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Posted by: ratman407

guys............what is your gut feeling on what is the better quad and dont be biased. The Outlaw 525IRS or the KTM 525XC?? I currently race XC on the outlaw and personaly love it. I am 40 and dont plan on many podiums but sometimes i feel like i am being held back from being more competitive and am looking at the KTM XC. Is this just a false sense and i am holding myself back by being 'gun shy' or would that change make me better? know what i mean.....

Posted by: Predatormx98

If you have the IRS you can't beat its potential for cross country.

07 Outlaw 525 IRS
FMF powecore4 -powerbomb
JD jet kit
K&N custom filter
Pro armor nerfs
Big gun revbox
Lonestar Long travel
Podium x all around

Posted by: katch26

you really need to ask what is better for you the IRS or straight axle? Im sure the IRS is awesome and with you being 40 it may be better for you BUT what can you turn better lap times on is the question. The KTM is a sweet quad but not going to happen for me at that price.

Posted by: ratman407

Exactly.....i have done alot of work to my IRS. A-arms, suspension, exhaust, Flexx, ect....blah,blah,blah. Even upgraded the sway bar with one from Gallagher. Guess i'm just thinking the grass is greener on the other side. I'm sure i could turn faster laps with what i have if i just go faster. I just keep thinking that that KTM will make me faster without having to go faster. Does that make sense? or is that BS and shut up and hit the throttle and go!!!

Posted by: katch26

no that doesnt make sense lol.

Posted by: Colby@C&DRacing

What is your riding style? Do you sit a lot or are you aggressive and stand as much as possible? If you like to sit then I would stay with the Outlaw. We see every quad out there come through our shop I have seen a lot of stupid failures on the KTM quads for what they cost.

Posted by: TYLER329

I race an 07 525 IRS with the battery dropped down, chromoly swaybar, standard Razr's, and C&D cut my rear Fox DSC podiums down 7/8 of an inch and it still just simply pushes the front end too much. It was fine in the C class but now racing in the faster classes it can be a real handfull. I would like to try a sway bar in the front and see if that helps. It is unbeatable in the mud and rocks but on hot dry days it makes you work for it. A must is having the rear shocks cut down. It lowers the rear ride height by about 1 1/2 inches.

Posted by: GE4x4

I raced the IRS last year and did pretty good on it. I never made the top 20 tho, but won my class a couple times. This year I got a killer deal on a 09 525s. Well I can tell you for sure, I am faster on the SRA. I have done 4 races, won 3 and the other I would of also won if my Hiper didn't break. Plus all 3 wins I've been in the top 20, and my last race I was 12th overall. Like Tyler said, if you just race once in awhile, the irs would do you fine, but if you race a lot and want to be fast, the sra is the way to go. It just plain handles better. Don't get me wrong, the Outlaw irs does great, but just not a true racer without sinking big $$$ into it. My irs had custom built shocks, and I'm faster on my SRA with stockers. Now as far as the KTM goes, there are some killer deals out there if you can find one. But don't count out the 09 Outlaw s. I race with 3 KTM's and they all seem to have issues in one race or another. My Outlaw has been rock solid and I have mine all set up for XC less then a stock KTM would be.

Posted by: TYLER329

Has anybody ever installed a sonic spider swaybar on the front of an XC quad on this forum? It would be interesting to hear how it works. I see durablue also makes one now.

Posted by: Colby@C&DRacing

We are testing the sonic anti roll system right now and can say lap times are 20 to 30 seconds faster on a three mile loop. We haven't got the shocks dialed in for the bar yet so I expect last time to be even faster after some more testing. You can not use a durablue sway bars Like the sonic anti roll it will not allow for enough shock travel

Posted by: TYLER329

Are you testing on the IRS or the SRA? Are you a dealer for Sonic?

Posted by: ratman407

GE4x4....your right about the Polaris SA. It would kill me to switch to KTM orange. I was just using that as an example. I appreciate the input and same to you Tyler329 as well as Colby. I am just searching for help to be more competitive in my XC series with the IRS. I have sunk a load of what seems to be wasted dollars when everybody is blowing by me. Dont get me wrong, alot of it is me but i am at the point at where and when do i draw the line between how much of it is me and how much of it is i have tapped the limit of this machine that i do love.....

Posted by: TYLER329

I am really thinking that the front sway bar would make a huge difference. It is a ton of money (for me) but it could pay some big dividends. The body roll is the only thing I don't like about IRS. I don't think the power loss is that detrimental to me and I have not had a failure with the rear end. I will post results if I get one. Next race is Sept 20th and I would like to have it by then.

Posted by: GE4x4

Ratman, to bad your not closer as I would have no problem letting you try mine out. I'm allmost 43 and was worried going back to the SRA with my age and aches and pains. But so far it hasn't been bad at all, and all our race events are rocky and ruff. Yes the IRS gave a better ride, but it wasn't worth the handeling difference.

Posted by: TYLER329

Just ordered the front Sonic sway bar from C&D.......man I am not good with money. I will post some pics when I get it installed.

Posted by: ratman407

What was C&D's thoughts on the sway bar for XC racing?

Posted by: Colby@C&DRacing

This product was developed for XC and MX and is not intended for TT Racing. So far with the testing we have done in XC the laps times have greatly improved. Ratman you mite want to try the rear roll bar on your IRS it will greatly increase your cornering speed and make the IRS feel like a solid axle without giving up the ride quality of the IRS. Plus a new roll bar is much cheaper than trading for a new quad.

Posted by: jjd223

I race MX on my Outlaw 500, i like to be low in the corners how will the Sonic help me?
Thanks

Joe

Posted by: TYLER329

The sway bar should get rid of the excessive body roll found in the IRS chassis (i'm hoping).

Posted by: jjd223

Tyler,

are you installing a Sonic sway bar in the front as well as the Rear ?

thanks

Joe

Posted by: Colby@C&DRacing

He is going with the front

Posted by: jjd223

Whats better to start with the front and keep the stock rear or replace the rear?

Posted by: ratman407

Colby? waiting on you to answer.....

Posted by: TYLER329

I would say that if you are just a trail rider or occasional rider I would just start with the rear from Sonic. The stocker is prone to breaking and then the linkage flops around and can go through the fender, the chain or your piggyback (if you have them) I can't tell you if the front is worth it yet because I haven't mounted it up and ridden it yet.

Posted by: Colby@C&DRacing

I would start with the rear if you are still running the stocker. The sonic rear bar will make your IRS ride like a solid axle in the corners

Posted by: TYLER329

Just started a new thread on the sway bar install, take a look.