05 400ex or 05 Z400

[lil_billy_300ex]

Hi, i sold the 300ex and im looking for somtin a little bigger. im looking at the 400ex and the Z 400 but i dont no which one to go with. when the 400ex's came out they were the best thing ever. but now they are the at the bottom of the high performance race quads. the z 400 is liquid cooled and they the res type shocks and a bigger carb. I want somthin reliable. i read some stuff about the Z and i guess they dont have the best electrical setup. but they are liquid cooled have a few more HP then the 400ex. im leaning torwards the 400ex. post your thoughts on both quads. thanks

Mat #7, a member of team hoser

97 300ex (sold)
11:1 piston
web racing cam
heavy duty valve springs
white bros full exhaust system
400ex shocks with shock mount kit
tires
tag bars
nerf bars
400ex carb jet kit and filter
400ex a arms
lonestar axle

[khen]

My brother has a '03 KFX 400 and with similar engine mods(pipe/airbox mods) as my EX we run almost identical in terms of power. His power comes on later and feels like it hits harder but it's more because the EX is so consistant in power delivery. The EX definitly lugs better so I think it would be the better trail machine. I would also give the EX a very slight edge in handling. The Liquid cooling would be an advantage if you plan on moding the engine heavily or riding steep dunes in high heat situations without taking breaks. It also seems you can squeeze a bit more horsepower out of the Z given the same amount of $$ and with the '05's engine mods it could even be cheaper.

The differences are so small between the two that I would say pick your favorite brand or the one you can get the best deal on IMO.

If I was buying new I would buy a 450R or YFZ. It would save me a lot of money in engine mods in the long run. But I'm into speed.. if you don't care to compete with the 450's then the 400's are the better values, and you get reverse.

[lil_billy_300ex]

thanks guys, yeah i dont think i would be ridding at really high temps or go duning alot (i live in MN) so im not too worried about having a 400ex. but what i think im going to do is test drive both machines before i buy one. thanks again.

Mat

[hoser 400ex]

you better be ready to go duning !! cuz ur goin to udaho with us next year!!:eek2:

[wheeltrax]

I have ridden both a 400ex and a z400. I love both quads, the z feels alot like a 400ex in my opinion, both handle great. One thing i did notice about the z is the DOHC makes a big difference in acceleration compared to the single cam. The liquid cooled helps alot to. For reliability, my friends z has had its fair share of problems. Now, it was the first year made, so that could be part of it. The first week he had it, the frame cracked on the right above the upper shock mount. Since it was under warranty, he requested a new frame for it, the dealer threw him around alot, and after he b*tched at them for a while, they did give in to the new frame. The dealer really did a bad job of putting the quad back together. After he got that all back, he rode it again, and then realized the radiator was leaking, he did find a small hair line crack in that as well. He did get that repaired, and all is fine now. Another day, he was riding, and he hit a few jumps, same jumps i hit on my old 250x, and my current 400ex, and bent his axle a bit. He didnt land funny or anything, so that wasnt the cause. Another thing i have noticed on his quad is that his subframe has alot of play in it as well. we tightened down the bolts and it still moves more than my 400ex subframe does. Who knows? Then also, he had a horrible time with it running right after he got it from the dealer for the replaced frame, the dealer used loctite on the carb, and the loctite left the choke stuck. So his choke never worked right, and his machine never ran the way it was supposed to. He finally took that apart, after the bowl screws were way overtightened to begin with, and fixed that problem. I have ridden his machine since, and it is awesome. It accelerates really quick, and is very fun to ride. Most recently, his clutch is starting to slip. It shouldnt be going this soon, but who knows. hope this helps a bit. There were alot of dealer mistakes that were made, that added to the hassle he has had with this quad, but he loves it nevertheless.

[khen]

Originally posted by wheeltrax
I have ridden both a 400ex and a z400. I love both quads, the z feels alot like a 400ex in my opinion, both handle great. One thing i did notice about the z is the DOHC makes a big difference in acceleration compared to the single cam. What mods does your friend have on his Z? It doesn't out accelerate your 440 does it?

[400EXracer74]

if you want something that has a little more power get the Z but if you want a reliable quad get the ex. honda is the best company out there for reliability. the power difference isnt much different at all. and unless your drag racing you wont have a probably racing and beating a Z. the only quads i have ever lost a race to is a 25000$ 250r and yfz 450. i have always had no problem beating the kfx and the Z 400s. i have heard a bout a lot of problems with z 400s too my friend hates his KFX which is basically the same

[Cole Trane]

z

[TRXRacer1]

Z

[lil_billy_300ex]

holy crap wheeltrax, that is some bad luck from that Z, but maybe its cuz the mechanic didnt no what he was doin when he was working on it. and its the first year they came out. i no they put some better welds on the frame for 2004. i never heard anything about a leaky radiator. thanks everyone for your reply.

Mat

[1BAD4HUNDI]

Ride RED Honda has relability down!!:D

[fmf400ex03]

i say y switch if you have never had a problem with honda. The biggest difference between the z and the ex is the rider. i have a 400ex and can keep up with the top machines no problem in the woods and such you put me on like a raptor or something and i will be working 10 times as hard and still not able to keep up and the raptor has alot more power than my ex. ride them both and go from there see what you feel more comfortable on and with that z if you brake it in and go a lil easier on it and longer than what suzuki ses you should have tomany problems theres always a 450r to cant go wrong there but i still prefere my 400ex. ride red !

[Rastus]

I'd say go with the EX .

They have a proven motor. No doubt about it.., Honda has reliability covered.

About everything aftermarket can be bought for a 400EX. If there's an aftermarket part available, more than likely they'll have a version for the 400EX.

The 05' 400EXs have reverse.:)



It will basically come down to what deal is better.., and which one would suit your habits better.

[ATC600X]

i dont know i anyoneele posted this, but did you see the new 400ex's,they have reverse and redesigned front plastic, and i would definately go for the EX, there a lot better balancd machines for jumpin and overal racing i think, and Z400s are front end heavy compared to the EX, and the ex is a lot better built and more reliability

[ATC600X]

Originally posted by hondaexrider
yea the 05 400ex is awsome it has the body of the 450r but has reverse what is better than that

o orry you did say that first, but i actually like the font end f the new 400 better than the 450, the plastic doesnt go out past the light like on the 450, in a month or 2, there will be kit to make your old EX look like the new ones, it probably has the same mounting bolt possitions to

[ATC600X]

i actualy like 04 and down plastics better then the new ones

[frozenh2o]

If the 450R had electric start, that's what I'd get. But it doesn't , so I'm getting the '05 Z400. Faster and better handling than the 400ex. Face it, Suzuki looked real hard at the 400ex before they built the Z, they copied some things and improved on others, and built a better quad.

[ATC600X]

i wouldnt just say it because its a honda, the 400ex to me handles better than th Z and is better balanced and, my friend has an 04 Z and the fame is cracked alll over already(and swingarm)the axleis also already bent, and i can beat the crap outta a 400ex and it holds together and never has had a crcked frame, i didbend the axle but that was after 2 or 3 years of flatlanding real hard, unlike my friends Z wich was bent from a midsize tabletop, and i dont know why you would let electric start stop you, there very easy to kick over(easier than my 350X) and your battery or electrics will never go on you, also the 450R will have electric start in may of 05 they say

[lil_billy_300ex]

i didnt no the z's are front end heavy. i think im going to go with the 400ex. i dunno but when your racing its alot about the ridder so. i think i can keep up with the big boys.(maybe) thanks everyone for your info. and replys.

[ATC600X]

there not realy to front end heavy, but when your goin off a jump they do nose a little if ya dont give it enuff throttle on the lip of the jump, and there harder to get it up for crossin over a small creek or ditch or something and dont realy all that wheelie good

[hoser 400ex]

that would be w ise choice matt..... we'll make that thing fly!!:blah:

[ATC600X]

definately go with a 400ex tho

[300ex_rider1121]

the way i see it is u can lose a few horsepower and get a lil slower quad or u can ditch the reliability and get somthin a lil faster but in my oppinion id rather have somthin thats alil slower and ridin instead of somthin faster thats sits in the garage