may be getting 400ex, please help me out!!!

[sahlberg]

ok, i'm selling my honda recon and either getting a used 450R or 400ex. If i got with the 400ex, i'll probably be going with the 03's or 02's since they seem to be the cheapest.

so, is there anything i should watch out for in those years in the 400exs? any advantages over the 450R?

i love to wheelie, jump, donuts,etc. so i really want a fast quad.

if i bored it 40cc over, (440cc), would it be almost equal to the 450R (i dont want to have to bore it over but i probably eventually would)

i know a little about sport quads (knowa LOT about utilities and snorkeleing, etc) so, just give me some advice and help please.

thanks

[Rip_Tear]

if you think you'd bore it out I'd just go with a 450R to start with. I love my 400ex, but if I was looking at quads again now, I'd definately get a 450 over the 400 hands down.

The 400ex is one wicked reliable quad, but things to look for are a seized swingarm bolt and the usual wear and tear items I guess...

[400exrider720]

I have a 2000 and it runs great. It sounds like the perfect quad for you. Jumps, wheelies, and great for trails. Plus mods are cheap. As you said you can bore it out later if needed. I dont know about a 440 running with the 450s but my 416 has plenty of power. A friend has a YFZ 450 and he smokes me on the road, in the trails I am better. I think 400exs are great all around. One advantage to the newer(05-07) 400s is they have reverse so that may be a thing you may want but I have run into very few places where I have to get off to turn mine around. Good luck and hopw this helped.

[sahlberg]

cool. i mean, it probably wouldn't be for another year until i bore it out but i still probably would. i'm looking more towards the 450R but idk. just wanted to get somepeoples opinions.

oh and is that with ALL the 400s that 05+ have the reverse? thats something i definately need.

[jbizzle1286]

Well considering this is your first sport quad I would go with a 400EX--they have PROVEN "bulletproof" engines and there is ALOT of afterarket parts out there for them if you decide to upgrade. a 450r is a great quad but they are more for the racer. . .the 400Ex is an all around god machine and are fun to ride. I have a 2000 and as far as i know there were no probles with any year EX

[JimmyHoffa]

Coming from a recon, both would be a drastic imporvement. I would personally pick a 400, because you won't be able to take advantage of the power and suspension a 450r has to offer for a long time to come. Plus, if you are used to taking care of your quads like most people take care of their recons, the 400 will be more tolerant to that also. I'm not slamming recons, they're just more reliable than 450's in general.

[sahlberg]

well, whatever quad i get, probably will stay with for quite a long time. i know how to ride very well (not bragging or anything, just honselty saying i know how to ride) and i'm not too worried about the power of them although, i cant wait to get on one lol.

i will basically be riding it all the time like i'm racing.....doing tons of whoops , wheelies, slides and jumps. thats pretty much ALL i'll be doing lol.

[JimmyHoffa]

my opinion may have changed, but I'm not sure. I enjoy having a fast bike that stays together. It can even be buit up very reliably. Both are Hondas so in the end you're still part of the family :-)

[blasterandy]

If this is your first sport quad i would go with a 400ex because in truth you will be much happier with it. The 450's can be kinda hard to ride for a new rider. The 400 you can basically ride with no kinda hassle and still run very fast. My first sport was a blaster then went to a 400ex and it is plenty i still find myself getting scared on it. And if you plan on doing a big bore i suggest you reconsider and go for suspension and other lighter and cheaper mods first. You should always learn to ride the machine to its best stock before you upgrade that way you arn't wasting your money. you can have all the power in the world but its all for nothing if you can't ride in the first place. Right :D

Just my .02

and yes the 400ex is the most reliable quad probably ever built.
My opinon again. ;) :D

Tell us what you decide. And welcome to the forum by the way.:cool:

[Rappa]

Originally posted by sahlberg
well, whatever quad i get, probably will stay with for quite a long time. i know how to ride very well (not bragging or anything, just honselty saying i know how to ride) and i'm not too worried about the power of them although, i cant wait to get on one lol.

i will basically be riding it all the time like i'm racing.....doing tons of whoops , wheelies, slides and jumps. thats pretty much ALL i'll be doing lol.

You said it all right there " i know how to ride ". Then the 450 is for you. It's not just a racer quad then the 400 but the better of all 450's in the trail. The bottom line is what you can afford and if that means getting an older 400 then that's cool. Like the other guy said, " your still on a Honda " and you'll be on a reliable machine no matter what. Good luck and happy hunting.

[Jramion]

NOthing compares to having more power, and the 450r has much more than the 400ex. I rode my bros 450r the other day and it will pull a wheelie in 3rd gear, my 400ex will just barely get the tires off the ground in third, but wheelies well in second.

It seems my 400ex is a very cold starter and takes a while for me to get it started and warmed up enough that it will idle on its on. The 450r started on the first kicked and idled by itself till it warmed up.

450r has no reverse. If that's something you really want then you might oughta stick with the 400ex. It's a pain in the ***** to have to get off the quad to lift and pull the back end around cause you can't go forward.

[sahlberg]

well, i'm pretty sure i'll have enough for an 04 used 450R or if this guy is telling me the truth, there's suppossedly 06' left over 450Rs in PA for like 4700 buks which if true, i'll save up for that.

is it really true that the newer 450Rs dont have reverse? i mean, i guess i good live without it, it would just suck.

theres a atv race track near me and i can rent a 450R all day for $180. thats seeams like ridiculous money to me but its the only way to can REALLY test out the 450R. I'm going to work Saturday and i should have enough to rent it. i'm pretty sure i'll end up with the 450R. and if so, i wont end up boring it out or anything.

i definatly will have to get to know the bike stock. since its such a big upgrade (250 recon to 450R LOL) it will take a while to get used to it so the only upgrades would be an exhaust and tires.....

thanks for the help and ill let ya know what i defeinatly decide

[blasterandy]

b careful. Like u said a 250 ute to a 450 race is a ridiculous upgrade but will deffinitly keep u occupied and will be a butt load a fun. Tell us what u decide on. And like i said before becareful your 250 compared to the 450 is like a puppy compared to a grizzly bear. the 400 being a black bear :D.

nvm crappy joke.

[miller821]

The 450r has never had reverse... The 05+ 400ex's are equipped with reverse, but the 04- are not. Either one should do you, I know my 400ex has a good tolerance; and I do push it to the limit a lot.

Though if I could, i'd get the 450. Not dogging on the 400, but just when i'm jumping, i'd like to have more power so I can trust myself more.

[400ex429]

i think you should go with the 450r, especially if you want to do wheelies. I have a 400ex I just got, but my friend has had a 450r for awhile and I always manage to pop the wheels off the ground with the 450r without trying. You will get use to the power of it. But if money is playing a role, the 400ex is a fun bike too for cheaper. Thats the reason i got my 2003 400ex because i can't afford to sell out the 3-4g's for a 450r, and the 400ex was only $1700. but if you got the money go for the 450r, you can always ride it slower then its limit, but you can't ride a 400ex faster than its limit.