whos got the worst quad design?

[1965 honda]

im going to say the new outlaws rear shocks are the worst. feel free to give your opinion

[HondaEXrider22]

Even though I am Honda at heart, I think they are stupid to make 3 out of 4 of their quad designes the same. They look OK, but not enough to make them all the same.

[MX MaNiAc 06]

Honda 2006 450r starter is the worst thing ive ever seen somebody do to a quad. Seriously how can they make something that bad then continue to do the same thing the next year when they KNOW it sucks!!?!?!!

[416exfreak]

The non-removable subframe on 400ex's...i hate it...mine got bent when my cousin decided to hit a tree at about 35 (he walked away...destroyed my TLD helmet though)

Anyways....thats the worst design to me:)

[Honda TRX250ex]

Originally posted by HondaEXrider22
Even though I am Honda at heart, I think they are stupid to make 3 out of 4 of their quad designes the same. They look OK, but not enough to make them all the same.
I agree

[firefighterjosh]

My king quads twitchy front end. Wants to lock up on you sometimes when going down bumpy hills.:scary:

[BlaineKaiser450]

Originally posted by HondaEXrider22
Even though I am Honda at heart, I think they are stupid to make 3 out of 4 of their quad designes the same. They look OK, but not enough to make them all the same. i am the same way. I think the 300ex and 250ex looked better b4 they made them look like 450r's

[OutlawBill]

Any Quad from China

[400eXr1d3rZ]

Originally posted by 416exfreak
The non-removable subframe on 400ex's...i hate it...mine got bent when my cousin decided to hit a tree at about 35 (he walked away...destroyed my TLD helmet though)

Anyways....thats the worst design to me:)

What do you mean non-removable? Why does mine unbolt completely?

[coolguy8769]

yamaha's electrical system.........:mad:

[416exfreak]

Originally posted by 400eXr1d3rZ
What do you mean non-removable? Why does mine unbolt completely?


Your correct, I meant to put grab bar....my bad

Lol, but anyways..I satdn by my original statement...except subrame=grab-bar!!!!!!:p

[400eXr1d3rZ]

Originally posted by coolguy8769
yamaha's electrical system.........:mad:

Aren't you the guy who's YFZ motor seized? That sounds horrible...how much damage did it make? What needs to be replaced?

[450rJam]

I think he means the grab bar, not the sub frame

I second the crapy e start system with the one way clutch gear.

the 400ex non-removeable grab bar is a close second

oh and the dang shaft drive on the z250/250ex
(it just limits the travel so much)

[mojavedude]

how spark plugs are always so dang deep in the hole that can be filled with water and mud. and this is a problem on almost every quad.:mad:

YFZ's plastics, mine never stay lined up, and YFZ's grab bar, it might be just mine, but it would just get loose over time. But i fixed it now.

[N300exJ]

I agree that the 400ex subframe/grab bar one piece sucks!(thats not the only atv though like this)

there are aftermarket fixes/ oem retro mods to fix the older yfz's electrical charging problems. Or do it the cheap way and ride with your headlights on at all times so it makes a full battery charge everytime.

I also agree that all the hondas looking the same is unoriginal and boring! I prefer the older 400ex plastic to the new.

another one of my complaints is that it seems that when the big four try and fix a problem they create more!

[underpowered]

Z400 valves. they are the worst design in my book. they pull through and the timin chains suck.

[450rJam]

the old z400 chain adjustment

[<DRS>GPF]

since were talking about specific parts and part designs of quads..

i vote for 400ex stock front shocks... when will they ever "step up" and get them upgraded..

[400exrider707]

Worst quad design? From my experience the Z400. I've never seen a single quad with so many problems.

GEN I frames, couldn't keep them together for anything, which is why Doug Gust got a completely new quad every race.

The seat kept falling off no matter what we did with it, until we put a pin on it and put a clip through it, but that made it a pain to get it off quick if you needed to.

The wiring to the battery was dumb, maybe that was just on this specific one though as I believe the dealer was the one who did it, but it was definitely not a good set up, and while on the subject, once the seat fell off, the battery was free to bounce out wherever it wanted to.

The swingarm was terrible. The chain tensioner design probably wouldn't hold up on a bicycle let a lone a quad, plus the swingarm itself kept cracking and falling apart.

The motor was decent, though the timing chains were known to stretch very rapidly.

The timin chain tensioner was also garbage, and often replaced with one out of a vinson I believe.

The choke on the handlebars... you might think this is convenient but its a terrible idea. The quad flips over in a race and hits the choke, you flip it back to get going again and dont realize the choke is on, why is this thing running like crap???

The headlight, hit anything with it and it breaks in half. Ok now both halves are good, but there is no way to make it work back in there again.

Steering stems were like butter. Also try replacing the steering stem on a Honda, then try on a Z400. You have to take off the headpipe, the oil tank, the radiator, and then you can take the old stem out... what a pain!!!

The stock spindles seemed to bend very easily too.

Thats all I can think of off the top of my head.:mad:

[WhiteZrider]

Originally posted by 400exrider707
Worst quad design? From my experience the Z400. I've never seen a single quad with so many problems.

GEN I frames, couldn't keep them together for anything, which is why Doug Gust got a completely new quad every race.

The seat kept falling off no matter what we did with it, until we put a pin on it and put a clip through it, but that made it a pain to get it off quick if you needed to.

The wiring to the battery was dumb, maybe that was just on this specific one though as I believe the dealer was the one who did it, but it was definitely not a good set up, and while on the subject, once the seat fell off, the battery was free to bounce out wherever it wanted to.

The swingarm was terrible. The chain tensioner design probably wouldn't hold up on a bicycle let a lone a quad, plus the swingarm itself kept cracking and falling apart.

The motor was decent, though the timing chains were known to stretch very rapidly.

The timin chain tensioner was also garbage, and often replaced with one out of a vinson I believe.

The choke on the handlebars... you might think this is convenient but its a terrible idea. The quad flips over in a race and hits the choke, you flip it back to get going again and dont realize the choke is on, why is this thing running like crap???

The headlight, hit anything with it and it breaks in half. Ok now both halves are good, but there is no way to make it work back in there again.

Steering stems were like butter. Also try replacing the steering stem on a Honda, then try on a Z400. You have to take off the headpipe, the oil tank, the radiator, and then you can take the old stem out... what a pain!!!

The stock spindles seemed to bend very easily too.

Thats all I can think of off the top of my head.:mad:

Dont be so harsh on the Z's=)

The only serious problem I've had with mine is the subframe cracking. Its all good now.

[WQ_250]

Sounds like you got a quad that was built on a Friday. I haven't had any problems with mine, nor cracks. If your worried about your choke being on the handlebars you can always move it. I have flipped mine plenty of times and never have had any problems with the choke working it's way on, or my seat falling off. :D

[WQ_250]

Oops sorry about the 3 duplicate post. :ermm:

[400exrider707]

You guys need to ride harder then. The choke was a once in a time thing probably, but that one time cost a race. We moved it afterwards. The seat fell off nearly every race. If you look where it hooks under the plastic on those two metal rods sticking out, we welded rod all the way across so it couldn't go side to side and pop off, it still fell off, then once that happens the battery bounces out and dangles by the cords. Like I said the cracks on the frames were GEN 1 problems, they updated the frame in late 03 early 04, suzuki knew it was a problem because we got a new frame for free, when we returned the old one. I still think they were a great quad with good power and fun to ride, but the first gen ones had a ton of problems.

Lets not forget the newer Z's when they first came out had all the magnesium covers, which was corroding the antifreeze on the showroom floor, and causing the water pump to work improperly and guys having blown overheated motors after the first few hours of riding. They tried to keep that one hush hush.

[parkers30]

You can delete them by clicking Edit and selecting the delete box in that window.



I agree with the Z having its fair share of problems. Add to it:

Lower steering stem bushing constantly wearing out, When everyone else is using a bearing, why would you choose a bushing?



Getting the carb out of a YFZ has to be up there, with 4 jetting circuits, it has to come out a few times to get everything right.

Subframe attachment on the YFZ is up there too, still can't figure out why that hasn't be redesign at all.

[smr]

1 Tecate 4...they where a piece of junk that rode like a pogo stick

2 350 Foreman with the solid front axle and all time full 4 wheel drive. Ever try to turn on of these things.

3 1985 LT250...bottom ends would not hold together, 86 was much better.

4 LT230 quadsport, things rode good but the motors would not hold up.

5 any polaris built before 97.

[WQ_250]

Originally posted by parkers30
[B]You can delete them by clicking Edit and selecting the delete box in that window.

Thanks for letting me know. I mostly lurk here so I wasn't sure how to delete them.

[parkers30]

Not a problem, using every forum is different and there don't tend to be how to's


Looks like you have been around here a few years though. :)

[450rJam]

the 230 quad sport motor is new to me, I have a couple buddies that tore the heck out of them and they where like the 250x, not much power but they kept on kicking no mater what they did to them.

[gncc025]

ALL parking brakes, lol
300ex reverse set-up

[HB416EX]

Originally posted by smr
1

4 LT230 quadsport, things rode good but the motors would not hold up.


I have to disagree.I had a 89 LT230 and abused the hell out of it never had any problems.

[jeenyus_360]

i think how the seat and the rear fenders all come off in one piece on the 400ex is a bad design

[400exrider113]

i love the way the fenders and seat come off as one its great for washing and getting to things a lot quicker

one thing that is wrong with most quads is the stock rims

[smr]

The only thing I don't like about the 400ex is the head studs..witch can be fixed with heli-coils or GT thunder over size studs.

Just my opinion on the lt230...I was not a big fan of the motor, it actually wasn't the motor as bad as the transmission. They like to hang in gear, might be ok for trail riding but never did anygood trying to race one.....btw...I loved the way the handled.

[bwamos]

Polaris Scrambler 400.

2-stroke UTE :huh w/ very weak frame and a-arms (TRX90 has beefier a-arms). Starter is exposed to rock bashing, on and on..

[parkers30]

Originally posted by jeenyus_360
i think how the seat and the rear fenders all come off in one piece on the 400ex is a bad design

I also think that is one of the BEST designs ever. Makes service and cleaning far easier.

Stock rims on many sport quads tend to be stronger and lighter than the .190 rims people think are so great. The rolled bead makes all the difference on an aluminum rim.

[smr]

Originally posted by parkers30
I also think that is one of the BEST designs ever. Makes service and cleaning far easier.

Stock rims on many sport quads tend to be stronger and lighter than the .190 rims people think are so great. The rolled bead makes all the difference on an aluminum rim.

I agree with you 100%. Unless you go with a bead lock (renforcing ring) or carbon fiber, stock rims are one of the best.

[parkers30]

Originally posted by smr
I agree with you 100%. Unless you go with a bead lock (renforcing ring) or carbon fiber, stock rims are one of the best.

Exactly. While they are not indestructible they are very tough.