Yamaha Goes Cannondale......Almost

[Rick]

2010 Yamaha YZF 450....

Pretty Cool......Almost Cannondale like

http://www.yamaha-motor.com/sport/pr...09/0/home.aspx

What do Think???

[GMP]

I like it. A WR250F like that would be sweet. Whats really nice about the design for a woods bike is there is no header pipe up front to smash. We'll see how it works as far as heat management when used off road, not on the track, as that is the flip side to the reverse header. Cannondale was ahead of their time in many ways, just too arrogant.

[gasgasman]

Here's some more photos w/ cut away views.
http://www.motocrossactionmag.com/ME...CFE2FBBC7CB0A6

[GMP]

From the looks of the tank position, fuel heating won't be a problem, as the header loops in a circle behind the tank. Bad news is the tank is only 1.6 gal., and I'm sure a bigger tank will take some creativity. Maybe not as bad as it sounds with EFI though.

[gasgasman]

The design really makes good sense.
You have a super long intake tract, which speeds up the intake air flow and the shock is centrally located. It's not fighting for space with the air box.

[HydroDog]

If only Cannondale had the money to keep going forward to out do what yamaha has done 9 years later.
I wonder if KTM will use Husaberg's design for a new 450SX?

[GMP]

I'd like to see a 2-stroke like that, with the pipe all wadded up high and protected form damage. Pipes are light and can be made even lighter if damage is not a concern, so the high position should not an issue as far as CG is concerned. Packaging is though, but I'm sure it could be done.

Yeah, its pretty amazing what Cannondale did do, they certainly were not 9 years behind a perfected design. Big mistake was trying to compete in the MX market, and the E440, the enduro bike I had, was clearly not ever developed as a woods bike. They were very stable bikes that worked well in the desert and more open terrain though. They should have just built a frame and bought a motor to start with, like GasGas started. The fit and finish on the 'Dale was excellent.

[911racer]

I think the Cannondales are one of the most bad ass and unique bikes ever built. I have owned my 03' E440R since it was new and it has been a great bike. Its the only bike I will NEVER sell. I have logged around 300 hours and only now does it need a engine rebuild. It runs but the crank bearings are worn out and doesnt sound healthy. This will be the first time I will have ever had to open up the engine. Its never even needed a valve adjustment!!

With the new improved parts that are available for the Dales they can be made with over 50 reliable horse power and run better than ever. Oh and parts are very cheap and still available.

[GMP]

Yes, if you got one with a good crank like my '02 or early '03 they were great. After that they changed crank vendors and all hell broke loose. The other issue was the trans cassette bolts backing out. I drilled and safety wired mine and had no issues. The IAC motors/valves were a PIA too, I removed mine and installed a manual air bleed valve for starts/warmup. I had heat related problems in tight woods, but solved that with insulation, waterless coolant and some mapping changes. Whats ironic is that the factory was in the ECEAs backyard and had some great terrain to test/develop a proper enduro setup. The bike was great on fast quad type trails and the PDS was way better than any KTM. Also the most narrow bike I have ever ridden. The supermoto version was very competitive and I heard they made great ice racers as well. Yeah, I wish I still had mine sometimes, but not as an only bike. I would not hesitate to take it out on rides like the Hancock Quarry Run where the big power, stability, and 70+ miles on a tank would come in handy.

Good luck, keep it, and be happy to be part of history!