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| Can-Am
DS450 Rotxax 4-Tech Engine
450 EFI Engine with the top end based on the
Aprilia RSV 1000 R sportbike with its free-flow
intake design with dual sparks plugs. The piston
bore, intake valves, and throttle body is the
largest among the 450cc Sport ATVs. |
After riding the DS450 EFI at it’s unveiling in
2007, I was eager to see how the machine had changed
after a year of development. The X Package quads are
a welcome addition to the lineup, and it’s good
that the factories are starting to offer a woods model
and a motocross model just like the dirt bike MX/XC
versions that have been available for years. This shows
that the sport is growing and evolving. The Rotax 4-TEC
450 engine has proven to be a powerhouse, with several
National MX holeshots to its credit in only the first
year of production.
The power of the DS450 is smooth and usable, and
doesn’t require a lot of fancy fingerwork to
extract the juice when you need it. The exceptionally
strong and lightweight ALTEC frame has proven its
durability in the off-road races, and quieted the
skeptics who thought the weld-less frame wouldn’t
stand up to the same pounding that the welded steel
frames have (or have not, depending on which brand
you compare it to). The other radical design departures
that seemed alien only a year ago have withstood the
test of racing at the National level: inverted front
brake calipers, hollow rear axle, offset cast aluminum
rear hubs, and forged aluminum a-arms.
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The
CanAm DS450 Altec aluminum frame utilizes
an aluminum lock-bolt fastener system along
with conventional nuts and bolts to connect
the forged and stamped aluminum frame components
instead of a conventional welding method
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Can-Am
DS450 New R-Type Forged Upper & Low A-arms
with inverted dual-piston caliper, which is
located on the inside of the disc
enables the placement of the ball-joints deep
inside the wheel to provide a negative kingpin
axis, which eliminate wheel scrub |
The DS450 base model is a great starting point for
a racer who doesn’t want to give up the versatility
of a stock machine, but likes to occasionally rip
it up on the MX track or the woods loop. All the main
components are in place, and ready to be fine-tuned
to whichever discipline of ATV competition the rider
chooses.
The DS450X MX Package is as close as you can get
to a race ready MX quad. The LTR450 started the purpose-built
MX production quad ball rolling, Polaris kept it going,
and now Can-Am has taken it to the next level. The
DS450 MX has the handling of a fully-modded race quad,
and why wouldn’t it? Extended long-travel a-arms,
fully adjustable shocks, and factory 7” ride
height makes the DS MX super comfortable on the track.
I must admit that big hits on MX tracks are not my
forte, but I felt just as comfortable jumping the
DS450X MX as any quad I have ridden in the past.
The overall ergonomics are spot-on, and with the
mx tires, 50” width, +1” stem, kill switch,
heel guards, and nerfs, it felt like I was on a full
mod race quad. The only addition I would want is a
steering damper, which I feel is a prerequisite for
racing competitively and should be included with a
race ready quad. The adjustable front end geometry
is mandatory for any serious racer, and it is easily
done at the track. Adjustment shims that change the
geometry in one degree increments makes it easy for
the amateur tuner, and takes some of the guesswork
out of the setup process. The axle width adjustment
puts the overall rear end width between 46”
and 50”, and is adjustable in 1” increments.
The overall feel of the DS MX is quick-handling, controllably
powerful, and confidence-inspiring. The more laps
I did on it, the faster I was going right up until
I was done riding it.
