i was talkin to a cannondale rep here in NV and he was saying that cannondale is in R&D on a NEW 450cc engine

 

thats great for us guys that race nonsanctioned tracks but you wouldnt be able to run it at any national events except in the open classes

 

tell me if im wrong but isn,t the dale a 440 already .. why would they make a 450 ???

 

it actually has 432 cc

 

Rumor is they are pushing to raise the cc limit to 500cc. I would imgine that Polaris is behind that for the Predator. I've heard that Honda is looking to get it bumped to 450cc. Only time wil tell, I guess.

 

I talked to a C'dale rep a few weeks ago and he, too, said that for '04 they will have some 450cc quads and dirtbikes...

they are also looking into other segments of the sport market... what that means is anyones guess...

 

450 is the "magic number" now that the AMA and FIM have set that as the displacement limit for 4-stroke MX bikes in the "250" class. Hence the CRF450, revised YZ450F, updated KTM 450 RFS, etc... It won't be long 'till the ATVA bumps it to 450 as well. Honda asked them to do it for this season, but they didn't ask until after the rules had been set, so it didn't happen. If the ATVA goes all the way to 500, then that screws everyone except Polaris and I don't see that happening.

 

This is what I had heard about the ATVA rule setting for this year (I think that it was on these boards, even)... Honda approached the ATVA to increase the limit to 450cc, the ATVA responded by saying "show us a new production model, and we'll do it". Honda never came through before the time limit to change the rules expired, and so here we are at 440cc.

That's okay, screw Honda, it isn't like they will field a team or offer any type of support and/or contingency. Cannondale already fields a team and supports various riders, and that same Rep told me that contingency will be following shortly ('03 season perhaps).

The ATVA limit should get bumped up when Cannondale asks them to do so. They are developing the larger displacement engine for the dirtbikes, and I'm sure that the ATV line will see it, too. Makes sense to me, and it should make sense to the ATVA to listen to the one manufacturer that gives a damn about the racing scene.

 

I read and AMA ATV or what ever the new thing is called press release. Honda did not ask for and increase in the quad class, as of now they are not even interested in quad racing. So anything you heard about honda trying is not true. I would say if c-dale asks it will happed b/c they are the only mfg to support quad racing.
However in the Pro production GNCC class there is no displacement max as of now so if it is a production bike you can race it. C-dale is selling against motorcycles w/ 450cc and as a small company it would not make sence to try to produce 2 different motors so I would think the bump would be more aimed at the moto side but we get the benifits

 

I heard it from two sources about the ATVA/Honda thing... of course Honda isn't interested in fielding a team, but nothing makes for better advertising than having a machine you sell win at the race tracks. There is an ATVA guy floating around here somewhere, he is the one that posted about Honda asking for an increase in displacement rules (and yes I know all about the GNCC rulebook, this was pertaining to the GNCs).