Xtreme165, I agree it is hard to believe that a good quad rider can keep up with a good bike rider on an MX track. And both you and exryder are probably correct that a quad could not keep up for a whole 30 minute moto. But here is what I do know: I raced the ATV national at Red Bud Track 'n Trail in 1999 and I timed Harold Goodman who led most of the laps in the 1st pro moto. I attended the AMA Chevy Trucks Pro National bike event at Red Bud in 2000 and timed Sebastion Tortelli's lap times. They were within 1 second of each other, but I did time Goodman on the ATV during the first few laps. I can't remember what lap Tortelli was on, but it was after he passed Carmichael to take the lead which was late in the race. Mt. Morris is another track that hosts an ATV national and the pro bikes and I have not been there myself (yet), but I have heard the quads also run laps within a few seconds of the bikes. Now I can't verify that to be true at Mt. Morris, but I have also done the same thing at my local track and it is usually the same result. Now for myself I am not even close to a pro level quad rider, actually I race the "B" class at the nationals, but I can keep up with most of the bikes at my local motocross club track. Now I have only followed the bikes for a few laps because they get pretty upset with me sticking my quad tire inside of them at every turn, but I did it to prove to them that a quad is capable of running MX because most of them think they belong on the trails. I was a little suprised myself that I could keep up, but the quad could take the flat corners way faster than the bikes.

1988 TRX250R chassis with 350X motor bored and stroked to 500cc. Quad has every modification available to set-up for racing motocross.

 

I dunno guys but i am 270 pounds. And this bike will easily pull up first second and third right from a deadstart. I am use to riding 2 strokes myself (250r and LT250r) and this is actually the first fourstroke i ever owned. But this isn't your ordinary fourstoke..know what i am saying. It has plenty of power..you just have to adjust your riding style. I mean i hardly get out of 4th gear on this bike on the MX track. It is so funny to see all these guys shifting and setting up fo r the turns when all i have to do is leave it and third and pin it through the turns...Brrrrraapppppppp!!!!!!!!! Pass 'em evrytime!!

2001 Blue Raptor
White Bros E-series pipe
Yamaha shock covers

 

The real reson they didn't put in the 426 motor was it was to mx oriented. They didn't want to make some wimppy trail quad, they wanted one with musscle. They consulted an engineer who let them down with the intoduction of the raptor. A stock 426 in a quad would put out about 45-50 horse power. In a bike it puts out upwards of 60.

Who ever said that a 60 hp banshee could not beat a 50 hp raptor is high on crack. A two stroke motor is always going to pump out more power. The golden rule is double the two stroke cc and subtract fifty and that's the bore of four stroke you can beat. For instance 200 blaster can beat a 400ex in a drag, and in some conditions around a track. The reson it can't always beat it around the track is because a blaster 200 can only whip 350cc of thumper power. That's why 400ex's are allwowed to race with 250r's, four strokes don't put out as much power.

 

the reason why the DS doesnt fit down the trails is because the trails were made by narrow bikes.the DS is 50 inches wide and my moded banshee is 48.you cant make a road with a volkswagon and expect a cadilac to go down it and not run off the road and bump a few things.

 

HOTFMballster why don't you see who you said was on crack. It's kinda funny because He probaly knows 3x as much stuff about bikes than you and has had his own ATV shop since 1984 ---What about you?. Also, your saying that if you put the SAME motorcyle engine in a quad chassis it's gonna magically lose 10-15 HP. What are you on? Maybe if they tune to run on a quad it would.

 

The 426 motor doesnt put out 60hp in the bike. what crack u on

 

I respect Curtis Sparks for his race carrer. But he is wrong if he thinks a 50hp thumper is going to beat a 60hp screamin' banshee.

As for the ds bouncing off trees, well duh! It was designed for real men on a motocross track. Not for big pussies who ride trails. I was just guessing on the 426 hp. I'm not a bike person. You couldn't even get a raptor up to 50hp without porting. It's only 35hp coming from that big thumper engine. A 'shee with a k&n makes 38. A raptor with a k&n makes 35 and a half. It only goes up half a horespower. The shee goes up by aroun 2-3.

 

If you think the Raptor is down on power...here is the cure.

Right after driving it ....jump on a 400EX!!It doesnt get more underpowered than that!

 

Hotfmfblaster...Where are you getting your information concerning the 426 hp ratings? All of the info I have seen puts the 426 at 42-43 HP at the rear wheel. What would that mean for a quad that needs a "torque" cam? A totally different engine combination that would realistically loose at least 6-7 horsepower.

 

My, my,..... what difference 3 years makes !


Some of these posts remind me of the present day Predator discussions !