Ping or Thump? Tight woods...

[06twostroker]

I traded my super tight blaster for this 400ex. So far it needs new bushings/bearings for every thing in the front end and maybe a clutch. It pulls so damn hard compared to my blaster though, and the suspension/handling is light years ahead of the blaster in my opinion. Its definately a better trail bike and mx bike. This bike seriously pulls wheelies in every gear! 18 inch turf tamers on the rear attest to this, its got full dg (i know) exhaust and k and n filter with no lid. Bored to a 402. Its definately one of my favorite bikes of all time and pulls wheelies better than a KFX450R and LTR450R. It even feels faster than the KFX and i can kill a stock 05 EX. My question is, (since I cant stand the thought of a million 4 stroke moving parts that can possibly fail) would a TRX250R be a better trail bike for me right now? Maybe an LT250R? I really love two strokes but they only good condition Rs around here are 3000-4000. I cant really trade for a good condition 250R right now but maybe one less than great condition to mess around with. However its prime time to ride around here and I wanna be sure I got a reliable ride right now. My ridin buddies have 400EXs and 450Rs now...

 

[TacticalRedneck]

I traded my super tight blaster for this 400ex. So far it needs new bushings/bearings for every thing in the front end and maybe a clutch. It pulls so damn hard compared to my blaster though, and the suspension/handling is light years ahead of the blaster in my opinion. Its definately a better trail bike and mx bike. This bike seriously pulls wheelies in every gear! 18 inch turf tamers on the rear attest to this, its got full dg (i know) exhaust and k and n filter with no lid. Bored to a 402. Its definately one of my favorite bikes of all time and pulls wheelies better than a KFX450R and LTR450R. It even feels faster than the KFX and i can kill a stock 05 EX. My question is, (since I cant stand the thought of a million 4 stroke moving parts that can possibly fail) would a TRX250R be a better trail bike for me right now? Maybe an LT250R? I really love two strokes but they only good condition Rs around here are 3000-4000. I cant really trade for a good condition 250R right now but maybe one less than great condition to mess around with. However its prime time to ride around here and I wanna be sure I got a reliable ride right now. My ridin buddies have 400EXs and 450Rs now...

Question of reliability- late 80's 250r or 400ex?

The 250r's are nice if you build them- but can be money pits!! Go on exriders- those guys have aftermarket frames, plastics, everything!! A 250r as reliable as a 400ex is going to cost you out the rear.

Besides... 400's are bullet-proof.

Only thing..... I'd get rid of that exhaust :-[ Curtis Sparks 1st choice or HMF second- check ebay! I:I

 

[TacticalRedneck]

If you keep the 400 for woods riding, you might want to look into adding 450r front shocks (takes a bit of grinding but huge differance) and maybe some 20" rear tires. (They sell GBC X-rex 6-ply tires for around $250 for all 4). Might want to put your lid back on and some vasaline around the plug boot (if you havn't found out they can die when you hit water at high speed )

 

[dksix]

I was able to buy an 04 400ex at a steal, and I did. It was my first real quad (I had owned a 200 Yamaha, bought to flip) near the point I was getting over trikes. It was a very nice quad, 2 other owners since new (I knew both owners) as well as knowing the guy who did the 416cc engine build. I liked it alright but it just wasn't a smoker. I quickly listed it on CL, looking to trade. I had several offers but the one that peaked my interest was a trade for a 450exc and a Blaster. The deal fell through but the Blaster stayed on my mind. A week or some later, I sold the 400, With cash in my pocket to buy any of the popular quads, I went and bought my first Blaster. I like it better than any ATV I've owned and haven't even considered buying anything else since. There are a couple of "would like to own" quads, but they have to be built at home and I can't afford to fund either of the projects,,,,,,So, it's all about Blasters for me,

 

[TacticalRedneck]

I was able to buy an 04 400ex at a steal, and I did. It was my first real quad (I had owned a 200 Yamaha, bought to flip) near the point I was getting over trikes. It was a very nice quad, 2 other owners since new (I knew both owners) as well as knowing the guy who did the 416cc engine build. I liked it alright but it just wasn't a smoker.,

I cannot ride a blaster anymore. Everytime i turn sharp the bars hit my knees I:I I think the blaster will be outgrown, I personally think spending $$ on shocks, a-arms, an axle, a stem, etc. is not wise.

The 400 is one of the best hard-core trail quads out here. I:I

 

[best]

The 400 is an underpowered overweight pig.
The stock Blaster is an underpowered, undersized entry level machine.
The 250R is a fragile, outdated, hot rod with some potential.

What are you looking for in a machine?
I want power, but I do not want a 400 pound pig. The 400ex is what, 450 lbs?
Hard core trail machine? No way. Too heavy.

Admittedly, I took the short route to too much power on my swapped Blaster,
but the more I work on Triplecrown's Blaster engines, the more I love them.

An LTZ or similar shock and 2-3" swingarm extension, 3" steering extension (no knee bumping),
and $100 of engine mods gives you a lightweight trail machine that will fit a 6 foot guy.
I moved to the Blaster from the Wheelie King itself, the 660 Raptor.
My modified Blaster is much faster than my Raptor ever thought of being.

To each his own. If you sit on the seat and like to blast on the straightaways,
and wheelie in first and second and sometimes third, a 400ex is an ok ride.
But if you like too stand on the pegs and ride the rocks and stumps at full speed,
a 400ex is just too heavy, too complicated, too lumbersome.

I know I am kinda heavy on the words here, but I really feel this way.

Steve

 

[dksix]

I cannot ride a blaster anymore. Everytime i turn sharp the bars hit my knees I:I I think the blaster will be outgrown, I personally think spending $$ on shocks, a-arms, an axle, a stem, etc. is not wise.

The 400 is one of the best hard-core trail quads out here. I:I

I'm 6'3" and have no problem riding the Blaster but coming from bikes I don't have a sit down riding style. We have both owned both and come to different conclusions on what works best for our riding. I prefer the light nimble feeling of a quick reving 2 stroke but that's what I've always rode. Dollar for dollar, I can get more everywhere with a Blaster than I can from any of the 4 strokes.

 

[TacticalRedneck]

The 400 is an underpowered overweight pig.
The stock Blaster is an underpowered, undersized entry level machine.
The 250R is a fragile, outdated, hot rod with some potential.

What are you looking for in a machine?
I want power, but I do not want a 400 pound pig. The 400ex is what, 450 lbs?
Hard core trail machine? No way. Too heavy.


a 400ex is just too heavy, too complicated, too lumbersome.


Steve

I beg to differ.

450 pounds? I find the 400 pretty light.
The 400 is infact a hard core trail machine- they run as good as 450s in the woods. The 400 is one of the easiest bikes to work on- turn a bolt- valves adjusted.... Complicated? :-/ One of the most reliable bikes around.........

The blaster is light- i'll give you that- but very unpredictable- My blaster has to crawl in 1st up hills that won't even bog a 400ex. The blaster is a very small quad- its bad when the quad does wheelies when i shift
I rode the 2 yesterday- the blaster wore me out! Then i got out the 400- ideled along- predictable power- hit a bump- nothing!

The power between a 400 and a blaster is not even comparable B)

 

[scotj77]

I'll take the pepsi chalenge against a 400 4 poke any day of the week. yeah it took some dough to get there but I'm 75lbs lighter and putting out more power.

 

[best]

I beg to differ.

450 pounds? I find the 400 pretty light.
The 400 is infact a hard core trail machine- they run as good as 450s in the woods. The 400 is one of the easiest bikes to work on- turn a bolt- valves adjusted.... Complicated? :-/ One of the most reliable bikes around.........

The blaster is light- i'll give you that- but very unpredictable- My blaster has to crawl in 1st up hills that won't even bog a 400ex. The blaster is a very small quad- its bad when the quad does wheelies when i shift
I rode the 2 yesterday- the blaster wore me out! Then i got out the 400- ideled along- predictable power- hit a bump- nothing!

The power between a 400 and a blaster is not even comparable B)

OK, I was wrong on the 450 lbs guess, it is actually 385 dry weight: 2006 Honda TRX 400 EX - Top Speed
Compared to the Blaster's 320 lbs 2000 Yamaha Blaster Specs | eHow.com

So what, that is only 50-60 lbs? The extra weight of a couple microwave ovens? Or another Blaster motor?
The fact that the weight is set higher in the 400ex frame only makes it feel like a heavier (can I say pig without being offensive?).
An extra 50 lbs mounted high in the frame is not fun for tossing around in the woods, around corners, over logs.
It is not much of a problem on flat roads however.

So, we have 385 lbs with 27 hp (which is 10 more than a stock Blaster and 10 less than my 660 Raptor).
Put a 200 lbs rider on it (me!) and you have 585 lbs propelled by 27hp or about 22 lbs/hp.
Stock Blaster is 320/17= 30 lbs/hp, yup, 400ex looks better, but wait, the Blaster is an entry level machine, severely corked up for new riders.
That 17 hp is easily doubled to DT200 levels for less than $100. Making the the same or more hp than the 400ex for 50 lbs less weight.
Where is the fun factor now?

Triplecrown and I were able to achieve astounding torque and over 25 hp in a blaster with only a $60 modified cylinder head.

My own Blaster is pretty much stripped and just a shade over 300 lbs.
The KTM motor produces 45-50 hp depending on tune and dyno. 305+200/45= 11.2 lbs/hp makes for a pretty fun ride. MUCH faster than my 660 Raptor and much better handling.
I am into it for less than $1500 capital cost, quad+motor+mod parts.

Blaster with weekend survival kit ^^^ I ain't coming back until Sunday night.
Actually, this was a Monday picture.

Blaster protected by alert wiener dog...

 

[TacticalRedneck]

yeah it took some dough to get there but I'm 75lbs lighter and putting out more power.

I:I I still say- for an XC quad... The 400 (or a 450) is the way to go.
'


skip like halfway into this video- this type of terrain is where the 400's and 450's feel at home

Maybe in open fields i'd like a built blaster- I:I

 

[TacticalRedneck]

I will say- a lot of the riding does depend on the rider- most people with 450s don't use all the power it has available.

 

[scotj77]

I see nothing there my blaster wouldn't handle just as well as any of those quads. (all being sponsored race quads) just because i made it look good doesn't mean i didn't make it very functional

 

[TacticalRedneck]

The fact that the weight is set higher in the 400ex frame only makes it feel like a heavier (can I say pig without being offensive?).
An extra 50 lbs mounted high in the frame is not fun for tossing around in the woods, around corners, over logs.
It is not much of a problem on flat roads however.

So, we have 385 lbs with 27 hp (which is 10 more than a stock Blaster and 10 less than my 660 Raptor)

My own Blaster is pretty much stripped and just a shade over 300 lbs.

I don't have to throw my 400- The blaster i get what your saying- you have to control it with bodyweight- The 400 is a long machine- i don't have to throw it around. I upgraded to a +4 axle- most corners i spin around- no problems there. Logs- There are plunty around- roots, washouts (1' wide by about 9" deep on average), rock- no problem on a 400.

Coming from a raptor i could see how you'd think a 400 is not very agile- 400's and 450s sit a little lower- i've read the raptors are a lil tippy- but i've never got a chance to ride one yet.

I love the handeling of the 400 myself

nice gaurd dog I:I

 

[scotj77]

BTW time for some tires there Best

 

[TacticalRedneck]

I see nothing there my blaster wouldn't handle just as well as any of those quads. (all being sponsored race quads) just because i made it look good doesn't mean i didn't make it very functional

Plunty of guys run XC races with stock quads I:I

 

[scotj77]

run or win? the quads i was seein were not stock. and I've hit harder rougher trails xc trails blaster holds up just fine.

 

[best]

I:I I still say- for an XC quad... The 400 (or a 450) is the way to go.
'
skip like halfway into this video- this type of terrain is where the 400's and 450's feel at home

2012 Can-Am GNCC Round Two - Maxxis General ATVs - YouTube

Maybe in open fields i'd like a built blaster- I:I

Great vid!
Big difference in the HP of a 400ex and most of the 450s isn't there?
Not even in the same league?

I feel bad for the machines that DNF, knowing that an engine failure is $1000s to repair.
Not bad on a racing budget, but I have other things to support with my money.
Heck, one valve is more money than a piston in Blaster!

We've drifted off.
If you want support for an overweight machine making less hp than many of us have here, you are in the wrong forum.

Steve

 

[dksix]

I think the riding style is the biggest factor in the opinions here. If I was going to ride slow, I would choose the 400ex. An extra 50 pounds poking around on trails would easily be offset by the mild power delivery and torque of the 400ex but when the pace picks up, an extra 50 pounds is heavy. Once again, most of my experience comes from riding 2 wheels. I once owned an XR250 and KX250 at the same time. When exploring or cleaning up trails, the XR was a great bike for the task. Nothing like the XR for lugging up hills or being "discrete" when we were places that weren't legal for OHV's but when bragging rights were at stake, the KX was a screamer. I guess that's where the term "4 poke" comes from.

 

[TacticalRedneck]

They only videotape the pros i couldnt find any harescramble videos with day to day people quads