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View Full Version : Dirtwheels races a Z400 @ GNCC!!!



indygncc
07-02-2002, 11:03 PM
I found this rather humerous actually. I was on the starting line @ Deep Creek Maryland GNCC. I race the 4 stroke Stock class. All of a sudden I see this brand new Suzuki Z 400 pulling up to the line. Come to find out it was Cain Smead from Dirtwheels. He had Dirtwheel stickers all over the Suzuki. (Real intimidating) not really.... Well Dirtwheels sent him to the first round in Florida to race a Cannondale Blaze. He won the C class. SO I guess Dirtwheels thought he would do good in the stock class on a Z400. That they are claiming is So much better than a 400 EX. Well when the flag dropped all I know is that he got smoked off the line and then got smoked the whole rest of the race. He ended up finishing 16th in the 4 stroke stock class. I would like to bet money that Dirtwheels wont do an article over their racing experience on a Z 400 like they planned on. Dirtwheels does not have a clue, they claim that the 400EX is worse than the Cannondale and Suzuki. They both may have more power, but their poor designed frames cant handle the power like Honda's frame. Im not really flaming the Z400, just saying it is not what Dirtwheels claims. I bet it would be a great dune machine.

Wingnut
07-03-2002, 06:02 AM
I saw his name on the list at sign up, and I was wondering what Dirtwheels was up to this time. That is kind of funny. William Yokley was in the pizza place in the hotel on Sunday night, he said that he will most likely be racing the Kawasaki version of the z400 next year IF they worked out the handling issues.

07-03-2002, 06:04 AM
dude the Kawi is going to be soooo much better!! j/k

MEL
07-03-2002, 09:56 AM
does the green plastic handle better than the yellow plastic? or does the green plastic weigh less than the yellow? i thought they were the same quad.

CBRSLIDER
07-03-2002, 10:59 AM
On sunday I raced a WNYOA harescrambles race. There were a few new shiny Z's there. I didn't get to see how they all did, but I had my own experience with 2 of them. I raced the C class and was lined up against about 15-20 other quads, that included 400EX's, Raptors, a C'Dale, a few Warriors, a 250X(which was fast), and the mighty LTZ400. Well, don't know how the Z did in my class cause once the flag dropped I holeshot all of them and never saw that Z again. I did have the opportunity of catching up to another Z on the trail and he held up our class for what seemed like 5- 10 minutes by not letting us past him. The rest of the field had pulled a big lead on our class. But we worked our way around the slower riders and had a good race.

Final results, my slower out dated 400EX 1st and the Raptor 2nd. Like I said, I don't know where the Z ended up.

I'm not flaming the Z but I am getting tired of hearing how good they are compared to the EX. I just haven't seen it yet. It all comes down to the rider, not the machine. I believe that MEL had one racing in his class. I don't know how that one did either. Congrats MEL on a solid finish.

Ray

dabombdale
07-03-2002, 01:16 PM
CBRSLIDER

you did pretty well with all those mods you have listed, versus a stock Z, i can understand that you are a good rider but that is like you racing an almost stock 400ex, there is no comparison with all the mods you have, just a though.

12gofast
07-03-2002, 02:59 PM
you guys do know that a z400 won the 4 stroke novice class at mathews farm gncc.....

its great there is more different quads....but it still comes down to 90% rider....so quit bashing other bikes

CBRSLIDER
07-03-2002, 06:12 PM
I am not bashing the bike. Its just my opinion. They are pretty sharp looking. Can't wait to see a white one.

Actually from what I have been hearing from the track and from other racers is that a modded 400 still doesn't compare to the Z. Their supposed to be so much better than a 400 and even the C'dale. I am not very impressed with the Z, unlike all the mags. Was just passing along my experience with the Z. Whether you agree or not, it's my experience.

Ray

MEL
07-05-2002, 09:53 PM
yeah, i had one in my class. its the guys third race this year( last year he sold his 400ex and bought a 'dale and has had nothing but problems). he's beat me off the line twice now, one time everybody beat me,took a little nap on the line. he seems to like it, and some other guys have had luck on them in other classes too. i'm glad to see suzuki come back with a sport quad. it keeps the rest of the companies from getting lazy when someone ups the anny. i just wish they wouldn't have shared all their info with kawi and artic cat, but thats their problem. it won't be long and honda will one up everybody again. are you goning this weekend ray?

CBRSLIDER
07-05-2002, 10:21 PM
It is nice to see other brands getting involved. I can't wait to see the new polaris. Dave Heider seemed pretty jazzed about it at the last race. It's nice to have a little competition from the other brands. It looked kinda weird with just red and yellow EX's on the line and a sprinkling of Blue every now and then. I want to see a white Z, that is going to be awesome. My cousin is starting a Suzuki dealership here in the next couple weeks as soon as the paper work is completed. He's pushing me to get a Z from him. I need to see more from the Z before I jump ship from the Honda.
At least I know that the majority of the parts on my EX will move over to the Z without too much of a problem. But I don't see me making the move.

Ray