First weekend w/ my new Cannibal (long)

[jesshamner]

I have never ridden a Dale before I bought my 03 Cannibal. As soon as I received it from shipping, I took it straight to The Quad Shop for updates. Jeff hooked me up with everything I needed to get started. I get to the location of the race (Haspin Acres) and I decide to break it in. After break in, I began to ride some of the easy section of the course (xc). After about 15 minutes of riding, it begins to rain. If you have ever been to Haspin Acres, you know that rain is not a good thing. It becomes an instant mud bog. Well it rains all night. Saturday, I wake up to the sound of Racing Rigs getting pulled out by tractors and jeeps. It was very nasty. I find some of my buddies that were meeting me there and we began to change the oils after my break in. Well, race time rolls around and things are good. I am excited to be on this machine b/c it was a huge step up from my 400ex. This race was a buddy race so I had a partner and we alternate each lap. We decided that he would ride the first lap and I the second and so on. My turn comes up and I tear through the woods trying to catch up to the leaders. We weren't in a bad position but it was like I was possessed. I was on a mission to catch the leaders. I couldn't believe how fast this thing was in the trails. I passed 6 people during the first lap. Awesome! I went to the truck to clean my goggles and noticed a flat tire. 4 plugs didn't fix it so I had to change tires. I borrowed a spare but didn't get the tire on before my partner came back around. He let me take his predator for my 2nd lap. I complete another fast lap though not as fast as the cannibal . The pred's temp light was on so I told him to take the cannibal for his lap. He completes a good lap. So I start my 3rd lap, back on my cannibal, thinking to myself that I am going to keep the front tires up as much as possible to keep from popping a borrowed tire. Well, I got a flat in the rear between the first and second mile. My rim is bent also. I don't know if I have a flat b/c i bent the rim or if I have a bent rim b/c I got a flat. I tried to finish the lap being really careful on the left side. Somewhere after the 4 mile marker, I got to a hill with a mud pit at the bottom. I stalled it in the mud and happened to look down. I noticed the the coolant was leaking from somewhere. I couldn't fine where it was leaking from. I decided that I am going to quit b/c I have already done enough damage to my 1 day old machine. I told a racer that I was stuck in this spot. He thought I mean that I was waiting for it to cool off. I waited an hour and a half for someone to come alont to tow me to the pit. Finally someone found me. While towing me, his Pol. 500 H.O. overheated b/c the mud was so bad. A jeep just happened to come by and offer a tow. I got back to the truck and nobody was there. My buddy and my g/f went to look for me. Also, there were 2 other people that were missing from our group. One guy didn't finish also, and the other went looking for him. After another hour or so of waiting, we round up 3 phones that get service. One doesn't do very well so it becomes the pit phone and I take 2 phones with me on my search for the 4 people not accounted for. I took a friend 400ex and started on the course which was very very sloppy by now. I got stuck for a few minutes and had to work very hard to get unstuck. I decide to take a rest at the top of the hill and check the phone to see if they made it back. They did! So find my way back to the pits. I was pissed b/c I screwed my new quad up and that I was waiting for 1.5 hours for a tow. When I get back to the pits, everyone is grilling and eating hotdogs and cheerful. After the race I found out that we were in second place before my cannibal pooped out on me. Thanks to my partner, we have some pics. www.imagestation.com/album/?id=4288693595
Notice the mud! I spent a lot of money to get my dale and get it ready to race. Now I am out of money and I need to fix it:cry: I need to find a part time job to fit my school schedule to fix it.

[Ryanstones]

Congrats on the new machine.
don't worry about that bent rim. Everybody bends the stockers! they suck.
Get some ITP T-9's, or T-9Baja's. Either one is great and won't bend up on ya.
Overall, sounds like pretty good results!
and it just gets better from here.

[Psychosis]

Good story I say as well. :clap: But the ITP T-9's do bend. I found out the hard way. Had them about a week and had a little tree incounter and one of them bent but still holds air fine just has sortof a bad look.

[jesshamner]

Thanks guys. You were really quick to respond! I need to get new rims but I don't really have the money right now. I am surprised to see those rims bend that easy. I have had the stock rims on my 400ex since I have had it. I had flats but never bent a rim. Those ITP's must really be soft. If you wanna donate for some new rims you r more than welcome!

[JeffQuadShop]

I thought you werent going to race it?
Sounds like you didn't have enough breakin time before heading out into the Haspin slop(I've seen it first hand)
My guess is the radiator got pluged with mud and caused it to overheat. Just clean the radiator and add coolant to the fill mark and ride it again. It should be just fine.

Yep, stock wheels suck. If you can't afford the Hipers, get the Douglas rolled edge wheels.

[jesshamner]

Here's a little extra info for ya Jeff. We thought Brad's partner was going to be a no show. He showed up during the rider's meeting:eek: I told Brad earlier that if his partner didn't show, that he could ride the 400ex that I was going to race... You know I couldn't just let that Cannibal sit there instead of racing. It is a million times better than my 400ex. :usa It was broken in properly on Friday night. I timed the ride intervals and gave it plenty of time for cool down. When I decided to race, I changed the oils and filter. I am pretty shure that it just overheated and overflowed all the coolant. I haven't had time to put more in and see if there was actually a leak. I will probably pick a bottle up when I come up there to return brad's spare tire and hoody. I would like to say that my 400ex did come in 6th place.

[aroracer72]

ii had the overheating prob with the mud covering my rad, just clean it..and your set...other than that....i say WELCOME TO CANNONDALES!!!..more of those days ahead!!!!...but theres a lot of fun involved also...but they arnt exactly reliable...or self fixing.....i love em though!!!!..and as for replacement...if you can afford it...get beed locks...or hypers. I swear by hypers...they are INDESTRUCTABLE!!!!!..i have a full set....have fun riding though...better luck next time!!..thats whats great...theres always a next time!!!

[jesshamner]

Just an update....I got back home this past weekend from school to take a look at my new toy. I purchased some coolant since the lost most of it from overheating. I switched the front tires with my 400ex. I took a hammer to the bent rim on the rear, gave the tire some air....good as new...with some hammer marks . There was no coolant leak, although after my first ride that day, the coolant level went down. I think I cross threaded the coolant cap I filled it again and everything was great. I love this machine!