Great post oregon, but your forgetting: which would be better? crf450R quad or a 440 cdale? it might be like waiting for the z400 but saying nevermind i already have a 400ex. i would wait to see if they make a 450ex, why are you bogging down honda? cannondales are just another quad on the market with an aluminum frame, and efi, and a hefty price tag. Honda: brakes, suspention, handling, and more over a dirtbike
engine=power, and honda made the first aluminum frame in a dirtbike! maybe aluminum frame? or is that patented or whatever? its like saying why wait for the z400 when you can get a 400ex. i think the crf450r quad will be better, offering reverse, and, more power, and everything in between, liquid cooled ect. This pissed me off [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif[/img].

-wantsads650butihaveasmallwallet[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif[/img]

 

Oregon, Isnt this what you asked people not to do? Looks like thunder picked the right icon!

 

Hey Thunderpower, Your forgetting one thing about the C-dale 440 it to is a dirtbike engine. Also another thing is I have a feeling C-dale designed this motor more for the quad than dirtbike, I think the reason the dirtbikes came out first was that it took them a little more time to get a good handling quad frame, they already have a pretty good idea on how to make a good handling two-wheeler.Also if adapt a dirtbike engine to a quad, it is gonna be considerably weaker, and also everyone knows Honda would detune the thing anyways. Also the Cannondale has better brakes & Suspension than the 400EX, the handlings about the same, but the Cannondale is a little more stabler, and do you really think honda has the ***** to make an aluminum framed quad. Besides with all of the people that are still buying 400EXs, Honda dosent really have a reason to release a new sport bike, do you think they care if there quad is slower ,as long as it is out-selling everyone elses quads they have no reason to release a new one.Also dont even count on a CRF450 powered quad, probably more like an XR650 powered quad. They probably all-ready have the final prototypes built and are just waiting for the right time to release it, probably sometime mid-2003, you know after Kawasaki & Polaris release there quads.

PS. Thunderpower, the Cannondale is a better all-around quad than the DS you want. I know I have both.

 

See, Thunnderpower you just said the Honda would be better, how do you know that?? The Cannondale is better at everything than the 400EX except in the handling department, but they are probably so close that the tires make the deciding factor in it. Chances are Honda would use the EX chassis yo put the 450 motor in(if they ever do) and so you would be stuck with... basically a liquid cooled 400EX thats slightly faster. Also, I am confused, whats more important here, the name Honda, who usually makes very reliable quads but will never be as involved with their customers as C-Dale, or having a Cannondale and having support from them. They had some problems, they adressed them and fixed them, FOR FREE. So tell me, why would you pick the Name over the real thing?

 

I think it's kind of funny that all the people that HAVE ridden a Cannondale will defend them, yet all the people that haven't aren't even interested.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

So, if you really want the low-down from a non-Cannondale rider... I would be more than happy to give it to you.

 

OregonMXracer is right. The handling is so close that the tires would probably be the deciding factor. I'll be able to say for sure when I get some Tamers. I think the R's handle a lot better but the only R I have ever ridden was on that used to be set up for flat tracking. It had +2 a-arms, +4 axle and 18 inch tamers... In other words, this R was sweet. I won't tell my opinion to much because I own a Dale and everyone would think I'm just saying this stuff because of that, but I would like to say that I have NEVER ridden a quad like this one. It is AWESOME.

 

Well, you can talk all day till your blue in the face about cannondale, or any newer company that comes out with a super cool quad and it wont matter, honda will ALWAYS be one of the top quads. Just as stated above, honda doesnt care if they arent the fastest, their quads are selling like crazy, and its because of the reputation they've built. I love to walk in the store and just ask questions to salesmen that I already know the answer too. Example, asking about the cannondale loose bolt and chain guide ordeal. Of course they aint gonna complain about that, "all quads loosen up, and all go through chain guides, blah blah". Come over my house, I got over 700 hours on my 400ex, try to tighten those bolts, aint happenin son, cuz they's perfect without me ever messing with them and my chain guide is perfect.

Anyhow, for a plus side, cannondale will hopefully be getting more business with the exposure, and I hear their new quads are going to be a lot cheaper, of course with cheaper suspension and all. Their service has to be better than the best and they know it to grab a huge audience. If all goes as planned so far, I think they'll have a great future and lots of folks will be purchasing them. But never count honda out, they'll be whipping *** for as long as this all lasts. The cannondales look cool in the magazines, but they look ultra sweet in first person. They are sorta letting the customers sort out the problems and they deal with it well, trying out new parts on the quad. In a few years, it'll all be the same production, and it wont be like it is now, coming out with new parts on and off like this. I imagine it'll all be good by next year and they'll be pretty successful and maybe all this will bring up the sales on their bikes. As said earlier, hopefully they'll get some more variety.

 

I agree with a lot of the people here. The Cannondale may turn out to be one heckuva quad. I know that for the time being, they're having their fair share of problems and will most likely change some of the great things about the quads that they currently have in production to lower the cost of manufacturing. They are still very new to quad manufacturing.

Honda on the other hand has the engineering that seems to be the curve upon which all other quads are graded. Anyone who thinks that Cannondale didn't take apart a 400ex for ideas on how to make their quad the machine that it is needs to order a script for a dose of reality.

I'm not knocking what Cannondale has done by any means. I think that they've started something big. I'm just saying that you can't blame people for wanting to wait and see what good ol' tried and true Honda has got up their sleeve before going out and throwing down that kind of investment.

 

Right on SOONERDOONER AND PRS311! What Cannondale has got going is great for all the ATV FREAKS, There innovations will force all the companys to step up there performance a level. Everybody wins! But dont start ******* the one who has been leading the pack this far just because there is a new kid on the scene. Honda quads are tried and true!

 

That's right, besides, I wanna tape hamsters to my back and ride through the mall naked.