There is also the posobility of the new CRF 450R engin bing put into a quad frame. Shoot the compression on that thing is 11.5:1 and the 400 EX is only 9.3:1. That right there makes a big difference. RR

 

Partner;
Honda is the ATV that all the other ATV companies try to beat! When these ATV mags conduct shootouts they were comparing the DS 650, Y Banshee, Cannodale 400, Y Rapter, and last but not least the Honda 400 EX. Did you notice the end results of these comparisons? Honda was not beat by much! In fact in one of those ATV mags they stated that the 400EX would out manuver the bigger cc machines on short tracks or wood trails. This should be pretty much a big embarrasment to the other ATV companies because a smaller machine almost kicked thier butts! Just hold on to your shorts because Honda will be coming out with a new machine. Here is the real kicker, this machine that Honda comes out with will beat everything in it's path and do it with less CC's! Now instead of wasting your money on a Yamaha Raptor and taking a chance on the reliability! Why don't you wait a little while and see what Honda comes out with! You will be glad you did!
SGTMP5.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-mad.gif[/img][img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-disgusted.gif[/img]

 

sgtmp5,

What kind of stuff is that exactly that you are smoking.
Must be something really special.

And yeah your wright no need to be number 1, number 2,3....99999 is just as good.

 

BuyAmerican;
Apparently the point was missed! Honda usually does just fine by producing lessor cc machines and still manages to win, agaisnt most any machine. Does it not seem a little odd that Yamaha's Raptor with it's high output motor only beat the 400ex by a small margin???? That goes for the DS650 also! If Honda would design thier 450 dirt bike engine around an ATV frame how do you think the Raptor or the DS 650 would fair???? My guess is that it would win; and win with lessor cc's! Or if they would fit thier 650 dirt bike engine into a atv frame, this would even out the playing field in cc's compared to the DS-650 and the 660 Raptor, anyone with a lick of common sense should know the outcome of this shoot out! So keep in touch BuyAmerican but for now I have to go and have a special smoke![img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

Sgtmp5 is right,
look at the shootout between the raptor and the cannondale fx400, thats right a 400 against a 660.
the cannondale has 260 less cc than the Raptor and it kept up with the Raptor on hill climbs and drag races and track times were very close.
now its not about whose got the bigger horse its about whos got the better trained horse.
I also am waiting for honda to come out with a better sport version quad, but If thats not going to happen Im going to buy a Cannondale.
Biggers not always better, and Bombadier proved that with the DS 650.

 

Why wait for a new Honda, buy a old one. I'd still put a 250R up against anything. Honda sure is doing us 250R owners a favor. By sitting on their hands our quads actually go up in value each year. You can't beat zero depreciation.

 

PaulV,

When you look at the mag comparison of the Cannondale (crackandfail), the DS and the Raptor, remember that the crackandfail has a 13:1 piston, fuel injection and many other performance features -- in short, it is at its max. The Raptor and DS are way under their max potential in full stock trim.

 

PaulV;
Thanks for the support! I have been looking into the Cannondales but I am not sure if they sell them in MN, if you know of a dealership, pass me the info. I was very impressed with what little information I recieved about these machines. I think we should give them time to work the bugs out and fine tune. Why are we all arguing about these machines for though, just a few short years ago we all did not have much to choose from!
sgtmp5[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

 

I think Trackstar Motorsports in Minneapolis has C-dales??

 

Your not entirely correct about the Cannondale motor being at it's max. The Cannondale motor responds to hop-ups just as well, if not better than those engines. Just by replacing the silencer, and adjusting the EFI mapping you've got a 5 horsepower gain for about $190. You can also increase the displacement and get huge gains. I've talked to a guy who's son has raced the Cannon, and will be on their new factory team. He said it is simply amazing what the Cannondale engineers could make that motor put out by simply changing the EFI mapping. He said they could adjust the horsepower from about 45-55 horsepower, and the new GP control on the 02' models will let regular folks go the same thing. Food for thought.