Last weekend at Oceano SVRA was a toal blast. A few of us that have met here on the net got together for some roost, suds, & BBQ. The weather was nice and cool and the dunes were awesome. Some of the highlights were renting a 250R (the 400EX is in rehab), pullung stuck campers out with "Fordzilla", and watching Charles (a.k.a. Quadfreak) try to get the gas off his pants while we're yelling at him to hurry the @#%! up!

I do have one lingering question, though. If my buddy can't kick start a 250X, does that mean he's *** ? LOL!!!


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TRXter

400EX

 

Glad you guys had fun. It turns out the wife was faking the whole pregnancy thing just so I couldn't go. The pain and discomfort was all just a hoax. I shoulda been there . It's okay though, as we sat around the house I just kept reminding her how much fun everyone was having and how it was all her fault that we were not there.

Well anyway as long as you guys had fun without me (sniff sniff)

Maybe next time.

Hey how'd you like the 250R?

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'96 Banshee, '86 250R 4TRX, 2 '83 185S

 

Oh man!!! I can't believe it. Tell your wife she had me worrying about myself, so I went to my therapist and got checked out. He said that with the medication I'm almost never dangerous anymore. lol

Anyway, you blew it dude!! We had so much fun. I think we spent as much time eating and busting Charles' chops as we did riding. You gotta come next time.

Guess what. Charles is getting a DS650 for X-mas. He's going to be totally unbearable. Ask him how he did at Comp Hill on his 300EX (the worls loudest bike) while he's still humble.

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TRXter

400EX

 

Oh yea, How'd I like the 250R? It was a kick. It felt so much like my EX as far as handling, except for the slippery seat (I've got a gripper seat). The sound was a little weird at first, as was the razor thin power band, but I got used to it fast. It's got more power when it's on the pipe, and I'm sure it's got more top speed. If you could get one off the show room floor, It might be tempting. I still want to ride a Banshee, though.

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TRXter

400EX

 

Thanks so much for not rubbing in how much fun it was and how I missed out on a good time....

Hmmm Charles and a DS650. That's cool. Too bad the new Bombardier is still gonna get smoked by the Banshees in handling as well as racing up the hills. I'll have to show him what I mean if his dream becomes a reality.

Well if you ever make it down to Dumont let me know. I still owe you a ride on the Banshee. In the mean time get your 400 fixed and take care. Keep me posted on any trips you might make down south and I'll meet you guys somewhere, somehow, someway.

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'96 Banshee, '86 250R 4TRX, 2 '83 185S



[This message has been edited by Darby Crash (edited 08-25-1999).]

 

Darby, We definately will get together. My parents and my sister's family were at the beach with us, and they liked it so much it shouldn't be too hard to drag them all down to the real dunes before next summer. It'll have to be during the week for me though. I don't think I can handle all the drunken idiots I've seen on the extream vidios of that place. How do you deal with that, by the way? You don't seem like the type to suffer fools lightly. Anyway, I figure if I go ther during the week I can avoid the firebog and head butt contests.

Do you really think a Banshee will beat a DS650? Or will YOUR Banshee beat one?

 

The dunes (Glamis) only get packed with fools on the big weekends like Easter, Thanksgiving, New Years, basically most 3 day weekends. Any other time there are half as many people if that. When I go to Glamis on the big weekends I usually camp at the canal which is about 1/2 mile west of the dunes. Fewer people camp there.

Over the past couple of years I just started going to Dumont instead. Dumont is more family oriented. The jerks are few and far between. The riding area isn't as vast as Glamis but it's more challenging. A big weekend at Dumont is maybe 15,000 people where at Glamis I've seen it reach 150,000. At Dumont I found a great place to camp right off the road away from the main camping area. Maybe 50 people there. I love the riding at Glamis but the camping at Dumont is much more relaxed plus I don't have to worry about getting stuck in the sand. To top it off Dumont is about 3-4 hours closer to you.

As for the Banshee beating the DS650. With Mods you can kick a banshee between 50 and 95 HP. Whats the Guesstemated HP on the DS650, I think it's like 54 or there abouts (left my mag at home) And I doubt that anyone will be able or will spend the time kicking the 650 up that much. As for the handling? Why does the 250R 4TRX handle better than the Banshee? Shorter wheelbase and it's not as wide. Why does the Banshee handle better than the quadzilla? Same reason. Does the DS650 have a wider stance and longer wheelbase than the Banshee? Considerably. Therefore according to previous bikes the DS650 is going to be a tank on wheels just like the Quadzilla. But it will be a great dune machine for racing up and down the hills which is what Bombardier had in mind when they designed it. As for a woods machine? Forget it. I love all the hype for a machine that is very well thought out but she's still gonna get spanked.

Don't get me wrong I love seeing new life forms in the ATV market but for those people that are going to run out and drop $7000 on a machine in hopes of beating Banshees they are going to be sadly disappointed just like those who thought the 400EX was going to be king of the Dunes. I talked to a guy at Dumont who had just bought a 400EX and was on his first trip with it. He loved the bike but was a tad upset that my old 250R and my Banshee kept smoking him up comp. And yes he had already piped it and added some other speed goodies.

Bottom line The 400EX Is a great bike. The DS650 has the potential to be a great bike. However if you buy/own either of these machines please don't expect to be king of the sand, Modified 2 strokes have been and always will be in that seat until someone designs a lightweight 4 stroke with a 400EX stance and wheelbase and at least 70HP at the wheels. Maybe a DS650 big bore but I think that would be a grenade.

By the way the Banshee is going to Mission Yamaha (my neighbor) in about 2 months for some serious head work. I talked to Ted the grinder over there after seing the Banshee he did in Dirt Wheels and he said for $619 he and Johnny are going to take real good care of the me and get my bike up to what it's really capable of. Oh baby she's gonna really scream now.....

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'96 Banshee, '86 250R 4TRX, 2 '83 185S



[This message has been edited by Darby Crash (edited 08-26-1999).]

 

Only $600, that's cheap. That's the cool thing about two strokes, you don't have to spend a fortune to hop 'em up. I see your point about dimentions/handling. The only thing is, my wife's 300EX is shorter than my 400, but my bike corners and descends so much better. Does a long and wide quad have to handle like a pig?

Speaking of cool quads, I stopped off at a dealer on the way home and checked out the LEM Cayman. It's soooo bitchen!!! I gotta work my tail off the next two months to buy one. Kinda puts a damper on the 400 rehab, though.

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TRXter

400EX

 

Are you sure that it's not because of the power difference that you bike handles better than the 300? Handling has alot to do with bieng able to break the tires loose on command. It also has alot to do with suspension set up.

There are just so many factors that are involved with how a bike will handle. Maybe my above statement was just a little on the broad side. I guess the best way to prove or understand my point is to get on a bunch of different bikes like I have. I've ridden 250R 4TRX's, Banshees, Quadzillas, 250X's, Blasters and a 200 and out of everyone of those bikes (4 wheels only, trikes not included) the 250R 4TRX was by far the best handling quad ever made (I Hear the 400EX is better). The power/frame setup and suspension design was as close to perfect as I've ever seen.

You know I could be wrong about the DS650 but from past experience I have a feeling I'm right. Only time will tell. As for bieng the first guy on the block to have the new machine, I'd let someone else have that pleasure and ask him if I could take it for a spin and give it an honest opinion.

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'96 Banshee, '86 250R 4TRX, 2 '83 185S

 

Oh yea, I'm all over that! I'll be reminding him every time we go riding how I let him ride my brand new 400EX.

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TRXter

400EX