JUST SAW THE PREDATOR!!!!
#22
07-01-2002 | 02:40 PM
Range Rover
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 172
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#23
07-02-2002 | 02:52 AM
Pro Rider
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 225
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#24
07-02-2002 | 04:28 AM
Thread Starter
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Pro Rider
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#25
07-02-2002 | 04:55 AM
Pro Rider
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 225
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I agree, the YZF426 and CRF450 are high maintenance motors compared to the Z400,400EX,Raptor,etc.etc. The honda XR650R motor is a great motor and has quite a bit more HP lurking inside. Based on some of the things included in the Honda hop up kit for the XR650R, I seriously doubt that the motor will hold up when brought to the power level the Raptor is currently at in a modified state. My bud VelocityRaptor is getting HP in the 60's out of his Raptor with fairly extensive mods(excluding big-bore or stroker crank), but I know there is more to be had but there will start to be some pretty heavy trade-offs to get into the mid to high 70's. I have never heard of anyone making a reliable Xr650R motor that puts out that kind of HP at the back tires. I just hope my ATC350R powervalve will keep up with it as it is. The motor shop that did my 350PV cylinder and head claim it should make 60 at the back tires, but I'm a little pessimistic about the 60HP.
#27
07-03-2002 | 12:46 AM
Pro Rider
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 288
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You guys are so funny...
Everybody was all for it until somebody pointed out that it's Polaris's new entry...
prang, for you to say that no one wants a Polaris is about like me saying that I'm having tea with the queen of Britain tomorrow afternoon. The local Polaris dealer says he sells more Sportsmans that he does all of his Hondas combined. But, nobody wants them......
Atvsaint, while you may be correct in that Honda really jump started the sport quad segment again, that was HOW MANY years ago? Everybody has come out with faster, quicker, more powerful sport quads, and Honda is still bringing up the rear with it's air-cooled slug... Changing times call for changes in models; this is something Honda desperately needs to realize, or they're going to start loosing massive chunks of their market share to companies willing to put out new quads, and put out updates to these quads on a fairly regular basis. Not once every 8 years.
I've been hearing stories of a replacement for the EX for 3 years now, and a quick trip to Honda's website reveals that the 400EX they released way back when, is the same as the 400EX on the showroom floor today. "It's coming! It's going to be bigger and faster and kick everything else's ****, no questions asked!"
What is this miraculous creation? Honda's new line of super large-sized steel-toe boots, of course...
Believe me when I say that I want Honda to release something better than their current offerings, for perhaps no other reason than the overall benefit of the sport. But the constant rumors will soon begin to bite Honda where it hurts.
answer63, if you were to buy a new Audi, would you complain about the reliability? Probably not, because nowadays they're nearly flawless. Would it surprise you to know that Audi's used to be some of the most unreliable cars on the road? And that they were low sellers for a long time because of past reliability issues, even though the cars they made during that low-selling period were night-and-day different stories compared to the previous years...
You're probably wondering what my point is. Well, Polaris went through a period where the reliability flat out sucked. However, once they pulled their act together and realized that they were losing sales, reliability increased. Dramatically. I've had less problems in my 3 years of owning my Xplorer than my neighbor's one year of owning his Rancher. But that's just my personal experience... and, I've realized that every manufacturer has glitches that make it out of the factory. Some of them are FILLED with problems, others will go for 10,000 miles before having so much as a hiccup and some flatulence.
But back to the point... wait a minute... what IS the point...
Oh yeah. I'm excited for the Predator. I doubt I'll buy one because of my current financial situation, but I'm quite excited to see what it will do for the sport.
Also, just to pose a question to all of you guys.
Who do you think will release the first sport-oriented ATV with any independant rear-end? AC is on the right track with it's 400i 2x4, but it's still got racks and needs a diet...
So, who will it be?
Everybody was all for it until somebody pointed out that it's Polaris's new entry...
prang, for you to say that no one wants a Polaris is about like me saying that I'm having tea with the queen of Britain tomorrow afternoon. The local Polaris dealer says he sells more Sportsmans that he does all of his Hondas combined. But, nobody wants them......
Atvsaint, while you may be correct in that Honda really jump started the sport quad segment again, that was HOW MANY years ago? Everybody has come out with faster, quicker, more powerful sport quads, and Honda is still bringing up the rear with it's air-cooled slug... Changing times call for changes in models; this is something Honda desperately needs to realize, or they're going to start loosing massive chunks of their market share to companies willing to put out new quads, and put out updates to these quads on a fairly regular basis. Not once every 8 years.
I've been hearing stories of a replacement for the EX for 3 years now, and a quick trip to Honda's website reveals that the 400EX they released way back when, is the same as the 400EX on the showroom floor today. "It's coming! It's going to be bigger and faster and kick everything else's ****, no questions asked!"
What is this miraculous creation? Honda's new line of super large-sized steel-toe boots, of course...
Believe me when I say that I want Honda to release something better than their current offerings, for perhaps no other reason than the overall benefit of the sport. But the constant rumors will soon begin to bite Honda where it hurts.
answer63, if you were to buy a new Audi, would you complain about the reliability? Probably not, because nowadays they're nearly flawless. Would it surprise you to know that Audi's used to be some of the most unreliable cars on the road? And that they were low sellers for a long time because of past reliability issues, even though the cars they made during that low-selling period were night-and-day different stories compared to the previous years...
You're probably wondering what my point is. Well, Polaris went through a period where the reliability flat out sucked. However, once they pulled their act together and realized that they were losing sales, reliability increased. Dramatically. I've had less problems in my 3 years of owning my Xplorer than my neighbor's one year of owning his Rancher. But that's just my personal experience... and, I've realized that every manufacturer has glitches that make it out of the factory. Some of them are FILLED with problems, others will go for 10,000 miles before having so much as a hiccup and some flatulence.
But back to the point... wait a minute... what IS the point...
Oh yeah. I'm excited for the Predator. I doubt I'll buy one because of my current financial situation, but I'm quite excited to see what it will do for the sport.
Also, just to pose a question to all of you guys.
Who do you think will release the first sport-oriented ATV with any independant rear-end? AC is on the right track with it's 400i 2x4, but it's still got racks and needs a diet...
So, who will it be?
#30
07-04-2002 | 03:25 AM
The Facility
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 4,062
Likes: 0
From: Mississippi
kciH,
The XR650R is not as underpowered as you may think. The XR650 engine makes 49.6HP at the wheel and has a top speed of 99mph.
As far as the weight goes, the weight comes into play with the convential frame and front suspension design, not to mention the steel exhaust which weighs over 15 lbs.!! There is only a 45 pound difference between the XR650 and CRF450 and this is where the majority of this weight difference lies.
Honda Reps, have already verified to us that Honda has had this quad in R&D for over a year now. I posted a conversation I had with one of them last Fall. Last September, Bruce Ogilive, who helped design the 400EX, took this 650EX prototype out for a weekend in the dunes and gave his input to Honda on what needed to be changed.
Honda has already told it's dealers that they will have an announcment this September regarding a new sportquad.
My money is on the 650EX rather than the CRF450.
The XR650R is not as underpowered as you may think. The XR650 engine makes 49.6HP at the wheel and has a top speed of 99mph.
As far as the weight goes, the weight comes into play with the convential frame and front suspension design, not to mention the steel exhaust which weighs over 15 lbs.!! There is only a 45 pound difference between the XR650 and CRF450 and this is where the majority of this weight difference lies.
Honda Reps, have already verified to us that Honda has had this quad in R&D for over a year now. I posted a conversation I had with one of them last Fall. Last September, Bruce Ogilive, who helped design the 400EX, took this 650EX prototype out for a weekend in the dunes and gave his input to Honda on what needed to be changed.
Honda has already told it's dealers that they will have an announcment this September regarding a new sportquad.
My money is on the 650EX rather than the CRF450.