Buying first C'dale....Maybe

Message

karlkx3 · #1 Post by **karlkx3** » Sat Apr 11, 2009 7:56 am

So I have been wanting a C'dale since 2003, and am just now stable financially to purchase a new quad. I found one for a bargain price on a certain online classified site. The guy told me that his '03 Cannibal runs like a champ, but eats batteries like crazy.

I am trying to figure out what the cause could be, and what are some of the more common upgrades done to these amazing quads? Also, are there any parts from other manufacturers that can be retrofitted to the C'dales? And finally, is there a desert or oversized fuel tank made for C'dales? I know they a have a unique tank design.

I would be doing more desert riding than anything else, not a mx racer and no woods within a few hundred miles of my house, just high speed trails. So I wanna try to build it up to mimic top pro desert quads.

I know that the best info out there is right here on the forums.

Thanks,
Newb

cannondalemaine · #2 Post by **cannondalemaine** » Sat Apr 11, 2009 1:55 pm

Hey man before you buy the cannondale make sure you ask the guy a couple questions about updates to the engine first. A couple of things that you definitely will want have done to it is a balanced crank with z400 bearing i find this the most important one as others wilol agree. I had my speed for two years and ran great b4 it rattled its guts out. There are a bunch of small update like breather hose, aluminum impellar gas tanks quick connects. Best bet would to buy one with the updates already done from a guy that can show you legit reciepts. As for the battery question i know that is one of their favorite snacks haha, maybe someone else can help you with that problem could be a couple things. If you want upgrades there are stroker cranks, high compression pistons but you will find the most power out of port and polishing the head. Anyone else please chime in i know i have forgot some stuff.

speedracer · #3 Post by **speedracer** » Sat Apr 11, 2009 2:07 pm

Yes he is right. Find one that is COMPLETELY updated. The last thing you want to do is drop the engine because you find metal in the oil filter. Lots of power to be had from these machines, with just a piston, ported head and a pod filter set-up. Great forum here, many here know these machines inside and out and always willing to help. Good luck with your decision.

rayspeed · #4 Post by **rayspeed** » Sat Apr 11, 2009 4:30 pm

Regarding the tank the bad news is that there is nothing larger available that I know of at least... Good news is that it is pretty big to begin with at about 3.2 gallons and that goes a long ways on a mostly stock motor being fuel injected especially for desert riding. A with a little hot boiling water and some pressure you can swell it some to get it up around 3.5 or more but I have never found it necessary myself and I ride sand where you are on the throttle and loading the motor and up and down hills alot more than desert riding.
The battery thing could be the quality of batteries he is buying or how he is treating them... alot of dirt cheap tiawan and china crap out there that do not last worth a darn. I have found that the stock oem yausa battery from japan to last the longest.
Buy a good small amprage trickle charger and put it on from time to time and do not leave it on continuously unless it is a good automatic type.

karlkx3 · #5 Post by **karlkx3** » Sun Apr 12, 2009 3:43 am

QUOTE (cannondalemaine @ Apr 11 2009, 01:55 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hey man before you buy the cannondale make sure you ask the guy a couple questions about updates to the engine first. A couple of things that you definitely will want have done to it is a balanced crank with z400 bearing i find this the most important one as others wilol agree. I had my speed for two years and ran great b4 it rattled its guts out. There are a bunch of small update like breather hose, aluminum impellar gas tanks quick connects. Best bet would to buy one with the updates already done from a guy that can show you legit reciepts. As for the battery question i know that is one of their favorite snacks haha, maybe someone else can help you with that problem could be a couple things. If you want upgrades there are stroker cranks, high compression pistons but you will find the most power out of port and polishing the head. Anyone else please chime in i know i have forgot some stuff.

This quad is very much stock other than the map from the moto. what are the necessary updates, and what are the upgrades that I could accomplish, being limited with my experience with EFI's and Engines. who is recomended to do all of the internal ingine upgrades? is there a shop manual out for the cannondales that i could get a hold of if necessary?

claas900 · #6 Post by **claas900** » Sun Apr 12, 2009 4:38 am

QUOTE (karlkx3 @ Apr 11 2009, 08:43 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

This quad is very much stock other than the map from the moto. what are the necessary updates, and what are the upgrades that I could accomplish, being limited with my experience with EFI's and Engines. who is recomended to do all of the internal ingine upgrades? is there a shop manual out for the cannondales that i could get a hold of if necessary?

Where are you out of Karlkx3?

karlkx3 · #7 Post by **karlkx3** » Sun Apr 12, 2009 10:11 pm

QUOTE (claas900 @ Apr 12 2009, 04:38 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Where are you out of Karlkx3?

small town 100 miles south of vegas and about 45 north of lake havasu,az

gml1998 · #8 Post by **gml1998** » Sun Apr 12, 2009 10:42 pm

QUOTE (karlkx3 @ Apr 12 2009, 05:11 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

small town 100 miles south of vegas and about 45 north of lake havasu,az

I live in Illinois but own 40 acres in Yucca Arizona at Stagecoach Trails.Where do you ride around the area?Gary

karlkx3 · #9 Post by **karlkx3** » Sun Apr 12, 2009 11:27 pm

QUOTE (gml1998 @ Apr 12 2009, 10:42 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I live in Illinois but own 40 acres in Yucca Arizona at Stagecoach Trails.Where do you ride around the area?Gary

Ok i am in bullhead. but my dad owns a parcel that was part of that stagecoach ranches, its not 40 acres, just a parcel. but i have ridden from there to alamo lake before. i do most of my riding around the area here, miles of trails around, i want to do a ride from bullhead to havasu, have gone from bullhead to the huallapui mountains, in a rhino, about a 160 miles round trip, would be cool on a quad. other than locally, i ride ocotillo wells and i have traveled to sand mountain in northern nevada.

gml1998 · #10 Post by **gml1998** » Sun Apr 12, 2009 11:52 pm

QUOTE (karlkx3 @ Apr 12 2009, 05:11 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

small town 100 miles south of vegas and about 45 north of lake havasu,az

I live in Illinois but own 40 acres in Yucca Arizona at Stagecoach Trails.Where do you ride around the area?Gary
Sorry for the double post