REALLY confused

[DVXracer]

ok guys im really confused...i really wanna race and currently i have a 06 stock DVX400. im not sure if i should sell it and get a 450 or put money into my DVX...? of course just keeping the DVX and putting money into it will be the best for my budget..or should i get rid of my 400 while i can and get a 450??????

[KFX440ROX]

well you could get a 440 athena kit, digger card and cams and it would smoke that 450, im not a big fan how the lt-r 450's look, i like the new kfx 450 though, if i was you i would keep the dvx

[firefighterjosh]

What kinda racing you going to be doing?

[DVXracer]

im gonna race sx, mx and ax

[mx1791]

i have the same problem as you right now, i wanna start racing mx, i really wanna keep my quad and dump money into it, but i kinda want an lt-r too, the 450's lighter and eventually u'll put money into the 450 to make it better, so imo i think its better to get a 450, i love my z and would like to keep it i just wish i knew what it would be like after suspention and motor work, and compared to a 450, the z/kfx/dvx is just a big clunky quad

[DVXracer]

yep i agree with everything u just said, i think im gonna get a 450 of some sort soon

[indyZrider]

have you ridden any of the 450's? the Z is not a clunky quad. the 400ex is. the honda 450r sounds like it has rocks in the engine and is awkward compared to the Z. the ltr is not that impressive in stock form. however with a little modding to either one it will make a great racer but.....the Z is not a big clunky quad. look at the dimensions for both of those. near the same just a bigger engine and a better suspension. you can mod a Z to the hills and keep up with and beat the 450's but your wrench time is going to be a contributing factor. and your wallet. so if you want to start racing your probably better off getting a 450 and racing in the stock classes until you get comfortable with it and the races and then mod your bike and move up in class. JMO

[PeeWee21]

;) Good post Indy!:D

[roperr]

I haven't found a 450 yet that would walk away from my KFX. I think it rides awsome with suspension mods done.:)

[mx1791]

the z is heavier, and has a taller center of gravity, its not like its a bad quad, but u have to dump all this money into the engine to make it keep up with a 450, and then u need suspention too. and i see so many ppl build up there z's and then sell them for a 450 a year later and have to build up there 450 now. i mean if you like your z that much, its worth it to keep it, but if you dont know what to do then it'd be smarter to just get the 450 and go from there.

[rockman]

Originally posted by mx1791
the z is heavier, and has a taller center of gravity, its not like its a bad quad, but u have to dump all this money into the engine to make it keep up with a 450, and then u need suspention too. and i see so many ppl build up there z's and then sell them for a 450 a year later and have to build up there 450 now. i mean if you like your z that much, its worth it to keep it, but if you dont know what to do then it'd be smarter to just get the 450 and go from there.

Very well put. I don't do alot of racing, mostly freestyle, dunes, and trails. I love my z for all these and wouldn't take anything else. But if I were to buy a quad SOLEY for racing then i would go with a 450 simply because thats what they are made for, and its going to cost ALOT less to make one fast, whereas a Z400 is going to take at least a couple grand on top of the purchase price.

[Tri-valleyracin]

the z400s are nice quad to race with to. my fathers walks away from some of the 450s on the track. idk whats in the motor. we bout it used and put 450r front shocks on it, custom front spacers and tires and a $60 dg pipe off ebay. it still needs better suspension but for around $2,800 for everthing including the quad it do's fine.

[montycarlo]

I race C class XC. On the starting line, I am probably with a 400cc quad w/ no engine mods at all out of ~18- 25 quads. (Not even a pipe yet!) Everyone else either has a built / bored / or piped 400, a 450, or something bigger. In 3 of 9 races this year I got (2) 2nds and a 4th on the holeshot off the start.

I'm sure it helps to be paying attention on the line but that speaks for how quick a stock Z is.

[roperr]

That's what I am talking about!!

[450rJam]

you have got to be kidding...................

racing is more rider than atv, suspention is more valuable than hp
that z400 is a good quad (not great)
you do lap times on a z then on an ltr450

the ltr is clunky VERY CLUNKY

and the 06/07 450r does sound like a diesel (comp. short piston)

pat yourself on the back if you need it but stop lieing to yourself

[smoothie]

ya man it's not all about the numbers, it's your skill level too. i have a 05 and with about 800bucks put into an axle ebay a-arms and a slip on oh and a tooth smaller front sprocket, i keep up to and beat sometimes yfz's(never went up against a honda) it's all about the rider.:scary:

[matthoyda]

Originally posted by 450rJam
you have got to be kidding...................

racing is more rider than atv, suspention is more valuable than hp
that z400 is a good quad (not great)
you do lap times on a z then on an ltr450

the ltr is clunky VERY CLUNKY

and the 06/07 450r does sound like a diesel (comp. short piston)

pat yourself on the back if you need it but stop lieing to yourself
Couldnt of said it any better....its that way in everything..When i raced motocross I had a cr125 and 3/4 the guys on 250s couldnt run with me...Its all about skill and being comfortable. I rode a yzf450 at our track and I'd take my 400 over it.

[ccmuscle22]

great thread. I have a z400, the 450's seems to be the bike to have for a dune rider. There seems to be plenty of power hiding in the z400, suspension,handling, and skill will make you the fastest on most mx tracks. The $2K in those mods is equal to a stock 450 in cost. A pepped mid range z400 will out perform a faster top end 450 on most occasions in mx.
I'd like to hear more opinions on this.

[Zero74]

I almost bought an LTR, but decided it would be more satisfying to build my 03 kfx. I don't race mx or anything but I like having a fast good handling quad. I decided to build my engine after I saw video of buddahs athena Z ripping it up & smoking 450's.

I usually ride in glamis quite a bit, and when im surfing through the dunes with friends on 450's (before I had my athena) I was able to keep up with them. Now that I have my engine built and an esr intake my bike smokes stock and lightly modded 450's :devil: . The look on their faces when I walk them is priceless.

[Linkin24]

It really all comes down to the rider when you start racing in the C or beginer class. my first race was on a z with a pipe only and i finished 5th of 10 guys. I was the only 400, i was just a better rider than the other guys. Not bragging they were just worse than me.

Now i have the yosh motor in my z and it rips. it is faster than most of the 450's at the track. i know i have a lot of money in it, but it is great to have guys coming over to you after you beat them and ask whats in the motor.

i have rode my friends ltr and my quad is faster than his, but for a stock bike his is very fast. Pipe and CB and it keeps up with mine. so it is just all up to you. the athena rips for a 434 kit and it is like $550.00. add cams carb and exhaust and it will be plenty fast. if you want the best info for the z go to z400central.com. anything you want yo know can be found there about a z. good luck man.

[450rJam]

not knocking your choice of running the z at all, but imagine how fast you would be on a modded 450(any make).

I do understand what your saying though, its nice to be overlooked as an underdog then hand them their arse.

[matthoyda]

the problem with a modded 450 is the money. Not all of us can go buy a 6000 dollar quad and then stick money into it. so for the time being ill buy a 2500 dollar quad stick a 1000 into it and have the underdog...

[450rJam]

I can respect that..................

we all do the best we can with what we can get.

[Linkin24]

Originally posted by 450rJam
not knocking your choice of running the z at all, but imagine how fast you would be on a modded 450(any make).

I do understand what your saying though, its nice to be overlooked as an underdog then hand them their arse.

thats is a good point, but gust won the national championship and yokley did much better on the same quad i have. now obviously theres were better than mine, but it is very similar to theres, motor wise. This year they were on a modded 450 and didnt do as well. it just all comes down to the rider. but as an amature rider it is easier to just get a 450 and race it. i will admit that. but i like my z.

[smoothie]

+2

one of my friends owns a stock YFZ. he jokes around ALL the time giving me crap for having a z and just give it right back to him on the track. not to brag or anything like that but i keep up with him just fine and beat him many times too. the only thing hes got me on is jumping and whoops sections because his quad is all stock. mine being with wider a-arms and shocks not re-valved really sucks. as soon as i get that done i have no doubts in beat him on his precious YFZ.

another friend of mine. had a z loved it, totaled it. got a yfz, loved it, sold it because of financial reasons. now he wants to go back to a z and do what i did to mine with the suspension and motor because he likes it so much.

[450rJam]

one of my friends race a z400 with a few mods and he is pissed,
he rides ok but when someone passes him on a 450r with less
skill he gets frustrated (he cant afford a 450 right now either)

he can hang and pass a few in the corners and slower parts but on the straights and doubles they pull him.

[05Z400rdr]

a Z is deffinately capable of doing good out on the track, and like u's said, most of it is the rider themself. last season was my first season racing, and my very first race ever, i got 3rd out of 42 racers in Open B class locally. my suspension, a-arms, etc were all stock. no handling parts on it..al strock. the only performance parts i had on it was a full Yoshi TRS ti/ti exhaust, k&n with outerwears, and jetted. i had plenty of power. but my second race i severely broke my arm so that ended my season. the only thing i didnt like about it was the gearing. i would do good at the beginning of the holeshot, but i had practically no top end compared to all the 450's (i was the only 400) so, its pretty much up to you, either way, i cant say enough, practice practice practice because it is mostly the rider rather than the quad... hope this helps



Landon

[z40021]

I would buy a new LTR put some nerfs handlebars tether on it and then race it in the stock class while I pile up parts for it on the side, then put the parts in it after you got all you want and race in a dif class.

[jherbie28]

im with him, in my opinion the z or kfx is one of the best machines out. the rider is what makes the difference, i race district 7 and last seasion my kfx was stock, beating 450s is not a problem!!! no i have put lots of money into it and it sure in the hell is going to put the 450s to shame, caint wait to next weekend when the season kicks off.