What broke: While pro Matt Smiley was riding the Z, it suffered a mysterious glitch that killed the engine under power. Smiley eventually limped it back to the pits, and after we cleaned out the carb's float bowl and blew out the spark plug vent hole, the Zook fired back to life. We also encountered numerous flat tires. The wheels were pretty susceptible to flat spots (contributing to the flat total). The rear shock damping and rear brake were lost at around hour five. After that slowed the testers down, there were far fewer "incidents" with it.
+Great-handling chassis
+Considerably lower price
-Engine lacks snap
-Rear suspension mildly harsh
=Ultimate "normal guy's" machine
Suzuki QuadSport Z400
Retail price: $5799
EngineType: Single-cylinder, four-stroke, four-valve DOHC
Displacement: 398cc
Cooling: Liquid-cooled
Carburetion: Mikuni BSR 37mm
Lubrication: Dry sump
Starting: Electric
Drivetrain
Drive system: Chain, 2x4
Transmission: 5-speed manual with reverse
Suspension (Type/Travel)
Front: Dual A-arms, independent/8.5 in.
Rear: Swingarm/9.1 in.
Tires
Front: 22x7-10; rear: 20x10-9
Brakes
Front: Dual hydraulic discs;
rear: hydraulic disc
Dimensions
Wheelbase: 49.0 in.
Claimed dry weight: 373 lb
Ground clearance: 10.4 in.
Length/width/height: 72.0/45.9/45.7 in.
Seat height: 31.9 in.
Fuel capacity: 2.65 gal.
Electrical
Taillight: Yes
Headlight: Dual 30-watt
Instrumentation: Neutral/reverse, high-temperature indicators
Colors: White, yellow
#2 Polaris Predator 500
In last year's shootout, the Polaris finished dead last ... and by dead last, we mean the gap between it and the other machines was an insurmountable one. Things change. While this 2005 Troy Lee Edition Predator may resemble the '04 model, it's not fair to compare the two. Major mods have transformed the quad, the most notable being the addition of reverse gear and a significant tweak in the ergonomic department. Most of our pro riders were quick to throw us that surprised look of "Wow, this machine's pretty good" after getting off the Polaris.
The most-striking revelation about the Predator was that in years past testers would always comment about how the front end seemed stuck to the ground and the rear end would want to spin out, whereas this year all the pros talked about the Pred's "light front end." The revised suspension geometry negated some of the quad's anti-wheelie characteristics, while the new grippy Maxxis radials did the rest. They might be our favorite stock sport tires, with killer flat resistance and good performance.
The Predator's main enemy is still weight, but some of those heavy-duty components may have saved it from the abuse we dished out at Rausch.
What's changed from last year: The Predator has seen the most-radical changes and now comes with reverse, revised ergonomics, a better-shifting tranny and enhanced shock damping. The riding position has been improved through a seat redesign, a relocation of the handlebar and an extension of the steering post. The seat has more foam padding than last year's and is configured so riders are positioned farther back with the ability to slide ahead more easily.
The Troy Lee Edition, which we tested, has an increased rev-limiter; aluminum-body Fox shocks with remote reservoirs (the fronts); Maxxis radial tires; an LED taillight; and improved gear ratios that better match the new rev-limiter.
+Very plush ride
+Now has reverse
-Twitchy front end
-A little heavy
=Rugged, sporty, but heavy