Believe me, I was excited about riding this innovative quad,
but I wasn’t going to accept it as the best thing
out there without putting some time on it in a racetrack
situation. After dozens of laps around a national-level
MX track it was apparent that the benefits of all these
radical design departures add up to create a great handling
and powerful machine. The reduced weight of the DS450
is very noticeable on the MX track, and it is easy to
position the quad when in the air and entering turns.
The turning feel is what I consider to be the strongest
feature of the DS450’s handling, and after pitching
the nimble machine into a turn it keeps a smooth line
and is totally predictable. The perfect combination
of swingarm length, traction, and weight bias lets you
make mid-corner corrections with ease. You can feel
that the front suspension is working with minimal bump-steer,
and the tracking is unaffected by braking to give a
confidence-inspiring feel coming into turns. This is
a direct result of the ball joints and kingpin axis
being so far out into the wheels. The lightweight ITP
Holeshot SR radial tires were specifically designed
for this ATV, and complement the handling.
The electric start fires up consistently and will make
Cross Country racers and trail riders very happy. The power
is abundant and it is apparent the first time you nail the
throttle that the DS450 is faster than any other production
450. The TT racers and all-out power maniacs will have a
field day once they start realizing the output potential
of this motor. The broad power of the engine is smooth enough
down low that I was able to pick through the tightest of
rock sections with a minimum of clutch work. And when I
say rock sections, I mean taking the DS450 onto a single
track enduro loop that had the Can-Am guys cringing as I
rode through terrain that could have been used for a World
Trials Championship event. The attention to detail is apparent
on the DS450, with niceties such as wide footpegs with kick-up,
wave brake rotors all around, and oversize handlebars as
standard equipment. These are all parts that serious riders
and racers would have to spend the extra money
on anyway.
The facts speak for themselves: lightest, most powerful,
lowest unsprung weight, and most centralized mass of all
450 sport ATV’s. The big four have a serious challenge
on their hands from a Canadian company with a long history
of passionately building and racing performance vehicles.
Can-Am has shown their dominance of the Utility ATV markets,
and now their impact on the Sport market begins. The engineers
and developers at Can-Am are technological artists, and
they have just painted their masterpiece.
