What to buy????

[Wayne64SS]

Hey guys, I have an 03 300ex that i bought as a brand new left over about 3 months ago. I have outgrown the machine and am looking to step up to something bigger. Here is my dillemma, I love my ability to use reverse on the 300. It comes in handy alot where i ride. now i am stuck because i want a bigger quad and i love my honda but neither the 400ex or the 450r has reverse (the 450 dont even have elec start). im sure you all know this but i want some opinions on whether you guys think i'd be happier on a 660 raptor or like a 450r. is the 450 faster than the raptor? how do they compare???? i really like hondas but find myself wishing for more power on my 300. How does the 400 ex and the raptor compare? Someone please help cause i dont know much about the raptor or the other 2 larger hondas.


EDIT: I do mostly trail riding with occassional rock quary jumps. I love jumping however and it is the reason i wwant a bigger faster machine. Is there sopmewhere i can go to reaed customer reviews of the 400 and the raptor? I need more information. Thanks Guys!

[400ex_drummer]

the 450r is the fastest or the 3, i would say it has equal handling with the 400ex but the raptors handling leaves a lot to be desired of.
in speed its :450r,raptor,400ex
in handling its:450r+400ex roughly equal,, raptor

[Wayne64SS]

IS THE RAPTOR A HELLUVA LOT QUICKER THAN THE 400??? **** I WISH THE RAPTOR HANDLED BETTER. DO YOU THINK THE RAPTOR HANDLES BETTER THAN MY 300?? ONLY REASON I ASK IS BECAUSE I REALLY LIEK TEH WAY MY 300 RIDES AND CORNERS. THE 400 IS LIKE A GRAND CHEAPER THAN THE RAPTOR ANYHOW. I WISH THE 450 HAD A ELEC START.

[04'400ex'er]

You will probably like the handling manners or the 400ex better than the raptor or 450. they are both a little top heavy, ESPECIALLY the raptor. you will find it a little easier to slide on the 450 over the raptor, but the EX beats both. The 450 will out accelerate all, and dont get me wrong, the raptor is fast, but in top end, the raptor might prevail. The 400ex will be a step behind both in power. If you slapped a sparks pipe and a K&N and rejet, It would be very close to the raptor if not out accelerate it. I personally have had alot of seat time on the raptor and would rather have the setup I just mentioned. There is alot of vibrations in the bars and from the motor. In tight woods the 400 would be best. If you have any more questions, let me know.

[400ex_drummer]

the raptor will not handle half as gd as a 300ex never mind a 400ex. the 400ex im hopefully buyin has a full fmf exhaust, k&n, has been rejeted and few other stuff(nerfs,bumper etc.). it could easily hang with a stock raptor and most probably beat on on acceleration. top speed the raptor is the best, but if you wanted a drag racer you would buy a banshee.

[Wayne64SS]

yea alot of times i am in tight woods. i really liking the reverse on the raptor but if it handles like crap i will have to deal without reverse i guess and buy a 400. Oh well the 400 is like a grand cheaper than a raptor anyway. Anything else i should know about these two quads before i go and buy one? Any other opinions out there? I cant believe for teh price of the raptor taht it handles worse than my 300!!!! Thanks guys

[400ex_drummer]

compared to the 300 the 400 will be a fair amount better at handling, but the raptor will be worse than the 300. reverse is no big deal, u will learn to live without it.

[s-10s_rule]

I agree with the advise you have been given, if you want to smoke a raptor you can take that grand you saved buying a 400ex and put it in the motor. With that money you will dust a craptor or 450r and have a mild mannered loveable little 400ex:D Oh yeah, it'll be fast though:devil:

[Wayne64SS]

THANKS ALOT!!! THATS WHY I POSTED HERE!!!!! I think you guys just saved me a bunch of dough. THanks everyone for your advice im off to buy a 400 soon! Anyone wanna buy an 03 300ex with under 50 hours on it???

[400ex_drummer]

good to see you made a good decision, hope you enjoy your new quad:)

[04'400ex'er]

Originally posted by 400ex_drummer
the raptor will not handle half as gd as a 300ex never mind a 400ex. the 400ex im hopefully buyin has a full fmf exhaust, k&n, has been rejeted and few other stuff(nerfs,bumper etc.). it could easily hang with a stock raptor and most probably beat on on acceleration. top speed the raptor is the best, but if you wanted a drag racer you would buy a banshee.

Dude, I dont want you to get the wrong idea about the raptor. It is a GREAT quad. I'm afraid you just can't compare it tto a 300ex. It will out handle it everywhere accept the 1st gear tight stuff. It is a VERY plush ride with great suspension and loves to fly. My best advise to you is go find one to ride. The same with the EX if you haven't rode it already. Yow will love the power of the raptor, cuz it is all there everywhere! It's a 660! You just need some seat time on both. I woulden't buy one till you got some.

[Quadworks]

In my opinion I would get the 400EX any day over the craptor. Its less expensive and more reliable. Also look around at all the used aftermarket stuff that you can get at a good price. I love my 400 over my old 300.

[Wayne64SS]

i have eliminated the raptor completely from my choices. I am looking at either the yfz450 or the 400ex. If the 450r was elec start i would buy that but it isnt. I cant see spending that much $$ on something i wont be happy with. My local dealer should have a yfz in tomorrow so im going to go get a feel for it in person and when the 400s come in at the end of the week ill make my decision. I want to at least sit on both and maybe take them around the parking lot once. i want to see what the yfz will do in slow tight manuevers and see how i like it because it will come up frequently. I have become accustomed to the fact that i wont ever have reverse again with my wants and needs. I just cant get rid of my electic start. im too stubborn. My main goal here is to buy soemthing i will be happy with for a long time(untill its paid off) i dont wanna be back at a dealer again in 3 months like i was with the 300. Not that the 300 is a bad quad, dont get me wrong, i just outgrew it a little quicker than i would've liked. It will be missed but some things must be sacrificed in the name of performance and overall dollar over time value!

[s-10s_rule]

yfz 450s dont turn as sharp as a 400ex or 300ex for sure. No clue about the 450r, never rode one. Another thing you should know about the YFZ 450 is that it does have reverse, a very fast reverse. It also has a first gear that is pretty high for the woods, higher than a 300ex or 400ex, I cant remember what the raptor gears were like, and once again no clue about the 450r. Just figured that is some good woods rider info.

[04'400ex'er]

This is the last time I am going to post in this thread. You need to go to a riding area and ride all three. The raptor will probably beat the both hondas in the woods. It is geared really high with the motor to accelerate with most all. You just have to ride them or YOUR going to be the one to lose out.

[Knips178]

The YFZ450 do NOT HAVE REVERSE! It is a very fast quad but the 450r and the yfz450 probably isn't the first choice for woods racing. Raptors, z400's(and clones), do have reverse which make them a little better for woods racing, but i have ran my 440ex through the woods for a long time and haven't really found that i need the reverse to often, so it's your preference. By the way my 440ex smoked my cousin's piped raptor, my cousin's stock 450r, and my friends piped z400.
Long live the 400ex!!