I think Honda will play it smart, and put out a 450 - to compete with the C-Dale. Because, like it or not, the C-dale is getting lots and lots of press, and has impressed alot of people with it's innovation. I can't see Honda letting that go by without stepping up to the plate. A 650 is just not necessary, and is very heavy, and I can't see Honda putting out a heavy sport machine. They are more of the nimble and quick type! [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

Honda doesn't so much play it SMART as they play it SAFE. Face it, there are a lot of people that follow Honda blindly. No matter what Honda builds there will be people that buy it just because it says HONDA on it. I agree that Honda makes good products for the most part but I can't think of one machine they make that is the clear leader in it's category; I'm talking ATVs here not motorcycles, cars (I own a 2001 Acura CL Type S) or other products.

I too would like to see Honda make a TRUE high performance (not sport) quad.

Oh, BTW, not everybody rides in the woods and not everybody rides in the dunes... Maybe that's why there are different types of sport quads. By the same token, "well, my quad will beat you in the tight woods trails" doesn't mean anything to me. That's a lame excuse. Personally, I mostly ride in the dunes and 400exs are a laughing stock there and when I used to live on the East coast and rode woods a lot it seemed like ANY quad could get around fine. 95% of the people riding don't ride to the quads full handling potential in woods/trails anyway so who cares how fast a machine is in the woods; it's almost always the rider skills that sets the pace not the machine's handling. I'm venting beacause if I see the lame "beat you in the woods" remark one more time I'm going to scream.

 

I would have to agree with you! I get tired of hearing it sometimes, too.....and you are right. My 400 certainly isn't the fastest dune machine! It does rocket me around the bowls pretty good, though, and that's what I like to do. I think where I really enjoy my 400 is on the track....that's one place where it tends to stand out. Although I haven't had the chance to take the Raptor out there yet....hmmmmmmmm!!!
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Very well said... I keep trying to get the same point across, but I just couldn't come up w/ the right way to say it.