First mods....

[blown331]

Here is my question.


I do a LOT of dirt/trail riding. a LOT of dirt jumping. a LOT of Glamis since im right around the corner.

So basically here is what I need to know.

What mods (suspension wise) should I do first for those needs?

I've already got the exhaust on the way... so i'm directing my attention towards the weakest link on 400ex's...

I see all this talk about +2 arms/stem etc etc...

What companies are of quality? I don't want to be doing a decent jump and have something snap on me.

i'm 190 lbs... would love some better handling, would love a nice soft landing after the big jumps.

Can any of you point me in the right direction? And possibly explain why a +2 a arm is better/worse than a +1 or even +3 for my riding style?

[400exfan19]

get aftermarket suspension. but if you think its a little 2 pricey just get stock 450r suspension

[blown331]

I forgot to mention. I will be doing the 450r shocks as I haven't dedicated myself quite enough to the hobby to see myself spending $3k for front & rear shocks alone (elka)

so.. with 450r shocks what is the best front arms to go with? I also think I SLIGHTLY bent my steering stem the other day coming off a table. 200lb rider + weird landing obviously doesn't do wonders for the stem.

Also... Only the steering stems what is the benefit of going +1/+2 etc?

Thanks guys! This site has already given me a lot of info!

[CHEVYZ]

Unless you plan on having the shocks set up for a 400EX, the 450r shocks suck. Get a decently priced set of works or elkas.

[Def-e-nition]

I agree about the 450 Shocks .

i miss the Free play the 400 ex stock Shocks Have , which is really nice for Trail Riding . I recently Moved onto the 450 units which i got for a stea l , but , If you are not planning to have them set up for the 400 - although they are softer on the 400 than on the 450 - they still pretty much suck for smoothness . I still have em on , but if you look elsewhere on the forum , I have asked Gp Racer for advice on how/where to find other coils for these units , as even wound Fully up to their softest setting , i still shook myself through to the bones on my Enduro Recently .

I eny you guys in that Elka etc are all local Products , hence , the stuff is Cheaper (?) easier to find . Down here I'd have to Sell my sister to get a decent set of iShocks for a good price .

As for jumping - well - I cant Fault the 450 shocks There . We have a table i am Learning to clear , and if it wasnt for these shocks i'd be bottoming Out big time .

The problem with the 400 shocks is that You can only adjust pre-load , and by making the shocks stiffer doesnt Neccessarily mean they get any better . The 400 Ex shocks DO have their plus points , and between selling em and keeping em , Im going to keep em for a rainy day .Until then , I am stuck /faced with finding a way to soften up the 450 shocks without spending Plenty $$ for the wrong reasons .

I am no expert , but what i will tell you is from what I've learnt from people on this forum and by toying for a year with my Ex .
The bike seems top heavy in banked corners . Well not top heavy , but I mean - I believe that bikes maybe designed for lower speeds than what we are now encountering while playing . In other words - the narrower A arms are fine for toying around on the bike , but as soon as you start a more aggressive pattern of Riding the bike will start to WIndsurf in almost every sharp corner . Yes , throwing the butt out will counter that to a small degree - until it hooks up and throws you .. Lovely stuff .

The easier way then obviously -Like Ltr - is to Widen the Bike with e.g +2 Arms . I couldnt decide if it was the Shocks that did it or the spacers i inserted at first , but I am now confident that the higher cornering speed can be attributed to widening the Quad an Inch either side . This is not the recommended way to go , as it induces Bump steer to a degree . Also messes with the geometry of the front suspension set up . However - I do not possess the cash to spend R8500 On a set of Arms .

The others will give you More informed answers , but from experience I cannot list a major drawback of widening the standard and also Narrow front track . Seems Odd that designers would build em so narrow in the first place , but I would attribute that to the bikes original Intentions being pitched at recreational riding . I may be wrong though .

i shocks would be a nice Option to go for once the cash is there , include the Wider a-arms in your basket as well and you'll have a decent bike to go trailing with . Sticks Like GLUE after you've done the widening mod . Nice .

Anyhow , wait for the answers and suggestions to roll in .

[400exstud]

If you are doing a lot of trail riding you may not want to widen your bike at all. Too wide and...........WAMM! You just might hit something or be hit by others.

If, however, you do want to widen your quad, Houser, Leagars, Lone Star Racing, and many others are good companies.

You have been misslead about the price of Elkas. For THE most expensive front ends you may spend 3K but you can get a good set of A-arms for roughly $550 and brand new Elka recs. (465) for just over a grand. Keep in mind brake lines, if needed.

You can pick up another stock stem for about $40 off of www.servicehonda.com . If you want aftermarket Houser makes a really strong one for about $275.

Feel free to ask anything else.

[PismoLocal]

As far as trail riding are you talking desert trail riding or like tree infested mountain trail riding?

[Def-e-nition]

Originally posted by 400exstud
If you are doing a lot of trail riding you may not want to widen your bike at all. Too wide and...........WAMM! You just might hit something or be hit by others.

If, however, you do want to widen your quad, Houser, Leagars, Lone Star Racing, and many others are good companies.

You have been misslead about the price of Elkas. For THE most expensive front ends you may spend 3K but you can get a good set of A-arms for roughly $550 and brand new Elka recs. (465) for just over a grand. Keep in mind brake lines, if needed.

You can pick up another stock stem for about $40 off of www.servicehonda.com . If you want aftermarket Houser makes a really strong one for about $275.

Feel free to ask anything else.


I should add that I am in SOuth Africa , and Boy - the ELKA'S are Not cheap at all . Houser , Laeger and Elka are the import Price Kings here .

Anything , ANything Imported , and we get it up the Nose . With A Single importer Handling each respective Make - there is little competition , Hence the Vicious Pricing . Also Has to do With Hedging any surges in the Rand Dollar Price .

[blown331]

Desert trail riding. I'm in Arizona so unless I go up into the local mountains there really aren't too many obstructions to get through.

I really appreciate the information guys

[PismoLocal]

Originally posted by blown331
Desert trail riding. I'm in Arizona so unless I go up into the local mountains there really aren't too many obstructions to get through.

I really appreciate the information guys

For desert trails you will be fine running a +2" arms and a +4 axle. I have +2" arms on my 400 and never once had problems with being too wide in the desert.

The first suspension mod I did was front shocks because they make the biggest difference in handling. When trying to figure which shocks you want use the search button and search the suspension forum with the shock companies name and read as much as you can about them.

After front shocks I did arms and did the same research technique I used for the shocks do the same for your axle as well.

The best advice I can give you on figuring this stuff out is to just read as much as you can and to keep your patience. You dont want to go and spend $1500 on suspension and be disappointed with what you have.

On my quad I have-
Standard travel Axis shocks in the front and rear
+2 burgard HD A-arms
+4 G-fource axle
and I couldn't be happier.

[Def-e-nition]

+4 Axle - gee that sounds Nice man . You must be happy .

I agree . Reading has helped me plenty .
That , and Experimentation .