So what is the fastest/baddest atv/dirtbike out now?

[SAWYER]

I grew up riding and when I was a kid, the Banshee was top dawg, but that was years ago and I have not kept up with the scene. What are some of the baddest atvs and dirtbikes out now?

 

[NutBucket]

Pretty sure the Yamaha Raptor 700 is still at the top of the ATV heap.

 

[Mide]

What MPG do ATVs get?

 

[olds]

 

[WT]

Fastest stock ATV is currently not a sport bike, it is a big old utility, the Arctic Cat Thundercat 1000. Tops out at 91 mph if I recall.

The Banshees even after all of these years are crazy fast, but given 10+ years of innovation in the suspension area they don't take the trail bumps anywhere near what the new quads do. Independent suspension and EFI are huge advantages for the new quads.

MPG ?? Hell, I never checked !! LoL .. My tank is 2.45 gallons and I put 90+ miles on it over two days last weekend without running out.

 

[WT]

Another very nice ride, the Can Am Outlander 800R:

http://en-us.can-amatv.brp.com/showroom/key-features/Outlander-800R-X-mr.aspx

Over $13,000 MSRP

 

[Throckmorton]

I would go with the Polaris RZR. Same width as an ATV (I think) but it seats 2.

 

[WT]

The Rzr is about 4" wider (50") than most quads, so it will fit on a lot of trails. The Rzr S (sport model) is wider still at 60" and that extra width really does cause issues when you hit tight trails with switchbacks among the trees.

Helluva nice SxS, but they are VERY cramped in that compartment. Check out the midget driver and the monster on the passenger side:

 

[SAWYER]

Check this thing out, I wonder if it's real or a concept
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nq8Fn55axd4&feature=fvw

 

[Dr. Detroit]

For Sport riding - The 450 class is where its at.

Yamaha YZF450R
Polaris Outlaw 450


For sand-drags -
Built Banshees
Suzuki 500R's
and Hyabusa swapped extended swing arm customs

 

[WT]

For Sport riding - The 450 class is where its at.

Yamaha YZF450R
Polaris Outlaw 450

Why go with the 450 Outlaw when the 525S is available ? Its not a bad quad, but the airbox is so damn tiny it completely restricts air intake. Polaris needs to fix that first. The KTM 525 is actually a better quad (25 lbs lighter and a touch faster) but its also pricier.

It really comes down to where you ride. Sand, trails, hill climbs - all demand a totally different quad.

 

[angry hampster]

My step-dad just got a new 850 Polaris 4x4. That thing is just absurd.

 

[Zap]

GAS GAS looks pretty nice. Basically it is a low production race quad.

Don't know how often it is done these days, but for a crazy fast quad you can always start with whatever motorcycle you want and stuff it into an aftermarket quad frame like what this one seems. I recall seeing crazy stuff like this in magazines and at Glamis. Basically take your average 500cc motocross bike and make it a quad. I've also heard about street bike conversions, though those are more rare.

Man, talking about this stuff makes me miss the 1986 Honda TRX250R that I used to ride.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_TRX250R

Wow, didn't know the newer ones were so much better! 85MPH with 324 pounds in a sport chassis? Take THAT, you modern 4-stroke recreational beasts of burden!

 

[Demon-Xanth]

The 450's are faster than the 700's because the 450's are more "race" than the 700s. But when it comes to trails and such they end up being too high strung to be really good.

 

[SAWYER]

I used to have an old 250r, I wonder why Honda stopped making it

 

[WT]

The 450's are faster than the 700's because the 450's are more "race" than the 700s. But when it comes to trails and such they end up being too high strung to be really good.

Agreed. Up until this year I believe, sport quad 450s were coming with 18" rear tires. They are now running 20's, but I couldn't imagine running 18's in the woods. I just switched from 20's to 22's and it made a big difference.

Zap and Swayer, you had a 250R ?? Cripes, they sell today for what guys PAID for them when purchased new. I haven't ridden a 2 stroke yet, but I'd love to try one out. I had read that Gas Gas (as well as KTM and possibly Arctic Cat) were working on a 2 stroke engine to possibly make in a production quad.

New US company (mix of Cannondale and Husqvarna) selling a pricey sport 450 quad:
http://www.dirtwheelsmag.com/ME2/di...0&tier=3&nid=EF1E7275A01745AAA41D9793FCF25626

 

[SAWYER]

Why are they selling so high if these new atvs are light years ahead?

 

[WT]

Why are they selling so high if these new atvs are light years ahead?

2 Stroke racing pedigree. I passed a few Banshees on my weekend ride and everybody stops and watches them tear by. Its a crazy ride on a modded 2 stroke ... you are either all on the pipe or all off, there is no lugging. Its VERY rare to find a bone stock one.

Think of it as the muscle cars of quads - some guy will show off his Mitsu Evo Lancer that runs 12s in the 1/4 and inevitably someone compares it to the 427 SS Camaro or a 426 Hemi Charger ... the Lancer is technologically decades ahead of either car, but nostalgia and flat out scary acceleration make the older ones revered by enthusiasts.

Did some looking, and most of them are as I said modded to hell and back and going for $3,000+, but every so often you find a great deal on one:

http://modesto.craigslist.org/rvs/1784822213.html

 

[joesmoke]

well, given you added dirtbikes in there... from what ive heard the kawi kx450f is the biggest badass if you really know what youre doin, otherwise the new yamaha yz450f has lots of new technology and tons of lowend

 

[angry hampster]

I used to have an old 250r, I wonder why Honda stopped making it

EPA.


I used to see a guy frequently at the local ORV park riding a Suzuki LT500
....The Quadzilla. That thing was so ridiculous it was scary.

 

[Zap]

Zap and Swayer, you had a 250R ?? Cripes, they sell today for what guys PAID for them when purchased new. I haven't ridden a 2 stroke yet, but I'd love to try one out.

Yup, 1986 Honda Fourtrax TRX250R. My dad bought it new in 1987 for around $2000. We sold it maybe in 2003 for around $3000.

2 Stroke racing pedigree. I passed a few Banshees on my weekend ride and everybody stops and watches them tear by. Its a crazy ride on a modded 2 stroke ... you are either all on the pipe or all off, there is no lugging. Its VERY rare to find a bone stock one.

Our TRX250R was stock, and while it was a 2-stroke it had a really wide power band. Not at all what you'd expect, and I knew what to expect because I had a Honda CR80R as a kid, and a Kawasaki KDX200 later. The KDX200 wasn't too bad, but the CR80R was just like you describe. Lugging, lugging, lugging... OMGWTFHAULINGASS!

From a pure off-road performance standpoint 2-stroke motors are great for a power to weight ratio. The drawback is lower gas mileage and of course emissions.

 

[WT]

LT500 Suzuki !! Also known as ... Quadzilla. Top speed stock of 79 mph doesn't seem that wild these days. But then again, none of 'em are stock either

Rumor has it that Honda was actually in the process of planning out a Honda 500R to compete with the Suzi. As to why the 2 strokes died off ?? Honda's answer:

"To achieve the cleaner emissions and higher fuel economy targets it announced for motorcycles in 1999, Honda began as early as 1997 to take measures to discontinue the use of 2-stroke engines by the end of fiscal 2002. These simply structured 2-stroke engines had been adopted mainly in small motorcycles because of their superior output. Our goal was to replace them with more environment-friendly 4-stroke engine technology."

 

[Rockgod]

Fastest stock ATV is currently not a sport bike, it is a big old utility, the Arctic Cat Thundercat 1000. Tops out at 91 mph if I recall.

The Banshees even after all of these years are crazy fast, but given 10+ years of innovation in the suspension area they don't take the trail bumps anywhere near what the new quads do. Independent suspension and EFI are huge advantages for the new quads.

MPG ?? Hell, I never checked !! LoL .. My tank is 2.45 gallons and I put 90+ miles on it over two days last weekend without running out.

What is that thing?

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Ripsaw by Howe and Howe.