What would you Pay?

[Dave400ex]

I emailed John Houser about making 400ex Frames and SubFrames and he said that there is a real good chance those will be their next Project. He asked me a Few Questions though:

First he wanted to know what people would Pay for a Frame/SubFrame.

Second he wanted to know if he should move the rear shock location so they could get the swingarm the travel it needs and other changes like that.

For Price I told him between $1,500 and $2,000. What do you Guys think?

For the Changes I told him moving the Rear Shock location would be nice, but don`t you have to have like Axis Shocks for that? I told John if that was the case then he may not want to do that, but he could always have a 2nd Frame made that does have it for you die hard Racers.

So just tell me what you think about this. Thanks

[Foxrage]

I say the price is good. I would probly go with the stock setup travel there are no really die hard 400ex riders that would need it. Have him make subframes 4 sale seperate with and without the battery mount.

[Dave400ex]

I told John about making two different SubFrames. One like the Stock setup, and then one for Guys who have the Aftermarket Airboxes. I think he planned on selling the Subframes seperate also.

[Foxrage]

Ya i think they would sell alot i want to ry to keep all maching products and dont want to get ls stuff.

[airheadedduner]

I was reading an older mag and saw somthin on moving the shock mount. It gave the shock a better angle and made more traval available. They were using a works stadium shock.

[Nausty]

I think that price is reasonable and I would prefer to have the shock location moved.

[Dave400ex]

Come on Guys I want to hear all of your thoughts. What about Rico, Chris29, ChadEXer, Gabe, I want to know what they think. I plan on just giving John Houser this url so he can read all of this. Thanks

[Pappy]

an aftermarket frame in the $1500 range would be sweet. i use houser products and like them very much. the sub frame would sell well also...i would buy

[MR.EX-TREME]

SOUNDS GOOD TO ME AND THE PRICE WOULD SELL ME ONE TOO!! ONE WITH THE SHOCK LOCATIN MOVED FOR LONGER TRAVEL...AND SUBFRAME TO RUN AN AFTERMARKET AIRBOX FOR ME PLEASE!!! LOL!! SOUNDS GOOD TELL HIM TO GET STARTED BENDING!!! LOL!!:devil

[400exRacerX]

I was talking to my bud Rich Buckley and this winter when I get my frame powdercoated and the cracks welded and add some gussets. He is going to hack my old shock mount off and remount it in a different location for a better angle and 2 inches more shock travel.

I would definatly buy a Houser Subframe, the stock style. I think they would sell very easily. If i ever bent my frame, a $1500 aftermarket frame would be great!!!!!!!!!

[derekhonda]

Yeah i would tell him his best bet is to make two frames (one with stock shock mount; one with mount moved) and two subframes (one with battery mount; one without)

$1500-1800 would be great

[Dave400ex]

Keep the Ideas coming. He will like all these.

[Tommy 17]

i would pay 1500 to 1800$ for a frame with standard shock location and mayb 1700 to 2000 with a differnt shock location...

also if he would sell a package deal with lets say a frame, his a-arms, his swing arm, his steering stem and stuff for a good deal i bet he would sell alot of them... houser has a really good name... i think hes one of the top 3 chassis builders out there and i know lots of people would buy his frames... i just can't wait till i have the money to buy his a-arms with some pep shocks...

[cdalejef]

Rocky Ridge Racing has been doing that frame mod for the rear shock for a while now. The people that I have talked to that has had it done says it makes a huge differance. Elka, Axis and PEP all make a shock for this mod, not sure about Works.

[trx400ex]

the thing is, you can buy a brand new stock frame for 425$, i know stock ones dont last forever:p , but aftermarket ones dont either (although im sure they last years longer than the honda "frame"). chassis builders can sell 250r frames for 2500$ all day long because if you need a new frame you have no other choice than to go aftermarket, where as 400ex owners can buy 6 stock frames for the price of 1 aftermarket frame...all i have to say is that if you price them right, you will sell as many as you make

[Dave400ex]

Anymore Ideas?

Well I too have spoke with John thru email regarding 400ex frames which was in response to a frame article off of ******** or something,,,,here's the kicker to it though,,,I believe he said he would not make them because of this. He would have to start out making at least 100 frames I beleive,,so that's a chit load of overhead and time. He can't make the frames and sit on them, cuz that's money being lost,,they have to sell and sell fast for him to be profitable. I think it's a great idea along with the idea if he could finance also on something that has that type of cost,,I don't see that happening but it could possibly help sales. I'd buy a subframe from him in a heartbeat if the price was right...$300+ dollars is too much I think and out of most guys spending range. If he offered 400ex subframes for around $200 he'd probably have to hire another worker to keep up with demand. I also understand what trx400 said about having 6 frames equal one of johns,,but I know John arens frames have been know to have thousands upon thousands of miles on them and no problems,,,you'll trash a stock 400ex frame in a baja race so if race 5 baja races a year,,you just lost out and should have bought an arens or possible Houser racing frame. The fact of the matter is,, if 100 people sent in down payments to John to start building 400ex frames he would do it,,but making them, having them lay around his shop and hoping for the best I don't see that happening..:( Of course you guys know I'm a houser racing fan and will put nothing but his products on the 416,,maybe one day we'll see a full houser racing 400ex chassis like lobo has at a fraction of the cost..

[airheadedduner]

Originally posted by trx400ex
the thing is, you can buy a brand new stock frame for 425$, i know stock ones dont last forever:p , but aftermarket ones dont either (although im sure they last years longer than the honda "frame"). chassis builders can sell 250r frames for 2500$ all day long because if you need a new frame you have no other choice than to go aftermarket, where as 400ex owners can buy 6 stock frames for the price of 1 aftermarket frame...all i have to say is that if you price them right, you will sell as many as you make

Thats why at the moment, I am screwed. Unless someone has a used R racing frame they want to sell for cheap (not bloody likly) I may not be able to afford to keep riding. I have broke a frame the last 3 trips to the dunes. I keep getting it gusseted but it breaks somewhere else.

[Dave400ex]

Anymore? I know John wants all the ideas he can get.

[forum]

i got a 86 R frame if you want it. Its mint. never been wleded. mybe it would hold up better. it's powdercoated blue

[airheadedduner]

Originally posted by forum
i got a 86 R frame if you want it. Its mint. never been wleded. mybe it would hold up better. it's powdercoated blue

Stock or aftermarket??? For the money to ship it a stock frame whould not be worth it.

[trx400ex]

Originally posted by airheadedduner


Stock or aftermarket??? For the money to ship it a stock frame whould not be worth it.

it doesnt cost much to ship them, mine wasnt anyway

[ride300exred]

I just paid 52 dollars to ship a stock 250x frame from PA to WY
Not bad