Thing about a CUDA. 650 v. 850? Any thoughts

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

Fuzfuz

Registered
Messages
10
Reaction score
0
Location
Sacramento, California
# of dives
100 - 199
Hi. Have been looking extensively at Dive-x CUDA's and am thinking aobut the 650 vs. 850. Love the fact that they're fast. Was looking at Sierra but love the bigger motor (not the price) and speed. Looking at specifications the 850 is about 8 lbs more heavier and 4 inches longer and only a few hundred dollars more. Also like the fact that the battery lasts much longer. I would love to get a lithium battery but given the airline restrictions that rules out the lighter lithium scooter models hence the 850 v 650 debate. Just wondering what your thoughts were before I put down a big chunk of change. Thanks for your opinions.
 
i love my 650... do you have dive buddies with CUDA's already and a metal protector for your nads all around? if not and you are doing 'regular' scooter dives with short busts of speed for giggles, then the run time you will get on a 650 is in the hours...

the 850 is simply a bigger scooter... 4 inches and several extra lbs doesn't seem like much, but when you are lugging it to the beach or boat, it can be noticeable.

get the scooter for the dives you do or plan to be doing.
 
Both are awesome looking scooters. When the time Is ready If I were purchasing now it would be the fury cuda. But if was a tighter budget And for to choose between the 650-850. I would go with the 850. i like the longer run times. at Max speed/drag its only ten min but realistically you probably wont be doing Max or atleast a whole dive. The cruise is the more realisitic of the the number and you get a lot more time. If your doing rec. dives you can easill get 2-3 dives out the scooter.
 
Hi. Have been looking extensively at Dive-x CUDA's and am thinking aobut the 650 vs. 850. Love the fact that they're fast. Was looking at Sierra but love the bigger motor (not the price) and speed. Looking at specifications the 850 is about 8 lbs more heavier and 4 inches longer and only a few hundred dollars more. Also like the fact that the battery lasts much longer. I would love to get a lithium battery but given the airline restrictions that rules out the lighter lithium scooter models hence the 850 v 650 debate. Just wondering what your thoughts were before I put down a big chunk of change. Thanks for your opinions.

You should check with Dive Xtras, but I think the 850's are basically special order now.

A 650 provides a lot of range, and weight does become a issue faster than you might think.

Tobin
 
I checked with Dive Xtras and the 850 have a couple of months lead time and are a special order. The 650 appears to be the more popular/manageable of the two. Perhaps in a couple of years the lithium batteries will drop in price and the airlines will let you travel with them. Or maybe someone will come up with a nuclear powered scooter that can go forever?

Andy
 
I have an 850 and I love it. I am a big enough person that the size and weight difference between the 850 and the 650 doesn't come into play that much. That said, at this point I wouldn't spend more on an 850. Both can easily handle the dives I've been doing and have enough juice to get me into plenty of trouble if I don't watch it.

Honestly at this point I'd get the cuda short body with the fury battery. Traveling with the regular cuda isn't impossible but is difficult enough to make airline restrictions a non-issue for all but a few dedicated people.
 
I got to dive a fury two weeks ago. HOLY FU(*&G S(*&)* is that thing more ballzy than my 650. I really want to see what one would do with an AL prop and me in a monky 80...might be able to break the sound barrier.
 
I have a couple 650's we use over here and I would not see a reason to get a 850 unless I was planning on some serious exploration dives in a cave. We get three recreational dives easily out of a single charge on a 650 and even with doubles have done some very long runs 2+ hours without a problem.
 
I got to dive a fury two weeks ago. HOLY FU(*&G S(*&)* is that thing more ballzy than my 650. I really want to see what one would do with an AL prop and me in a monky 80...might be able to break the sound barrier.

Kinda quick aren't they.

You do need to be ready when you pull the trigger.:wink:

Tobin
 
I went with the 650. For the dives I've been doing so far there's plenty of juice for two dives with reserve. Many here in N Ca have sierras so the extra burn time and speed are sorta mute (unless more people start showing up with cudas). If you feel you're getting to the point that the 650 battery isn't enough for two dives you could always get an extra battery.

I see you're from the Sacramento area so I've attached a couple pictures showing the 1/3 ranges for both max speed max drag and 150ft/min cruising range overlaid against Point Lobos for scale. IMO its sorta mind blowing the ranges these things have even with the little 650 battery.

1/3 range at Max Speed Max Drag


1/3 range 150ft/min Cruising speed
 

Back
Top Bottom