Well here goes, I'm new here and have been reading all these posts about the FX400. It doesn't appear that anyone here owns one and few have test ridden them. I find it intresting that people try to compare apples to oranges constantly. Try to do a little research before you form an opinion.
I found it funny when someone says Honda will sell more 250EX's then Cannondale will FX's. Cannondale has built hi-end bicycles for years and have done very well for themselves, do you think because Schwinn out sells them they are worried?
I have read on here that the FX is at such a high state of tune that you can't get much more out of it. Yeah and I'm sure that could be said about a Dodge Viper or Corvette too [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]
Price wise I think you get what you pay for, better suspension, wheels and tires, steel braided brake lines and fuel injection among other items is well worth the extra 1500.00 over the price of the Raptor(which I have seen sell for over 7,000.00 in my area).
I recieved my FX 3 weeks ago and couldn't be happier. I almost bought a Raptor but they didn't have test rides and were asking over 7000.00 for them and were short of supply. I also re thought the Raptor after going over the specs on the dimmensions and it didn't look like it would be as stable as an EX or an FX. I test rode the FX and it had incredible throttle response and the power felt excellent from bottom to top. I don't have a lot of experience with quads but I have ridden bikes for 25 years and am a former roadracer. I would have loved to have the power characturistics on one of my racers that this has.
They day before I picked mine up they replaced the upper A-arms and the bushings which caused the front end to bind and not allow the suspension to work properly. Dirt Wheels hadn't recieved an updated FX for there tests.
For their first shot in this market, Cannondale has done a nice job, and to put a package together like this, alluminum frame, Ohlins suspension, FMF pipe, alluminum wheels, fuel injected, gear driven cams, cassette transmission, steel braided brake lines, etc. and it works, and made in America, to keep the price at 8,000.00 is admirable.
I payed 8,000.00 otd for mine and they also threw in a set of Douglas wheels and Sand Skate II's. I'm having fun now!!!

Moto24
'00 Cannondale FX400
'98 Kawi ZX-9R
'90 Kawi ZX-7 (superbike)
'84 Honda VF750R
'80 Kawi KZ650

 

There's a few Cannondale owners here. But many of the guys in these forums or more interested in making negative comments than actually riding one, yet alone engaging in an informed discussion.

My friend that has one mentioned the binding with the front bushings... Did they go to a spherical bearing setup like what Honda uses...

 

i may be a total dumba**, but are you sure that the wheels are steel? i can see the low buck shocks, but the wheels look like aluminum to me. did you read it somewhere? that is very interesting. if it was priced at the same as a 400ex, i wouldnt be getting a 400ex this week! this seems to be the first time i have seen gary get so hot-headed. maybe i am just in the wrong forums. i think everybody needs to simmer down. if you dont like cannondale making a bike for the masses, you really dont have to buy it. this may sound like a broken record, but would you be complaining about the canibbal 3 years ago? it still has an aluminum frame, fuel injection, and holeshots. c-dale shouldve put some crappy tires on to save more money. gary, do you have stock wheels on your quad? i like honda coming with good suspention and aluminum wheels becuase i have a low paying job and like a quad to be good while i can raise some funds. i can see why gabe is gettin pissed off, he has a welth of knowledge on fuel injection and gary is telling him he is wrong.

 

LT said what he felt, I have respect for that.Gabe on the "backin up facts" front, a 250R really stock, not dummy tuned from the factory, will put out mid 30s and with porting will put out 40s.As I did then, I will do now, if you would like, dyno charts I will provide.As I stateed before, linear is not "fun".Have you ever ridden a Banshee?That is the most non linear power this side of an 84 CR5hundo and its awe inspiring.You ever ridden a 2 into1 piped Shee? Just ask Bash, it makes it feel slow and not as "fun".Linear power is boring, rideable if your a beginner, i'm not and I don't need nor want linear power."the mellowing of the peakyness is a side affect of more average power" Talk about semantics...Sice you asked, YZ426 countless times,a KTM 400EXC 3 times, an XR400 a whole lot and I will be running a Raptor through its paces soon.Question for ya real quick, what makes these 4strokes new?Aside from the 5 valves on the Yam, whats new about these bikes that Husky didn't do in 85?We had a bunch of Ill handling bikes, now we have a bunch of decent handling bikes with weak power and 4stroke motors that take a boatload of money to extract power gains, it was easier to make a Tecate handle and the Qracer wasn't bad to start with.Once again I'm not the one whining, I just won't put my hands over my eyes and be content with something I don't want.2strokes aren't dead, they only will be when we all roll over and "Take what we can get" ,I won't do that. I know what I prefer and I'm not gonna say "oh well,they've gone the way of the dinosaurs" They haven't and until a meteor blows up the earth i'm going to stick with what I want.

 

O.K. 86atc250r the reason I used those words is because of what ridzhard wrote. To me it sounded like he thought we were all a bunch of dumba$$es. Yeah, I backed up Manliow because I agreed with him about the 2-Strokes and Moto24, you are probably the only person that should be giving out opinions about the cannondale. Oh, yeah are you gonna go to Sandfest? E-Mail me or post, cause I wold like too see a Cannondale in action myself and if I am really lucky ride one!![img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

 

You know when I started this topic all I wanted was your comment on what you thought the next quad from Cannondale was going to be. And everyone has wondered way off the topic. Gary Manilow, its ok that you don't like 4-strokes, heck I don't like 2-strokes. I think they smell bad when you ride behind them and that they are loud. But hey everyone has there own opinion. Mine just happens to be different than yours, thats all. So everyone else if you don't like what Gary is saying ignore him. Now, lets try to keep to the topic.

 

Mojave, get a 2stroke and you won't be smellin exhaust anymore....I'm sorry he just left himself open for that one!Mojave if you don't like what I said just ignore it[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

smart*ss sorry just couldn't ignore that one.

 

>My friend that has one mentioned the binding with the front bushings... Did they go to a spherical bearing setup like what Honda uses...<

Gabe, The bushings had been machined too tight and they said something about the A-arms being a concern for strength and were also replaced. I'm not familiar with Honda's bearing set-up, the FX doesn't have them.

Moto24
'00 Cannondale FX400
'98 Kawi ZX-9R
'90 Kawi ZX-7 (superbike)
'84 Honda VF750R
'80 Kawi KZ650

 

ltracerx, I'm not going to make Sandfest this year, I will be going to Sand Lake next Friday though, I got 5 days away from work, woo hoo!! This will be my FX's first venture in the sand, been waiting for some custom shock covers I'm haveing made.


Moto24
'00 Cannondale FX400
'98 Kawi ZX-9R
'90 Kawi ZX-7 (superbike)
'84 Honda VF750R
'80 Kawi KZ650