YOURADHERE
Louisiana
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Joined: 07/28/2006
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From the March Dirt Wheels issue...
"It seemed like they came out of nowhere. One day we got a call from U.S. Highland and some guys from Oklahoma announced they had an American-made ATV with some very impressive performance numbers. Within a few weeks, we had one to test.
U.S. Highland didn’t spring into being overnight. The story begins almost 20 years ago with a Swedish company called Folan. In the years after Husqvarna motorcycles was purchased by Italians and moved out of Sweden, a handful of former engineers started on a new project. The result was a V-motor that was light and made crazy horsepower. The history after that gets so complicated that we couldn’t begin follow it. Cannondale, ATK and a new company called Highland were all involved. But the bottom line is that now the tooling for the V-twin motor as well as a single-cylinder version is in Oklahoma where they are preparing to produce a line of ATVs and motorcycles. The single-cylinder motor will be available in a variety of configurations, depending on what the customer wants. It can be a 450 with mild output or a 70-horsepower 507. It is a six-speed with EFI and a very complicated electronic brain that keeps track of every rpm that the motor turns from the first time it’s started. It even has a G-meter that remembers how hard it landed from each jump
The chassis for the ATV can be traced back to the Cannondale 450. It has an aluminum frame with Elka and Ohlins suspension. If you remember, the Cannondale was regarded as one of the best-handling performance ATVs ever.
Now that we’ve ridden the quad, we are impressed. For a full riding impression, check out an upcoming print edition of Dirt Wheels. The website for U.S. Highland is currently under construction."
70hp out of a 450 seems....impossible, unimaginable, unthinkable. So, can it be done?
07 z400-Yoshimura R3 full system,Uni filter,White Brothers CDI,Hydrodynamic +2 ST A Arms,G Force +2 axle,TCS Shocks w/remote rezzies,PEP stabilizer,RazrMXrears on ITP T9s, KendaMX fronts, Skat Trak 7paddle Haulers on Douglas .125s....I need more sig room
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princevaliant1975
Them big hills west of Denver
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Interesting....I think the 70 hp is from a 507cc according to the article. The engine looks distinctly Huquervarna. I like all the data logging options. I just wonder how they will keep the overhead down to a reasonable level. It sounds a little bit like a Service Honda/Kawasaki type of company Who knows but if its affordable for racers it will probably sell, but it will be an uphill battle.
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DHart450R
Revere Massachusetts
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you gotta be rooting for another start up company making american made quad hopefully they can have honda like build quality at a reasonable price
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drummer89
Texas
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Awh man...Hipers? Elkas?
Beautiful.
Monster in the making.
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BlueRapted
Ragley,La
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I'm hoping they can mass produce these at a reasonable price,would be nice to have more competition and more variety to buy from.
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250exridr
NH/MA
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I dont think its possible to produce this for less than 10 grand a pop
02 400ex with modZ
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YOURADHERE
Louisiana
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I agree. I'd expect somewhere around $11k MSRP. But who knows. Maybe some of the mag editors can chime in if they know any info, or if this is all BS.
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drummer89
Texas
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Well you figure for what you spend on a KTM you can have that which is even more race ready.
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250exridr
NH/MA
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I wouldnt pay 5,000 for an atv, let alone 11k
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YOURADHERE
Louisiana
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250exridr wrote:I wouldnt pay 5,000 for an atv, let alone 11k
Honestly this has become my mentality recently. If I get a 450 I'd like buy just a frame and build from there. When/If I buy a 250r I'll do the same. You can build SICK sh1t for what new atvs cost.
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