Pages: 1
Posted by: XC426
I also went to Rausch Creek for the FX400 Demo ride on Sunday. Got there at 8:30AM because the demo rides were to start at 9AM. They had 2 quads there - FX400 and a Cannibal sitting under a canopy, but Cannondale Reps were not present...At 10:30AM Cannondale finally showed up, but I was told that only the MX Bike was to be demoed today. We were realy disapointed about the wait, and the fact of not getting to ride.
Everything on the quads looked great. Yes - They should have grease fittings on all pivot points. Has anyone had any trouble with rubbing the your thumb from the throttle housing? It seems that the distance from the bottom of the thumb throttle housing is very close to the top of the thumb throttle lever. Just playing with the throttle my thumb was rubbing the housing.
The handlebars look goofy. I think that was a result of the mechanic that uncrated those models may have them positioned improperly. All of that georgous aluminum, and no aluminum handlebars? Cannondale should be able to make an aluminum handlebar with their eyes closed!!
Other than those little quirks that caught my eye, the quads looked great. Just wish I had a chance to rid one.
Posted by: AWSOME88250R
I bought my FX400 and rode it down to my Grandparents house. My Grandpa came out to look it over and the first thing he noticed was the bead on the welds. All he talked about was the how good the welds where, and never said a thing about the rest of the bike. He just couldn't get past the workmanship in the chassis, he didn't care at all how fast it was. And yes they are hand made. The front end is a little twitchy, but as the suspension breaks in the twitch subsides. I only notice it when riding fast down dirt roads. A steering dampener will solve that. It turns and handles just as good as my 250R, just has MORE power stock for stock. It's much easier to start too.
Posted by: ilgen
hey ds650dave. you should do your homework. All cannons are hand made those excellent welds are actually done by hand and sanded. I wish people would know what they are talking about before the critisize something.
Posted by: DS650DAVE
Hey CrzyDSrider,Too bad your not a little closer,you could take a "free Demo ride" on a Fx this weekend at Rausch Creek MX Park.The MX Park is having an "Open House" & Cannondale is bringing there new MX machines to demo them & offers free demo rides.
If I get a chance gonna go there & check out the FX,so maybe I can tell you more after the weekend.Unfortunately I can not ride cause I'm healing a fractured collar bone.But I'll get a good look at it in MX conditions and against other quads,hopefully someone will "fly" it off a "styling" jump.
Posted by: DS650DAVE
Well I did go to r/c to see a cannondale run..NOT.As soon as I got Iknew something was not right.There were 2 quads there allright(FX & Cannibal),but at about 2:30 & not dirty??.I knew it was just a teaser....or..bait & switch,whatever.When I asked about a "demo ride "I was told..... NOT today???....he went on to say that in about amonth ,check r/c website for exact date we will doing "demo rides here with the quads"....they were running the bike.
Anyway I got a great look at them..........sitting still.And they look well made,but there are some things that I would have done different or engineered a little different and some stuff that was impressive.
I did not understand why A-arms& balljoints have no grease fittings,
handlebars were bolted on at about a 90 degree angle to ground & sat up like an old bicycle , that would be the thing first I would change.The plastic did not seem to be supported well at frt. fender.May be needs another bracket?
The frame was welded robotically & looked great.
I liked the location of pegs & brake lever ,the shifter was nice because it folded in and was made well.Those are some of the things I noticed.
Most of all was disappointed with the fact that they did not run them,and only thing I was told about that is "we are not running them because of reliability problems"
I thought the cannondales were being sold all over NOW.So I dont what the real problem is....anybody know anything more ?
Posted by: Sandgod
There have been some problems w/ the FX but CD is standing behind their product and doing evrything to make the customer happy in his choice. They will beat A Raptor and DS in a straight line. I was slaughterd by a bone stock one up Sand Mtn at Little Sahara Utah which is the baddest sand hill in the country. I was very surprised. Click on my web address in the sig to see the hill. It's the pic w/ the Raptor going up it. They have twitchy handleing like the DS.
Posted by: Sandgod
Hey I've been to Sturgis S.D sort of close to you, so guess where to come if your a diehard atv enthusiast. Glamis in Cal may be bigger, but bigger isn't better. There's no hill that compares to Sand Mtn!!! Sorry it's off the subject!!!
Posted by: Sandhopper
I don't know about you all, but as soon as I hear of a local dealer stocking the C-dales, I am going to go drool..uh, I mean..check them out. I will have to leave my checkbook at home, though. I'm one of those impulsive people!
Corry
2001 400EX
2001 Raptor
2002 Quadmaster 50
2001 Sportsman 90
Posted by: Sandhopper
Hmmmm. Maybe I should bring along the money...just in case of that EMERGENCY happening! Good point!
Yeah, Mad, you need to get one in time for DUNE SEASON!!!
Posted by: CrzyDS650Rder
I just sold my ds650 its gone tommorrow so I thought I thought I would go look at new sport quads a wouldn't you know it I seen my very first FX400. I have not heard much about them becouse they are suppose to so "high priced" and know one I thought had them in town. I went to local KTM dealer just snoopen and there it sat. I went over take a peak at it and I really like it. One of the sales man came over to take to me and said the guy that handles them was out but he set up a meeting with him and me for friday. He told me they were asking 7000 grand and that was a grand of becouse they haven't sold one yet and they want to get the name out. I came home right away and came to this site to see what you guys were saying about them. So far it looks perty good but how do you guys feel they will compare to my old DS or the raptor. NO bull sh*t either. I would like to know things like how well they will do in strait out drag race with a DS or raptor handling compared to the ds or raptor and problems that you been having ,and so on and so forth. Any info you guys can give would be great!
Posted by: CrzyDS650Rder
Thanks for the info sandgod.I checked out that picture, and man that is one insane hill!! We don't have any thing like that here maybe some day I will have to save up some cash and hall to some some place like that and ride.
Posted by: hylton400ex
I wouldn't believe what the mags are saying about the "twitchy handling" until I actually rode one. The way I see it, the FX is the only way to go. Nothing else compares.
Posted by: hylton400ex
yel400exman- Don't bash Cannondale just because you can't have one.
Posted by: Moto24
There was a notice on R & S Performances site,last week, about a demo ride day they had
cancelled because the A-arm ball joints had some reliability issues. This was probably why they cancelled the demo rides you were planning to attend. I had my ball joints replaced back in June just before I took delivery of mine. I just recieved a safety recall notice from Cannondale last week for the ball joints on all FX and Cannibals so I'm wondering now if the updated ones I got are even good.
Moto24
'01 FX400
'98 Kawi ZX-9R
'90 Kawi ZX-7 (superbike)
'84 VF750R
'80 Kawi KZ650
Posted by: Moto24
Now with that kind of thinking I guess we'd all be riding around on 3-wheelers still or better yet why buy something mechanical at all, you would have to work on it and eventually have some sort of break down. Horses could still be pulling us around, all you have to do is feed them.
I feel very confident in C-dale, they have produced world class bikes for years and have an excellent motorcycle which the quad gets its engine from. But what has sold me most is their
willingness to take steps in diffrent directions and also how they have improved the quad since its release. I have recieved all the updates on my FX400, I don't know of any other company that would do this. If a quad or motorcycle from any other company has things that might not work as well you have to buy the next years or next version of that bike or quad to get an update. Sometimes I feel like a beta tester but atleast C-dale is one company that will fix things for the consumer.
Yeah nobody should buy a C-dale, that way another forward thinking company won't bring new life to the sport.
Moto24
'01 FX400
'98 Kawi ZX-9R
'90 Kawi ZX-7 (superbike)
'84 VF750R
'80 Kawi KZ650
p.s. Hey hylton400ex how do you like that 929? I've read they make noise from the valve in the exhaust system, have you had this? It does look like a nice bike. I'm putting a Muzzy piston and barrel kit on my ZX-9, hope it shows up today, it'll make it a 998cc and I got my full Muzzy Ti exhaust lastweek, a work of art that weighs around 7.5 lbs, thats header,mid pipe and Ti cannister I'm haveing them press on adjustable cam sprockets too. Altogether this is suppose to produce 160 hp at the rear, look out GSXR-1000's <G>
Posted by: Moto24
Lol, well the Gixer 1000's handling isn't all that great,about the only reason the mags drool all over it is because of the hp it puts out. The R1 and 929 are much better and really the R1 is a handful it can be twitchy. I admit the ZX isn't in that catagory in stock trim, Kawasaki has never been good with their suspension set-ups, the ZX-7 though is one of the most stable chassis there is. I added a Fox TwinClicker and I'm going to have the forks revalved soon. It's funny, I've had this bike for 3 years and did nothing to it and now Kawi will have a new big bore in 2002 and rumors are that it will have fuel injection like the 12R.
Moto24
'01 FX400
'98 Kawi ZX-9R
'90 Kawi ZX-7 (superbike)
'84 VF750R
'80 Kawi KZ650
Posted by: Moto24
I guess you miss read my post, first I had no plan to debate sportbikes here I was just asking hylton400ex about his 929. I never said the R1 was more twitchy than the 1000. I said the R1 and 929 are better in the handling department than the 1000, and the R1 is a bit twitchy to the 929 but both still are much better than the 1000 as in GSXR, not 750, not 600. And the R6 will run circles around an R1. I wasn't comparing handling with the R6, GSXR 750 or 600 anyway I was speaking of the big bores. I spent some limited time on a GSXR 750 in endurance races and I thought they handled fantastic, my old ZX-7 superbike cornered well and was very stable but it took more to change directions, which didn't bother me in sprint races. And I like Kawi's, suspension wise they have lacked but that is something that most racers change anyway. I like how Kawasaki can build a bullet proof motor and have fewer cc's and still be in the hp race with a R1 and 929. And Kawi still races that 6 year old ZX-7 and is in 2nd place in the AMA championship, and gaining ground
Posted by: madweazl
Now if it would just handle like the gixxer...
Posted by: madweazl
You think the R1 is more twitchy than the gixxer? I personally think the gixxers (600, 750, and 1000, hell even the old 1100) were a handful to ride but in the hands of the experienced they were awesome. I think the R's are very smooth predictable rides, especially the R6. I'm just a Suzuki kind of guy and love everything about the GSX-R's. Brutal horsepower and very good handling to me. To each his own I suppose.
Posted by: madweazl
I took a trip up to Lake Arrowhead this weekend for a family reunion and stopped at Imperial Cycle in El Centro. They had a '01 FX400 that I drooled plenty over. It is an awesome bike. The chassis is and welds are so perfect. I jumped up on it and took a seat, the suspension was very stiff compared to the 400EX but when I really plopped on it absorbed the impact very plushly, I said "I have to have it" to my wife right then and there. I also cant afford it right now so I had to walk away empty handed (it wasnt for sale anyways due to a recall on the ball joint) Hopefully I can get one before turkey day. If not that at least a 400EX, I'm ready for something other than the Mojo.
Posted by: madweazl
I'm working on it, just picked up a brand new set of Sand Skate II's and aluminum rims. I'm going no matter what, hopefully with more than just the Mojo I suppose I'm not in to bad of shape, my total debt is only $4000 right now (both cars are paid for, yipee!), I just need to get one!
Posted by: SpankinRaptors
Hey Sandgod Killer name reply to me in a private message, cuz I live in SLC. UT
Posted by: CdaleRacer
Sandhopper, I dont think it would be a very good idea to leave your cash,checkbook,and or credit cards at home. I mean, what would you do in case of an EXTREME EMERGENCY. Say you walk in the dealership and they only have one cannondale in, and some other guy or gal is drooling over it. HA! Just kidding, for real though check them out. One Saturday I woke up early and drove something around 3hrs. to my closest dealer with a down payment and after comparing it to other quads that are around said I WANT IT. Well I didnt have enough to pay down (because I didnt have enough credit established) so I had to wait untill the next week to say I WANT IT! Some one else wanted it also and got to it before me. It wasnt a wasted trip though, I had called them before I left home and they told me that they had already sold it. I went up there anyway to do the paperwork and let my brother check the one out the mechanic had. They ordered me one and had it there in 3 days.
Posted by: yel400exman
The only thing you need to know is dont buy it!why buy a quad from a company that just starded making em you need to wait and see long term tests because if your gonna spen $8000 for something new and you dont knowaobut it that like giving away 8000 for a 50% chance of it being a good quad or a bad quad its like buying a kia
Posted by: hondatrx300
havnt you seen the power-to-weight-ratios at cannondale.com? it has almost 40hp. the 400ex is 32cc smaller than the speed 440's yet still the ex has 21hp and the 440 has almost 40. and the speed is only 375lbs. thats amazing.
