Hi
I have been noticing a lot of people hve been "cheating" our their Dale's with other makes, so I thought I would start a thread of all the reasons why Dale's are still a great ride!
So here are some of my reasons:
-Cheap used parts market
-Amazing frame, almost never crack or fail
-Bullet-proof tranny when properly maintained
-Easy to get reliable 50hp on pump gas
-Cheap EFI ride so temp changes, altitude don't matter :-)
So please jump in and add your reasons.
Thanks
God bless...
Mark
Top Reasons we still love our Dale's...
Fast, cheap, reliable (when built right), rare, and still probably most technologically advance ATV out there. This list goes on.
I personally love riding a 10 year old rare machine that smashes on most stock 450's out there. Let alone a Cdale with some motor work, people get the strangest looks on their faces when you murder their brand new fancy Can-Am or whatever. I have 5 Cannondales for the price of your brand new 450.
I personally love riding a 10 year old rare machine that smashes on most stock 450's out there. Let alone a Cdale with some motor work, people get the strangest looks on their faces when you murder their brand new fancy Can-Am or whatever. I have 5 Cannondales for the price of your brand new 450.
A group of like minded riders who are (for the most part) ... #1 a community looking out for fellow C'dale riders and #2 not a bunch of chump ATV'ers. I've found more knowledgable mechanics on this site than any other site out there, and I've found a lot fewer posers, too.
Otherwise...
Front side intake, rear side exhaust.
Hydro-clutch
A bike you can pick up out of the rutted trail by yourself
Otherwise...
Front side intake, rear side exhaust.
Hydro-clutch
A bike you can pick up out of the rutted trail by yourself
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marshall100
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- Joined: Wed Mar 10, 2021 10:41 pm
I know I have some woes with my bike right now, and I had just typed a listing on ebay to get rid of it (running two exotic bikes is getting to be a bit of a strain on the old wallet) but is there really any benefit to be had from changing?
Like has been mentioned, $150 for a piston and sleeve? is there another bike that offers value like that? the total functionality of efi that actually lets you play with the settings. And lets not forget, it's taken ten years for my bike to finally fail, 3 if you look at it from the point of view of it being ridden hard. But overall, you cannot put a price on beating people on newer equipment. I'm getting into the top ten in mx with a largely bone stock bike and pulling top 5 in enduro. I can only to begin imagine what would be possible with a ported stroked motor.
It's a bit harder for me being stuck in the uk to get parts and so on, but the level of support from this place is untold. I'll bet there's not another place like it on the internet. The quad is still well ahead of it's time, it's a real pity cannondale had the problems they did as they were definately on to something.
Here's to 2012 and another year of dale ownership. My bikes going nowhere when I've rebuilt it.
Like has been mentioned, $150 for a piston and sleeve? is there another bike that offers value like that? the total functionality of efi that actually lets you play with the settings. And lets not forget, it's taken ten years for my bike to finally fail, 3 if you look at it from the point of view of it being ridden hard. But overall, you cannot put a price on beating people on newer equipment. I'm getting into the top ten in mx with a largely bone stock bike and pulling top 5 in enduro. I can only to begin imagine what would be possible with a ported stroked motor.
It's a bit harder for me being stuck in the uk to get parts and so on, but the level of support from this place is untold. I'll bet there's not another place like it on the internet. The quad is still well ahead of it's time, it's a real pity cannondale had the problems they did as they were definately on to something.
Here's to 2012 and another year of dale ownership. My bikes going nowhere when I've rebuilt it.
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marshall100
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- Joined: Wed Mar 10, 2021 10:41 pm
QUOTE (pcleiter @ Jan 3 2012, 02:11 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
A bike you can pick up out of the rutted trail by yourself
This, I still get comments along the lines of 'bloody **** it's light isn't it?'
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jesshamner
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- Joined: Wed Mar 10, 2021 10:41 pm
There are already a lot of good answers in here.
I have not only cheated on the cdale, but divorced and remarried so to speak. So my response is a little different. These are things that I still enjoy or miss.
1) Like pcleiter said, community. This is by far the best online community that I have been a part of or even hung around. I have a forum fanatic. If I own it, I have probably looked up a forum for it. (e.g. I am currently checking out android phone forums because I just bought a new phone.)
2) Rarity/Exclusivity/Attention. I truly miss the weird looks, the feeling of being different, and the comments like "Is that a Cannondale? I've never seen one of these in person."
3) My cannondale was definitely more powerful than my Honda that I'm riding now.
4) The power-to-dollar ratio. Aside from the price of cranks, they are cheap HP.
5) The fact that it is a submarine because the airbox is so high.
6) Peace of mind from a solid frame.
7) Quality stock parts like a arms, swingarms, carrier/axle bearings, axles, and steering stem.
I will go out on a limb and add what I think are negatives to owning a Cannondale
1) Fewer and fewer custom parts and cosmetic options.
2) Battery start. I have always had to worry about the battery. I owned the quad for 8 years and put 5 or 6 batteries in it. And yes I used a trickle charger.
3) Not many fellow owners to ride with nearby. I only got to run in a pack once a year at the group ride.
I have not only cheated on the cdale, but divorced and remarried so to speak. So my response is a little different. These are things that I still enjoy or miss.
1) Like pcleiter said, community. This is by far the best online community that I have been a part of or even hung around. I have a forum fanatic. If I own it, I have probably looked up a forum for it. (e.g. I am currently checking out android phone forums because I just bought a new phone.)
2) Rarity/Exclusivity/Attention. I truly miss the weird looks, the feeling of being different, and the comments like "Is that a Cannondale? I've never seen one of these in person."
3) My cannondale was definitely more powerful than my Honda that I'm riding now.
4) The power-to-dollar ratio. Aside from the price of cranks, they are cheap HP.
5) The fact that it is a submarine because the airbox is so high.
6) Peace of mind from a solid frame.
7) Quality stock parts like a arms, swingarms, carrier/axle bearings, axles, and steering stem.
I will go out on a limb and add what I think are negatives to owning a Cannondale
1) Fewer and fewer custom parts and cosmetic options.
2) Battery start. I have always had to worry about the battery. I owned the quad for 8 years and put 5 or 6 batteries in it. And yes I used a trickle charger.
3) Not many fellow owners to ride with nearby. I only got to run in a pack once a year at the group ride.
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cannondalemaine
- Posts: 0
- Joined: Wed Mar 10, 2021 10:41 pm
Even though I'm selling all my Dale stuff and sticking with my one Honda, I would have to say the Dale is still my favorite even though I went through so many problems lol. But the community is great!! I notice on trx450r.org pple are ready at any time to put you down and crap on your machine def not like that here. I would have to say my Honda is almost about as fast and handles as good as my 467 Dale did with just an epoxy port, cam, and exhaust but not quite. But the dale has certain cheaper parts. Long live cdale and their uniqueness thanks to all the good pple on this site that help and don't put others down!