Hasn't any Z owners read it yet or is everyone in the other forums takeing up for their Z?

Cdale---we already know is faster.

What was said compareing the Z to the Raptor, and more important, the EX?

Was there anything about suspension, handeling, low end power, jumping, and anything I forgot(swing arm, frame shortcomings) on the Z that wasn't up to par?

SO..............what did they say?????

Later.

 

The Z400 was pitted against the Cannibal and 400EX.

It was a shootout that was conducted on a motocross track.

Cannondale ran quicker lap times except with the trail riders and EX Motocross Racers

The Cannibal was the winner of the shootout until you get to the last section where they gave the Suzuki the nod.

Doesn't amke sense really. Don't get me wrong here...I love the Z400, but in no way is it comparable to the Cannibal on a motocross track. Even they said so.

That's why there is controversy in the test. If machine A is consistently faster than machine B........how does machine A win if the shootout is only based on motocross results and not the "real world" as some of you have put it here.

They also drag raced these machines and the Cannibal ate both alive time and time again. no surprise there....but still.....if the focus was only based on motocross......why give the win to the machine that always finished in second place unless TRAIL riders were aboard??

 

Did they pull the baffle out of the Z?? The Z is sluggish all bottled up. Does anybody think that the Z should be allowed to be rejetted w/ the lid off?? Just curious as the Dale is jetted automatically due to EFI. The Z does run much better w/ these no cost options other then a three dollar main jet. Whats are your thoughts on this???

 

Has no bearing on the subject...no cost or not.

The Z400 doesn't roll off the floor with a removed baffle or a removed baffle.

You could just as easily remap the Cannibal for an extra 5 ponies......another no cost mod.

How does jetting have anything to do with it anyways???

 

Hey knowsalot, I was reading that post in the cannondale forum and I agree w/ you all 100% BUT you just had to see this coming!! I've said it so many times in here and other forums concerning 2vs.4 stroke and it's the same here w/ the new Z:

Magazines have an agenda. It's business. More people own Jap built quads. Nevermind that. More people will own the new Z/KFX quad in the next year than all Cdales combined. I don't care about all that purpose built talk. You saw last month when the guys at DW were ready to stick their you know what up the Z's exhaust. The praised it non-stop and even contradicted what others said. Like torque and lowend power. Early rides were saying the Z was a little weaker off the bottom than the 400ex but then they praise its torque like it could pull a great oak out of the ground. Go figure. some people say it feels awkward...yet they say it's the most comfortable quad ever.

Not to mention that I've noticed that the riders/writers of the mags now vs. in the late 80s and into the 90s( when I was a teenager and starting to ride) are very different...less professional, less technical....all in all less "experienced reader oriented". when I would race to the store to buy mags back then for the 250 shootout or first tests of the R, Tecate 4, "racer, Mojave, 250X, Blaster and all those, I could read really informative articles that talked to me like I was RIDER and not a PERSPECTIVE ATV BUYER. There's a big difference. I laughed a few months ago when I saw an article on how to use a clutch or feather a clutch...whatever. The point is, back in the day, mags bypassed all that superficial crap and got down to the nitty gritty...it didn't matter who was new or where the market was heading. The R would beat the other 250s for good reasons...real reasons...same with sport models like the mojave, quadsport and 250x. Now high performance and sport are blurred because they are the same category. so picking a winner now is more politics and feeding info to a new crop of young riders. The best combo of power, handling and suspension is an old way of judging.

My brother jokingly said the other day that they should find a mint quadracer 250 and have a shootout w/ the Z...past Vs. present. I said that stupid they Z will win hands down. He looks at me, a 2 stroke fan, and says "huh????". I simply say "look at the market and the trends". Mags have nothing to gain from saying the a defunct quad will outperform the shiny brand new one. ($$$$)

 

Now thats a good post 2stroke4ever! I agree!

 

If DirtWheels told me that north was toward Canada,,I'd get a compass [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

 

The Mags did the same thing with the banshee.For 10 years it was a great Quad,now they act like it's a EDSEL. I can rember when the 300EX would win the sport shootout,now they never talk about one.

 

I haven't got to read the article yet(not that it really maters) but aparently the mag made a mistake by makeing their first shootout MX only oriented. We all know that there is only one quad (that I know of) that was built with raceing primarilly in mind.

I love to "watch" raceing of most any kind as long as there is competition, more so if it is in the dirt! There are a lot more of us watching than raceing and someone has to cater to our needs. Sadly the Cdale is not the best quad for the general public, includeing myself. I thought I wanted a Dale, when I told you guyes the type of terain I ride on(not by choice, got to ride where you live) you Dale owners were smart enough to see the Dale's short comeings for the rough,muddy,rocky,and hilly land I ride on and sugested something other than a Dale for my use, and I think you guyes for the honesty. Put the Z where it excells and call it a winner, same for the Dale, stir it up, mix it around and something is bound to smell!

Some of you "racer" guyes are acting like us "trail riders" are the scum on the bottom of your shoes. We trail riders just do what we enjoy, unfortunantly, for the racer dudes, our dollar speakes louder so the manuf. go for the bigger bucks. That doesn't make us scum, make a deal with ya, I woln't bring my trail quad and get in you-alls way on your MX track, and you don't,,,,,well bring them down, if you don't mind beating the heck out of your race quads, I enjoy rideing with anyone!!!

I just don't understand why they chose a MX track, I am probably goeing to buy a Z in a week or so because I think it best fills my wants in a sport quad. If the Z was built to be a MXer, they better get back to the drawing board,quick!

With some of the "real winners" on these forums, I can see why some of you feel the way you do but don't put us all in the same pot. Put some of us "old trail riders" on a Dale and give us a little seat time on a MX track, I know we would spank a few(HaHa)!

Anyway, thought I'd take up for us old farts a little,

Later

 

GTV has some very valid points. But if you'll remember back when the 400EX was introduced it wasn't a rock solid MXer either until after a few bolt-ons and now it has been the reigning king of MX events for several years. I think you will see the Z take some of the EX's action after they start modifying it. And I can buy a bunch of mods for the difference between a 10000.00 to 12000.00 race ready Cannon Blaze or Moto and my 5099.00 Z. I personally think the Cannon's are awesome machines but for the technical trails and woods riding that I do the Z fits the niche just fine. And once you step up into the ultra high performance quads it's all about rider ability in the woods. I've rode with Raptors, 400ex's and Banshees since buying my Z and it always falls back to the riders ability in the rough stuff and tight trails. Especially for the poor guys trying to ride a Banshee in the tight stuff. Talk about learning how to finesse a clutch.