I actually got to see all three 2008 Outlaw models... and here are my thoughts

<u>450 MXR</u>

The tires are so small I don't even think I'd have track use for them. Also, the shifter placement was TERRIBLE!!! I went to check it out without looking, and my big #10's never even touched it. It's so far inboard towards the frame that I missed it totally. You have to angle your foot IN like / to get in touch with it. What's up with that? Surprised I didn't read about it.

<u>525 S</u>

Very nice quad. I just do not understand WHY they yanked the e-brake on nice selection when they got to the front. I wish it had Podium X up front too like the MXR... and the front tire choice was not all that impressive.

I would have liked to see the white plastics though.

<u>525 IRS</u>

This one impressed me the most of the three. To me it seems like the natural selection for this particular overall quad layout. I would like to have seen one consistent great shock on all 4 corners though.


<u>All three</u>

Of all the top tier high performance engines, I feel the most comfortable about the KTM powerplant. It's probably the best out now. I can't seem to find fault in it.

Too bad since I really don't have a 525 / IRS combo as an option at an acceptable price. I will look at the 500 option I have before final decision though.

All three of them.... to me they sit too high up... and the seat, while very cushy, is also much like a saddle up towards the tank. Johnny and his two boys disapprove... lol...


Anyways, I somewhat doubt I will get an Outlaw in the end.
But if I do, it will probably be the '06 Outlaw 500 IRS.

 

Look into an 09' MXR, Lower, better suspension, shifter placement is fine...

 

I Have a 08 Outlaw 450. It has a great suspension on it Fox Shocks. I Rode a 525 and felt like i was riding a honda recon but faster. the stering on both bike are way fast and sharp. At a drag race 450 is not far behind, i can usually jump them through all 5 gears but they have the edge in the long run.

 

I had forgotten about this particular thread....

I went back and rode all three. Myself, I preferred the suspension on the 450 MXR, but I could see where in the trails the IRS would take away a lot of the beating you take from a straight axle, and the suspension on the 525 S rated last to me.

As far as the engines, I think KTM hit a home run with BOTH. I preferred the shifter placement better on the 525, and coming off a 400EX of course I preferred the additional low end torque of the 525 over the 450. But for a 450, the KTM engine is tops on low end over all the rest. But I'm not sure how much of it is the gearing and 18" tires either.

In any event I was having trouble deciding between them, and they also had a 700R I was interested in, so I had to go home and sleep on it. Ultimately, it ended in the dealer wanting to play sales games with me. When I'm ready to buy and I want to know what the final "out the door price" is going to be... well that's what I want to know. Instead, they wanted to play their sales games... and I guess try to get me in there and spring something on me right at the very end.

So in the meantime while they were beating around the bush with these games, I went and rode a Kawasaki 450R. Not quite as much torque bone stock, but everything else was so much better all the way around the bike that I was extremely impressed with the total package. The dealer was also very straight forward, with no BS involved, so I loaded it up and brought it home.