Weight and CG

[TNT]

09 DS450 has an outstanding dry weight of 345!!

Let me try and explain something about weight and CG(center of gravity) and it's importance in handling and power. BRP spent a lot of time placing the CG is a strategic position. The handling characteristics, wheel bases, arm and shock travel, rims, swing length, etc, are designed to it. The further you put weight away from the CG the more it has an effect on handleing and the more overall weight you add the less the engine can overcome it. In other words, 3 lb at 2 foot or (6 foot-lbs) has more of an effect than 3 lb at 1 foot or (3 foot-lbs) away from the CG. The quad is also "balanced" around the CG, so the more you add weight at different locations radially around the CG the more the quad becomes out of balance, more noticeable in the air or on ground in maneuvers. Kinda like a see saw, picture you at 200 lbs and your friend at 195lb on the see saw at the same distance away from center, what happens? The DS CG appears to be a little high so adding weight to the very bottom like a steel skid plate will have a larger affect than the top. BRP has a CG range or some tolerance, you'll notice your out of tolerance when handling(weight distribution) gets off depending with your type of riding and style.

So just keep that in mind when adding weight to keep it light and counterbalanced around the CG.

[cheryl bithell]

Aftermarket a-arms... The ds 450 has the longest arms of any quad. How much weight do you think is added when you put on aftermarket arms? About seven to eight pounds!!!

[TNT]

Not sure what your asking or saying but I'm looking foward to the days of aftermarket arms being over and more control at the factory for this reason.......better control of weight and CG, cost too. The DS arms are made of CM steel both lower and upper this year so if I need new ones next year I will replace them with OEM.....the more stock configuration control the better. These kind of improvements make quads better faster and more affordable.

[ProspectorJim]

Originally posted by TNT1
Not sure what your asking or saying but I'm looking foward to the days of aftermarket arms being over and more control at the factory for this reason.......better control of weight and CG, cost too. The DS arms are made of CM steel both lower and upper this year so if I need new ones next year I will replace them with OEM.....the more stock configuration control the better. These kind of improvements make quads better faster and more affordable.

so you're saying that using stock components will be better than say, buying walsh or gibson a-arms? And that you look forward to companies that support atv racing going out of business? DO you believe that these companies just slap together a product without testing it on the bikes?
Stock can only go so far... theres always going to be a company that specializes in a specific atv part and that can spend the time, effort, and money to produce parts that perform better than stock. I for one hope that never goes away...