Okay.. so I'm not gonna win Quad of the Month...

[aviator4]

I've got my quad in the December Blingstar Quad of the Month Poll, I assume the competition is about over and I am nowhere near the top of the field, which is fine because there are some SICK bikes in this group.

Personally, I hope the mini predator wins it.

BUT, my question is this: I've dropped some serious money into my quad. I thought it was pretty sick, but I guess I'm wrong... so what would you change on my bike? I know everyone is going to say "aftermarket shocks!" well, I a full set of Elka's on the way. It also has a Factory Effex seat cover on it now as well and the photo doesn't show the air scoops, What else would you change?

Keep in mind this is a duning bike mainly. When I do ride trails and such, it's on private land and even THEY are sandy, so my bike spends most of it's life with paddle tires on it.

Go ahead and be critical, I don't mind.. creative criticism never hurt anyone. If you think my bike is lame.. okay.. WHY is it lame? Help out here guys! I'm fully prepared to drop more cash on it... but I don't really know where to go from here.

[aviator4]

2

[400exrules]

looks pretty good.

i dont like that particular style of handlebars but thats just my opinion. You could relocate the battery to hide it, polish cases, get a billet starter cover, beadlocks...idk:confused: i like it

[sly400ex]

I personally wouldn't change anything. It looks good and it is fairly original. That's what counts.:)

[aviator4]

Yeah, the battery was actually inside the aluminum airbox for a while, but it was a major PITA to change out at the beginning of the season, so rather than fight with it again, I put it back on the outside. The group we ride with always seems to have one bike that has a battery die on the sand, so access to jump start it is nice.

Oh, it has an ESR billet starter cover on it at the moment, it's just hard to see in the pic.

[quadrcr161]

i think it looks nice, dont build it the way everyone else wants you to, build it how you like, its your money and your quad.

[JOEX]

As long as you like it, it doesn't matter what everyone else thinks;)


I think it looks good:macho

[Mxjunkie]

I love it, dont worry mine only got 3-4 votes :o


Allways a nice touch, and since yours is a dune bike, you can get some parts chromed here and there such as your oil tank, steering stem, engine cases, any misc piece you want really :)

[aviator4]

Okay... so the competition is based on LOOKS, not the actual mechanics of the quad? forgive the ignorance... I'm learning about this competition (maybe I should have done that before I chucked my bike in the competition, LOL)

I thought maybe I was missing something that really made the other bikes stand out mechanically (or visually) from mine or that I had chosen less-than-the-best parts for my mods, etc since three of the other bike simple "ran away" with the competition..... I think it looks pretty trick, but Hey, there's always room for improvement.. And this forum is the perfect place to get new ideas!

[bluelakebiker]

its a good lookin bike... maybe some aftermarket plastics for a different look... nothin wrong with the ones on it and i see you have a hood on it i just know the lakers are a cool looking plastic. Nice lookin bike!

[400exrules]

you could get these diamond plate things to cover the warning labels. and you can polish them to make them look better too.

they were on the bike when i bought it, so i dont know where the previous owner got them from, but i have seen them on HMF's website.

[jakes699]

do like a fading color for your frame... it would look sick and get like different colors for your side covers or a polish color... ide get different plastics

[aviator4]

Thats actually not a bad idea. The bike it going to be torn down this winter to get re-powder coated. What would you fade from and to?

[Mxjunkie]

It seems people vote for quads that are 450rs, yfzs or any new quad. Or heavily modifed quads, shocks, aarms and all..

Just look around, see what people are doing to them and start from there.

You have quite a few mods as it is, now mainly right now your aming for your show looks because it sure sounds like you got the go part down!

Fullbores make anyquad look impressive, they have a wide range of colors as well..

On my buddys 400ex, he had the same maier hood as you but we werent digging the carbon look a like look, so we painted it black, made a HUGE differnce..

[jakes699]

hmm idno wht colors i would do... try finding somoen who has tht photo imprssiona nd have them try dif colors for u... maybe like a dark or light red fading into orange or somethin... they look for stuff thts sick

[coryatver]

I hate those warning label block offs its just a metal square on the fender? :huh Just take the old ones off.

[NacsMXer]

A Translucent blue frame would really set that quad off :cool: It's a bit monotonous with the yellow on yellow IMO. Add a little chrome here and there with the blue and you got one sick quad! It already is pretty damn nice as it is :macho

[wilkin250r]

You've got a nice quad, no doubt, but it's not quite "spectacular". To really turn heads, you've got to get creative.

For example, take a look at this quad. Aftermarket plastics really set off any good-looking machine, but notice the attention to detail. Pink bar pad to match the frame, white upper springs on the shocks. And the white engine side covers REALLY catch the eye, and make this quad a real head-turner.

[aviator4]

Thats a great example Wilkin, thanks!

[csimp3]

i thinks it pretty freakin sweet just the way it is, maybe pc the wheels if you wanna change it even more, personally i think black wheels would look sweet with your yellow theme, but anyways its an awesome quad

[wilkin250r]

It's the attention to detail, and creativity, that really set a quad apart. Me, personally, I know that I would have NEVER thought to PC the engine side covers white, but it looks real sharp on that quad (it's not mine, I found that picture on this site).

You have yellow plastics, and a yellow frame. That's not bad, but most "head-turning" quads I have seen have a big contrast between frame and plastics. Generally, one is light while the other is dark, but it typically doesn't matter which. I have seen nice quads with light-colored plastics and dark-colored frames, or vice-versa. Take that quad, for example. White plastics, dark pink frame. Take a look at the white Yamahas, white plastic, dark red frame. I've seen the reverse, as well, like black plastics, bright honda-red frame, or even a yellow frame. Contrast.

[Bad Habit]

Originally posted by wilkin250r
You've got a nice quad, no doubt, but it's not quite "spectacular". To really turn heads, you've got to get creative.

For example, take a look at this quad. Aftermarket plastics really set off any good-looking machine, but notice the attention to detail. Pink bar pad to match the frame, white upper springs on the shocks. And the white engine side covers REALLY catch the eye, and make this quad a real head-turner.
Thanks Wilkin:D

And I agree, it's the little details that help tie everything together to make it complete.

Here's a couple more. Little things like the throttle housing, rear brake stay, rotor hub, rear shock spring, and a couple little polished items on the side covers to tie the pink/white/chrome all together. (Axle nut was left out of the box that went to the coater, time for an aftermarket one;) ) I think PC'd brake calipers are always a nice touch too, I wish I would have done these.

http://www.trx450r.org/forum/uploads/post-696-1120416143.jpg

http://www.trx450r.org/forum/uploads/post-696-1120416224.jpg

I would get a swingarm. I dono if I got a cupple fluke swingarms. but I broke 2 of them...(stock) not crashing just landing really hard.

it cost me like 800$ to get a lsr +1 swing arm, lsr carrier, o-ring chain, and a bearing kit. but it was worth it. keeps the wheelies doun a lot more than I thot it would.

[aviator4]

Um... it's got a chrome +1 LSR swingarm on it... but thanks for the idea.

[wilkin250r]

Originally posted by Bad Habit
Thanks Wilkin:D

And I agree, it's the little details that help tie everything together to make it complete.

Here's a couple more. Little things like the throttle housing, rear brake stay, rotor hub, rear shock spring, and a couple little polished items on the side covers to tie the pink/white/chrome all together. (Axle nut was left out of the box that went to the coater, time for an aftermarket one;) ) I think PC'd brake calipers are always a nice touch too, I wish I would have done these.


I'm wondering if it would look better, or worse, to match the metal textures. You've got chrome a-arms, polished rims and pipe, but the bumper, nerfs, and grab-bar are all brushed aluminum. It's kinda like using both flat and gloss paints.

I might look better if they were all polished to a mirror shine. Then again, it might actually look worse.

[aviator4]

Yeah, I've wrestled with that one too. I've polished everything up to a high shine, spent many hours doing that... stood back and it looked "okay" but didn't really do much for the bike.

Not to mention the fact that it just doesn't stay polished for very long. Sand is very hard on polished aluminum.

The scheme of solid yellow and natural metal colors was actually inspired by a KTM quad that I saw on the cover of Dirtwheels Magazine a year or two ago. It was all chrome/aluminum and orange...It looked great in my opinion. So this was supposed to be a variation on that.

I have designs to send off the cases to Pappy to get them powder-coat chromed over the winter. But according to him, it's more of a "shiny silver" color... so I dunno if thats the way to go. I'm not sure I'd like them powdercoated yellow to match the rest of the bike. Maybe what's missing is a second theme color.. like the purple and white that is on Bad Habit's bike... But what the heck goes with Yellow? Maybe there's a total paint scheme color change in my future...

[HondaRacer300ex]

When I saw it, the first thing I thought was hipers.

[black450r]

stop worrying about how it looks and get parts that help its performance. such as engine mods.

[craftyex]

very nice quad, the first thing i noticed was the frame. i would go with another color to offset the plastics.

[aviator4]

Okay, black450r, what do you recommend? It's a 416 12.5:1 piston, stage 2 hotcam, Sparks X6 exhaust, K&N, FCR 39mm Carb, and it's on nitrous and 111 Octane race gas...recommendations? I JUST put the piston in, so changing that RIGHT NOW, isn't an option.

[aviator4]

craftyex, So what colors go with yellow? I honestly can't think of a complimentary color for yellow... Someone mentioned blue, but I don't like the way those two look together... Maybe a Candy Red or something.

[cjj]

I personaly dont like that hood on the color yellow. Maybe if u swap out to some red plastics or somthing. Or dump money into a 450. Or if u wanna leave it yellow iw ould buy some hipers with yellow rings.

[m_townsgreatest]

I would personally cut the front fenders or get different afterm market ones. I dont like how bulky they look to me. I had to cut my 300's plastics b/c they bothered me to death

[craftyex]

i personally like stealth black. can't go wrong with black and yellow.

[TheFontMaster]

Personaly I like the yellow on yellow. If your looking to go with another color, I think ether a white frame, or white race cut plastics would really set it off. You don't see alot of white frames, and I think the 2 colors go good together. You deffinatley don't want to get the cases P/C chrome, the chrome that pappy has is pretty close to the OEM honda silver, but shinnyer. When you get the shocks if you get the springs P/C'ed that would help them stand out, chrome the cases, and a little more polishing. Springs can be chromed also. Her is a pic of my kickstarter that Pappy P/C'ed chrome, and a couple of my quad to give you some ideas.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v602/fonty/Picture213.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v602/fonty/Picture290.jpg
If you really want you quad to stand out, do something with the motor, both of my side cases, and head are polished, not the greatest, but polished all the same, and the cases, and cylinder are painted. I doubt you want to take of you cylinder to get it P/C'ed, but if it was and you polished the tips of the fins that would be really trick.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v327/thefontmaster/Picture199.jpg

[Schooled 416]

I love that bike how it is, but if you want to win it needs to be about a foot longer, a foot wider, and alot more bling

Heres what I think...The yellow on yellow is to much. And the graphics look stock. So what I would do is get either new plastics. like Black laker customs or fullbores or maiers, anything not stock and a more eye catching graphics kit. Also first thing I would do would be hack them fenders off. It makes it look too stock. Personaly I thikn black and yellow looks sick. But thats all my opinon.

[JR3]

1 thing i dotn like about quad of the month is eveything is based off of looks it seems like to me people dont actually take time to see what the quad has id vote for a quad that had rust and everything else but also had long travel with peps or axis swingarm with long travel linkage etc etc etc to much is based on looks.

[Ripitupfilms]

a quad can have a butt ton of money dumped into but it still doesnt prove a good rider .. yes is nice to make you quad look nice but does chrome add 5hp nah man so y spend money just to win some contest save the money and do something good without like take a drive to a faraway track and ride all day and improve skill not looks

[AtvMxRider]

Originally posted by sly400ex
I personally wouldn't change anything. It looks good and it is fairly original. That's what counts.:)

[zeppelin]

dont change anything it looks kick *** the way it is

[ZSK]

It is a nice looking quad, I really like the yellow on yellow. A few things jump out at me though.

It's mainly a dune quad that wears paddels alot. Why not cut the fenders? It's a much cleaner look especially when you don't have to worry about mud. The hood just doesn't flow with the full fenders.

Thought about pulling the front brakes off? Once again it's mainly a dune quad, it'll clean up the bars, eliminate some front end weight.

The black really throws off the look of your quad. You have all of the polished parts but with the black side panels and seat still (The aftermarket cover still has a lot of black.)

If you're in a competition entering a dune quad picture it that way. Put the paddels and front ribs on it and it'll look alot better any way.

[yellow400ex05]

Nice quad!!! I love all of the yellow on it! I got one ? tho. Why are the tires flat?

[aviator4]

Thanks for all the input everyone.

LOL, the tires aren't flat, my grass was just REALLY tall... it needed to be mowed.

I agree that it needs some better graphics. I've thought about the K&K set up. I also like to looks of the white plastics... maybe a red frame and accents, keeping all the polish and chrome.

I agree that I should have taken the photo with the paddles on it and all, but it's gettin' chilly down here righ tnow, so the things been put in "cold storage" for a while... thus the knobbies.

As far as cutting the fenders... naw, I"m not into that.. I like having the full fenders on there. I do ride occasionaly in the mud and on the track, so they do come in handy .

And as far as all this talk about "dump yer money into the performance.. screw the looks" I'm actually doing both.. I'd like to have a quad that looks as good as it rides.... and it's almost there. If you look at my signature, you can see that a lot of money has been put into better performing aftermarket stuff, like the suspension and engine.

It's great getting all the feedback! I really appreciate it!

Several people have mentioned white plastics, and different color frame... hipers, etc.. is this what you're talking about?

[XCAdam89]

How did you make the plastic white?? I've read a ton of tutorials on that and still can't figure it out. I think a blue frame would look good with white plastics by the way

[aviator4]

I don't use Adobe Photoshop. I use Corel photpaint, so my methods may be a little different than yours.

First, mask off the plastics, the desaturate them, then work with the tone curve until it looks right.

[wilkin250r]

Originally posted by aviator4
Several people have mentioned white plastics, and different color frame... hipers, etc.. is this what you're talking about?

That actually looks pretty sharp.

You don't necessarily need white plastics and a colored frame. What you need is a CONTRAST. One light color, one dark color. The quad would look equally as good with black plastics and a yellow frame, or dark blue plastics and a white frame. Or silver plastics and an orange frame.

[440bigborekit]

the quad already looks sick but if you wanna set if off i'd got with
...... if this thread is still alive i think your quad would look sick with black laker customs, leave the frame, black/ yellow hipers, black cases, black bumper, mabie black pro tapers with yellow pad, show off the nitrious bottle near the bumper or w.e, yellow grips, akraix or kandk graphics, top shock springs yellow, bottom arms blck or yellow, and a few chrome accents here and there that would look insane imo...
-brian

[slamdak8782]

1. custom red flame seat cover from razoback customs.
2.The flashy oil reservoir.
3.have a shop fabricate mounts for a mount on grab bar.
4. red hinson clutch cover
just a few oh and get the tapered bars wtih the honda fat bar pad

[slamdak8782]

radiator scoops OMF or RTC just some stuff to get you started I think it would be a good idea to paint the hubs a different color maybe red

[400exc]

i ove ur quad, wish mine looked as good

[killen them all]

i wanted the mini to win to but i think that guy was wrigging it cuz it ended once he got in the lead and the is 1 of the nicest 400ex i have seen i woulded change a thing

[trx400exat05]

i say keep ur yellow plastics or get yellow aftermarket plastics .... diff. graphics or sumthin but put a black fram!! that woudl be sweet and then beadlock i think! do what will make u like it the most man!

[clutt225]

The first thing I liked about your quad was the yellow on yellow.
I personaly would cut the fenders it took me years to finaly cut mine and it realy din't make that much diferance in the mud and it was worth it. Oversized oil tanks look and work well. But other than that I think that is one sweat quad. here is a pic of my old ex before I sold it I pc'ed the air scoops gloss black

[clutt225]

I forgot to mention you can polish the stock engine cases.
that made a big diference on mine.
So I just bought this 450r and I am looking for ideas to change colors (not the plastic yet). I realy like the look of your quad so if you could how about sending ideas my way.

[prepracing]

your right your quad looks great, maybe just a wild looking graphics kit would give it that extra eye catching pop !

[hardkoratvmxr]

imo hipers cant go wrong there maybe a different color frame to contrast some shaved fenders

[Plante400]

um. i think that 450 looks badass how it is..

leave it unless your gonna PC the frame jet black

[Prey]

hey aviator.............. dont fret about it.

you have a real nice looking bike (the yellow on yellow really looks good) and its more original that most bikes. there were a couple real sick bikes in there this month ( i should have waited on entering until pappy PCs my sub frame translucent red and my bumper/grab bar/nerf bars black).

and at that, i dont care about winning QOTM that much as long as i am riding a bike that looks like no one elses

the other part entering in a board this big is some of the votes are name recognition votes (not to say the winners dont deserve to win), when a couple bikes look equally as good, but guy A you dont know and guy B has helped you out, you joke with each other on the board, PM each other or you rode with him once etc.......who would you vote for.

[Rootar]

personally your quad looks awesome but the only thing i could think of to change would be maybe your wheels to douglas quadroks and maybe some green maier fenders ( http://www.maier-mfg.com/shop.cfm?action=list&page=list.cfm&criteria=101&makeid=10&modelid=173 ) and a carbon fiber tank cover

it woul;d really stick out and be an eye catcher no matter if someone liked teh color or not

but honestly your bike is awesome

white looks really good on a 400ex...i wil soon be turning this one over to the wife and getting myself a 450r...she wants to put pink flame graphics on it from go for it graphics...it will be her bike, but i don't know about that...
your bike looks fine...not too much of a cookie cutter stock 400ex like everybody and their brother has...ultimately, the choice is yours...if you had not entered qotm, would you be happy with the styling and perfmormance of the bike? if you snawer yes, keep it the same...if you answer no...alter it and pay attention to the little details like my chain guard, i kept the flame theme, there is also flames on the brake resi and oil filter cover...

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2004-12/921056/TNEEC-400exbackrightside.JPG
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2004-12/921056/GGJEZ-400exleftside.JPG
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2004-12/921056/XHWPQ-june400front.jpg


then look at how having just my hubs pc-ed helped the looks...

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2004-12/921056/FMKTB-june400left.jpg

[bwamos]

Originally posted by aviator4
Go ahead and be critical, I don't mind.. creative criticism never hurt anyone. If you think my bike is lame.. okay.. WHY is it lame? Help out here guys! I'm fully prepared to drop more cash on it... but I don't really know where to go from here.

Just my opinion.
I love yellow, but there's a tad too much yellow.

Perhaps something as simple as swapping out the front shock covers for black w/ yellow flames.

A frame saver over the scuffed area above you'r footpegs would cover up the scuffing.

[xNOILABOYx]

hypers w/red rings would look bad ***

[trx400exat05]

what kind of graphics kit are u using aviator lol nice looking bike!

[aviator4]

The graphics kit is a combination between a One Industries kit (on the nose) and a Factory Effects Kit (on the rear).

Thats partly because I have mixed and matched my old plastics with a new set of OEM plastics. (I didn't want to ruin the new plastics by putting the hood on, so I cut up the old ones first)

It's kind of a hodge podge, but it turned out pretty cool, and it's unique

[muff]

I think it looks good, get the bumper, nerfs, oil tank and a few other things powdercoated black, I'd be pretty sharp...

[450Racer]

i really like the looks of that. the graphics look sweet IMO..if it were mine and money was unlimited i'd get yellow hipers but they're kinda $$$ especially if you aren't racing it. like someone said, paint the hood black and then try to find a billet grill for it or make one if you're good with that stuff. put the dune tires back on or get new radial tires they look worn down. new tires make a decent bike look much better IMO. you did a really nice job with it. i'd get some scoops, paint some little stuff on it or get it pc'd. and if you want, do a piston/cam/port/polish if you haven't already for the extra power if you need it.

[willow2679]

To me the yellow on yellow is real nice
the shinnier things on that light colors get lost, maybe painting the motor with a black enamel is better an go well with that hood that looks awesome
to me (only my taste don´t listen to this really) don´t like that nerfs shape
But I think your quad is pretty awesome:D as it is+

[300ex_#387]

What I think would look awsome that I havent seen many people do is...Get some blue fullbore plastics (since you like your full fender just dont shave the fullbores) then get your fram PC'd red, have your swinder a candy blue, A arms you can have them blue and red, then do the little stuff get it either PC'd blue or red.....I really like how the blue and red look together and not many people do it, so it would be different. Thats just my opinion though

[exrider07]

i would go with maybe new plastic or just take your time and shave your front fenders. otherwise it is a great looking bike. but if you do cut your fenders really take your time,remember its better cutting to little than too much.