Nov. 2004

Dinli L.P., producing youth quads since 1999, has been an innovator of several features used in youth quads today. Some of these are Hydraulic Disc Brakes (1999), Wireless Remote Engine Shutoff (1999), Fully Enclosed Floorboards (1999), Solid Locking Rear Axles with a Life-time Guarantee (1999), Reverse (2001), and Speedometer (2002). Dinli proves to be a tough competitor among the youth quad industry.
We are proud to provide a comprehensive review of two Dinli youth quads, based on criteria pertinent to potential buyers who want their child's quad to function dependably on the trail.


Specs

Dinli Helix 150cc

Styling
Colors - Blue/Black, Red/Black, Yellow/Black
Features - Reverse, Headlight, Rear Rack, Speedometer

Engine
Type - 4-Stroke Single, Air Cooled, SOHC
Displacement - 149cc
Bore x Stroke - 57.4 x 57.8mm
Max Horsepower - 10.3 hp / 6000 rpm
Max Torque - 9.7 ft-lbs / 6000 rpm
Transmission - Automatic (CVT-belt) with Reverse
Drive Train - Chain 428 O-ring
Starting System- Electric / Kick
Battery - 7 amp Maintenance Free

Chassis
Rear Axle - Solid Locking Rear Axle
Suspension / Rear - Swingarm with Adjustable Hydraulic Shock
Suspension / Front -Single A-arms with Adjustable Hydraulic Shocks
Travel / Rear - 2 inches
Travel / Front - 2 inches
Brakes / Rear - Hydraulic Disc Brake
Brakes / Front - Drum
Tires / Rear - Maxxis 18 x 9.5-8
Tires / Front - Maxxis 19 x 7-8

Dimensions
Length - 57.5 inches
Width - 34.1 inches
Height - 39.0 inches
Wheelbase - 39.4 inches
Seat Height - 27.6 inches
Dry Weight - 275 lbs.
Fuel Capacity - 1.5 gallons
Max Load - 225 lbs.

Other
Taillight - Yes
Brake light - Yes
Cover - Yes
Flag - Yes
Warranty - 6 Months



Safety Features

The 150cc Dinli ATVs offer several neat features; some however, distract the rider, impinging on his or her safety. One of the neat features is turn signals. Although a safety feature, in essence, they only distract the young rider from keeping their attention on the trail. Another distraction is the speedometer. Although a cool feature, that even some adult quads don't have, it is only a distraction.

All Dinli ATVs are equipped with a throttle limiter screw to adjust the quad to the riders experience level.

The Helix has a headlight mounted on the handlebar pod, which functions very well. There is a daytime running lamp as well as a bright headlight. We believe every youth ATV should be equipped with a bright functional headlight and a taillight.

Every Dinli ATV is also equipped with a bright taillight/brake light.

Full floorboards keep the little feet where they need to be, as well as dry from most of the splash.

The hydraulic rear brakes make for dependable, confident stopping power.

The Helix proved to be very stable in corners, and off camber situations. Even with poor body english, the Dinli's proved very stable.

Another safety feature that proved to be helpful was the horn. The horn, although annoying with excessive use, proved very useful when the kids needed the attention of an adult.

Dinli includes a safety flag with the purchase of every ATV.

NOTE: There is no form of electronic speed limiter on this quad such as a "jumper" or CDI wire to cut.

Setup

For those of you who are contemplating buying a youth quad unassembled we are providing info regarding the initial setup of each quad.

Setup on the Helix was super easy. The engine fired up almost instantly, with no adjustments needed. It took approximately one hour for complete setup.

Styling

The Helix 150 has a shorter wheelbase than many other 150cc quads. This is not by accident, but to provide for easier hauling. With a total length of 57.5 inches, the Helix can be loaded into virtually any pickup bed.

The Helix has a utility-based styling, which has a modern look. We think a steel front bumper contoured to the shape of the front plastic would really help the Helix. If a sport version is desired, Dinli also offers another 150 called the Diablo.

Controls are well placed, easily accessed, and not where normal movement can easily bump them, except for the turn signal control which is finicky, also aiding to the distraction. The key is located at the center pod, which we like better than on the fender as some are, where they can acquire mud, water, and grit.

The plastics are not thin and flimsy, as on some youth quads. The plastics are of good thickness and allow flexibility, if snagged.

Motor/Transmission/Drivetrain

We had zero mechanical problems during our testing.

The 150cc four-stroke motor started up easily every time and had good low-end torque, but overall nothing real exciting as far as power, even for a 150.

Dinli's 150's have a CVT transmission with reverse. The clutch engages smoothly just slightly above idle. Gear selection is made with a lever attached on the right side of the transmission. Our riders had difficulty mastering the use of this lever due to its being hidden from view from the rider and the shift pattern is the reverse of what we would expect. Forward is to the rear, and reverse is forward.

The rear axle is driven by a heavy 428 O-ring chain with chain tensioner. The chain tensioner is a good feature, ensuring proper tension on the chain and making adjustments less frequent. We adjusted the chain one time during our testing period, due to normal initial chain wear.



Suspension/Handling

A independent single A-arm front suspension with a clevis style hub dampened by adjustable shocks made for a ride well suited for young riders on the trail. The ride was not too stiff, as some are, even done well on rough county roads. Although, with only 2" of suspension travel, a young rider who catches a lot of air may find the short suspension travel a bit lacking, especially for the size riders this quad is intended for.


One thing we would like to emphasize is how outstanding the tires did. The flat, aggressive profile of the Maxxis tires developed exclusively for Dinli provided excellent traction in all terrains.

As stated above in the safety features, the Helix was very stable, in cornering, off camber situations, possibly due in part to the flat profile of the tires.



Braking

Front brakes are the usual drum brakes associated with many youth quads.

Rear brakes are hydraulic disc. These provide confident, dependable stopping power.

After being exposed to water, mud, sand, and gravel the rear brake pads and front shoes show very little wear. Often times when exposed to mud, brake pads will wear very quickly, not the case with the Dinli pads.

Water/Mud Ability

The aggresive Maxxis tires did very well in the mud. The Maxxis tires were able to keep the Helix moving if there was any little bit of something to grab on to.

The Helix is capable of traversing water up to floorboard deep, at a slow pace. Any deeper, or faster than that, water can enter the CVT intake or airbox. The CVT intake is pointed forward right behind the left front wheel well. The Helix came equipped with a plastic "splash guard" that was supposed to keep some of the splash from entering the transmission. It fell off the first trip out. We would like to see a snorkel on the CVT intake, and airbox vents somewhere besides on the bottom of the airbox.



Overall Quality

We rate the overall quality of Dinli ATVs as EXCELLENT. We had no problems whatsoever out of either quad tested. Dinli has paid attention to detail on their quads, and hasn't cut any corners. The quads are well assembled, wires are neatly arranged, extra bracing is evident in strategic areas, and all bolts are tight and stayed tight.

One thing people often ask is about parts/service availability. Dinli has a national network of dealers to offer parts and service. Performance parts are available threw the Dinli website, which is a unique and convenient feature.

*Upcoming New Features*

Soon Dinli ATVs will feature dual A-arm front suspension and hydraulic front disc brakes! To my knowledge, these features are not offered by anybody else. These features should separate Dinli from the crowd! The overall handling, jump capability, and safety advantages these upgrades will bring should make for an awesome youth quad!

A review of Dinli's quads with the new features will be posted in the future!

Special Thanks to Justin Hall, of Dinli for his cooperation, and Missouri Outfitters for their shipping and receiving assistance.

Wildcard,Doc