What exactly are you plannin on doing? If you are a trailrider, don't buy the Dale. I don't believe the average rider is faster on the Z, no matter what Dirt Wheels says. Yes, if you just hop on and go to the track, you might be faster on the Z but after about 2 trips to the track, and getting over the fact that you can rev the hell out of the Dale and it won't blow up, you will be MUCH faster on the Cannondale. The Cannondale just takes a little getting used to. If you are coming from a two stroke, you will be more comfortable. I'm pretty much just a MX'er and I've decided to work on the stability and suspension, before I even bother with the power. It has plenty out of the box.