Z400 hatred [Archive] - ATV Riders Forum

BiggerRed 400ex

07-30-2002, 10:46 PM

I just went to Pismo Beach California this weekend and was running my 400ex...( no choke, re-jet (stage 1), K&N filter w/precharger with stock airbox setup) in the dunes with stock tires... i met up with a guy riding that new Z400 and he had paddles with no other performance mods..... Lets just say if i had paddles on i would have beat him everytime.... but i was just fryin' tires in first gear and by the time i got movin' in second he was already off the line... 3rd i was keepin up with him and started to gain on him ...4th i started gaining harder and had to let off cause the fence was nearing..... raced him a total of 4 times up a slight hill..... im also a 200lb rider V.S. a 165lb rider on that Z400 so needless to say im way happy with my 400 and more mods are on the way like stage 2 rejet with no airbox lid and a e-series slip on.....

:macho

sandman

07-31-2002, 06:26 AM

guys dont sweat the z400 thing. i'm telling ya they are not the superfast machine that the Z400 owners and the mags want you to believe.Seen them in action it doesnt match all the hype i was not impressed i expected more...

they are nice quads though

JustRace

07-31-2002, 08:27 AM

Not impressed? Its the same price as the 400ex and imagine what people would be saying had the roles been reversed and the Z come out first and the EX second. I'm not going to by one, but they are still really good machines for the price.

sandman

07-31-2002, 08:38 AM

Not impressed? Its the same price as the 400ex and imagine what people would be saying had the roles been reversed and the Z come out first and the EX second.

i wasnt referring to the price of the quad...
im talking about all the reports of how fast they are from mags and people that ran out and bought one they constantly are saying its raptor like power and it is simply not true and also saying they are alot faster than 400ex thats not true either and i do agree and i did state they are nice quads..but they are not as fast as z400 owners and the mags want you to believe they are
bottom line..

drag race one you will see

Buzzsaw

07-31-2002, 11:12 AM

Just give Honda time it well all be ok (450ex)!!!

Castor-426ex

07-31-2002, 11:22 AM

a 450 would be nice but I dont think they will go that route..who knows?

I think we will know something by September

flyin300

07-31-2002, 11:23 AM

I did read somewhere that a 450 type quad might come out.. has anyone else heard that?

UglyMotha™

07-31-2002, 11:36 AM

i picture a 450 in a aluminum chassis i don't think honda would be dumb enough to make one above 600cc

305exracer11

07-31-2002, 05:20 PM

i think if honda make a quad with a 650 in it, it would be dumb. i think honda should make a 450 quad.

ATV_MAN

07-31-2002, 06:40 PM

Who cares if the z400 is fast or not?

07-31-2002, 06:56 PM

honda is coming out with a 450ex or a 440ex. think about it, they have a 450 engine already made for their dirtbike, so they mite as well jus put that in a 250r style chassis,or they would underbore it 2 a 440ex so no one wouldnt have 2 modify it 2 fit race standards. but that would b the smart thing 2 do instead of making a whole new motor

Buzzsaw

07-31-2002, 07:01 PM

Just remember that the z motor was designed from a motorcycle motor. So, the others well fellow. Build it and they will come.

02400ex#21

07-31-2002, 07:08 PM

I Know a guy who used to have a 400ex w/ a few mods (slip on and air filter) who bought a z 400 and says that he thinks his 400 was faster!

holeshot19

07-31-2002, 07:08 PM

well i was up at santo dersi house a couple of weeks a go and he had one there that they were puting a arms and shocks and such on his dad ask me if ive ever rode one i said no but i rode it ran good but it sat up tall to me.they will work the bugs out they will be ok.i know when i got my 400ex on a friday and xc raced it on a sunday in a vet class with a 400s that thing was a pig like everyone elses they need work. but its hard to compare those to quads when i have a 2001 lonestar no link xc bike with a duncan 275 power valve motor on it. people that know me say im crazy for messing with that 400ex .

300exwoodsracer

07-31-2002, 07:42 PM

just cuz u have a honda doesnt mean u have to be biased to other quads!! heck...if suzuki (who i applaud for their z400) and other manufacturers start dishing out some competition, it only means less time before honda will fire back with another great quad....JMO

phatswinn

07-31-2002, 09:01 PM

exactly, i agree with woods racer, its only a matter of time.before the z400 and the dam raptor and crap adn honda will be king again, i looked back at a 99 issue of atv sport when the 400ex came and they thought that was the best quad ever, well its 2002 and honda needs another break-though

Deathbringer

07-31-2002, 10:46 PM

I would have to agree with some previous posts.. I got the pleasure of riding one this past weekend at the dunes, and they are a very nice bike and to be honest feel a lot like a 400ex.. But after just getting my newest copy of Dirt Wheels where they had a Raptor vs Z400 shoot out.. I guess I expected more.. but take nothing away from it.. it rides nice to me and seems to have good power and throttle responce.. Just my two cents.

RedRage300ex

08-01-2002, 01:53 PM

why wouldnt u want a 650? Just bumping it up to 450 doesnt seem all that great even if it was light and oil cooled. Just have it light and oil cooled with a 650. I mean thats alot of engine and it would be fun. Grow so cahoona's.

spincr4hire

08-01-2002, 02:45 PM

A 650 or 660 seems a bit much IMO. Just look at the C-dale when compared to a Raptor. The Raptor has 220 more cc's, but the C-dale still whips its *****.

forum

08-01-2002, 03:24 PM

I don't see honda ever putting their crf450 engine into a quad. nor yamaha and their yz450f. Major company's wont make a "racing" quad for a long time. Quads are ment to be recreational vehicle's. Therefor Enduro or offroad bike engines are a much better choice (in the eyes of the manufactures) The XR650 engine is a perfect candidate. Reliable usable power for all situations. I am conviced that the next high performance atv to be relised by honda will be this. Followed by an updated 400ex.

This is why im building my own 450f quad

HoNdAdude48

08-01-2002, 04:13 PM

dude why r all of u guys sittin here debating witch one is faster? it really doesnt matter! all that matters is that we all have a blast on our quads! if its faster so be it! if its slower thank god! but we all know witch 1 will last longer, the honda! i go to z400central & they dont sit here & argue about the 400 bein faster? so why r we? i mean u all need to thank god every night to even have a quad. were all fortunate to have 1!:D

300exwoodsracer

08-01-2002, 05:39 PM

thankyou:) my thoughts exactly

400exBro

08-01-2002, 07:48 PM

I am thinking about the 450 conversion but z400 is an okay machine it is a lot faster than the raptors, but only makes 1 hp more than the 400 (according to atv sport) good thing is that it is liquad cooled so it doesn't viberate as bad as the 400 and stays cooler, my dad is bragging about he is going to buy it and leave dust on my face on the track i told he is dreaming to much...
anyways, the desing of the swingarm and other stuff on the machine isn't to good of a design
Bro

rider250ex

08-01-2002, 08:00 PM

i was just riding one last weekend. those are nice. it is fast, really good for jumping,and wicked good for wheelies. i beat a guy on a 400 with an fmf powercore4 and a k&n power kit in a drag and on a race track. i am not saying the 400ex is bad but the z400 is so much easier to ride. i think with some good mods that will be a really sweet quad.

01TRX300EX

08-03-2002, 05:28 PM

You don't like the Z400 because its faster?:huh Every other high performance quad is faster, so do you hate all of them or something? It's your own fault that you didn't buy a faster one. Ugly? That is your opinion because I think the 400EX is ugly and the Z400 is awesome looking. And over-rated? I belive people were saying that it would be faster than a 400EX and handle as good, which it does. And nobody can say anything about the reliability compared to the 400EX because it hasn't been out long enough, the only real problems have been the axle. Talk about some brand loyalness.

TravEX

08-03-2002, 07:45 PM

i like the looks of em, and i'm eager to ride with one to see where i stand, hehe,,,later

PsychoDave

08-03-2002, 08:21 PM

well i dont like the z400 or the raptor or the ds650......BUT
they are all water cooled!!!!!! i can have the fasted quad but if i keep having to stop to let it cool down i would rather be slower. oh yeah, i love to get off my quad and push rather than having reverse.

Sparky416ex

08-04-2002, 05:59 PM

Nope you wont beat it...unless hes a sucky rider...you will need about a 406 to beat it....my uncle has one and i can beat him easily with my 416 but theres no way a pipped 400 will beat one

Regulator 250X

08-04-2002, 08:33 PM

Has anyone even seen one on a track or in any kind of race? I dont like them either, they have 400ex's front shocks, the LT's swingarm, and the raptors plastic setup. Four letters for a definition... JUNK... I would like to know if anyone has seen one race??

rider250ex

08-04-2002, 09:10 PM

i dont see why you guys hate the z400 so much. yes it is liquid cooled but it has a fan on it anyway, but it rides all day with no problems. and what is the big problem with the suspension, plastics and swingarm. yes the suspension is the same as the 400ex but it is pretty good. i think the plastics look cool and the swing arm is very good. they took the design for the swingarm because it is good and because they have been making them on the quadracers. and it is fine by me if u like to get off your quad and push it, but the majority of people like reverse. the only down fall of reverse it that u can really only have 5 gears but it doesnt matter bucause the ex only has 5 anyway. and another thing. one of u said that a 400ex with pipes an airfilter and a jet kit can beat it.i dont think it can but even if so who cares u can just get all of that for the z400 and it will be faster. but speed isnt everything in a race unless it is drag or baja. its not that i dont like the 400. i just think that the z400 is awsome and that u guys are just scared that there is a better, faster quad that is in the same class out and that u might get beat.
:devil

ccole400EX

08-04-2002, 09:59 PM

I sold my 2001 400ex which was modded to 416 with the HRC cam alot of other stuff. A real nice quad. I just picked up my new White 400z and got a little time on it. The Z's motor feels really strong from bottom to top and the quad rides great. Do i think it's a hole lot better than the 400ex? No. But i wasn't thinking it was. The Z looks like it's a 400ex frame, Raptor plastic, handle bars airbox and battery box wich is under the seat wich is really nice. The shocks look like Honda. So what i'm saying is you take away the motor the quads are about the same the plastic isn't going to matter. So how can you bash this quad? I really liked the 400ex motor it was rock solid and for a few bucks you could get some hp out of it but the 400z motor is a better motor of the two just for the fact it has all the updates the 400ex don't. From what i have read and found out from the DRZ400 forums it will cost more money to mod the 400z but you will get more hp for your money. On the 400z you could just change the cams, carb, compression( Z11:1 DRZ12:1) to the stock DRZ parts and have a 40hp motor or right around that. Thats no bigbore no new piston. Thats what caught my eye. With all i had done to my 400ex i don't think it made 40hp. Heck you add a bigbore 416, 436, 450 or the really big one 470 you could have 50 plus hp out of these motors. I'm in know way bashing the 400ex it was a great quad for me and i will buy another Honda WHEN they put one out but for right now i do beleive the 400z is the right one for me. Thanks for your time and be safe!

Regulator 250X

08-05-2002, 04:35 PM

The problem is that Dirt Wheels and every other major publication thinks this quad is the most innovative quad since the 250R... :huh Anyone else see my point here? The frame was basically copied off of honda's sport quads. The shocks are exactly the same, the muffler even has the same look as a 400ex. The swingarm is the worst design ever on a sport quad. The chain adjustment is a terrible design. No one will ever beat Honda's rear end setup. At least yamaha got close with the Raptor. Look at the cover of the september issue of dirt wheels... Do you not notice the front AND rear plastic of the raptor and Z are very similar? for christ's sake even the reverse switch and key are all mounted in the exact same spot using the exact same method. The machine sits just as high as a Raptor (high center of gravity=rolling in the corners=bad setup) How is this quad innovative? The motor is fine, nothing against it. But please i cant stand all this praise that is the best factory sport quad ever... give me a break! Anyone else see my point here?

300exwoodsracer

08-05-2002, 04:44 PM

sits just as high as the raptor??? If you read the specs the seat hight is lower, even though seat height doesnt matter, its the center of gravity and the z400 has many things done that make the center of gravity extremely low...the engine was tilted 10 more degrees, and they made it dry sump so the engione could sit even lower....as for copying honda and the raptor....suzuki was the first on four wheels....and why change something thats proven itself already??? I'm not saying honda isnt good...im just saying that suzuki isnt bad...theyve made a nice quad, y cant we at least congratulate them instead of pointing out every bad thing we can find

Regulator 250X

08-05-2002, 04:53 PM

Alright....... look bud, i love competition just as much as the next guy, the point i was trying to make if you read is that all the major publications call this quad the most innovative quad in since the 250R... can you please tell me what makes this quad so innovative? I really would like to know... oh one more thing, they may have been the first on four wheels, but how are they proven? do you see LT's in the racing circuits? Dont claim that they are proven, cuz well they arent... The 250R, 400EX, and banshee are proven, the Z no.... thanks for your time ;)

300exwoodsracer

08-05-2002, 04:58 PM

all i'm saying is give em a chance....if its a good quad who cares who made it

01TRX300EX

08-05-2002, 06:21 PM

OK, shocks are not exactly the same, the travel is different in front, and they are set up differently, oh let me guess, they are both red and therefore they are the same, ok I see your logic there :rolleyes: . So what if the muffler looks the same, big deal, I seriously doubt they are the same, oh wait they are both round and both come out the back of the quad, so they must be the same. How do you know that the swingarm is the worst design? It looks pretty sturdy to me, as far as I have heard the 400EX has a history of broken swingarm's. The chain adjustment isn't that great, but not as bad as the LT's since the metal plate is welded. Yes the plastic between the Raptor and Z are similar, big deal, but imo the more I look at the Z the less it looks like a Raptor (and the more I want it). And yes the switch is in the same spot and engaged the same, but hey at least it has one, compared to the 400EX which doesn't have reverse at all. And it doesn't sit as high as the Raptor, and even if it did, it wouldn't matter because it is wider than the Raptor and therfore more stable. I can sorta agree with you on the motor, although I think it is great. And how was the 250R innovative? It wasn't the first sport quad on 4-wheels, or the first 2-stroke, I guess you are talking about it being the first that can handle well. You can't compare the new Z400 to the old LT's, I am sure Suzuki has picked up on some of the things that went wrong, and fixed them, and now it handle's just as well as the 400EX, I am not saying you are comparing the Z's to the old LT's but I have been hearing that. OK I am done venting for now.

Regulator 250X

08-06-2002, 05:43 PM

Let's see where to start, just to let you know i dont vent i just express my opinion to anyone out there. I am by no means mad or upset, in fact i love talking quads, so...... The point i was trying to make, once again, is that this quad is not innovative. For Suzuki, it is innovative, for the industry it is not. Dirt wheels and all the other major quad publications say this thing is the best since sliced bread, but i dont see it. The 400EX was the first real 4 stroke sport/raceable sport quad. And im glad Suzuki stepped up with another 4 stroke sport/raceable quad. The thing is ITS NOT INNOVATIVE! im just going to leave it at that i suppose, i hope my point is a little bit more clear to everyone... By the way LT's were junk, and always will be junk, for having a powervalve they sure suck.

Oh yeah one more thing, "travel" is determined by the geometry of the a-arms, shocks, and frame put together, not just the travel of the shocks....... just a little fact.

01trx300ex, that would be sweet if you got it, just make sure you keep her clean! Thats the bad thing about buying new, you gotta worry about not scratching it and keeping it clean, i dont think i will ever buy a new quad, it would just get trashed..... later

T-R-X

08-06-2002, 08:18 PM

If theres a reverse on hondas new quad, ill never even try riding it, reverse sucks.
Ill stick with the 400ex and the 250r.

SpeedBump

08-07-2002, 04:52 AM

in the current issue of DirtWheels they put the new 400 up against the Yamaha Raptor, and overall they picked it as the NEW TOP DOG!!! Now, my brother rides a slightly modified 400EX, and I ride a 300EX, shaved head, 11.5:1 compression piston, K&N, (still workin on the rejetting, still too rich) FMF Powercore, +2 - +5 Lonestar, RAD carrier, Douglas Rims( in shop getting custom reinforcement rims welded on now) with regrooved TurfTamers, 400 EX A-Arms and shocks, Lonestar bar clamp, Lonestar block-off plate, PRM Baja Bumper, full skidplate, AC Racing swingarm plate ( maybe converting to the 350x swingarm/rezzy shock, but then need a new LSR Axle:devil )custom made stainless steel grab bar, ceet graphics, and cut front and rear fenders. My wife told me to just go buy a new 400ex if I wanted more speed and handing, but I won't buy a 400ex. I will wait for Honda to come out with something worth buying ( CF450R, 650EX ) I think Honda is the very best hands down, but come on, the ex has seen it time in the sun. If you take a stock 400ex and put it against a new Z, it will look like a 300ex trying to keep up to a 400ex. The new Z should be great machine, it IS a 400ex! All the geometry is so close to the Honda, it may as well be a EX. All they did was improve on Honda by stuffing in a tried and true performance motor. Honda is letting everyone down by preying on the loyalty of its customers, US! They know we will NEVER buy anything but RED!!!! To bash Suzuki for Honda's lack of character is wrong, they made a terrific new sport quad. I have ridden a couple on a current poker run, and they DO RIP!!!! I have a friend that has a new Canondale Cannibal (remapped to the MOTO specs) and it will beat the Z, but ...... that is a stock Z. To get a 400Ex close to not being embarrassed, one must put in a pile of MONEY! Put the same amount of cash into a new Z and you better hang on. We need to face the facts..........The 400ex needs an update! give us WATER COOLED, TWIN OVERHEAD CAMS,MORE DISPLACEMENT, RACE GRIND CAMS, AND MORE VALVES. Give Honda riders a reason to not be on the defensive when talking bout their machines. Hey, I don't want this post to P I S S peeps off, but in my opinion it is all true, and the truth sometimes hurts. Blame Honda, don't bash others for trying. It is a GREAT thing that others are making sport machines, with no cmpetition, Honda would never do squat! Well, later guys, ride safe, and write Honda and forgive the guys buying non-Honda ridez, they will come back to RED.( soon as it is worth coming back to)

Guy400

08-07-2002, 05:30 AM

Regulator, it's obvious you have something against Suzuki. If Honda actually designed the quad but we put Suzuki stickers on it, you'd hate it. I don't think that the Suzuki is the most innovative quad but since Cannondale's release everything else is simply luke warm. The LT chain adjustment isn't that great as far as ease of use but do you adjust your chain every ride? Is it that much of a sacrifice to take 3 minutes to adjust the chain instead of just 1? I can assure you that the swingarm itself is much stronger than that cast joke Honda gave the EX. Hmm, boxed, extruded aluminum versus cast--which is stronger? As far as the part about having a powervalve but being junk, you're obviously confused. Powervalves don't make power, they tailor the power you do have for various RPM levels. The powervalve allows my LT to have more low/mid power than a typical 2-stroke would have but then open up and let the motor have full power on top as well. Stock for stock out of the factory the LT was well-known for having more power.

I assume you think the 400EX was innovative? A copied R frame and an already made dirtbike engine. Sounds real innovative to me:huh

I don't think either the Z400 or 400EX are innovative, trend-setting or earth shattering but the Z is closer. The suspension on both of these quads is manufactured by Showa (hence the similarities) and the frames are similar. Take a 400EX, throw on about 4-5hp and reverse without sacrificing weight and you've got the Z400 everyone complains about. Don't you all see the threads about "if I pipe, jet and filter my EX will I beat a Z?" Do you all think that Z owners will ride forever with stock machines? What happens when they go mod for mod with you and you still lose? Geez, it's too bad people just can't say "good job" to someone other than Honda:rolleyes:

01TRX300EX

08-07-2002, 06:14 AM

I agree with Guy, the Z400 isn't really innovative, but it is more so than a 400EX. When I was looking to buy a new quad, I was thinking of a 400EX since the Raptor was a little to much money and was just out, and the Z400 wasn't out either. But the 400EX lacked the one thing I wanted, which was reverse, to me a quad should have reverse unless its a race type like the Cannondale, and the 400EX isn't something you can take off the showroom floor and win races with like the C-dale. Right now I think the Z400 is my dream quad, it has the same handling of the 400EX and reverse, the liquid-cooling is icing on the cake. Oh and I was looking at 2 pics of the 400EX and Z400, to comparing the frame's and I did find some differences. OK I see that the shocks are made by the same company but they are still set up differently, and if the A-arms and geometry play into the wheel travel role, does that mean the Suzuki has a better geometry up front?

honda250

08-07-2002, 12:42 PM

ya know, u shouldnt hate the z just because its not a honda. Yea it is a little overrated. But riding it and the ex it does have a nice powerband.But 4 wheeling isnt about hating someone and there quad because is not a honda. They are both great sprot quads, the z might have better qualities in 1 place but the ex might have better wualities somewhere else.Dont hate the z, 4 wheeling is to get to know people and to enjoy the outdoors(and race). not hating

Nausty

08-07-2002, 01:48 PM

all the dyno sheets i've seen the z has like 1-2 overall hp on the same dyno. I have a hard time beleive 4 or 5 extra hp. Doesn't rico still run stock swingarm? I have a hard time beleive 400ex swingarm is weak but maybe just the weakest part on the machine on the mx track, wired cinq has a stock swingarm don't he? I also think it fair to compared a stock z400 to a 400ex with pipe, jets and filter because of the price differant and you put that extra 600 or however much back into the quad.

Guy400

08-07-2002, 02:32 PM

Nausty, Rico runs a Houser swingarm. Of course not every single 400EX swingarm breaks, not every '01 Raptor tranny blows but we don't say that's a good design. The EX swingarm is notoriously prone to breaking. I'm not saying that everyone will suffer this fate but it does happen all too often. The horsepower numbers I was quoting came from Alba or Trinty or somewhere like that and I saw 28hp for the EX and 32 for the Z, take from it what you will. Nausty, there's one fatal flaw in your price vs. mods argument. Both the 400EX and the Z400 have a MSRP of $5699 making the price the exact same. You can't compare the deal you might get at your local dealership with the MSRP Suzuki quotes. Everyone gets a different deal. I can get my 400EX OTD for $4800 at dealership A while my friend was only able to go OTD for $5100 at dealership B. Does me buying $300 worth of goodies legitimize me winning races against him? Of course not. You must compare apples to apples and the only way to do that is to compare MSRP.

08-07-2002, 02:38 PM

Originally posted by Nausty
Doesn't rico still run stock swingarm

I did and was surprised it never broke,,especially after casing a jump and bending the subframe, axle, and foot peg, The rearend took all the abuse from that jump,,I was absolutely amazed the swingarm didn't crack. But it didn't,,,I have seen numerous stock swingarms break but maybe they just had a bad batch...:confused: :confused:

Nausty

08-07-2002, 04:18 PM

yes guy I know what your saying but its gonna be very hard to get the same kinda deals your gonna be getting with a z400 because in high demand, its new and they know people are gonna pay more for it and i'm sure you'd be more likely to find the cost of z400's higher than their msrp rather than much lower like honda. Right now if i went to the closest dealer to me and they had a 03 400ex and a 03 z400 i'm almost positive the 400ex is gonna be cheaper.

Regulator 250X

08-07-2002, 04:33 PM

woooh woooh........... wooh, hold up....... If i said i hated the Z im sorry thats not what i meant. I meant to say that once again its overated. Has anyone seen that i have said that every time? Thats the point, not that it's a suzuki, i would say the same thing about any manufactuer. The only thing honda had going for it with the 400ex was that is was the first 4 stroke sport/raceable quad on the market. They took a motorcycle engine and put it in a quad, nothing wrong with that, i wish honda and yamaha would put their CRF and YZF in a quad. I guess i just like originality like everyone else...... cannondale and yamaha came out with some pretty original quads, i guess my opinion is that suzuki's Z is overated. Suzuki is next on my list when it comes to quality manufacters, i was just expecting more...... oh well........ ride red guys!! later

01TRX300EX

08-08-2002, 05:05 PM

Nuasty, I doubt you could find a price difference large enough to make up for the power difference, a pipe is what $250 or so? I'm not totally sure I dont have a magazine in front of me, but I am saying that the best deal you can find on a 400EX isn't going to be that much less than one you can find on a Z400. So as it stands the Z400 is a better quad stock for stock and mod for mod. Although I know your going to come back with something since you are probably the most brand..no...400EX loyal person on this site.

Regulator 250X

08-08-2002, 09:09 PM

umm yeah 300ex guy, i didnt want to say this but im going to, uhhh do you know anything about prices and parts? 250? do you know anything about reliabilty? uhhh sorry to say but i just got done practicing against a guy on a Z and well lets just say i passed him twice. I ended up going off the track once so i had to catch back up to him and pass him again..... and if you can find one quality pipe for a Z for 250, that would be amazing.... DG and cobra's dont count...... haha, Nausty, sorry i didnt get to talk to you tonight i had to jet and get home, gotta get up in 7 hours, later dudes........ like i said and ill say it again, keep it real, keep it RED!!!

300EXrider02

08-08-2002, 10:27 PM

is there goin to be one??? i need to know!! how do people find out bout this?

ccole400EX

08-09-2002, 01:03 AM

Again why bad mouth the Z? For ten years we all had one high performace quad to choose from the Banshee( i don't call any of the other ones high performace) then Honda made the 400ex and now we have a few to choose from is that bad? Who cares if they copy good things from one another thats just going to help this sport. Instead of making junk quads they are using what they know works. That is a good thing. As far has the Z being overated i'm sure it is. You all know Dirt Wheels has to make this quad out to be the greatest thing on earth to get the other companies to make there quads better. With more quads on the market Dirt Wheels will sell more mags and make more money. The Z400 is a very nice quad it has all the same handling of the 400ex but with a better motor and intill you ride one don't judge it. As far has price goes my 2003 Z400 was cheaper than my 2001 400ex $5137 at Chicago Cycle Center compared to $5499 at Bob Shultz so wich one would you buy? If you say Honda you are just brand loyal. Thanks for the time and have a great day!

01TRX300EX

08-09-2002, 06:15 AM

Like I said, I didn't have a mgazine in front of me to know what the prices of pipes were, but if they are more, then that justifies my point even more.

DantheEXman

08-09-2002, 05:31 PM

Who cares if they copy good things from one another thats just going to help this sport. Instead of making junk quads they are using what they know works. That is a good thing.

AMEN

Guy400

08-09-2002, 06:00 PM

Originally posted by Regulator 250X
uhhh sorry to say but i just got done practicing against a guy on a Z and well lets just say i passed him twice. I ended up going off the track once so i had to catch back up to him and pass him again..... Did you pass any Honda's at all or was this guy on the Z the only person you passed? If you passed other makes of quads than that just furthers the point that MX is more rider than quad. If you didn't pass any other quads other than this Z than it shows us that the guy on the Z was an extremely poor rider and you were only a hair better.

BARRY

08-09-2002, 08:07 PM

if i ever see one im going to pee in their x-aust:devil :devil :devil :devil :devil :devil :devil :devil :devil :

knighttime

08-09-2002, 09:35 PM

pls dont do it :eek:

Nausty

08-10-2002, 12:26 AM

Originally posted by Regulator 250X
umm yeah 300ex guy, i didnt want to say this but im going to, uhhh do you know anything about prices and parts? 250? do you know anything about reliabilty? uhhh sorry to say but i just got done practicing against a guy on a Z and well lets just say i passed him twice. I ended up going off the track once so i had to catch back up to him and pass him again..... and if you can find one quality pipe for a Z for 250, that would be amazing.... DG and cobra's dont count...... haha, Nausty, sorry i didnt get to talk to you tonight i had to jet and get home, gotta get up in 7 hours, later dudes........ like i said and ill say it again, keep it real, keep it RED!!!

yah I saw the z and anyways I lined up right next to him and he was trying to ride balls 2 the wall and it was pretty funny because he was coming up short on most of the jumps and all over the track and I had no problem at all getting around him. But anyways were were dragging to the first turn and he was BARELY pulling away from me. He was right next to me and I was watching his front tire and he was just inching away and then I passed him as he let off the throttle for the first turn and to set up for the jump. lol I knew is all it was was hype like the yamaha. I thought it was pretty comical when I lapped him 1 time and was coming around him again on one of the last laps to over jump the double and land on the front side of the triple.(I hope that makes sence). Did you see me about crash through the whoops? Felt pretty cool when I did it perfect though. btw did the guy on the r say anything about me? Me and him were passing back and fourth a little bit. I almost think I should move up to b class when I get my first 1st place because it seems like there is a lot of c class riders that need to move up but I wanna get a 1st. btw whens the next race? I don't really care about the z400 vs. 400ex crap because I could really care less on which quad is better and I still think the z only has a little more power but the 400ex seems to have the handling advantage. Oh yah regulater I don't think i'm gonna be able to pull enough speed out of that berm to clear that triple or land on the top I still think I could land on top but i'll pry wait tell I get something done to my motor.

01TRX300EX

08-10-2002, 07:58 AM

Think what you want, I still don't think the 400EX has any handling advantage. And that the Z400 does have enough power advantage to make it a better quad all around.

08-10-2002, 08:05 AM

Ya, the 450 with reverse would be the best. I'm starting to get impatient with Honda. My buddy just got the Z400 and on ly thing i like about it is the reverse. Their fast but no faster than a 400ex with a pipe and jet kit.

VooDuu Child

08-10-2002, 02:21 PM

My girl and I both have Z's. Opinions are like *********s, everyone's got'm and they all stink. Facts are this. If we believe what the mags say, well THEN WE ARE SERIOUSLY STUPID. I have worked in media for some time and know like most SMART people not to believe everything you read. And as for innovations, just compair the motors. One has dual overhead cams, liquid cooling, high compression, reverse, a red line of 9.000. The other is the ex. I love the ex and was almost an ex owner till the dealership tried screwin me. I would like to take my Z's in there sometime to thank them. Don't be a bunch of haters just cause there's a new guy on the block. And another thing, for most people, not having reverse isn't so bad, that is of course until you've had it. It is awesome. And all y'all who be racin stock Z's, make sure the ones that you are racing have more than twenty hours on them because until then, they are still slow and sluggish compaired to after. Stock for stock, Z is faster. Mod for mod, Z still faster. Get used it. And as for a CRF450. I hope that happens just so all their owners will waste tons of money in changing oil since you'll have to after every ride. That's how those things work ya know...

Z400central

08-10-2002, 04:45 PM

kentuckycat

08-11-2002, 10:23 AM

I don't usually reply to threads like this, but this time I have to. I do agree with what alot of you said. We all want to have the best quad on the block. If we didn't, noone would ever use mods. We would all be riding around on stock machines. We just want the best, whether is Suz, Hon, Yam, or whatever. It's our nature.
Now, about the Z, I went riding yesterday for only the third time. I pulled up to the office to pay the entrance fee and this guy was sitting on the porch drinking a soda. As soon as I stepped out of the truck he says. "That's that new Zook, huh?" I replied "yeah." I should have expected the next thing he said, "That'll blow the socks off of those 'ole 400ex's, right?" I just told him, "Wouldn't know, haven't tried it." And you know, I don't plan on it.
I bought my quad just to ride, not to race 400ex's, not to be the highest jumper, not to have the most mods. I'm a small guy, so I can't manhandle a machine like alot of other guys. Reverse comes in very handy. If I had to turn the bike around manually every time, I would never have enough energy to ride. I ride within my limits, leave everyone else alone, and enjoy myself. I don't come here to bash everyone's Hondas. I come here to find out stuff about my wife's 250EX, but I do enjoy reading alot of the threads, even if they are mostly about 400ex's or 250r's. If the next guy wants to ride a Honda, or anything else, then so be it. I like my Suzuki. Just my .02.

z400ex

09-09-2002, 10:24 PM

my dad ownz a z400 and i a 400ex, i dont know why you people bad mouth the Z. If it takes a 450cc to beat a 400cc then obviously ther is a problem, however i do ride a 400ex with some mods and do keep up with the z400. I said keep up not pass but keep up, the z is faster than the ex no matter what but i must say the mags and z400 owners make the z seem like a raptor or even better which is bul****. Overall the z is a good bike and so is the 400ex, give the z time to shine and time to have problems and we shall see what suzuki fans think when they r off the side of the trail fixin ther bike as we blow by em!!!!

Pappy

09-09-2002, 10:44 PM

well said kentuckycat....too much this is better then that. ride what makes you happy....and if you race...well...sorry to piss in the wheaties boyz...its mostly the rider not the quad in the real world. the day they build a quad that makes me ride like ballance or gust..i will by 10 of them:)

quadracer12

09-10-2002, 12:38 AM

why do you guys really care what brand you have. do you think them japs go to bed caring if some redneck prefers a honda or suzuki? they don't care about you?

air cooled vs liqiud cooled
SOHC vs. DOHC
push it backwards vs. reverse
great swingarm vs. out of date swingarm
8.2" travel vs. 8.5" travel

if you would look at the stats above and there was no brand name for them which one would you choose? is a bad swingarm enough to out weight the other stuff? who would argue with a 400ex with liquid cooling, reverse, .3" more front travel?

and for you that say you don't like the way the z looks. is that what you look for when you are investing $5600 in a go fast quad? does looks make you go faster? are we riding or picking up girls?

and what are you guys thinking when you say "my 416ex with a pipe and carb just smoked a stock z"? of course a mod bike will smoke a stock bike. I don't care what kind of mod you do don't brag that you just beat a lesser cc stock bike. run a stock z against a stock ex. or mod them with the same mods. of course my 440ex will smoke my friends bone stock 400ex.

Houser Cannondale

09-10-2002, 01:31 PM

i beat a guy on a white z400 mx racing on my 300ex piped jetted mx tires. im only 16 too :D it was kinda sad he got lapped and i managed to finish 8th infront of a 400ex and the lapped z400. thats my .02

rookiex

09-11-2002, 07:06 PM

dudes I race 3 to 4 times a week and race with them all the time only reason there any good is if the rider is good other than that ex smoke them as a matter of fact tommy my good friend he is a A rider going pro raced this guy with a pretty decked out z 400 he had axis shocks on it piped cam on it...I did'nt even know they made the stuff for that yet....and when we raced those 2 battled for a while but tommy whooped his *** at the end...there bikes where equally good

Houser Cannondale

09-12-2002, 02:36 PM

aw yea i know what you mean.. i was just saying this guy was a grown man on an awesome fourwheeler.... me on a 300ex and im a kid and i still did alot better than he did. goes to show you how much the rider makes a difference and not always the bike.

Buzzsaw

09-14-2002, 04:12 PM

The z is much more of a quad than the 400ex. Rented one of each at pismo to ride the dunes and the z was a better ride. If i had to buy a new quad today between these two it would be the z.

09-14-2002, 04:15 PM

I think its funny how stupid Suzuki is ... They came out thinking yay were at the top now we made a high perfomance quad but then they go and sell the patten to kawi and they duplicated there bike! Now 50% of there sales will go down because another company offers the same exact same bike

Buzzsaw

09-14-2002, 04:21 PM

they are doing the same thing with their dirts bikes for next year from what i heard.

nakomis0

09-15-2002, 09:03 AM

Originally posted by mxrider400ex
I think its funny how stupid Suzuki is ... They came out thinking yay were at the top now we made a high perfomance quad but then they go and sell the patten to kawi and they duplicated there bike! Now 50% of there sales will go down because another company offers the same exact same bike

erm, I think they shared R&D cost, and the engine is still Suzuki. So they are selling the engine, and im sure other parts to Kawasaki. So they get money from the quads they sell, and they get money from the quads Kawi sells.

QuadTrix6

09-15-2002, 09:08 AM

i dragged race a z400 with my friends stock 400ex and i came very close to beating him, i mean the kid could have sucked but whatever its faster but not by much...the rider makes a big difference

QuadTrix6

09-15-2002, 09:11 AM

0wNed!! [/B][/QUOTE]

what ?

QuadTrix6

09-15-2002, 09:12 AM

bandit390

09-15-2002, 09:22 AM

suzuki made this kawi made this. booo hooo, stop crying about them making a better sportquad and honda not making jack.They can make whatever they want! I dont see you crying about car companies.... they have been doing it for years!

Do you see any suzuki people over here talking about how much better the z400 is ? no, just a bunch of honda whinners trash talking the z. get over it.

VooDuu Child

09-15-2002, 10:04 AM

I hear that bandit!

forum

09-15-2002, 05:50 PM

Suzuki is not going to loose money on the conversion stuff. if anything they will make more money. The atv section of kawi and suzuki came together they are one company.(with two names).. And yes the stock 400ex swingarm sucks ***. My buddy just shattered his all to he||. and the jumb wasn't all that bad. Of course his quad has been beaten since in was boughten in 99. but it still broke. The z is the same price as the honda. Personally i have never liked suzuki. I don't now why i just don't. I think it's cause of there reliability isue. but if i were to go out and buy a new quad I would buy a Z (actualy the kawi version i like the green) over a 400ex. I hate the ex engine, beside its relibility,, its got nothing going for it. It's air cooled for god sakes! I can't wait till winter comes so I can drop the crf into my EX.