Here is my "opinion" of the perfect high performance quad.
Great power--high HP like a 2-stroke, but the smoothness of a 4-stroke.
Aluminum frame and great chassis design--this is a huge factor in the balance and drive ability of the machine. A perfectly balanced quad is comfy to ride.
Brakes--must have great stopping power(disks) and be able to control front and rear brakes seperately.
Manual tranny--complete control of hp and torque throughout the power band. Able to engine break into corners and down hills.
Suspension--crazy suspension, that will soak up every jump that you have the courage to take. Ride like a dream at any speed. Must be adjustable.
Light weight--weight is a big factor in being able to ride the quad and not let it ride you. It should be like riding a bike, not a lawn mower. You sould be able to toss a high performance quad around in the air.


What's your definition?

Chris "00" 300EX

 

I believce the Polaris "Sport" is aptly named. I think we have a lot of people here confusing the term Sport with High Performance. You can have sportiness in a high performance machine but not vice versa unless you're talking about modifications. The Polaris Sport has way too many creature comforts like electric starting and reverse and is too heavy to be considered a true high performance machine while in stock form. If given enough modifications (and money) I could probably make a Suzuki King Quad into a H.P. machine.

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Mike Chero 97 Polaris Sport 400L/ 97 Polaris Trailblazer 250ES

<A HREF="http://users.penn.com/~hal9000/mikeetta.html">MIKE & CELESTE'S ATV PAGE </A>

 

Maybe the Sport is not a HI PERFORMANCE machine, but then neither is the 300ex.

 

Exactly Mike. Another area of confusion is the assumpton that a motor alone makes something high performance, again the Sport 400 (for those who don't know its actually only 378cc). The mear fact it has a theoriticall large displacement motor does not make it a high performance ATV.

I also agree with Ford400...300EX-although an all around excellent ATV, not high performance.

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Jerry Goodman '99 400L, '98 TBlazer

 

Hi everybody, this is my first time in the forums. As far as the best or fastest or whatever quad, there's only one thing that matters, its the RIDER on the quad.

I started on a 87 TRX 125 when I was 10 and rode it until I was 16, when I could afford to buy a 92 250X. Basically, I would do jumps my brother did on his 250R with my non-suspended 125, Then I raced my "STOCK" 250X except for rear tires, pipe, and axle, and then later a 300EX, and I was capable of beating highly modified 250R's, Banshee's, AND Polaris sport 250's & 400's in TT style race tracks. I never finished under 4th in the 2-stroke class. Now I have a 330 Kitted 250R, and I won a season championship in my first year of motocross racing, including placing 9th at Red Bud in the Open B. Even after crashing on the 3rd lap of the main, I came from last to 9th with lap times as good as the top two in my class. Not only that, I am very fast in the trails, I've kept up with cross-country bike racers in the Badlands of South Dakota with my 300EX. May not sound too impressive, except for the fact my left arm was in a cast at the time. I rode one handed, and yes they were impressed. I can also keep up with bikes in the woods of the Black Hills, SD. Oh yea, I did that while my arm was in the cast also.

Basically I've ridden virtually every quad out there, on virtually every terrain. Some suit some people while others suit other people. Personally I don't want to ride a 4x4 auto, I want a fast, awsome handling sport and race quad. But I would get one if I had the money some day for hunting and offroading. While other people don't want a sport quad, they want the auto 4x4...

If you must have my opinion though, for the best all around play/race quad, you can't beat my 330R. Not even a 400EX whatever...
It pulls like a 4-stroke with the 2-stroke revs. I've ridden 400EX's, their nice, but they aren't as fun to ride. That's why I swithced to a 2-stroke. Banshee's are fast, but they don't turn and have too many parts.
Oh, yea, believe it or not, my R is way more reliable than any 4-stroke I've ever owned, except the 125. I just plain ride too hard for them.

 

Sickman is on the dot.

There may truly not be a "best" quad out there. The rider has a unique sense for his or her style, and the quad that suits their style best will seem like the "best" quad.

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- 1986 Honda TRX250R, 1996 Kawasaki Mojave, 1998 Kawasaki Mojave, http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/B...8090/home.html

 

Great discussion guys. Has anyone read the "first test" of the DS650 in DirtWheels yet? They say it is faster than a Banshee. Very interesting. Now I know that thier are a lot of DW doubters out there. But me personally. I can't wait to see one of these babies in action, close up. Even better if the owner will let me take it for a spin.
As far as the discussion of Sport 400 and 300EX not being high performance. Here's the deal. Sport has the HP, but is alittle heavy and a "questionable" auto tranny. And the EX is light and nimble, but lacks the "power". Does that sound about right?

Chris "00" 300EX

 

Chris,

That sounds right to me. In the sport ATV world, the Sport400 and the 300EX are opposite.

Does anyone else agree that there should be a forum about actual RIDING SKILLS? FOR the rider, to improver THEIR personal riding skills/knowledge. How-to's, techniques, secrets, Q's, help with trouble, whatever. I thought that since we are on the subject of riders and their style, I should point out that THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT ANY ONE OF US HAS...



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- 1986 Honda TRX250R, 1996 Kawasaki Mojave, 1998 Kawasaki Mojave, http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/B...8090/home.html

 

YES, A GOOD HP QUAD SHOULD PERFORM ON A MX TRACK. BECAUSE OF THE ROUGH SURFACE AN MX TRACK HAS, IT ALLOWS THE QUAD TO FULLY UTILIZE THEIR MAXIMUM POTENTIAL AS FAR AS CHASIS AND MOTOR PERFORMANCE.

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When I bought my Sport 400, I never asked myself " is this a high performance quad?" I bought it because I liked the things it had to offer. I rode many a quad before deciding on the Sport. I ride with many different people with many different quads. We never rag on each others bikes. We ride, we have fun. Sometimes we race, sometimes I win. Sometimes he wins. Sometimes a buddies friend wins that nobody knows. Sometimes I break down, sometimes he breaks down. At the end of the day we all shake hands and thank each other for the invite and the opportunity to ride with each other with the hopes it will happen many more times. We're all riding, who cares.

SportKod

99 Polaris Sport
00 Yamaha Kodiak