How The Quadzilla Became The DEADLIEST Quad Ever Built
#quadzilla #quadracer #LT500 #quads
Back in the early 80s, it was the age of the "power quad ". Fire breathing big bore two-stroke quads that could reach speeds of 80+MPH and leave scars along the earth's terrain. In those days, no machine was more vicious and revered than the Suzuki LT 500 Quaracer, better known as Quadzilla. It was a machine that was both deadly and liberating, so violent it could not be built today.
So, in this video, we will look at the unreal history of the Suzuki Quadracer and answer the question, " Was it really that deadly"?
Written, narrated, and edited by Born A Goon
For business inquiries contact bornagoon@gmail.com
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Dude...your copy and delivery is flawless, super entertaining and thought provoking every time! Keep up the good work
thank you for the kind words
@@BornAGoon Just after 5:00: ". . . the 'lur?' " The auto-captions didn't know what to make of it, either; the subtitles read as "lur," too. Are you saying "lure?" (Frequently pronounced more like "lewer;" rhymes with the way most folks say "sewer")
Fail to see how it's more dangerous that a Banshee.
@@stewart8127 It's who the quad attracted as riders more than the quad itself. You banshee activists can't seem to get out of the bais fog. That should be the next video. Banshee owners always feel the need to be in the spotlight or they will cry.
@@FarmerFpv not a quad guy but I remember the RZ 350. Good bike for its day till epa killed it
I worked at Suzuki when the LT500 was introduced. As crazy as it sounds, the production version was massively detuned from the original prototypes with the RM500 engine. It was a pretty big and heavy quad compared to the LT250, but oh man, what an adrenaline rush to rip that thing. Suzuki was always the most conservative of the Japanese brands, so for the LT 500 to get produced was incredible.
thanks for watching and commenting I appreciate it
Had a customer bring one into our shop that needed a carb clean from sitting and and it had some piston slap so it was time for a top end back in the 90s. We called him with the estimate and he agreed then said I can't wait to get it back im fixing it for my 12 year old daughter to ride! The words that's child abuse fell out of my mouth before I could think.
I agree completely though. I rode motorcycles and mostly three-wheelers. I also pile them up more time tonight. Care to remember and of course I was in control of the machine not the other way around
Just wondering, but with your experience would it have been by the electrical system that made it so fast or piston bore/stroke or gearing. These things fascinate me
As a kid my good friends father had three of these things. Would not let us get on them no matter how much we begged.
I'm currently building an 88 LT500R to be close to the one built by Duncan Racing. My stroked out 660 Raptor is ready for retirement. After 20 years of enjoyment on the Raptor it deserves a spot in the garage. The LT500R will be its replacement on family quad trips. I always wanted to have the king of quads. Love the video. Keep ridin❤
I sold the 250R when I left service, knew I had to go to work. I built one that was way quick. Would jump over a ditch,land on the bank and jump off the top. Same thing with divided highways. Flogged a GPZ750Z turbo bike, I Ain't going over 3 gears anymore!
"20 years".. That hit hard.... Good God it seems like it was only a few years ago my Banshee was stolen and the Raptor came home....
😂 know anyone selling crank for one ?
@@kennethfarquhar8518 Banshee or 250R?
Hey brother, I was born, raised and still live in West Virginia. Got a new sub here. I had an 05 limited edition Banshee and I wish so bad that I hadn't gotten rid of it. That thing had much work done to it. It had gear change, V-force 3 reeds, twist throttle and a few other small things. People that have never ridden a monster like these quads, have no idea how hard they pull and scary they really are, but also such a adrenaline rush. Now, I own a Suzuki Vinson 500 automatic, I love this machine just as well. Being able to cruise the woods is such a thrill to me. There is nothing like riding these hills of good ole WV!
Love that Banshee brother 🙌
@@houseofsolomon2440 it was a beauty
Nothing like a built Banshee. Out on the open beach in the top end a stock Banshee doesn't do a lot when you hit 6th gear. After I built mine It would keep pulling hard through 6th. What an adrenaline rush at 100 mph.
@@SEVEN-gy3ub Gonna buy one in my lifetime. *56 y.o. rippin it up lol
@@houseofsolomon2440 Never too old to ride. I quit having birthdays when I was 21.
All of us who grew up in the 80s are lucky to be alive lol.
For real.....we used to jump off the roof of the house for fun...
Nah no luck required, yall where just built better.
Dont need too, my personal library is extensive and larger than yours. Everyone born before 2000 is objectively built better. Less toxicity concentrations passed down, lower defects due too toxicitys, more outside time, less tism rates and so on. Thats objective fact sweetpea, dont need a library for that one. Its one of the few things the boomers have on everyone produced later. They might not be smarter (only because theres more information potentials for youth later), but theyre definitely built better.
NBS 87’ Banshee is still king and all the 500’s geeeshhh
Lawn darts.
Great video. You speak the truth about its always the rider. As a 52 yr old quad racer I look forward to your videos. I was fortunate to ride a LTR450 chassis with a Quadzilla motor and it was awesome! Modern suspension with old school 2 stroke power. Long live sport quads!
thanks for watching and commenting
That's bad ass combo brother
That sounds like a wicked combo.
I thought i seen that on youtube years back. Maybe dirtwheels magazine
It sure was 4 stroke torque but a lot lighter @@elibnem4126
It’s absolutely awesome to see a fourwheeler video. As someone with multiple dirtbikes and motorcycles It’s so sad they have all but died off. I’ve had four wheelers and dirtbikes since I was 4 and I’ve went back and forth on which one I liked more but I’ve had my 400ex since I was 12 and I’ve never stopped loving it. It is truly a perfect woods bike and by far the most reliable machine i’ve ever been around. Everyone else has went through quite a few bikes and it just refuses to die. I’ve barely even had to do any maintenance besides oil and brakes and a couple pistons and rings. It’s perfectly happy to just bog around at low rpm’s or it’s ready to rip whenever I am. Anyway I wish they would make a comeback. As you said imo they are no more dangerous than a dirtbike, people just feel more comfortable on them and push themselves past what they are capable of.
its a unique machine for sure
I'd love to have a banshee but I'd have to agree the 250,300,400ex were the best all around quad.my uncle had (still has) a 250ex when they first came out. His buddy had a blaster. I was around 11 or 12 I'd say. I liked the blaster more but anyone could get on the ex and just put around or rip on it. As muck fun as a blaster or banshee is you can't just sit anyone on it and let them go. Especially the banshee. You have to have some sack and skill to handle those things. You could take an ex to the campgrounds to just cruise around. Not so much one of the 2 strokes. Haha
@@BornAGoon wow I wasn’t expecting to see you comment back. I’m loving your videos. Been watching all of them as they come out for a while now. But on the topic of the 400ex. It may not be the fastest, may not be the most outright fun, but imo it is the best all around bike as it’s perfectly happy doing whatever I want to do and is in my experience the most reliable bike I’ve been around. Which is half the battle in something that gets beat through the woods a few times a week. . One of the only bikes you can race Tt or cross country and still ease around the campground or pits on.
400ex is such a solid machine. Much like the XR400. Rode one at the dunes (rental) I used to have a warrior 350 as a kid, awesome woods machine as well, once you get some proper (non balloon) tires on it! Currently own my childhood dream machine, the XR650R, wish I had the time to ride it that I did back then! I can feel the quads calling my name again though, only a matter of time.
@@Gchapel17 that is why I have quads and dirtbikes! Depending on the mood I have options😂. I’ve never had the chance to ride an xr400 but I would love to try one someday
What the hell did I just watch??? That took a turn at the end lol. I had the Suzuki LT125 probably 1986. Currently don’t own an ATV, but I’m going to go buy one now and ride it without a helmet. Thanks for the trip down memory lane 👍
for an author who claims he's not much of an ATV enthusiast, you made one HELL of a love letter to one of the most amazing quads of our day! masterfully done. bravo. 350k views in 3 weeks!! now that this video is obviously well received, is there any chance you will consider putting together some more of these for us ATV fans? I'd love to see the Banshee spoken of in similar ways, as well as the Honda odyssey (all generations including the Pilot), 1986 Honda 250r 3 wheeler which Absolutely dominated stadium racing in the 80's/90s, 1987 Honda 250r quad which annihilated & dominated all ATV racing even deep into the 4stroke era (and is still ridiculously popular)
Another great video. You're killing it lately. Thanks! 👍
thank you
I remember a friend of mine way back in 1990 had a 78 trans am and a mutual friend had a 1987 Quad racer 500cc. beast and I was a passenger in the trans am and we followed the 500 Quad racer all over the back roads reaching speeds of 95+ mph! I was truly amazed at how quick and brutally fast the Suzuki Quad Racer 500 was! What a awesome memory I'll never forget!
Now that's a redneck fantasy right there! TransAm & Quadzilla git er done!
Yea a 79 trans am had prob 200hp. The power to weight ratio of something closer to a utility quad.
@@BS.-.- You saying I'm lying? I'm just saying they were friends messing around & yes the LT500 quadracer was in front & the 79 trans am was hitting 95+ mph then it would the man driving would let off of the gas as to not kill his friend on the Quadracer. We didn't have dash cams at the time but I'll be sure to record everything I say.
A friend used to ride his quad Zilla down the highway, blowing away cars going over 90 mph. It was made for people like this guy.
If they made a z1000 Kawasaki I'd not only buy one but sell a kidney too, mostly because a I wouldn't live long enough to need the other one 😂
Awesome content! I am a subscriber now, and it was great living in that era riding all the bikes, you’re talking about! Keep up the good work!
My neighbor had one of these back in the day along with an RM 500. The RM 500 was an absolute terror... dude was a total squirrel. I always wondered how he lived to be an adult
My Dad had an RM400 when I was a kid. He was a very competent dirt rider, rode in hare scrambles, we had a garage full of dirt and street bikes, etc. He sold that RM after a few months because it scared him.
😮😮😮
The best part of being a subscriber to this channel is that I can like the video before watching because I already know the quality's going to be great. Looking forward to whenever you decide to do the history of the RC8 and the LC8 engine platform from KTM. I know I gave you some references in the email a few months back, but if you ever want me to do some more serious digging, just let me know.
You're the best!
These documentaries are so tastefully done! From one Tiger 800xc brother to another.. Thank you Goon for another great vid!
Glad you like them!
What an amazingly written video. I really appreciated the quote from Leo. A truly unexpected, but welcome academic addition to this story about a completely radical quad bike.
This was really well done. Good shit man
Nothing like the 2 strokes of the late 80’s early 90s absolutely brutal power. I still ride today and own the R1 and even the 2nd generation vmax1700 but nothing feels as brutal as a 500cc 2 stroke dirt bike. They will flip you off of the back of the bike faster than anything else I’ve ever rode.
It always makes me laugh when people say stuff like this (I was one of these people) bc there have been several tests of the old 500cc bikes and they’re all down on HP and TQ compared to modern 450s. I thought the quadzilla I rode back in the day was the meanest fastest quad I’d ever ridden UNTIL there was one at the pits and I couldn’t wait to get off it. It was the slowest most unrefined pos I’ve ever thrown a leg over…and it was *meticulously* restored. My bill balance 450 absolutely out handled, accelerated, jumped, stopped etc etc that quadzilla. Same with my ktm 300exc, I rode a cr500 AND a kx500 two stroke and my first thoughts were “ man these things are slow…and heavy and awful” my 300 would pluck the wings off of both.
@@trevorbonanno6260a 500cc two-stroke is definitely not slow and during those times they were brutal for sure they still hold up well today as in power
@@trevorbonanno6260 uhhm yeah.. certainly not, ive seen banshee 350's with a 100 hp .. good luck catching them with your 55 ish ~ hp 450's, lol .. either someone handed you the most clapped out 2 strokes ever or you rode them the wrong way .. oooor you talk crap, which seems the most likely
@@kyoakland kaplan did a dyno video 2-3 years ago, 2 strokes are still king (60.15 hp stock cr500 af) which is even more than the race works edition of the CRF has (60.01hp) the standard 2023 crf has 56.3 hp xD this guy is talking complete bs
@@trevorbonanno6260sounds like you let them fall out of the powerband when you rode them. Completely different riding style of the old two strokes. We all had a fear of fouling a plug if you did not keep it in the power band at all times. Throttle was on or off nothing in-between.
Great video, very educational. Brings back memory's of the 90's cruzing around the trails in the back 40.
This brought back a lot of good memories growing up with quads in Eastern PA. They were definitely a way of life for a lot of us, and there was a lot of tomfoolery happening without helmets. I wish I could have gotten try one of these! I don't think I ever even laid eyes on one. The closest that I got was a Banshee, and then I had an early 660 Raptor, which was a very different type of power delivery.
Those were the 2 that I remember being very popular in the Appalachian mountains in southern KY, growing up. In these small towns surrounded by the mountains, the rebel rednecks 🙄😁 loved out running the cops. I remember the stories of injuries and deaths back then too. People would wreck, believe that they were ok, and later die of their injuries. Back when I started riding, there wasn't cell phones. If you're back in the mountains and wreck, you're in bad shape.
Love your content. Maybe because I am old enough to remember all of these beasts. But there were some awesome machines back then and while things have changed, some things improved, others have been lost in time I fear forever.
no doubt those were some good times
Like what? What is something that you think we should bring back
Thanks for the video! 👍 Earned yourself a new subscriber today. That video of the guy jumping the 6x6 into the pond was sick!
Used to drule over my uncles quadzilla, never got a chance to ride it. Dang!
In every way, this was a very professional and informative video. I appreciate your efforts and I'm sure you have saved many lives and body parts.
The first taste of a 1987 LT500 was when i was 13 years old. That machine didnt even know i was on it. What a great video documentary you have done here. First time subscriber here for me... well done 👏 ✔️ 👍
I was fortunate enough to have a friend who got one when they came out. I had an 85'RM125 at the time (still have it) and we would switch during our rides . We both survived it along with our other rider buddies. (We all wore our gear religously) I was about 140lbs soaking wet doing 60mph wheelies on it. It was a blast. Another guy had an 85' Honda 250R trike and I wanted nothing to do with that thing. Another in our group had an 86' Quadracer 250 I got to ride also. Most of us rode 82' thru88' CRYZKXRMs. Thanks for bringin' back all the memories from riding as a teenager with all my friends. We were so lucky to live in a town surrounded by preemo riding areas.
Ah man. I had a 350x trike growing up, always wanted too ride a 250r but never got too
A friend of mine had a 250R trike for a short spell many years ago. I took it for a brief spin one day, just back and forth across a flat grass field, drag race style. That thing was wicked quick!
Proud owner of an 85' 250R trike. Got it from my uncle who bought it brand new from the Honda dealer in Jersey. Was an animal in stock form and after many mods I turned that thing into a monster. Let's just say I had many a rider searching for an excuse as to why they lost a drag race.
Yeah I grew up across the street from 31acres of forest full of trails and a spring fed lake. Started at 5 with a go cart my dad built me. Then went on to a KD100 YZ125 YT125 225DX blue then 300ex. I want something else now not sure yet what to get.
Beautifully narrated!! Thank you.
What an awesome video!!! Super entertaining the whole time definitely going to watch more of your videos!!
Glad you enjoyed!
My dad had a 230 quad sport and a friend of his bought a 250 suzuki quad racer. So one day in 1989 we were at the suzuki dealer and there it was the "500". Dad made a few laps around the parking lot and he was hooked . It was used but barely. A kid bought it rode it once and traded it in for something more tame. He still has it to this day. As a 7 year old kid i got to ride it when it was new. What a rush even though i never left 1st gear. In soft sand . Lol. It is so addictive!!!!. I never needed drugs i ride a 500. Banshees were never a problem.
Love your documentary styled videos. ❤
Glad you like them! I appreciate it
I love this! I don't ride ATV's or do any other motor sports, but the way this video is narrated and edited I can't look away, it's fascinating. I love it when a person's passion and interest in a topic is so great that just by talking about it they can get you fully invested. It is so fun to get a look into another lifestyle and learn about what there is out there.
Excellent history of ATV 'S. Well written and produced. Thanks!
I was late getting into 4 wheeler MX in the late 90’s. My first ride was on a quadracer 250. My dad had 2 of them and to this day I still don’t know how his was so damn fast. Him and my cousin both raced his, he was in a senior class and my cousin raced in pro. I watched my cousin tangle with actual pro riders on full custom built bikes. Even my dad could take a hole shot from those same pro riders and he was a heavier guy! To this day, my favorite time riding was at our little home track. We had 3 different areas we would ride. One was the hillside behind our house, another was a small sand/ dirt track they built with a few doubles and tabletops and the other was a hill climbing area…. I loved those days when 10 or so family members would be just having a blast. We had a neighbor who had a quadzilla and he would brag about it all the time. My dad told him he would race him bike for bike. He was too nice though and let the guy keep his bike. We never heard him talk crap after that though. I don’t think I ever saw one actually at the MX track. I saw the pics of them at the dunes. Pyramid valley raceway was the track we mainly raced at until they started pushing our heats further and further back, until all the bike classes where done by the time the first ATV class ran its first heat. Even pro’s stopped showing up. I still wish I had the opportunity to move to my dads back when blackwater was still open. Or when my cousin was part owner of the water slide 100/ wilderness 100 cross country race was started. I still miss the smell of our 2 stroke fuel. I don’t miss how much a weekend of racing cost after parts and repairs, although those all nighters in the garage with my dad where some of our best times together. I came across a quadracer just yesterday and if I had the income, I would have bought it on the spot. Just to waste spark plugs in my backyard and annoy my neighbors working on it with my son!
probably the bores and pistons ported bigger than stock . jim duncan was famous for this in oregon on all good racing two strokes
@@magapickle01 Jim Dunken in Hillsboro. I had a JD Racing stroker Banshee.
Klotz Castor Bean Oil. That's what we ran, such a sweet smell. Those sound like the good ol days. I thought mine would last forever. Now these are the good ol days for the future. Lol
@@SEVEN-gy3ub we got a Klotz sponsorship one year. They provide like a 5gal. can each race… that only lasted a few months before the guy giving it to us quit. I forget the 2 stroke oil we used… 929, 626…heck, that was over 2 decades ago I can’t remember.
@@JK-zq9vw Yeah it's been a minute. They say time flies when you're having fun so I must have had a real good time. We ran trick fuel and the Klotz mix oil was purple if I remember right.
Very nice video, brought back many memories of me and my friends doing very dangerous stuff in the name of fun. "I am lucky to be alive" should be the motto of our generation. Back in the 80's and 90's between dirtbikes, quads, snomobiles, and later 4x4 trucks, motorcycles, guns and alcohol, I saw the grim a few times myself and evaded him only by luck and Gods protection. But what a time to be alive.
Meanwhile we let our country slip away.
@@LichaelMewisnot as bad as you think. I’m part of a weird generation. I was born in 1992, right at the end of the Millennials and just before the official start of Gen Z. Since I sit in the middle between two politically polar opposite generations, I tend to see the good merits of arguments from both sides of the political aisle. Maybe I’m just an optimist, but most people my age (I’m 31 now) are not blue-haired, self righteous, sensitive pansies who want nothing more out of life than to be a professional victim. Most of us still love our country and want to work for the things that make it great, but we also want to see change where it is warranted. Unfortunately, in this social media era, tribalism is rampant. “It’s us verses them” should be the motto of modern society, and it’s an absolute cancer that affects both sides of the aisle. The fact that almost every vote is perfectly split along party lines is despicable. It shows that no one can think for themselves. Mainstream media ensures that the stupidity shown every day in Congress infects the minds of the every day American. Fox News and CNN are doing more damage to our country than any terrorist ever could. Since my generation sits in the middle, I believe we will be the ones to finally break the party wall and get the two sides to realize that they both make good points on certain issues and that every one at the table is a human being and a countryman, not the enemy. That it’s okay to staunchly support 2A rights while also supporting universal healthcare, for example. Time will tell, but I have not lost hope yet.
@@LV_223 well I'm from the 70s and can tell you without a doubt this country is completely Fd up. If you vote "democrat" or for "RINOs" you are the enemy of what this country was founded on, period. PS My beautiful wife from Venezuela agrees 100%. They know what authoritarianism & socialism does and we don't want it here. We currently have a left wing fascist and Marxist regime combined with corrupt corporations in power that are destroying everything good about this country. If you can't see that then I suggest you get out of the bubble you are in.
As a boy growing up in the 70's & 80's you brought back a lot of memories. I started off on a Yamaha YZ125 motorcycle & eventually went up to a YZ 250 & in 1986 I got a Honda 350X 3 wheeler. I to never wore a helmet & by the grace of the good Lord I never got hurt, but I did see a lot of buddy's with broken arms, legs, stitches everywhere. Thanks for all the memories.
I'M FROM THE GOVERNMENT AND WE'RE HERE TO HELP. At the request of insurance company lobbyists.
The nine most terrifying words a g man can say!
As an owner of a zilla. This is completely right. This quad demands respect the whole time your movin. Ive had it for almost 15 yrs and will die before it leaves my hands. Grew up in the late 80s when these were new. Always wanted one, mom of course said no way. I remembered that. 😂😂
I heard that, my mom was just like that. Im and engineer who loves to build things from cars to electronics to code, the older I get the more I find myself capable of living the childhood I only dreamed of. Can remember the first time I ever let a zilla eat, she scared me and I loved it - its on my bucket list to add to the garage before Im 50 (I got to hurry!)
I have a kx 500. There is nothing like the way the power comes on from the 500cc 2 strokes. The modern 450s are pretty close anymore, especially with fuel injection. But its still not as violent. Also kick starting these things is truly epic.
500 2 smokers were the best
I had a 1985 and I can confirm. Once it got into the power and the bike wanted to launch out from underneath you. I miss it 😥
i had a 86 KX500 here in NZ and loved it torque monster,and i agree with starting them, i remember when i put a new ring in it once after that i could hardly kick it over ha ha
Your not kidding I had two of those great bikes They were monsters that would go anywhere I wanted to go just point and hang on
Still have my YZ 490. broke my ankle on it....
I have never had either of my 2 stroke 500s (89 cr500 and an 88 kx500 both of which i still have) ever freak me out or scare me, not once on either. Later when one of my friends picked up a quadzilla that needed some serious tlc so we rebuilt it back with oem stuff. Now Im a pretty experienced rider and know how to handle myself on a machine but that 4 wheeler gave me a SERIOUS run for my money the moment I punched the throttle in the nevada desert. I, for a split nano second, thought "I might die on this thing."
Man, this was a great video. Thanks!
Just watched this latest video & have to agree 100% . As a weekend Warrior here in So Cal out at Glamis , Gordon’s Wells or Buttercup sand dunes we always could tell whenever a 500 cc Suzuki Quad ran up one of the many “ Competition hills “ in those various dune complexes. I Bought a second generation Honda 90 in 1979 & went through tons of money changing the frame , building the engine multiple times bigger & bigger & finally reached the pinnacle at 180cc on Methanol with the help of master engine builder Danny Duncan Senior of Duncan’s Machine fame. It was fast , but had a life span of a hand grenade with the pin pulled . When the first 250 R’s came out I wanted one bad , but couldn’t pay that much at that time for what the local Dealers wanted . Fast forward a couple Years & went & bought a new Yamaha Tri-Z 250 in ‘85 . Still have it to this day , and after Getting it built and set up it made 43 hp & topped out at 94 mph in 5th Wide open !! Widow maker indeed , yet somehow I survived . Those 500 Suzooks were just too heavy feeling to me at least as I had friends who owned a couple & on occasion we would swap bikes for some dune rides . I just always liked how “ Flickable “ my Tri-Z felt by comparison, and can attest to those 500’s vibrating your nuts off . Not the smoothest bikes , but torque up the wazoo . Thanks for a trip down memory lane here again , and KEEP EM COMING 😎👍” Goonzilla indeed…..😆😉
Gordons well was one of my favs when I lived in Cali Damn good riding there and Ocotillio
loved the ATC 90/180 alky burner story, i rode a friends 90/128 ported head, manifold/mikuni carb, wild cam ,and a super trapp, it was a pain to pull start, how was your 180 ?, he had shorter stiffer Carlisle knobby tires, bike still ran 52 mph , any idea on top speed on your 180? . i had a mild '82 250R, and got a lot more laughs on his trike!
@@jasonreed9429 My 180 broke so damn many pull starter ropes & internals , so I carried an extra 2 or three complete ones out on each trip . Blew up the automatic clutch shortly after I made it a 155 cc Alky burner & switched over to a manual clutch from an S-90 like many others from my area did with shimmed springs & Barnett clutch plates , plus that clutch assembly was lighter & we probably got another couple hundred RPM outta the engines on top end as a result. I could sometimes get more than one weekend on the engine at a time . Had to run good old Castrol-R OIL in it to stay alive. 26 mm Mikuni carb, Kenny Harmon needle bearing roller camshaft , ported & polished head , Pauter Machine crank & cylinder assembly ( longer barrel, so had to run the 110 cam chain as it was a couple links longer too) , everything balanced internally , you name it . Almost broke my bank account keeping up with guys like Sam Coe , Bob “ Ace “ Williams & a few others trying to race flat track at Speedway 117 in Chula Vista & race up Comp hills I Mentioned. Once those water cooled 3 wheelers & Quads came out it was time to move on up & then spend more money & time building & breaking & building up engines even more . Those were some fun times & great memories. 😎
@@BornAGoon That whole area & dune “ Scene “ has changed SO MUCH in last 10-15 years . We very seldom go out any more as it’s just gotten way to regulated & they have closed down much of the once open dunes to cluster everyone together into even tighter areas . It’s also being over run with side by sides & long travel high horsepower buggies & the like & everyone likes to think they are Robby Gordon Or Ken Block or drive like they are the only ones out there . Seen too many collisions & even a couple deaths from such goings on to the point we sold the toy-hauler & buggy years ago , and only go out on occasional off weekends ( no more Holliday ones ) . Oh well , that’s the way life goes now I guess. Thanks again for ALL you post , I really enjoy each & every one 😎👍
The Quadzilla was heavy! They also liked to swap ends when you would slide around corners. Mine bit me a few times sliding on gravel roads!
I was born in Southern Idaho and lived on a large ranch/farm until I left for college. This was back in the 70’s up to early 80’s. We had to irrigate a lot of crops. To get out there we had a bunch of AT90’s and AT110’s. They were fun as hell to ride but, were very easy to tip over sideway, unless you had ridden a lot of snow machines. We had several larger ponds and one had a great near flat approach to it, making it excellent for trying to ride across on the water. I miss being a kid now. Sucked living so far from town and going the entire summer, year after year never seeing anyone from school. But, we had all kinds of motorized fun machines. From my Hodaka Super Rat to our huge @ssed Steiger “big green machines”…we had fun! 🤙🤙🤙
those were the days
We had a couple of those 90s and a 110 when I was a kid. I can't even fathom how many miles I put on those things. I remember one close call I had on a logging trail where I came to an unexpected bend and was going way too fast to stay on the trail. Somehow I managed to rumble between the trees without hitting anything before coming to a stop. I sat there for a minute to consider my ways before getting back on the trail and continuing onward just a bit wiser than I was moments ago. I think I was 12 years old. Oh, to be a kid again.
Great video the flashback memories were incredible
Hey man, I just wanted to say what a great video, hugely informative and entertaining
Glad you enjoyed it!
Man I miss these sport quads, please bring them back!!!
Excellent video! I had a Honda TRX 250R back in the day and it was plenty fast on the dunes in CA. I can’t imagine what a Quadzilla would be like to ride!
You'd smoke a quadzilla with your 250r easy
Great video. I really enjoyed it. Thx
Glad you enjoyed it
Oregon coast here, I remember my buddy got a Quadzilla and we somehow managed to squeeze it into the back of my Subaru Brat. Man those were good times... scary times, especially back when Boxcar was a formidable hill, but so very good!🤘
Talk about ATV riding HEAVEN! The Oregon coast is the best, bar none! I used to pull my 2 ATVs from Arlington Washington 2-3 times per year, just my son and I. We would stay at Horsfall since it was right next to the beach, and ride ride ride! Till we were so tired we'd head back to the motor home and sleep for a few hours. Then go back and ride until it was getting dark! I tried Boxcar Hill once, never got to the top. The big quads had little problems climbing it. I remember the Banshee sound. Very cool sounding. Once you've been to the coast just north of North Bend places like Sand Lake become a joke! Yeah, went there, once. Not impressed! I rode a stock 350 Yamaha Warrior and had a 160 Suzuki for my son. We still talk about those trips. I'm retired and take a Cfmoto 400 ATV (4x4) to Arizona each winter. I still enjoy riding, and I'd rather ride the Oregon Coast. Might have to do that some day. I suppose the 4x4 would be fine for riding in the sand, it's just not as sporty as the Warrior was.
@@hughjardon5869Aw man that's an awesome story, thanks for sharing it! Making memories like that with your kids is absolutely priceless. But yeah ol Boxcar is the bunniest of bunny slopes these days but us old timers remember when it was a formidable hill.
4 wheeler are dangerous because it take no skill or training to go fast even on someones first ride
Fr
You can go fast on a dirtbike for the first ride, just not for long.
Exactly. Honda ATCs were dangerous because the things were heavy and solid steel. The Yamaha Tri-Motos on the other hand were light and wrapped in plastic. The tipsiness of ATCs provides for a quick understanding of what you are controlling. Their lack of suspension, power, and capability limits speed. I believe a Tri-Moto is one of the safest machines for beginners to learn on. ATVs on the other hand, they are so easy to ride…until you reach their limitations with no to little warning.
Nailed it!
That's in every motorsport bud.
Loved my Quadzilla! It was fun but handled like a tank, especially in tight South Jersey pines. 250R was soooo nimble in comparison. Still miss the Zilla though.
Man I miss off-roading everyday like I did when I lived in Millville
Yea Honda was on another level on handling. I had probably 50 different quads. Yamaha 350 vs a friend's Honda 300 he would smoke me in the tight woods where as I got him in the open. Just one comparison
I had a Honda 250R, I never raced it but the kid I bought it from did. He gave me a couple of expansion chambers, a carburetor and assorted jets, a set of tires front and rear and a couple of boxes of various parts. I loved riding that bike, it was both relaxing and exhilarating at the same time. Plus nothing like the sound and smell of a 2 stroke, except maybe the acceleration from one.
I grew up in Hammonton NJ on a RM 125 awesome memories ✌️
I prefer 350X I started my kid on a 85 250es ,no breaks, he out rides most adults now at 11yo
That was like a movie !!! More pls !!!? Thanks for the great content dude
Glad you enjoyed it!
Cool to hear a fellow West Virginian present a video so well! I had a couple of teenagers roll a SxS into my front yard a couple of summers back. The young lady broke her arm pretty bad, but they survived!
My dad had a 1988. He only had it for a year because his brothers never bought the Honda trx250r's back in the day after selling their 200x's like they said they would. Wonder if that quads still around somewhere... On a side note I think videos on the ltr450 trx450r and 400ex would be absolutely awesome! Having a video on how the 400ex revived the atv industry to how the Honda 450 quickly dominated racing and suzukis absolutely game changing ltr450 and how it is responsible for how quads are built today would be awesome video ideas fs! 🔥
thanks for watching and commenting I appreciate it
Someone needs to come out with something that revives the atv industry once more. I'm looking at you Honda,let's get it done.
I remember all of this coming out. And a friend of mine eventually bought one of the 500S He would leave a 14' rooster tail going down a gravel road.
i cant wait to get mine on the trails soon this really made me want to ride it. ive had one for over 10 years but i didnt ride it much at first, because tbh i got it way to early and wasn't ready for it. i tried to go from a Polaris 330 magnum to that monster, but luckily even at 14-15 years old i realized i wasnt ready to actually ride it. so it went into storage and i got a scrambler 500 as an inbetween step and practiced on the quadzilla when i could and got comfortable with it, but haven't had a good place to actually ride it because of where i live. luckily i will be moving soon and im ready to go on an actual ride. so over the winter im gonna go through it clean everything and replace everything i even got new tires for it and im gonna be near Busco Beach which has been a dream place for me to bring it for a while. im so excided this has been my dream quad since i was a kid.
Great job, thanks!
Beer and four wheelers go together perfectly
for disasters. Jesus fuck dude
I had a quadzilla back in the early 90s. A friend who had a yamaha 350 warrior and i went riding. At the end of the ride, we turned onto a dirt road that left about half a mile to our trucks. We stopped, and i let him go first and listened to him grab high gear. Then i took off after him. The warrior was a strong 4stroke, but even with that much head start, i ran him down, passed him, loaded the zilla on the trailer, and was sitting on it waiting on him. He got there and said Aw hell no, you aint loading that SOB yet." Quadzilla was a more than an appropriate name. What a monster
The 2 stroke has much more torque!mart.cummins.com/imagelibrary/data/assetfiles/0058689.pdf
53K subscribers! This must be your second channel. Love it!
The banshee was the bike we always looked to around here and they still are awesome. There was a couple quadzillas but not many. Nothing like those bigger 2 smokes on 4 wheels.
Banshees were awesome friend had one but it will not run with my lt 500r
I used to ride these at 13 years old. They are different. The engine has seemingly bottomless power. They would top out stock at just over 80mph. We were never scared of it, per say. Guy a few miles from where I lived won a huge lawsuit against Suzuki for a footpeg that snapped during a jump landing. My friend bought his bike. My advice for starting....park on a hill and bump it, or make sure you have riding boots on. Compression kickback is no laughing matter with these engines and the kicker orientation.
Oh yea, the compression kickback was one way to keep your friends from wanting to take a spin, especially with no riding boots, or when just working on it in the garage and your foot slips off, makes my shin hurt again just remembering.
Never kicked a 2-stroke but kicked my Honda 350X many of times back in the day. Definitely a trick to it but if you messed up and got the kickback.......ouch!
@@alimcg376 Had a buddy with one of those triks, Piston had to be on the compression stroke to fire up and yes if you missed and slipped you get wacked.
@@alimcg376 I have ridden those beasts as well.
Absolutely 🔥, you really did your homework on this one.
Thanks for listening
I had one for a few years.. it was just another bike in the fleet for me.. along with banshee's, CR500, CR480, 450R, 660 Raptor.. and a CBR600 that I converted into a bike. They were all very similar in speed for the most part.
I had one for a while. It was unreliable, and was always breaking something. But as advertised it was ridiculously fast.
Same thing with the banshee of course by the time you fixed it the others still hadn't caught up LOL
A lot of deaths & accidents happened on the sand dunes in various southern states. When my step dad was a teenager in the '80's, after he witnessed a 2nd consecutive fatal accident at Little Sahara, Oklahoma, he stopped going. One was a mid-air collision and the other was an ATV landing on another. Both were from a rider/s jumping a sand dune not knowing who or what was on the other side of the crest.
Buy a flat with a stick easy 😂😂
Imagine hitting big jumps like that with riders everywhere and not have spotters. Humans are great at stupidity.
brother, u got some great adjectives and awesome style of writing/speaking. radiant vibrance bro
I appreciate that!
I bought an LT250 in ‘88 and rode it for 3 days and took it back and got an LT500. Night and day. Best quad I’ve ever owned. It ate chains and tires, but it was a beast.
I bought a brand new 85 lt250 and then I bought an 87 LT 250 which was way better than the first model. I was a little pissed that the Suzuki dealer said they would never make a 500 when I bought my 250 in early 87. But I will say this in the woods the 500 was really no faster than the 250 it was too heavy and too wide and had shorter tires but everywhere else it was no contest. I'm 64 years old now and never got hurt on the quadracer. I started riding dirt bikes after the quad thing kind of phased itself out
That's not fair to us up here in Alaska. We only have 800,000 people total across this massive State, and there are so many towns and villages where they don't even have cars, so they just ride dirt bikes and 4 wheelers in the summer, and snow machines in the winter.
Freaking cold and well put together
I grew up riding these things. The Honda 250 r was gentle ( with class) yet risky if you pushed too hard. The Banshee 350 was the technological marvel and a serious contender. The Suzuki 500....was a demon on steroids. Raw power, brutality, obnoxious loud. Yet all of them together were the best atv"s ever.
250r is best of the bunch. Chassis far ahead of the other two. Shees scream. Zilla is vanilla
Hard to argue with that. I definitely agree that the 250R was overall the best machine. Hell even the ATC was more forgiving on a track than the Zilla or Banshee.
I literally live less then 2 miles from the hill at the 9:17 mark. Great video. Back in my day, locals called it "Balled Spot" I also heard it called Banshee HIll. that name never sat well with me. crazy to think ive watched so many of your vids, and yet you rode places I call local. good times man, keep the vids coming!
Oh wow!
In 1986 I bought a Suzuki 230 quad sport standard shift. I bagged it for one year then put my money down on a unseen, quad Zila. When I saw another one running around, I knew mine was in stock as they were only six available first run edition. I knew mine was in. I loaded up and went straight there to the dealership. it was a steep learning curve moving from a 230 four stroke to a 500 cc two stroke. I learn to ride, then started to modified. Shaved heads, ported, reed valves, complete exhaust system with a large engine bore usually 40,000 over. Incredible in the mountains. But I ice raced it for quite a few years with a few championships. Change the shocks set up so that the skid plate was only 2 inches off the ground good for ice and flat, tracking, oval race, tracks, dirt or ice, I had it for many many years😭 and I do miss it. Coming from the Edmonton Alberta area.
Oh hell yeah, these things were awesome! In the same vein, I'd really love to own a Banshee, but they're so hard to come by at a reasonable price these days. BTW this reminded of a study I saw that surveyed ER visits, and showed that serious injury happened wayyy more often on quads* than dirt bikes. Which really surprised me at first, but it makes sense. I don't remember what their guesses of why were, but major roles are surely the much heavier weight, less rider training, less likely to be wearing gear. *Anybody else grow up just calling them 4-wheelers?
Fo whilla
I missed out on a Banshee a number of years back that had a blown top end and the guy wanted it gone for $700. Immediately called him and was so disappointed when he told me you missed it by 15 minutes,there's a guy coming to get it right now. 😪
I am so glad to grow up in a time before the safety Karens ruined everything.
Great video! lots of memories there... i lived during the time of this beast. The video was spot on. Its all about respect. My buddy's dad had it and we were on it a lot more than he was, but i dont think anyone 'underestimated it' after riding it just once. We used tell first timers ... 'it'll go faster than you wanna go'
My buddy bought one in 89’. He and a few of us rode the sh!t out of that thing. Scary as hell at first but just like everything else, once you get used to it, it’s not so bad. I can honestly say with all the crazy sh!t we did nobody ever got seriously injured. I only wish I would’ve bought it when he decided to sell it. Oh and by the way, I still don’t wear a helmet on any non motorized vehicles. Just saying…Cool video! Brought me back to the good ol’ days for a few minutes. 👍
Another great video, but in my opinion, a well tuned banshee was usually faster in the woods & on the drag strip.
Correct, and lots more reliable too. The 500 Suzuki is over rated. It ate cranks too
And the TRX250R was faster in the woods than both and better on a mx track
Far better bikes
Excellent writing and delivery!!
At 12yo I had a 1988 Suzuki Quadracer LT250R with a twist throttle. It had a cracked piston and scored the cylinder. My father and I rebuilt it and I remember how freaking fast that thing would whip me! But I respected the beast! He soon realized it was way to much machine for me and got me a Blaster instead. O how much I would love that Quadracer today! Cheers and great show!
That WV stat is also probably due to the terrain here; if you go off the trail you better grab a tree on the way down. Also cell service is spotty and you’re not getting EMS most places without a helicopter
I had one for a while, the scariest thing about it was not knowing how far you were gonna have to walk home. Atc250r was much more thrilling and reliable
Honda 250r ate the 500 Suzuki. 500 Suzuki junk
Man, this video takes me back to the good ol' days. We had those honda 90cc trikes when I was a kid. That mention of reverse gear being a luxury reminds me when the neighbor got the new Honda 4-wheeler (I think it was Honda's first ever quad), which had reverse, and we drooled over that sophisticated machine. Good times.
You have great talent the way you tell stories keep it up
A buddy of mine had one growing up, I always thought the quadzilla was predictable and controllable with it's long wheelbase and wide track width. I always felt more comfortable on it than my other buddy's banshee.
Flippy tho. I remember throwing my foot down to kick it back down on 4 wheels taking turns
Truth. My older brother Dave got a FIRST YEAR Banshee in 1987. It had a lot of power,but a short wheelbase. The very first time I took it out alone,I hit a car at maybe 50-60?...Just a guesstimate-I was wide open in 5th gear when a car turned out of a blind driveway WITHOUT STOPPING. (Yeh. I know I shouldn't have been on the street...But I was 15,and wanted to ride by my friends and make them freak out. It was still actually the other guy's fault-He knew my brother,and was happy to drive away.) Anyway,I was probably doing 70-80 when I locked up the rear brakes and tried to brake slide around the back of the car...I almost made it. The left rear wheel caught the rear quarter of the car,and it flipped and flipped...And flipped. I still rode it home. With a broken collarbone. P.S.-First time I rode with a helmet. Good Thing. I still got a bad concussion.
It's so sad what has been done to the offroading community. There just simply isn't anywhere to ride anymore. My dad tells stories of hopping on his bikes/quads and just heading out but these days all the land is private and the government land is locked down for the environment. Big bummer.
yes its very sad soon we will have nothing
Not here, there are dirt trails about a mile away from my house.
We leave out the back gate of our community and literally have millions of acres to ride on blm land. All depends on where you live. We leave south vegas on our can am sxs and take a 2 week trip. Never see asphalt. Groups of 50 or more do it all the time. Vegas to Reno is a favorite. Also Phoenix to Mount Rushmore.
@@daves2552 @SwineBrothers Very happy for you guys that still have places to ride! Problem is that it seems there is less and less every year. There isn't shit where i live.
Awesome Memories Thanks!. Couldn't Afford a Quadzilla, but I did put thousands of miles on my 1986 230 Quad Sport. Loved the Clutch and Crash Box. Kick Starter cause many Shin Bruises though.
i owned an ATC 185 when i was in my teens and then bought a new 1998 Banshee when i was 16, one of the best 2 stroke quads i ever owned. There’s a nice sand spot we would ride so i put paddle tires on a second set of wheels… whole different experience on that Banshee with paddles. No serious crashes or injuries for me back then. I ride an 17’ RMZ450 now, love the 4 stroke bikes.
Gen X is the last generation of these reckless shenanigans'. It is how men put hair on their chest and grow a proper pair.
I'm pushing 51 and rode a lot of these bikes but the one I remember being the most bizarre handling was a Honda Fat Cat. My first impression was this thing isn't very predictable. I always believed Japan was getting even with us after 1945 by building and profiting from the wildest and dangerous on and off road bikes imaginable. The LT500 and Banshee was the shizz as far as speed went but the Honda TRX250R handling was superior. back then we had to pick our poison, and most people in my group choose top speed over handling.
lol The narration on this video is epic. Well done.
Well put man
We weren't reckless, We were free.
Why no RM with this powerplant? Missed opportunity. God knows Suzuki isnt building anything anyone wants nowadays.
that is the sad part Suzuki
unrealized potential
Suzuki made an RM500, and other models with slightly less CC's. There was a liquid cooled 500 in 1985, overseas only though...
@atcmadness4351 I was under the impression they made a couple of "works" RM 500 liquids and there were a few more liquid 500's that started as air cooled and had a conversion done. Cylinder/head/ waterpump/ etc.
Don't let fear control you! Awesome video!!
Let meth control you instead!
Love the video and your voice reminds me of Gardening With Maurice from GTA SA 🤣👍🏽
I had a 1987 LT250 quadracer. I loved that bike. I've never ran a 500. I do have 1986 ATC 250R, 200X and 350X. I could only imagine what kind of smile the 500 would stretch on your face
I had a hot wheels 4 wheeler back in the 80’s with the same color scheme as your thumbnail. Nice blast from the past
Best quad related video of all times
I had a Quadzilla back in 1993 and loved that thing! When I bought it, it had a twist throttle on it and that created some dangerous times on it's own.
Quadzilla the Deadliest Quad Ever Built was so incredibly well done and entertaining! I'm in awe of the entire report. I learned much more about this important chapter of off-roading's history than I expected when I pushed the play arrow. Foolishly and smugly, I assumed and expected that I could "teach the class" myself. I had the preconceived notion that there wasn't much to learn by watching this entertaining and informative video simply because I lived through, and participated in the subject matter that was so well covered by Born A Goon. I must have crashed my dirtbike too many times over the past 40 years of riding and racing. Thinking I knew the history of the transition to four wheels, and how it played out and impacted the sport I love so much was foolish of me and naive. Thank you for helping me understand the history, pulling my ego-covered tear-off, restarting my understanding, and dusting off my janky perspective, to better see and understand the fear-based dis-illusion, and exposing the existence of the real monster. As @dpeterson 6082 said before me...your delivery is flawless. GREAT JOB MAN ! THUMBS UP ON WHEELIE!