When to stop?

[sideways]

When you own an atv, you spend a lot of money on it on repairs, mods, and so on. When do you stop spending money on your quad and buy a new one?
heres an example. I have owned mine for over 6 years now. IN that time, i have spent over $13000 on it. (and i have all receipts to prove it) that includes the suspension, 3 swingarms, 2 sets of a-arms, too many sets of rims and tires, all the bearings multiple times, and i am currently doing the top end over for the second time. the case was split open and rebuilt once as well.
I ordered all my new parts yesterday for my build, and realized i am about to spend another 700-800 on parts. It made me think, why am i spending more money on this thing, i should really just part it out and buy a new quad. Anyone else ever feel like this?
when do you call it quits?

[UNBROKEN]

when ure not physicaly able to ride anymore :D

[400exrider_88]

they are money pits. thats why im going to college, maybe someday i'll be a 4wheeler mechanic so u guys will be paying me to work on you stuff. of course by then atvs will run either on hydrgen or solar energy lol

oh and to answer your question, i stop putting money into mine when i run out of money. all i buy is gas, beer and 400ex parts

[coryatver]

I will stop when I can afford to buy a new quad or something really major goes wrong with it. Until then I will just keep maintaining the 400 it is the most economical bike out there. Just look at how much it cost to replace parts or rebuild the 450's that require a lot more maintenance.

[Hondamaster5505]

When you think about it, by the time you spent 13000 on your 400ex, you could've bought a KTM XC and tricked it out! or even the new SX

Originally posted by Hondamaster5505
When you think about it, by the time you spent 13000 on your 400ex, you could've bought a KTM XC and tricked it out! or even the new SX

Stupidest thing I have ever heard. No one on here really eve has the xc and like no one has the sx yet so how do you know it is even any good. The quad is too overrated in my opinion.

[sideways]

Originally posted by Hondamaster5505
When you think about it, by the time you spent 13000 on your 400ex, you could've bought a KTM XC and tricked it out! or even the new SX

that is my point exactly, the ktm 525xc is my next bike.

$13,000 on a 400ex in 6 years? dang thats a lot. For the mods I see you have listed I cant imagine you going through that much cash and stuff.

[sideways]

most of the mods i have on the bike are not listed, i hate long sig's.
its not so much the mods (there are a lot) but more replacing things that broke. and i always get the best for the bike, never an oem replacement. plus splitting the cases and rebuilding the bottom end and top end was almost 2 grand the last time i had it done.

[Honda#4]

I always say i'm in too deep with spending money on my quad anyway so I just keep on a buying, whats another 3K.

[DementeD]

ah...im glad i dont have the bug that bad..or the wallet to fill the bug..

i want some more power maybe a wider stance..but then i sit and look back at the price for what ur getting..and i say its not worth it..
coming from a car scene of racing..i just dont understand how atv parts can be soooo expensive..1000 for shocks?...thats insane when u can buy 4 shocks for a car that are top of the line for 700-800.

like id love to have a little bit faster maybe a 416 10.5ish to 1 or 11 maybe..and then through on some +2 a arms and a wider axle..but the price doesnt justify it enough for me yet..

i have other hobbies that money has to be spent..plus bills etc..
i guess if u have that kind of money to waste..go for it..or u NEED it for the riding your doing ie if u race mx etc..

but i just clown around trail ride etc..and rather make it look decent and perform decent with little cash as possible..
and fix stuff that breaks..

also note that its honda..and honda oem is sometimes as good as it gets...why u think the bikes last so long to begin with?

[tri5ron]

Originally posted by DementeD
ah...im glad i dont have the bug that bad..or the wallet to fill the bug..

i want some more power maybe a wider stance..but then i sit and look back at the price for what ur getting..and i say its not worth it..
coming from a car scene of racing..i just dont understand how atv parts can be soooo expensive..1000 for shocks?...thats insane when u can buy 4 shocks for a car that are top of the line for 700-800.

like id love to have a little bit faster maybe a 416 10.5ish to 1 or 11 maybe..and then through on some +2 a arms and a wider axle..but the price doesnt justify it enough for me yet..

i have other hobbies that money has to be spent..plus bills etc..
i guess if u have that kind of money to waste..go for it..or u NEED it for the riding your doing ie if u race mx etc..

but i just clown around trail ride etc..and rather make it look decent and perform decent with little cash as possible..
and fix stuff that breaks..

also note that its honda..and honda oem is sometimes as good as it gets...why u think the bikes last so long to begin with?

X2,
There does come a point where we simply must defy the urges of A.A.D.S.
(the above statement can be loosely translated into,...
Trying to prevent the wife from killing us for having the disease)
LOL!!!

[my88r]

Originally posted by RoadRidin450r
Stupidest thing I have ever heard. No one on here really eve has the xc and like no one has the sx yet so how do you know it is even any good. The quad is too overrated in my opinion.

i guess you know nothing about how good ktm products are. theres more xcs out there then you think. only thing i would let my 400ex go is for one of those. this is coming from someone who owns a ktm.:D

[Yellow2004ex400]

Sideways,
Sounds to me like you maybe abuse your bike or you spend money just to spend money. 3 sets of rims? You only need two. One for riding sand dunes and one for doing motocross/trail riding. 3 sets of swingarms? Only need to buy one extended one. 2 sets of a-arms? Again; only need to buy one set of wide a-arms. You've had to buy bearings? My atv is almost 5 years old now and have rode it all over Southern California, yet I've never had to replace bearings or rebuild the top or bottom ends. I own a 2004 Honda 400ex and as long as I change the engine oil regularly and not abuse the quad like an idiot, I have yet to spend any major money on it replacing parts that broke and may not for a long time. The only money I've spent on it has been about $2000 to make it faster and handle much better. I can't believe you've spent $13000 on your bike. Sounds to me like you're out doing stupid things to it when you ride it... And if your going to tell me that you do motocross and that's why you always break parts, I know many people that do amateur motocross and have not had to spend nearly half as much of what you have spent.

[Pipeless416]

Originally posted by sideways
When you own an atv, you spend a lot of money on it on repairs, mods, and so on. When do you stop spending money on your quad and buy a new one?
heres an example. I have owned mine for over 6 years now. IN that time, i have spent over $13000 on it. (and i have all receipts to prove it) that includes the suspension, 3 swingarms, 2 sets of a-arms, too many sets of rims and tires, all the bearings multiple times, and i am currently doing the top end over for the second time. the case was split open and rebuilt once as well.
I ordered all my new parts yesterday for my build, and realized i am about to spend another 700-800 on parts. It made me think, why am i spending more money on this thing, i should really just part it out and buy a new quad. Anyone else ever feel like this?
when do you call it quits?

when you listed the stuff that you spent all of that money on, you have to realize that getting a new quad won't help you at all. you'll still go through bearings, you'll still have extra sets of rims and tires, you'll still want new a arms, swing arms, etc.. its not like you're having major engine problems, you're just performing regular maintenance, like you would do on a new quad once it needs it, or upgrading non-wear parts, which you'll also do. i know some cars get to the point where everything just starts to go wrong at once and its usually better to just get rid of it, but theres not a whole lot that can go wrong on a 400ex.

[sideways]

Originally posted by Yellow2004ex400
Sideways,
Sounds to me like you maybe abuse your bike or you spend money just to spend money. 3 sets of rims? You only need two. One for riding sand dunes and one for doing motocross/trail riding. 3 sets of swingarms? Only need to buy one extended one. 2 sets of a-arms? Again; only need to buy one set of wide a-arms. You've had to buy bearings? My atv is almost 5 years old now and have rode it all over Southern California, yet I've never had to replace bearings or rebuild the top or bottom ends. I own a 2004 Honda 400ex and as long as I change the engine oil regularly and not abuse the quad like an idiot, I have yet to spend any major money on it replacing parts that broke and may not for a long time. The only money I've spent on it has been about $2000 to make it faster and handle much better. I can't believe you've spent $13000 on your bike. Sounds to me like you're out doing stupid things to it when you ride it... And if your going to tell me that you do motocross and that's why you always break parts, I know many people that do amateur motocross and have not had to spend nearly half as much of what you have spent.


just to clarify, the swingarms and a-arms that i had bought were not to buy and have as a spare. I BROKE 3 swingarms, and 2 sets of a-arms. 3 sets of TRASHED rims and tires (no longer useable)

Yes I abuse my bike, what else were they made for? i trail ride and have raced xc a few times, this is the first year i am joining the NECCS for the ffull season.

If you have a bike thats 5 years old and havve never replaced a bearing, be ready to replace them all at once, probably soon. I replace my axle carrier bearing probably once a year, and the swingarm bearings at the same time. front a-arms bushings wear out pretty quick.
I do not do stupid things when i ride it, I practice 3 times a week, on a 32 mile loop, takes about 2 hours to do. this is in order to prepare for the next xc race. then i race. repeat monthly, and add in some leisure rides in between, i ride probably i am on my bike anywhere from 30-50 hrs a month.

[Yellow2004ex400]

Atvs/dirt bikes were made for riding hard, not abusing. There is a difference. When I ride, I know in the back of my mind that there is a possibility of me getting hurt or the quad getting damaged (Sometimes it is inevitable), but I try to avoid that as much as I can, and just keep it to a minimum. If I see a big pile of rocks or a huge jump that I'll never clear when I'm out riding with people, I don't say to myself, "Let's see what would happen if I went through that." Why? Because I know there is a very good chance I can hurt myself or damage the quad severely. I ride my quad as hard as I can without abusing it. I try to take care of it as much as possible and that's probably why it still looks almost as new as when it was first bought.

Another thing, it doesn't matter what model of quad you own, none of them are indestructible. If you abuse any atv, they are bound to break, even if you have a top of the line model, like a KTM 450 XC, that right now is probably the closest thing to being motocross ready than any other quad out there.

If you have gone through 3 sets of broken swingarms and 2 sets of a-arms, and have had to rebuild your top and bottom ends numerous times, I think you are doing something wrong when you ride, and have not learned from the first time it happened. I know if I broke a part on my atv, I would try as hard as I can from letting it happen again.

[BrandonV]

Originally posted by Yellow2004ex400
Atvs/dirt bikes were made for riding hard, not abusing. There is a difference. When I ride, I know in the back of my mind that there is a possibility of me getting hurt or the quad getting damaged (Sometimes it is inevitable), but I try to avoid that as much as I can, and just keep it to a minimum. If I see a big pile of rocks or a huge jump that I'll never clear when I'm out riding with people, I don't say to myself, "Let's see what would happen if I went through that." Why? Because I know there is a very good chance I can hurt myself or damage the quad severely. I ride my quad as hard as I can without abusing it. I try to take care of it as much as possible and that's probably why it still looks almost as new as when it was first bought.

Another thing, it doesn't matter what model of quad you own, none of them are indestructible. If you abuse any atv, they are bound to break, even if you have a top of the line model, like a KTM 450 XC, that right now is probably the closest thing to being motocross ready than any other quad out there.

If you have gone through 3 sets of broken swingarms and 2 sets of a-arms, and have had to rebuild your top and bottom ends numerous times, I think you are doing something wrong when you ride, and have not learned from the first time it happened. I know if I broke a part on my atv, I would try as hard as I can from letting it happen again.

Amen, thats what my dad always says to me

[wilkin250r]

If you're bending rims on a 400EX, I'm pretty sure you'll also bend them on a KTM.

A-arms can be a little bit different, because some designs are better than others, but none are indestructible. If you're breaking A-arms on a 400EX, you'll most likely also break them on a KTM.

I don't really think you'll be "saving" a whole lot of money by switching to a different quad. Maybe if you were breaking items that were significantly different/better designs (like frames) then you might see a difference.

But if you're going to look at it that way, you can replace the frame quite a few times for the $8000 purchase price of a new quad. I'm betting you haven't gone through 4 aftermarket frames, so you're STILL not really saving money.

[400ex28]

never.

[sideways]

Originally posted by Yellow2004ex400
Atvs/dirt bikes were made for riding hard, not abusing. There is a difference. When I ride, I know in the back of my mind that there is a possibility of me getting hurt or the quad getting damaged (Sometimes it is inevitable), but I try to avoid that as much as I can, and just keep it to a minimum. If I see a big pile of rocks or a huge jump that I'll never clear when I'm out riding with people, I don't say to myself, "Let's see what would happen if I went through that." Why? Because I know there is a very good chance I can hurt myself or damage the quad severely. I ride my quad as hard as I can without abusing it. I try to take care of it as much as possible and that's probably why it still looks almost as new as when it was first bought.

Another thing, it doesn't matter what model of quad you own, none of them are indestructible. If you abuse any atv, they are bound to break, even if you have a top of the line model, like a KTM 450 XC, that right now is probably the closest thing to being motocross ready than any other quad out there.

If you have gone through 3 sets of broken swingarms and 2 sets of a-arms, and have had to rebuild your top and bottom ends numerous times, I think you are doing something wrong when you ride, and have not learned from the first time it happened. I know if I broke a part on my atv, I would try as hard as I can from letting it happen again.

it seems like we have different philosophies on riding. i ride to come in 1st when i race, but also to keep my bike in one piece so i can finish said race. its not like i try to break something when i ride, i try to avoid it as well. we ride differently and i accept that, hope you can too.
accidents happen, and things break, if you can always avoid an accident, thats great. but its hard to say that someone is doing something wrong when they ride, unless you ride with them and witness what they are doing wrong. of all people i've practiced with (including motocross racers) not one of them has said, you're doing it wrong. many have said "your fast on that thing"


Originally posted by wilkin250r
If you're bending rims on a 400EX, I'm pretty sure you'll also bend them on a KTM.

A-arms can be a little bit different, because some designs are better than others, but none are indestructible. If you're breaking A-arms on a 400EX, you'll most likely also break them on a KTM.

I don't really think you'll be "saving" a whole lot of money by switching to a different quad. Maybe if you were breaking items that were significantly different/better designs (like frames) then you might see a difference.

But if you're going to look at it that way, you can replace the frame quite a few times for the $8000 purchase price of a new quad. I'm betting you haven't gone through 4 aftermarket frames, so you're STILL not really saving money.[/B]

i was under the impression that ktm built a stronger bike, thats why i was going to try one out, but i understand its not indestructible.
i have cracked my frame in 3 places, (at one footpeg and the front shock mounts) but reinforced it by bending a larger diameter pipe to match the frame, then cutting the piece in half and welding it around the existing frame tube. i have never replaced the frame. it is now gusseted as well for added strength.

i think i was in shock as to how much i spent on the thing, and realized it may be better to buy a new bike instead of fixing this one over and over. maybe i should stop keeping my receipts.... but even if i get a new one, buying parts doesnt stop, its inevitable.

[wilkin250r]

Originally posted by sideways
i was under the impression that ktm built a stronger bike, thats why i was going to try one out, but i understand its not indestructible.

True, but do you think the aftermarket parts are significantly stronger?

Burgard arms are the same material for all brands. Are the Burgard arms for a KTM going to be stronger than the Burgard arms for a Honda?

[Yellow2004ex400]

I'll agree to that: We have different philosophies on riding. The only reason why I posted a response to your thread was because I was just amazed at how much money you've spent on your quad. My 400ex is pretty modded and I have only spent about half that money on my atv. I couldn't imagine spending that kind of money on replacement parts. Oh well. Everyone's different.

[sideways]

im glad we worked that out! :D again its not so much the mods, as replacing parts that have broken over the past 6 years i i have owned the atv.
and in response to wilkins, i agree with you on the strength of a-arms and such, but its just the point of having a new quad without the stress on the joints or metal that a 8 year old quad has. metal fatigues over time, and a new quad will not have those fatigue points in the frame/a-arms/anything else.

[Hondamaster5505]

Originally posted by sideways
im glad we worked that out! :D again its not so much the mods, as replacing parts that have broken over the past 6 years i i have owned the atv.
and in response to wilkins, i agree with you on the strength of a-arms and such, but its just the point of having a new quad without the stress on the joints or metal that a 8 year old quad has. metal fatigues over time, and a new quad will not have those fatigue points in the frame/a-arms/anything else.

plus, the 400ex stock has steel a-arms. The KTM has chromoly a-arms, frame, etc. real strong lightweight stuff.

[NickG5755]

IMO the KTM is the best out...the chromoly stuff is awsome...plus its the little things that makeit awsome.. every nut and bolt on it accepts hex keys and metric wrenches..theres a hollow center on every bolt to accept the hex key.. the heim joint aarms.. you can swap filters in seconds.. the ergos are EFFING PERFECT.. it has a spot to install a steering stabilizer right from fact..the susp is awsome..fully adjustable the break design is insane.. go on youtube ansd look at the 4 part review of it..thers sooo many features...

plus its a KTM..

[NickG5755]

but also you can keep modding your 400 (just like i will cuz i cant afford anything new) but eventually thyre guna be just as competetive as warriors :( esp with the new motors coming out..the 525 is gunna be the standard of the industry soon and better stuff is gunna keep coming out

[Yellow2004ex400]

The KTM 450 XC is the closest to being a motocross ready bike, although from reading ATV magazines like ATVSport, the Can-Am DS 450 is supposed to be 9% faster than any other 450 out there, plus it is also the lightest ATV, weighing at 345 pounds. I’ll stick with my Honda 400ex though, until I get the urge to ever get a new quad (not likely, though).