Buyin a 440ex

[kfritz400]

Hey everyone, my friend has got a 2001 440ex for sale with procircuit t-4 pipe and jetted, and k&n filter, hes also getting new tires. He said hell for sure sell it to me for $800, ive never seen it ridden, but another friend of mine tells me its one badass ex. ,but here are the things wrong with it... the front plastic on the left side it cracked alittle, theres a like 3 in. by 2 in. hole in the back of the airbox that hes going to fix. he lost the key, so he starts it somehow at the solenoid but he said hell get a new key made. and i think thats it, he siad it runs real good. but if i got it, would a 440 be good for trails and hills, and just riding around whenever i want? is it reliable? The reason hes selling it is because he wants to get money to put on a down payment on a new truck.
Thanks alot guys.

[Choppers]

440's can be reliable but then again it all depends on how they were built(meaning by someone who knows what there doing and what not). Another thing to note is make sure that it has a title because no key and $800 seems a little cheap even with the things you mentioned wrong with it it still seems very cheap. Also make sure you ride the bikes and check the oil and see if it smokes and all that good stuff. Another hing to check is the swingarm bearings. Look at the air filter to see how kept up the filter in the bike was.

[NFRASCONE]

$800? Hmmm... sounds alittle cheap. Well hopefully nothing is wrong with it. Make sure you check EVERYTHING before you bring it home. Goodluck with the purchase!

[skull2002]

if you dont buy it i will. even if it blows up, you can part it out for that. those others dont know what they are talking about!!!! buy it.

[Ruby Soho]

yeah but he may not want to part it out. he might just want to buy something to ride and not sell or work on.

[NFRASCONE]

So from us saying it sounds alittle cheap for a good condition bike, we don't know what we are talking about? That's funny, not every person goes wow, I'll take up lots of my free time, part out a bike and make a minimal investment. You must have alot of free time on your hands and no life to think that right away. Most of us think of buying a bike to ride it.

[johnsls]

If your going to buy something like this (like I did) you gotta think of the WHAT IF'S?
If the engine blows or needs to be rebuilt. Can you do it yourself relatively cheap or find a buddy who can?

Plastics can be bought for kinda cheap & so can a new key switch from your local Honda shop.
If the 440 goes, you can get it resleeved with a 426 kit if your worried about it blowing again.. (again what I did)
But its not necessary if its built right.

Besides adding on aftermarket stuff it sounds like a good deal.
ALSO if its your "buddies"., Can't you trust him???

I personally think what others have said about riding it and checking the oil etc...is a SMART idea. Check it over good or take someone with you who knows about quads.
Just adding my 2¢

GOOD LUCK:)

[kfritz400]

Thanks for the replys. I know its def not stolen, because he has the title, but he just lost the key or cant find it. and the local atv shop did ALL the work to the atv, even jetted it, and put on pipe. I rode it last week, and it felt very strong and smooth, except the clutch started slipin, so the next day he paid 200 to have it fixed, and it has a hydraulic clutch. But i havnt rode yet since, but the price is still at just $800, i looked all over the bike, didnt find one spec of rust, it all seems fine to me, and definatley worth Alot more than $800. Also i doubt theres anything wrong with the engine, because me and him are pretty good buddy's and i doubt he would sell me something like that. How much doe.s it cost to have a locksmith comeout and makea new key for it? or however else i can fix it. Or my buddy will prolly just end up fixin that too. i donno. Oh and that t-4 is sooo damn loud, he says he has the sliencer thing in it, but i really doubt it. Because are the t-4 still really loud witht he slincer in it, i hope not.