Z400 not even in the same class!! How could they?

[Honda4ooEX]

I am getting kind of upset towards the way the mags and people compare the new z400 to a quad such as sophisticated as the line of Cannondales. The magazines rated it better than the cannondale? Even people on this fourm. I am not saying that the z400 is a bad quad. After it has proven its worthness into the sport quad market and its reliablity, I still believe that it would not be close to the cannondales. I would like to know how the dirt wheels crew decides which quad to compare others too. I mean in my mind you wouldn't compare a truck to a car in a hauling test? Does anyone else feel the same. This is not a personal attack on the Z400 or DW I just don't completely understand this reasoning? I speak from experince because I have rode both. Keep the Z400 in its class, compare it to things like the 400EX not the canoondale. It seems like they try and keep it in a catagory of CC's and motor size but, then they compare it to the Raptor which is 260 CC's more than the Z. Even though the Raptor performance wise is equivelent to a 400 cc motor.

[2k2-300exnj]

i dunno maybe they were just curious how it would compare but they said it is only faster and stuff like that to a beginner rider it is easier to ride not faster period but i still think that the cannondale should have one but personally(here comes the bashing) i like the z400

[popo]

I think you need to re-read the article. The Z was the winner solely based on the overall cost of the bike & for the average buying a quad for pleasure trail riding. It was not a apples to apples comparison. Point in case, a stock raptor will smoke a Z in HP, but handles like crap. The Z won cause it was $800.00 cheaper.

I can guarantee you are going to spend more than $800.00 trying to get the power a Raptor or a Cdale has.

I don't think the Cdale was given a fair chance, due to the cost of the bike. Also think about it. Cdale does not spend the advertising money that Suzuki does with Dirt Wheels either. And who cares what Dirt Wheels thinks.

Remember when the Raptor first came out. It was the greatest thing on earth. The Z will be in the same boat,breaking frames etc.

Dirtliars said what?:D :rolleyes: :blah :) :mad: :confused:

[Honda4ooEX]

I agree 100%, I hate how companies can buy a good word from dirt wheels, the fact of the matter is, that dirt wheels must sell mags. Companies just buy their way in. I loved how like before the release of the Z400, you never saw anything suzuki related even with their utility quads. But after the release of the Z, I think I counted a total of like 12 full page Z400 ads for exhaust and everything. I just think it makes everyone look bad, even Kaw and Suzuki, they way they teamed up, they are still mostlikely not even close to the R&D of Honda alone. Think about what would happen if Honda and Yamaha formed a partnership. They are more or less saying both of them can't make it on there own.

[86atc250r]

If you guys knew what HiTorque charges for their ads, you'd understand the "motivation" behind their sometimes heavily biased articles....

Moral of the story? Never take advise from someone that stands to profit from swaying your decision.

[MxDale71]

What would happen if Yamaha and Honda merged?

LOL, I'm gonna get bashed for this but I just have to say it...

Honda = slow

Yamaha = unreliable

Honda + Yamaha = A slow quad that brakes down a lot.

[jja125]

just look at the pictures in that d-wheels "shootout" article. i was looking at it last night and if you notice the Z400 is front and center in basically all the photos, 2nd is the Cdale and then they have the honda getting roosted in the back of the picture where you can barely see it. you think they chose those particular pictures by accident?? i bought stock in cannondale when i heard they were goign to start making dirtbikes a couple of years ago, now i go to races and see their quads doing great and their atv and dirtbike sales have jumped 317% this past year yet their stock is basically worthless so far. i think its mainly from everybody questioning their reliabilty and the lack of press they get from mags like dirtwheels. hopefully someday their stock will pay off and i can buy one of their quads, or maybe one of their suits will read this and just feel bad for me and send me one for supporting their R&D costs in 98 & 99 :D after recently switching from my yz426 to a 400ex obviously i am not that impressed with the 400ex's motor and am seriously considering just trading it in on a cdale rather than build up an unreliable race motor.

[Nausty]

grr thats why I can't stand reading dirt wheels or atv action, the mags are all the same and they just wanna tell you the specs on quads and have 50,000 shootouts that don't even matter. I could care less which is better anyways. I think a cannondale is much cheaper to mod, better handling, way more power and great service. Oh yah but the z costs 800 less. To bad they just didn't do the same when the raptor came out when it came to raptor vs 400ex... Then they didn't hardly mention the cost and didn't even make it part of the "shootout".

[cdalejef]

Originally posted by 86atc250r
If you guys knew what HiTorque charges for their ads, you'd understand the "motivation" behind their sometimes heavily biased articles....I DO!!!:eek:

[BrianEX]

I have a friend who works at a Kawasaki dealer. He races a 400EX that is nearly stock. The only performance parts on it is a K&N, a White Brothers ProMeg exhaust, a WB rev kit, & it is jetted. He raced his 400EX against a new KX400 and walked all over it. He then switched quads and the other employee rode his. The 400EX still smoked the KX400 by 4 quad lengths in a 300 foot race.

I know that they are the same price new, but why buy new. Buy a used 400EX for $3,700 and through the rest into parts and you'll come way out ahead. He also said the KX is tippy in the back because of the increased seat height.

Sounds to me like a no-brainer. And remember he sells them. (He is not a Honda dealer.)