Does anyone own one that has gone up against a raptor ? I hear a ton of praise for these machines. I'm not sure I understand why. No one is really using them and the few pros that are going to aren't buying the race ready machines they are getting cannables and tearing them down to put better components on. So how good are they really?

 

no comments form anyone ?

 

I have only seen one on the trails. A guy we see often had a new demo that his dealer gave him. He didn't like it all compared to his EX400. IT rode rougher, was harder to trail ride with because it was more race type setup, didn't like going slow. IT really liked when you got on it hard but for normal trail riding it wasn't that much fun for him.

Had the ride the clutch alot because it didn't seem to have alot of bottome end. HE said it did go like hell when he would open it up but you can't always be doing that. One other thing is the machine made lots of engine noise. HE said it was the way Canondale cuts their gears that made it motor loud. I guess they cut the gears different than the other companies do.

The funny thing is he really wanted one til he rode it. Now he is keeping the EX400.

 

Assume that the Cannondale was built to compete successfully in mx racing as its primary function in order to attract the 400ex/raptor/250r buyers/users. Then assume that if the bike did well enough in competition a whole lot of racing wannabees might buy a toned down version just so they could think - what if?....... It would make sense that the first versions on the market would be less trail friendly than your stock 400 ex's or Raptors. But compare the stock versions on a track and see what the preferences are.

As far as serious racers buying the Cannibal and adding their own mods, what self respecting racer would show up at a serious competition on anything stock. Someone else might have found a tweak that would give him an edge. Do unto others as they would do unto you, but do it first!

 

Most of the "praise" I hear or see somes from magazines (they love EVERYTHING, especially if it has red plastic) and C-dale owners or want-to-be owners. No one is really using them because they are expensive, partly to pay for Jo-Jo's private jet (Joe Montgomery, owner of C-dale), and to pay for the screw ups early in the program. I read an article in June 2000 MXA where Jo-Jo says they had $22 million into the project at that point, without getting any production out. Cannondale knows aluminum every way it can be known. What they don't know is motors, and motors gets you across the line. Hindsight being 20-20, a joint venture with KTM may have benn trick, a C-dale frame with KTM motors. A 400cc unit to race AMA and a 520cc to go Raptor hunting. As far as people tearing them down and re-building them to race, the only "race" quad I remember was some VOR thing in Dirt Wheels that I don't think made it to production, and it was $30,000.

 

I have ridden a Cannibal and was pretty impressed with the power and handling. I am used to riding a two stroke and can say that the power hit hard like my old tecate. It also handled very well. It does have a distinct sound to it but not bad when you get used to it. Just a little noisy. These quads are very high tech and require a bit more maintenance than most so they are not for everybody. Many people have complained about bolts coming loose and I believe you have to get the valves done every 25 hours of riding. If I were just doing trail riding I would probably stay away from one but that is just me. If I were gonna race then it would be the quad for me (or a tricked out 250R).

 

Cannondale has had more problems in the past two years regarding the machines integrity, but have also done more in those two years to fix these problems than all the Japanese companys have done combined in the past ten years.

As far as being the best overall performance ATV out there, thats for each individual to decide. In my line of work, you dont let your favorites be known to the customers to keep them from getting the impression that you are bias, but we aren't at work.


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KNOWSALOT

 

So I guess this is the C-dale bashing topic in this forum huh? It's funny to see how many people start bashing quads that might threaten their precious Yamaha's and Honda's. Why is it so scary for yall to admit that C-dale has a good quad on their hands. So you attack the problems that they have had in the past. Do you REALLY want me to get started on the Raptors early problems? Don't get me wrong, I like the 400ex and I don't think the Raptors are bad but I race mx, so I go with something that has enough power and handling for mx (no offense to you 400ex owners, but stock 400ex's don't have much power). If I were really into trail riding, I would probably want a Raptor but since I don't get any excitement out of trails, I only ride tracks. That is true adrenaline rush. Why don't you try to ride a certain quad in all terrains before you start bashing. Atleast make it an educated complaint instead of, "I don't see what all the fuss is about. I haven't ever ridden one but they don't SEEM like they would be that good." Thats just pathetic.

 

I've dragged with a couple stock raptors and good riders, in todays the raptor wasn't even a factor behind my cannibal and a DS650. A person can get happy with anybike. The cannondales are a welcome addition to the quad world, pushing all the other manufacturers in technology, performance and CUSTOMER SERVICE.
As far as the dale being no good for woods riding and no LOW END, horse*%@!
After a 'dale owner gets used to the performance characteristics of the new technology and breaks in the nearly race ready suspension, he can run with any bike in the woods.

 

While I don't own a Cannondale everyone I've talked to seems to think lack of horsepower is a non issue with these machines. These bikes were not built to be just hill climbers or straight line screamers. Not that there's anything wrong with that particular rush, but that's not what the c'dales were built for.That's not what any of the quads we are talking about were built for. Give it two years and that technology will be kicking a$$ in all the categories. Fuel injection let's you get more BTU's out of every ounce of gas - why fight it if you're going for the max. With the mapping capability the bike should be able to be dialed in with a little practice better than any other mx quad on the market. it's NOT all about horsepower but when it comes on and how useably it comes on. No other bike has this built in flexibility as far as I can see. Some of you guys can probably tune your current rides into the tracks with a lot of precision, but rarely without mastering the art of jetting or playing with exhaust hardware. A bike that you can dial in in a few minutes for that track (with practice) has got to be a big advantage for a serious mx racer.