Frustrating problems with your Cannondale?

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rayspeed · #1 Post by **rayspeed** » Fri Jan 23, 2009 5:55 am

Frustrated cannondale owner please keep in mind thru your tribulations that...

You earn the right to ride one of these and as with anything with tats or tires sooner or later there are going to be problems... if you happen to fall in the sooner category it probably seems like the worst!

We see allot of people with low frustration tolerance pop up here and those that don't get better at dealing with it never last long. I'm thinking in some cases it might be generational and or the "hey I just want to ride types". The earlier people like that get something mainstream stock and keep it that way the better off they would be in the long run. Those craving speed need money, patience or mechanical skill or better yet a combination there of, all else are doomed to frustration. This is true no matter what you want to ride and at least two of those help with what else can give you trouble.
The fact that you grabbed up a cannondale is one indicator that you may have this need for speed.

You will get better help here if you can find a way to keep the frustration level down or out of your posts. The long timers here have high thresholds via natural selection or learned, but patience with impatient people is another thing.

You will either conquer it or it will get the best of you.
Maybe you can try to look at it as a tool to build confidence, patience and character.

You will see alot of people that came and went by looking at old posts. Keep in mind that they may have never been cut out to own one of these machines. A fair number of their problems may not be a-typical, who knows what they or former owners have done!

Other old timers may have some input for this thread I hope!

kevin444 · #2 Post by **kevin444** » Fri Jan 23, 2009 6:16 am

for some reason i feel that this was aimed towards me do to my last couple posts. Trsut me on this one, i am a very "new" proud owner of a Cannondale; at least an engine driven one. i was just venting earlier do to some electrical issues, but did find the problem. i've only had this quad or a few weeks and have only ridden it for 2hrs max and 1hr with the new engine. part of making my build that much more os a PITA is that i have a 60yr old back in a 30yr old body, pretty messed up and painful! i've jsut about competed the entire build and jsut need some time to work out the kinks. with the help of everyone on the site both active and non-active i know almost everything there is to know about these quads...and as i just stated i owe it all to you guys who have helped me with any big or small / not impotant and very important questions. this site is held together with a great group of people that i am looking forward to meeting one day. i'm new to the west coast "vegas" let alone anywhere other than south florida "mud...mud....and more mud" and ready to explore the rest of the US....."oh yea the dunes"! dont want to bore anyone, but just wanted to give a big shout out to everyone for all the amazing help, advise, opinions, etc that has been given to me in such a short time, espically for not knowing a single soul here.

thanks again.........

kevin
02' cannibal
all new ported head / piston / cams / etc
so far making good HP and TRQ
.....just got to get the oil right now.......

claas900 · #3 Post by **claas900** » Fri Jan 23, 2009 9:33 am

Over the years we have seen it happen a lot. A guy gets a good deal on a bike with a blown motor. But they are already intimidated by all the wires and hoses. They get the bike back together after countless questions,never using the search button. Witch really isn't a big deal but you can feel there frustration just with them getting the bike back together. So they get it running, or motor back in frame but its not running right and they cant figure it out and the problem isn't steering them in the face.
So now the bikes a POS because bla bla bla my Honda/Yamaha run like a top and I've been in thos motors tons of times. Bla Bla Bla. So now all kinds of druma over something they did wrong or over looked. They end up selling it dirt cheep and the dale is forever a pos in there mind.
So I think this is what Ray is trying to say?
Either way we all hope you stick it threw, more then likely at sometime you'll have something to offer the forums or maybe just meet us at a group ride witch are a lot of fun. Patrick

cannondale27 · #4 Post by **cannondale27** » Fri Jan 23, 2009 12:39 pm

We all must have been close to hanging it up at one time or another. Best thing to do is do nothing. Just take a break whether it's for a day a week a year whatever. Worst thing to do is sell out. Almost all regret it later. It's tough. Lot of peer pressure even. Was helping a fellow Daler out at dunes and his buddies were just ragging on him to sell his quad. Cripes guy only had $400 in a nice looking Speed! Who cares if it breaks down for that kind of $. But yet I haven't heard from him since so he may have sold it over a wiring issue(rev5 harness). Was another regular that was fed up just last week. I heard the same thing from him. Blaming the quad once again. Turns out issue was a simple wiring error the owner himself did. Just remember all it takes to make it all worth it is to get into the zone out riding. Nothing like it and its so easy to do on a Cannondale. Kicking a few Jap quads butts and seeing the stares is icing on the cake.

rayspeed · #5 Post by **rayspeed** » Fri Jan 23, 2009 2:49 pm

Yeah Kevin that post started out as a congrats on finding your problem but I did not want to pick on you in particular, call anybody out or name any names because nothing positive can come from that! I decided to make it more general and maybe a good place to steer the noobs when they come here all bent out of shape asking for help so that they may get a better perspective and attitude about solving their problem and get more constructive help.
Thanks for not taking it all personal!

As the starter of this thread I would like to ask that it not be used for people to get defensive or pile on with negative thoughts.
Keep it positive and help people with the part of this that is the hardest teach and learn and is needed most with these machines sometimes!

Ray

Crazie · #6 Post by **Crazie** » Fri Jan 23, 2009 3:05 pm

Very positive twist on a negative aspect in my opinion! Well done!

I've been there as well, just this past Thanksgiving. While I was at the dunes it would start and run fine for 20 minutes, then spit, sputter and die. Stator bolts backed out, chewed up the stator and ate up the flywheel a bit. I had spares, but the the spare flywheel was spun, and I didn't know about the spinning flywheels thing, so I thought the one I put in was new(ish). I've had some sort of problem, most very minor, every ride at that point. That weekend I said "When I get home, it's all going up for sale".

Once I cooled off and thought about it, did some posting and got some questions answered, it was an easy fix and I actually could have ridden the whole weekend had I known about it before hand.

I was ready to give up, but I kept thinking of how good this thing is when it runs and it puts a smile on my face. It's a totally different animal than anything else, and it fits me. I may not keep everything I have for the rest of my life, but you can bet I'll never let everything go either!

MyCannibal · #7 Post by **MyCannibal** » Fri Jan 23, 2009 3:39 pm

I agree...these machines can be intimidating at times...but are well worth it if you have the patience...90% of my problems have been minor things...but boy can those minor things aggravate the hack outta ya...and in the end you're like " that was it"?...you definitely have to earn these machines.

rayspeed · #8 Post by **rayspeed** » Fri Jan 23, 2009 5:24 pm

Anthony might be on to something here... maybe this is a good place to share stories of a previous frustration that turned out to be something minor, a mistake you or somebody else made or just one of those "If I had only known" this, that would not have happened.

There are no problems with these machines that somebody else has not experienced, the more that is shared the less the unknown and that can be a big part of the issue.

BTW I am not saying that it is not OK to vent a little now and then just keep in mind that it can have an effect on other people especially when you are also asking for help. Those that do research their problem sometimes end up adding to their bad state of mind by reading old posts from people who have gotten more emotional than they needed to.

As if their angst is going to fix thier problem faster or get them better advise.

Just imagine somebody coming to you for what ever it is you do filled with frustration, bitterness and preconcieved notions... they have a problem they cant figure out and they want you to tell them how to fix it... on your own time I might add... one click of the mouse and poof they are gone with their problems. I have to do this here sometimes... now if I could do that at work!

Edit post button could be used more often I think!
Ray

alexw1991 · #9 Post by **alexw1991** » Fri Jan 23, 2009 5:35 pm

QUOTE (cannondale27 @ Jan 23 2009, 06:39 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

We all must have been close to hanging it up at one time or another.Best thing to do is do nothing.Just take a break whether its for a day a week a year whatever.Worst thing to do is sell out.Almost all regret it later.Its tough.Lot of peer pressure even.Was helping a fellow Daler out at dunes and his buddies were just ragging on him to sell his quad.Cripes guy only had $400 in a nice looking speed!Who cares if it breaks down for that kind of $.But yet I havent heard from him since so he may have sold it over a wiring issue(rev5 harness).Was another regular that was fed up just last week.I heard the same thing from him.Blaming the quad once again.Turns out issue was a simple wiring error the owner himself did.Just remember all it takes to make it all worth it is to get into the zone out riding.Nothing like it and its so easy to do on a Cannondale.Kicking a few Jap quads butts and seeing the stares is icing on the cake.

27, I still have the speed. I just took afew weeks off from working on it. It was getting the best of me. Plus I needed to save some $ for the wiring harness and computer. So if any one has a rev 8 harness and a spare computer forsale let me know.

Dachshund · #10 Post by **Dachshund** » Fri Jan 23, 2009 6:11 pm

Let me just say: great post Ray, need I say more?