thinking about a 400, any info?

[iLikeIke]

well i think my blaster days are just about over, need a bigger quad. haha

i love 450's but bein i dont plan on racing again i figure a 400 is a helluva lot cheaper, and with a big bore n what not shouldnt be "slow" either

trail ride in the woods and see quite a few around so whats good/bad about them?

 

[NOVIS]

400s are turds. I vote no. I would rather have a blaster then a 400.

 

[dksix]

I had a 400ex before the Blaster (sold it and bought my 01 Blaster for less than 1/3 the selling price of the ex). Obviously I prefer the Blaster but if I was going to ride a 4 stroke sport style quad, the 400ex would be my first choice.

 

[TacticalRedneck]

400ex's are known to be bullet-proof, i have both a 400ex, and a blaster. The 2 arn't even comparable, the suspension, power, room, etc. on the 400ex is so much better! Just stay away from older ragged out quads...... They'll be a pain.... spend the extra bit...
Lot of cheap upgrades you can do on the honda, (450r shocks, or yfz shocks for mx..., mx or xc linkage, etc, etc...)


the 400ex is definitely a step up... The 450's are more than people crack them up to be, you here everyone talk about how much less dependable they are, but it's the same with any quad. But... Most people can't begin to use all the power the 450 has to offer.

Once your on a 400 or 450 you'll never be able to go back

 

[iLikeIke]

ive rode around a ltr for a while and yes it was a blast but at least twice the cost of a 400, and felt about twice the weight as well

i want something that i can start, ride, and pull a wheelie here and there nothing more, nothing less

well maybe a bit more. haha

 

[Braaaptor]

You will probably like a 400 if you are looking for a reliable trail quad.

I have never ridden a 400ex, but I used to own a TRX 450r and liked it.

The 450's are as reliable as anything else out there, provided you keep up with maintenance and make sure the valves stay adjusted.

I could kick my 450r to life and ride it all day, stopping as often as I wanted. One kick, and it would fire right back up. It had too much power to use it all while out on the trails.

If you get a 400ex, find yourself a 2005 or newer model IF you want one with reverse.

The 400ex engine is simple in design and runs well. They use screw-type valve adjusters, which tend to loosen over time, so you don't have to worry as much about dropping a valve. The 450r's use a different type of adjuster, and these can cause a valve to over-tighten and become damaged.

I think a 400ex will do well in the trails, especially with more low-end torque than a Blaster.

I like my Blaster for trail riding since it it so light and zippy. I'll keep my 2-stroke, but we had a 400ex out with us on Awk's Wild Ride IV, and it did well in our pack.

 

[E00400X]

I have a 2000 400 EX ...when properly maintained they are bullet proof..with a few simple mods they make tons of power ..but like any other quad, if not taken care of, they can be real junk boxes.

when looking at them, check everything you normally would, chain and sprockets, tie rods and ends, steering stem..wheel bearings and stuff like that...pay attention to the rear on these..the carriers are suspect if its been ridden hard and not had the bearings serviced..the bearing wear the carrier out and it needs to be replaced....a new carrier with bearings can be had for like $100.00 in the aftermarket.

The engines are very strong, but if its been neglected, can be expensive to fix.....you could easily spend $600.00 on a top end if its whooped....listen for any noise in the valve train...some light taping is normal, but anything more could be as easy as a valve adjustment or as bad as a bad cam chain or tensioner ..when its running look for any smoke.....there should be NONE.....


There are plenty of them out there as they are very popular, so take your time and find a good one.......around here you can pick up a nice 2005 or above for about $2000-$2300

I myself prefer stock unmolested bikes.....I can screw it up myself, I dont need to previous owner to do it for me..if its already "modded out" make sure it was done right....there lots of people with tools who should not have them..

 

[iLikeIke]

thanks for all the input, probably look for a older one bein they seem to be a lot cheaper and i dont mind no reverse

being that all i have to keep up with is my dad on a 330 polaris im not worried about all out trail power haha

i know what you mean about bein light and zippy on a blaster thats why im considering a 400 vs 450 hate to sell the blasty but bein 21 i feel like im on a 50 cc mini quad sometimes, then to see a four stroke blow by me saddens my heart a little. lol

 

[iLikeIke]

.

I like my Blaster for trail riding since it it so light and zippy. I'll keep my 2-stroke, but we had a 400ex out with us on Awk's Wild Ride IV, and it did well in our pack.

i know what you mean but your blaster is far from stock haha not that mine is either but im tired of dam bumps and tightening the chain all day haha

 

[Braaaptor]

i know what you mean but your blaster is far from stock haha not that mine is either but im tired of dam bumps and tightening the chain all day haha

Lol, true! Although you'd be surprised how much improvement some aftermarket shocks, a wider rear axle/front A-arms, and some engine work will make.

I have beaten a nicely modded 400ex on the drag strip several times (the guy kept wanting to race!) with my Blaster. With some engine work, a good pipe, and a properly-jetted aftermarket carbruetor, the little Blaster will move. I would personally rather spend the $ 2,000.00 asking price of a 400ex on mods to make the Blaster faster, wider, and more stable. It worked for me, and my bike isn't all that wild inside. I run stock timing and don't have a stroker crank or a BBK.

 

[iLikeIke]

ive beaten a few 400's on the ole blaster however thats in a straightline on grass. try a race in heavy wet sand or even mud ill bet the 400 should at least keep up if not beat it. not putting down a blasty but 4 strokes torque is enormous

where i notice the biggest difference is say on a track, when i used to race the blaster motocross it seemed to bog down and half the race was spent shifting. i could pass a 450 in the corner easy but as soon as raw torque was needed from a 4 stroker i was dead. however its not all about hp

yes those are 450's which are an animal but who goes 62 mph on a trail. at least the trails i ride haha

 

[Ba9801]

Did you ever get a 400ex?

I have had 2 400ex's and loved them. Great bikes with tons of parts available for them.

I have since upgraded my 1 400ex to a 700XX.
I also still have my other 400ex and my old 87 350 Warrior

The blaster is nice but I am getting a bit old for the hard ride of these smaller sport quads which is why I have moved up to the independent suspension of the 700XX.

 

[mud runner]

the one that wins that is wereing the black and yellow is my dads cousin and he races a 400 artic cat and beats built 450s

 

[darederek]

screw the 400ex get a z400/kfx400 sooooo much better. liquid cooled. twin cam. reverse

 

[TacticalRedneck]

screw the 400ex get a z400/kfx400 sooooo much better. liquid cooled. twin cam. reverse

on paper..... but the proven air cooled 400 is wayyyy more dependable.....

05+ 400ex's have reverse to....

 

[darederek]

yeah but the power just isnt there. he said he likes 450s. you will never like a 400ex. a z400 on the other hand with just an exhaust and a carb is an impressive machine, and still pretty impressive stock

 

[88blasterman]

250r nuff said 115515151515

 

[mud runner]

if i got a 400 id get one that is water cooled

 

[TacticalRedneck]

yeah but the power just isnt there. he said he likes 450s. you will never like a 400ex. a z400 on the other hand with just an exhaust and a carb is an impressive machine, and still pretty impressive stock

Ever rode a 400ex?

They are by no means slow, lots of grown men ride 400s. Not the most technologically advanced, but proven, even with mods, still dependable.

 

[06twostroker]

I just got a 2001 400EX. It needs some bushings and bearings in the front end and the tires are bald but honestly I think it was a huge step over my blaster. It handles like none other and the suspension is great.