i currenty have a 2003 DS650 that is a lemon... i do love it (when it runs that is) and i cant afford to buy a new one (7200 otd for the baja X..i could get the standard viper red one, but im getting tired of how heavy the quad is, and the local bomb dealerships are HORRIBLE)

so i am looking into 3 quads...
first being the 450r (everyone knows the specs...) i do NOT like my freinds yfz450s (all 3 of my riding buddies have them, from a BONE stock one all the way up to a mx suspension and power moded one, and i still didnt like it...lol)

ir i was only drag racing or dune riding i would get one, but fact of the matter is, i cant stand having to rev a quad to 7k just so i can feather the clutch in tight woods sections (my ds is VERY smooth and has plenty of torque even WAY down low, so i dont have to hammer it unless i want to) i dont like the suspension on the yfz (suspension/seat make for a VERY bumpy ride...i get fatigued very easily on them) and lastly i dont like how the power band has a super hard hit and is almost uncontrollable (at least thats how i feel seeing as how im not comfortable on it in the first place, so its not even like im controlling it)

then there is the elusive 2003 cannondale cannibal. brand new, the dealership has sent the engine in to ATK (current manuf of the revised cannondales) to have the 2k dollars in service done to it (bumps it to 450cc, and does all the reliability updates) will be titled as a 2005 atk all for only 4200 bones....

then there is the predator. I have always looked the other way after watching MANY of my friends polaris' fall apart. (it was like an epidemic...) not trying to start a war here, but i personally dont care for some of polaris styling (lots of plastic with huge frames even for small engines....TB for example here) weight i have always seen as a bit much (i cant talk with my DS weighing in @ 500 lbs...) but when a 250 weighs (TB) weighs what... at least 400? but it looks like polaris actually spent some time making the predator. (still not light...whcih has me concerned, its about half way between a 450 and the ds... i was wishing it was only 350 to make it that much easier to toss around) I do like the look/setup of the 05 tld (im a big fan of the orange plastics, aftermarket shocks, and razrs) what is msrp on the 05 tld? (6500?) im wondering what i could get one out the door for. whenver we go to the dunes its all about power... (i dont drag race a lot, but i would have a hard time knowing even with a pipe, my predator would still probably be slower than my friends stock yfz?) what is stock HP/torque rating? i think id like to say im more in favor of the predator or the cannondale/atk....with the Cdale in the number one spot only because of the price... How hard is the predator to work on? im mainly concerned with jetting...i know on the yfz you have to pull the carb to basically do anything. on the ds both top and bottom are easily acessible while still on the machine (ive only taken the carb off twice, but not for jetting reasons) i have SEEN the 450r, and it looks tight, so i assumei t has to be pulled?

ive seen predators, but never asked to swap quads.... but then again ive also never ridden a 450r or a cdale... (darn all of my yamaha buying friends...lol)

its so difficult to put cash down on a quad you have never ridden! (if i had each quad for 10 minutes im sure i would probably have one picked out....) but i dont know anyone local that has any of these 3 quads (with the cannondale being probably impossible to locate one to test ride)

by the way im 6'2 240... do some agressive trail riding, a few dune trips and just general messing around in the fields on some small jumps.

are there any known problems for the predators? the only ones i have found about (and i havnt researched much at all) are the 03 tranny problems, frames breaking? (just read one person broke 3..? anyone else have problems?) then somthing about a breather hose stalling out in water (we do ride water, but on the sports i never go over the tires as its not worth the risk of getting stuck and being wet the rest of the day lol) so im sure thats not an issue.

i guess im hoping someone can compare the ds/predator 450r/predator cannibal/predator.
no matter what quad i get i will at least put a pipe/filter on it.

*edit* i just watched a vid of sandgods cdale racing a predator, sandgod if u cruise these forums, what mods did you have at the time? how about the predator? seemed like a pretty close race. (sandgod, i saw your vids of ur cdale and the yfzs....arnt the predators a few bike lengths behind a stock yfz? or does traction/paddle type have somthing to do with the outcomes?)***

(im probably selling my DS in the next week or two...so i will need a quad by early december at the latest (have a big trip planned down to FL, looks like that will be about perfect timing for an 05 tld huh? lol)

so thanks in advance for any info!

 

couple more questions to toss out there (like i didnt have enough already...) how does the predator respond to simple mods? (pipe/filter..?) what other mods are the "norm" for good performance? i saw a carb an edelbrock carb on ebay. Was like 400 bucks and says it adds 7hp? anyone run that? (i would just like to add enough power...maybe 10 hp so when i drag, i wont be hanging with all the other predators...and be able to at least keep up with if not beat a stock/piped yfz) if you had 700 to spend on mods for the machine what would you get? (at least 200 would be set aside for some paddles....but say 500-600) carb/pipe? is there more than one carb out there for the predator? i just want a VERY reliable machine... one that even if it has mods it isnt going to overheat/blow bearings or other small annoying problems that cost a lot and involve a ton of down time.

if you had to compare the predator to another quad (overall feeling, not just power, or suspension or weight..) what would you compare it to?

what does everyone expect the predator to sell for out the door? (if 6500 is msrp...and i know specific dealer and location have a huge impact, what would you expect to out the door would be? would be cool to only have to spend around 6k otd...but with it being upgraded and just release im betting closer to its msrp otd)

again sorry for adding 20 questions onto the 50 i already posted...im just trying to get more info on this thing! (its looking like it would be closer to what i want, closer in style to the DS than a stiff 2stroke-like mx quad (ie yfz)

 

Check this out

theres a good place to check out for predator info...if i had that money for mods on it...i'd put it towards a carb, air filter , and a HMF pipe.......

i think you'll have a blast with the close ratio trannies in the dunes on the 05 TLD's...


well anyway give that place a call and tell him your situation. i take my quad there and its a 99 400 out running all these 03's and 04's.

 

04 preds are geared higher, but 05's have reverse and closer gear ratios

 

no , first and fifth gear stayed the same...its 2 3 and 4 that are closer, i will have the same top speed.

 

I think the CDale sounds like a big risk. It may be worth it, but then again I am no gambler. I have not had the pleasure of riding a 450r yet, so I can't comment on it. You already have a DS so I don't need to tell you about that. So that leaves me so talk about the Pred. It's a real nice quad. I felt comfortable on it (I am your exact size). They even made it more comfortable in '05 for us bigger guys. It comes with a lot of the goodies on it stock. It's had some run time, this being the 3rd year('05) for it, bugs are worked out and they are just improving on the product. My question or suggestion is check out your local Polaris dealer. Mine treats me very well and not in a kiss a$$ buy another quad way. I may have never bought a Polaris had it not been that the Honda/Kawi dealer is like your Bomb dealer and my Polaris dealer is super. Now I know the Polaris product I like it too. If you don't trust the dealer then don't buy the product.

 

You brought up weight on the predator its 415-20lbs. others say that they are 350lbs. When you compare strength there is many issues with yamaha and honda compared to the pred which have virtualy none. Lifetime warranty rear axle on the pred also.

The cdale bikes are sure sweet, they can get quite pricey though. I like them a lot they are performers but for the 10,000 they cost and the risk of the company going out of business the next day.

You ride a ds now, you know how top heavy it is, heavy let alone. But when you ride the pred your going to feel 100x closer to the ground which is making you feel a lot more stable and you are a lot more stable.

The pred offers a low price, better handling, equal power, american made, durability, and customer service.

For the less money you will spend on the pred, you can mod your pred to the stock price of what your buddies payed for there bikes. ie: pipe,jet,filter, gearing,cdi. This way you can totaly blow them out the water.

 

how is polaris warranty? (is it standard 6 month for vehicle? then liftetime on chain and axle right?)

do they sell an extended warranty? (does anybody know if i can switch pipe/filter and maybe even carb without voiding warranty? (i assume waranty would only be void if i opened up the cases and did some tinkering?)

i noticed you said cdi. A big problem with the ds, especially once u pipe it, it bounces HARD off the limiter long before you are ready to shift. But the down fall of them (that i and a few others have found) is that with a higher rev limit most add advanced timing, which makes the quad hard to turn over (i think that is what aided to the demise of 500 dollars in starter parts for me)

what all brands make cdis for the predator? are they all basically equal? (same rev limit and same timing change, if any?)

the more help i can get the better!

and about the cannondales being expensive...well ya they are if you buy an ATK one.. (base model is 8k i think) but the deal i have would be getting basically a brand new 05 (even thought its a new but revamped 03) for only 4200 bucks. (which puts it 2k below the predator!)

 

That's what nice about the 05 Pred, it has a higher rev limiter then the 04. I put a higher rev limiter on mine, and it was a pain to start. Put the stocker back on and it starts in about a second. When you do dead engine starts at the races, this could put you back in the pack real quick.

 

yeah 6 monthes standard. extended warranty is available. lifetime on axle i think chain too. pipes wont void warranty niether will air filter or gearing. a cdi will and jetting wont. www.rathracing.com sells a vortex cdi for 400 bucks.