archaic designs into their ultimate forms.
New ideas take refinement.
Obviously a swing-arm solid axle is going to have an advantage in a turn, since there is absolutely no give other than the tire's sidewall.
But then the inside tire hits a bump, and both wheels hop into the air, losing traction on both
rear wheels. The independent suspension would have reacted quicker due to lower unsprung weight, maintaining traction, and would not have transfered the "bump" to the other rear wheel the way the unforgiving, high mass solid axle/swing arm design would have.
The amazing thing is that this argument has been heard in almost every other motor sport. The principles of physics win out every time. And Independent suspension is always the clear winner.
There are a few vehicles that will probably stay with live axles, like drag racing, Sprint cars and Nascar. CV joints break under high horsepower, and are higher maintenence. But the rewards in speed, and comfort are well worth it.
Despite a huge horsepower advantage, superior cornering ability, and decent suspension (for a sport quad) there is NO WAY my DS can keep up with my H.O. Sportsman on these rough mountain mining roads we ride on, despite being 250 lbs heavier and anemically powered compared to the DS.
It is the suspension. I've watched my DS and The Honda Foreman solid rear axles hop over bumps, *** ends just launched into the air, that the Sportsman just cruises through. There is no comparison. If the DS had that kind of suspension and ground clearance it would blow the Sportsman away, and anything else too.

 

i'm surprised no1 mention that independant rear suspension LT250 a guy made a while ago. he offered to build them for other people too. he raced his and did very good.

 

Really? Got a name or a number? I'd do it in a heartbeat with a little help and the right parts.
Someone with prior experience converting a swingarm/solid axle to IRS would obviously be a real asset to a project like this.
You guys may not have a need for this kind of speed. But it is rough around here, and independent suspension on my DS and the almost here Raptor would be having my cake and eating it too. Aftermarket IRS kit would be worth..$2,000?
I think using the swingarm and carrier would be a good way to retrofit IRS, using a subframe, maybe even bolt-on. Chain adjustment would be as usual, but the swingarm would no longer move, making that usual mess a non-issue. Sportsman hubs and A-arms? Well, it's a starting point, albeit a heavy one. Any Sportsman part is going to weigh twice as much as it should.
I would be very interested if someone could come up with a contact to this guy who built an I.R.S. LT-250. Thanks, and no, I am not holding my breath waiting for Honda to do it. They could have done it with the Rubicon and didn't, so I doubt they will for the EX-650. Polaris might do something, but it will be too heavy. Too bad 'cause they are the only ATV manufacturer to produce a quad with independent suspension that works. (I had an Arctic Cat, their's doesn't work)
In a few years we'll look back at this and laugh......

 

damn it! i don't remember the link. if any1 knows it post it.

 

do a search on this site, it was on the front page for a few months. it was a big story about a year ago. he had pictures and everything.

BTW this argument has been beat into the ground, its gettin kinda stale.

 

The guy has a place called High Speed Dirt.
www.hsdracing.com
There is a copy of the article about the irs there.