Bucking

[elasesino]

I've read here that the 400 bucks sometimes. Today was the first time I've ever gotten air on it, and it did seem to buck pretty hard. Is this common? Is there a particular cause for this? Or a fix?

[tyman2395]

what do you mean by "bucks"?

[elasesino]

when coming over the jump, it feels like the suspension kind of "launches" in the back, pushing the rear end up (toward my butt.)

This also feels like it pushes my front end down.

I'm completely new to this, so it could be throttle control, or rider error.

[hypersnyper6947]

You should be hard on the throttle when leaving the jump so that your front end goes up a bit higher, then the back end will level out instead of putting your nose down. Of coarse it depends on the jump but i think thats the general idea.

the rear shock is mounted too high inthe frame.. it does not matter how you hit the jump or woops sometimes, the rear end will buck on you. the bst way to eliminate this is to have gt thuner revalve the rear shock to match his linkage...it works wonders. i am on my 3rd atv with this mod...

[buck440]

sounds like you need to gas it when you jump and move your but back, its kinda a fine line on how to do it right cause you dont want to nose dive and you dont want to flip back, it just takes time :devil:

either your preloading just in the back or your letting off on the jump or not giving enough gas on it. Never back off the gas before the jump always steady throttle through or accelerate.

[coryatver]

If you want to remove the buck get a GT THUNDER LINKAGE! It is amazing you won't want to ride without it. Honda 400ex and 450r upper shock mount is a horrible location like speedyquad said. The linkage lowers the location of the travel

I love how everyone says you MUST get a linkage.

Learn how to jump. It bucked pretty bad with me also, but all I did was adjust my rebound and changed my jumping style and now I don't have a problem.

Try lowering your rebound a little, and when jumping, try this technique.

Stand up. When your about to launch off the jump, let go of the throttle then just jab it real quick right before the launch.

Practice some jumping styles and throttle control. Worked for me.

Unless it helps that im a heavy kid, I see no reason other 400ex's cant do it.

[NacsMXer]

Originally posted by DMC-4OOEX
I love how everyone says you MUST get a linkage.

Learn how to jump. It bucked pretty bad with me also, but all I did was adjust my rebound and changed my jumping style and now I don't have a problem.

Try lowering your rebound a little, and when jumping, try this technique.

Stand up. When your about to launch off the jump, let go of the throttle then just jab it real quick right before the launch.

Practice some jumping styles and throttle control. Worked for me.

Unless it helps that im a heavy kid, I see no reason other 400ex's cant do it.

I definitely agree. If it was your first time jumping, then I can guarantee that this "bucking" issue is from improper technique. Listen to what everyone is saying about staying on the gas as you go off the jump, and to hit the gas just before the takeoff...."blip at the lip" I call it. The first time I jumped my 400 I had the same problem with nose diving and what not. I was simply inexperienced and didn't know any better. You'll get much better with time and practice.

The improved linkages mediate a different type of "bucking". The type that catapults the rear end into the air when you ride over a small bump at speed, or while hitting whoops. I doubt a linkage will prevent the quad from wanting to nose dive off a jump, that's more in the hands of the rider.

nacs is correct...the linkage does correct a different kind of buck, but unfortunately, that buck will show its ugly head on some jumps too...i have some on trail jumps that no matter how well i hit the,...and yes dmc...i know how to jump...i have been doing it for 28 years...it still wanted to buck at times for the reason that nacs stated...

Originally posted by speedyquad
nacs is correct...the linkage does correct a different kind of buck, but unfortunately, that buck will show its ugly head on some jumps too...i have some on trail jumps that no matter how well i hit the,...and yes dmc...i know how to jump...i have been doing it for 28 years...it still wanted to buck at times for the reason that nacs stated...

I didn't question your riding skills.. but you make it sound like you NEED the linkage to make it jump. Well thats not the case to me.

Why make him go waste money on a linkage right away. I say he should try the technique I mentioned. it worked for me and nacs.

you have said it before, that someone needs to learn how to ride...by saying that, you in effect are saying that i can't ride because i use the linkage...believe me, i have tried you technique off of some of the jump i have on my trails...guess what...that rear end still comes up no matter how i hit it...it may not be 100% of the time...but it still comes up on me...now with the link, i don't have to think quite as much at each jump i can just hit them all the same instead of in different ways...and it is so nice not to have to worry about any on trail woops...i don't have to slow down now...

have you ever ridden a quad with one of these linkages...i bet not...

it is not a question of learning how to ride, it is a question of compensating for something that the engineers missed...this helps in other areas as well and is not a waste of money...if it were i would not have 3 of them and i would not recommend them...but the ends justify the means...

get the link...you won't be sorry...

dont be a gas stabber before the jumps. Come into jumps with enough speed and get on it a little more on the jump not smack the gas. otherwise you will dig down jumps and ruin thers fun. never slow down on the face of a jump always be steady carrying speed or accelerate slightly before and on it but dont be a gas stabber right on the face of the jump

[elasesino]

I appreciate all the comments.

I know some of it is user error. I've raced R/C cars for years, and definitely understand throttle control, but I've also read about these 400ex's bucking.

I most definitely need to be cautious and more conscious of throttle control.

"you have said it before, that someone needs to learn how to ride...by saying that, you in effect are saying that i can't ride because i use the linkage...believe me, i have tried you technique off of some of the jump i have on my trails...guess what...that rear end still comes up no matter how i hit it...it may not be 100% of the time...but it still comes up on me...now with the link, i don't have to think quite as much at each jump i can just hit them all the same instead of in different ways...and it is so nice not to have to worry about any on trail woops...i don't have to slow down now..."

Ok, ill apologize for questioning your riding. But I think my weight may be a factor also. Because after I started jumping a different way and adjusted my rebound, it hasn't bucked on me once. But you're probably a lighter guy so it probably has some extra "spring" to it.

"have you ever ridden a quad with one of these linkages...i bet not..."

Nope, but in all honesty I wouldn't really go out of my way to. Even if there is a difference I don't care because the stock rear works perfectly fine with my weight.

"get the link...you won't be sorry..."

Once again, in all honesty, I have no reason too. I don't have a problem with bucking anymore. For me it's a waste of money i can be using on something else.

[Lonestar_R]

Well I have a PEP rear shock on my 05 with a stock link and in the rough whooped out trails it will still buck. I know for a fact that a GT Thunder Revavle with Link won't be near as bad or won't buck at all. I sent my PEP to GT Thunder for a revalve and bought his link. I can't wait to try it. The link makes a world of difference.

Ride a bike with it and you will want one. Don't knock it till you try it