400EX Conversion

[Chin_Chilla]

I'm going to start up a project to turn my 2002 400EX into a 2006 400EX body wise. I will take pics along the way and should be done by Friday if everything goes as planned. Here is a pic of my stock 400EX plastics.

[Chin_Chilla]

another

[Chin_Chilla]

Here is a picture of the new style plastics with a Maier 450R hood i got from Rocky Mountain ATV. I plan on putting the key switch that mounted on my old front plastics on my new front plastics where the reverse lever used to be, since I dont have reverse.

[Chin_Chilla]

So I havent even gotton started and already in problems. The hood didn't go all the way to the front of the plastics, and it left about a 2 inch gap between the hood and tip of the front as you can see in the pic.

[Chin_Chilla]

I guess I'm going to have to get the Roto out and cut away at it, unless I mount the new plastics on the quad tomorrow and it all aligns just perfectly:huh , which I doubt it will.

[Chin_Chilla]

Problem #2 .. the mounting holes on the Maier hood dont quite align with the mounts on the new fenders. You can see its a good 1 1/2 inch difference between the two. Again, I'm hoping it aligns itself once it is mounted, but making new mounts won't be a challenge.

[Chin_Chilla]

I will start the disassembly/reassembly tomorrow morning and will keep you guys posted and more pics will be here soon!

[troutman561]

Maybe that hood is set up to run with the headlights in... because that distance you showed is about how much it should be to have the headlights in...

[flying dutchman]

didnt you just buy the wrong hood.

the 450r hood is different from the 400ex maier hood that uses the 450r style

[Ebrown]

i think troutman561 is correct:confused:

that hood is for a 450r. maier does not make that hood for a 400ex. the front of these machines are longer and thinner than the 450r.

good luck with the rest of the change over. it should be easy from here on out if you have the brackets

Originally posted by speedyquad
maier does not make that hood for a 400ex.


Yea maier does. They make a 400ex hood now. Its shaped just like a 450r hood but is made for the new shaped ex front.

[underpowered]

Originally posted by slow
Yea maier does. They make a 400ex hood now. Its shaped just like a 450r hood but is made for the new shaped ex front.

close, but not quite. yes maier does make a new style 400ex hood, but it is not the same look as thieir 450r hood. teh 400ex hood has a single scoop where the 450r has the dual scoops as pictured.

Originally posted by underpowered
close, but not quite. yes maier does make a new style 400ex hood, but it is not the same look as thieir 450r hood. teh 400ex hood has a single scoop where the 450r has the dual scoops as pictured.

Yeah buy a 450r hood would be easy to fit.


Would the 05-07 hood 400ex hood fit a 02 400ex?
http://www.maier-mfg.com/shop.cfm?Product_ID=50965&page=details.cfm&cartaction=none&thisrow=10&action=list&criteria=101&startrow=1&mystartrow=1&maxrows=10&cat=&man=&stay=&afid=&searchcat_id=&itemprice=&searchfield=&searchman_id=&boolean=&var1=&var2=&var3=&makeid=10&modelid=173&modelyear=

[underpowered]

Originally posted by slow
Yeah buy a 450r hood would be easy to fit.


Would the 05-07 hood 400ex hood fit a 02 400ex?
http://www.maier-mfg.com/shop.cfm?Product_ID=50965&page=details.cfm&cartaction=none&thisrow=10&action=list&criteria=101&startrow=1&mystartrow=1&maxrows=10&cat=&man=&stay=&afid=&searchcat_id=&itemprice=&searchfield=&searchman_id=&boolean=&var1=&var2=&var3=&makeid=10&modelid=173&modelyear=

with some moddification yeah. i knw there are a few guys on here with them on teh old style plastic.

[Chin_Chilla]

OK so I started today roughly at 1o'clock, much later than I wanted to. My dad needed help putting new wood floor on his 16ft utility trailer. I finally finished around 8o'clock, took a long time on the fenders, and especially on the 450R hood, it was a little tricky and ill explain more with the pics.

Here is the bike stripped of all the plastics.

[Chin_Chilla]

The left and right fenders went on smoothly. They use the same holes and brackets as the old style plastics.

[Chin_Chilla]

Here is a shot from the side.

[Chin_Chilla]

1 from the top.

[Chin_Chilla]

Here it is with the hood on. It looks good, I still need to put the exhaust on. I bought the air scoops from crazywhitebo - thanks by the way man i appreciate it! If someone doesnt mind, could they photoshop my rear fenders black, so I can get an idea of what it's going to look like.

[Chin_Chilla]

Getting the hood on was the trickiest part. The 450R hood was narrower than the 400EX plastic. I thought it would be much wider but its not. Still came up a little short from reaching the tip of the plastics but I just left it like that. Maybe tomorrow I will take a Roto to it but i dunno. Other than small issues, it looks good now.

[Chin_Chilla]

Here it is with the White Bros. R4 Exhaust. The rear fender isn't on right, I just threw it on there, and it looks a little weird. All in all, it was worth it and gives the 400EX a new kick ***** look. If you try this and need some help, dont hessitate to ask me!

BTW-I got this idea from PismoLocal. He's bike is sick!

[Chin_Chilla]

another from the side

[Chin_Chilla]

last picture i promise:D

BTW - the stock front yellow plastic, headlight, and handlebar cover are all for sale. PM me if interested.

[tar]

Are you going to get black rear plastic too or are you going to leave it yellow?

[Chin_Chilla]

I've thought about leaving it yellow, but I think tomorrow I'm painting it black. Any suggestions?

[oldskoolex400]

sell the yellow plastic to me:D

[bansheemorphine]

if your painting them make sure you use adhesion promoter first and put very light coats of paint on if you don't it will run and look horrible plastic is hard to paint

[PismoLocal]

Looking good I was just planning on goin out and taking some more pictures to show you how I did it. Your bike looks awesome. If you want save some money you can just go out and get a graphics kit that is yellow and black and it will tie the colors together nicely.

i like the black into yellow look...get a black tank cover and some y and b graphics like pismo suggested and that will be a sharp 400ex...or even a yellow seat and leave the tank cover yellow

[krt400ex]

did u have to trim those plastics??? or r they the way they came, cuz that thing is awesome looking...i might have to do that myself.

[Chin_Chilla]

Thank you! They are stock '06 plastics that I trimmed up a little. They look sweet now.

[tp300ex]

i have an 05 plastic body and i have the 450r hood but i moved it down and re did the holes

[Chin_Chilla]

The problem with moving them down, was it wouldnt look right on the top where the handlebars and stem meet. There was a huge gap there so i just left it be, with the gap on the bottom. Post a pic of what it looks like. If you dont know how to resize sent it to me and ill post for ya. ivanhernandez16@yahoo.com <---send pics here

[SET THE STAGE]

sell the front and back yellow plastics and buy a rear black one from laker. they give it a more styled look (sort of resembling the 450rs) and that way they would match.

[krt400ex]

Originally posted by Chin_Chilla
Thank you! They are stock '06 plastics that I trimmed up a little. They look sweet now.


cool, thanks

[400exridin121]

so if i bought a set of 05 plastics on ebay they would fit right on to my 03 400ex?

[Chin_Chilla]

Yep, it will fit. They have a conversion kit that is $499, but thats if you want the headlights and such. Not worth all that, but its up to you.

[400exridin121]

so the only difference between the "05 or newer plastic kits" and the Conversion kit is just that with hood, bar cover side fender, reverse switch, and a headlight? doesnt seem worth the extra 300. And why would you need the reverse switch if you cant even use it?

[400exridin121]

so it would be better just to buy
the fenders, and the hood and light separetly?

[Chin_Chilla]

Yea just purchase the fenders only. I used the reverse knob mount to mount my key switch. Looks trick!

[JDMThoughts]

Wow, I was thinking of doing this to my 2000 only because I like the updated look and wanna go from the red to black. What was the parts list for this, if you could post that I would appreciate it. Isee you have 05 front fenders and a 450R hood, what about the rear?

[400exridin121]

so you can use all the nuts/bolts, etc from the older version and just buy the fenders on ebay, all you will need after that is the hood, and headlight if you want them, all for around 275 or so, and drill new holes for the headlight

[krt400ex]

Originally posted by JDMThoughts
Wow, I was thinking of doing this to my 2000 only because I like the updated look and wanna go from the red to black. What was the parts list for this, if you could post that I would appreciate it. Isee you have 05 front fenders and a 450R hood, what about the rear?


the rear fenders have not changed on the 400ex, only the front

[Chin_Chilla]

Originally posted by JDMThoughts
Wow, I was thinking of doing this to my 2000 only because I like the updated look and wanna go from the red to black. What was the parts list for this, if you could post that I would appreciate it. Isee you have 05 front fenders and a 450R hood, what about the rear? Parts list is only front and rear fenders. All 400EX's come with black side panels, which can be used with the 05-06 fenders. The 450R hood is an 05 model hood.