All you need to know about Quads
By Andy Foulkes on 15th Nov 06
THE quad scene continues to expand with more riders, more clubs, more events, more quads, more importers, more dealers, more parts and more accessories.As with any other sport, you can spend a fortune, but there are classes and events that allow you to compete without breaking the bank - or indeed anything else!
MACHINERY
THE days of hyper-expensive, custom-made race quads are largely history and over the past four years we have seen the return of production 450cc racers from Honda, Yamaha and then Suzuki, with Yamaha also offering a 700 Raptor and the legendary 350cc two-stroke Banshee. Kawasaki has joined its Japanese rivals with the introduction of a brand-new 450 four-stroke racer for 2007, and although Kawasaki UK fail to see the potential, you can be sure that supplies are already on their way though other channels.
In addition to the Japanese manufacturers, the Polaris quad range from the USA includes a number of competition models, like the 500cc Predator and the new 510cc KTM-engined Outlaw model for 2007. The newly re-named Can-Am range, from Canada, has shed its Bombardier tag for its 2007 ATV range and a 450 racer is tipped to appear in pre-production form at some point in 2007.
On the European front, the re-funded Gas Gas factory has already announced a new 450 four-stroke, and 300/200 two-stroke race quads while KTM is well advanced with a 450 racer that will be introduced as a 2008 model in late 2007.
The growth in quad enduro, Hare and Hound and endurance events has also seen the introduction of a wide variety of classes for all sorts of machines, which basically means that you can ride just about any quad in an event and have a good time. Look at the recent Weston Beach Race entry and you will see everything from a bog standard 125cc Yamaha Breeze, which is designed as a soft play machine, up to an 800cc 4WD Can-Am Outlander which is a serious, high-performance, utility or 'work' machine.
In truth, you can ride just about anything from the mainstream, quality, manufacturers and have a good day's sport, and some of the new breed of far-eastern manufacturers are well up to Japanese and Western manufacturing standards, so don't be put off by the name, but ask around first, because there is some pretty dodgy stuff out there as well.
On the youth quad competition side there is also a wide variety of machinery available and although some can, and do, spend a small fortune on custom-made racers, there are classes for standard machines that can get you competitive on four wheels for way less than the cost of a youth MX machine.
Different clubs run different classes, so check them out first.
AFTERMARKET
YOU can ride in enduros and at club level QX on a standard, or close to standard machine and be competitive, but of course if you have money to burn there are all sorts of performance enhancements, protection and plain 'bling' that you can shell out on.
Whatever event you ride in, you will need to add an ignition cut-out, number plates and nerf bars to a standard machine, although nerfs may not be necessary on machines with 'footwells'.
Tyres can make a BIG difference and the number of tyre manufacturers involved in quads is increasing all the time, along with the wide variety of tread patterns. Established quad tyre brands like ITP, Kenda, Goldspeed and Maxxis have been joined by newcomers like BKT from India and soon Sava from Slovenia, and the major rubber companies like Dunlop and Bridgestone, who have concentrated on OE fitment are also looking at the aftermarket sector along with the likes of Pirelli and Michelin.
The best bet when you come to change rubber is to see what the winners are using.
Probably the biggest single improvement you can make to a standard quad is to the shocks and, as with the motorcycle market, this area has shown dramatic technical improvements over recent years, but be prepared to spend big bucks. Certainly the standard equipment shock absorbers on production race machines has improved in recent years and a lot can be achieved by setting them up properly, but a standard machine with properly set up aftermarket shocks is like the difference between night and day.
The established names in quad suspension are PEP, Elka and Ohlins, but Fox, Axis and Works all have a following. Buy the best you can afford and get someone who knows what they are doing to help you set them up properly. Ask around.
A popular mod for quadcross is wider A-arms and axles to aid cornering stability, but bear in mind that if you are also riding in enduros, it may well pay to keep the quad at standard width to squeeze through those tight bits. A steering damper is also close to the top of many rider's wish list. They make a real difference.
Aftermarket exhausts offer an easy performance boost, along with air filters and ignition boxes. When buying an exhaust, remember to ask if it complies with current UK event noise limits. A lot of American exhausts are way over the limit!
Then there are wheels - in loads of sizes and styles, steering stems of different heights, brake pads and braided hoses, swinging arms of different lengths, the list goes on. And on...
EVENTS
MANY believe that the future lies in quad-only events and the success of the QH Racing series in its first year, certainly shows the format of youth quads and adult quads in all classes at the same meeting has a real 'family attraction in quadcross.
The QRA is also aiming for the quad-only route for its 2007 Endurance series and other similar events are being planned throughout the season.
In many areas though the quads continue to share events with solo motorcycles and if you keep your eye on the Quad Event Calendar in Trials and MX News every week, or on www.quad.tv then you will see that there are plenty of events in all styles and formats of racing on most weekends throughout the year.
Specification: