Considering a 400ex, need some general info

[Mattjns93]

I have a 300ex and I've just outgrown it. I typically ride anywhere but racing. Snow, rain, mudding, dragging in our fields, small jumps, woods, etc. I need an all around strong quad. And by strong I also mean some nice power.

The 400ex seems definitely like the right upgrade, but after driving my buddies banshee I cant' help but lean towards a 2-stroke like a banshee. Other than the drag races, is a 400ex a better quad for my kinda riding? Also, what kinda power can I get out of it with some modding (I'd say under $1000)? I'm not gonna lie, having some serious power is really important for me in my upgrade. Being able to pull out of a turn and gun it, and just see whoever is behind me go further and further away is what I really wanna do :D. Hence, the banshee being quite attractive as an option.

[exrida]

I've got an all stock 400ex and it really suits the riding I do so far. I have drove mine through the bush, sand, feilds and some snow.

I'd get ride of the stock front and rear shocks

[aDviSol2y]

For your kind of riding, I would def. go with the 400ex. A stock Banshee is reliable, but you mod it at all and the reliability goes out the window. You put 1k into a 400 and you can beat stock banshees with keeping your reliability. There is a reason why so many people still ride the 400ex, even after the 450's started to come out and make a name for themselves.

[Mattjns93]

Thanks for the responses guys. The "powerband" acceleration you feel on a banshee, how hard is it to replicate that quantity of acceleration on a 400ex? That was what really drew me to the banshee, how quickly I could pick up speed.

[jasonwayne222]

you will have to run a big bore 440 or bigger with a lot of mods to simulate the acceleration power that a banshee has. The 400ex has plenty of low end torque but flattens out at higher rpms

[Mattjns93]

Man, that is quite impractical. If it weren't for the acceleration and that powerband on the banshee, this would be a MUCH easier choice on my book. But not really having full power until higher RPMs is useless in the tight trails when you need that low end torque to push yourself through that trail and right on out of those turns.

[nastyrider17]

Go with the ex.

With a few mods they can keep up with a banshee but be way better in the woods. I do similar riding to yours and I would never want a banshee for it.

[MidnightBlade]

400 all the way dude. my buddy has a banshee and i got a stock ex. i smoke him on tight trails then by the time we get to the fields i dont have to worry about him for a while. the ex isnt a speed demon or anything but it gets the job done pretty **** fast. as for accel it all depends on gearing, you can get speed or accel hard to get both without some motorwork. i got a UNI filter ans SuperTrapp slip on i smoke banshee's on trails.

[Mattjns93]

As much as I want that speed, you guys are definitely being realistic. The 400ex is probably better for me. And I'm sure the 400ex, with a bit of work and slightly adjusted gearing, will feel significantly faster than my 300ex. I'm still running stock gearing at a mighty top speed of 55mph ha.

[rcatvrider]

If you are that concerned with power go with a 450r. Only a little more expensive and you won't ever have to worry about power as there's always power upgrades.

[NMills]

You should notice a difference right away from your 300 to a 400... i used my cousins' 300.... then i hopped on a 400.... and the take off was very noticable... I think you'd be happy with the 400..

[Mattjns93]

While the 450r seems like the answer to my problems, I'm not really looking to have a quad that requires a lot of upkeep and maintenance. I tend to beat up my quads. I ride them hard, ride them long, rarely clean my air filter, changed my oil a few times in the past 5 years, I'm just rough on them. Seems like the 400ex is for me considering it is the "bullet-proof" quad. I just don't have the patience to clean my air filter every time i ride, or change my oil every month. I just wanna hop on and ride it.

[J.Brown121]

A 400 is only "bullet-proof" if you take care of it just the same as any other quad:rolleyes:

[rcatvrider]

Honda motors are know for running long and being reliable, but poor maintenance will do the same to any quad, you won't be "out of the woods" by choosing a 400ex over a 450r.

[Mattjns93]

Well true, but I've read the 450r requires a significant more amount of maintenance? I mean I'd willingly change my oil every so many months, but I just don't want it to be a thing where I'm working on it EVERY time I ride. Realistically though, that 450r fits the bill quite well. As long as I can afford it.

[rcatvrider]

It's liquid cooled so a bit different design. You do not need to work on it every ride. It would only be beneficial but it's not required by any means. You should be safe changing the oil every couple months and the filter when it gets very dirty. The more maintenance the better but it's not necessary. I know people with z400s who change the oil once every year or two as with clean the filter and they still run fine and it's a more " high performance" motor compared to the 400ex.

[J.Brown121]

When I ride I'm usually out from about 9am until dark, and I change my oil every 4 or 5 rides and just clean the filter when it's dirty. The better you treat your bike, the longer it will last.

[PaRedneckRiders]

The 400 is pretty much bullet proof
a stock or lightly modded motor will take just about anything u throw at it (within reason)

i ride with bikes all the time and i deffinitly ride it hard and nothing major has broken, yet anyway and ive had 3 400exs i ran every one the same as the last if not hard and they still stand up to it

This would be a great choice

I rode my friends 300ex, and dont get me wrong ya i like it but its just not enough

this made me go get another 400 because it showed me how much i really did miss mine

i dont think u would regret getting a 400 at all

[Mattjns93]

Thanks for all the input everyone! I'm just thinking I'll go with a 400ex unless I find a KILLER deal on the 450r, then I'll get that. The banshee just seems to be more of a "lust" kinda thing.

[J.Brown121]

I deffinetly know what you're sayin' about the banshee man. My buddy has a couple of them and they are a blast in wide open stuff, but I tried doing his cross-country trail with one and it was so dang frustrating. They take corners like a tank, and I hate not having the low end grunt of my 400. But the banshees are soo much fun in the dunes or on a wide open MX track ;)

If you get a 450r or a 400 I think you'll be pretty happy man, and have you thought about getting a yfz also? That's prolly my favorite 450, and they are pretty cheap right now also.

[sc400ex_rider]

the ex is way more reliable. banshee eats gas and pistons. cost of ownership is way higher. if you dont want the maint. of a 450 why get a 2 stroke. get the ex it will still be running (just like your 300ex) after that shee has been blown up and parted out. :blah:

[mineralgrey01gt]

if you can ride a 2 stroke they shine in trails and such but its being able to harness the power they have. Also if you do a 2 stroke for trails and such go with a trx250r, not a banshee, banshee is somewhat better for a straight line type of bike and duning. I have right at $1200 into my motor including all the gaskets, seals, bore, etc. It adds up but I needed all of it and was going to do it right when I rebuilt it. It only has 6 hours of run time on it (ran 1/2 a tank since break in) and it runs awesome. Kinda regretting getting rid of it this weekend possibly (for a banshee) but I miss the arm ripping power of a 2 stroke

[mineralgrey01gt]

Originally posted by sc400ex_rider
the ex is way more reliable. banshee eats gas and pistons. cost of ownership is way higher. if you dont want the maint. of a 450 why get a 2 stroke. get the ex it will still be running (just like your 300ex) after that shee has been blown up and parted out. :blah:

i have 5 friends that have modded banshee's and they never have any problems but they also do the scheduled maintenance. Its all in how you maintain them, same thing with a 400ex or any other 4 stroke

[440ex. ehhh!!]

i have a 2001 400ex bored to 440 with stock cam, it is a hell of a lot faster then anything else, i do the exact same riding as you, i am more into the trails, and 3 months ago, i also rode a 300ex. i made the good choice of moving to the 400ex and most of the 300 parts you have extra will fit the 400ex too.

[Mattjns93]

If I bore a 400ex out that much, why not just buy a 450r and then have even more power to work with? Or am I missing something?

[440ex. ehhh!!]

then you have more maintenance to worry about

[mineralgrey01gt]

i dont find the 450r has that much maintence with it. If you maintain it like you should, itll run forever. I understand its the 400ex section and there will be biased opinions but once you get used to the 440 power (which im 99% sure you will) then you can go stroker but after that what else is there to do really besides port and polish and such? 450's at least you can get a big bore kit that will give you more than enough power.

[rcatvrider]

I agree, people are making 450's out to be way harder to maintain than they really are. I like my 400 because it's great for trails, but if I ever wanted alot more power I think I would just get a 450 rather than putting a grand into engine work.

[NMills]

Well.. there are other things to think of between the machines... Does the 450 comes with reverse? Nope... I know it's not a necesity... but nice to have.. the 400 do run much better on the trails then the 450.... 400's start much much easier.... Tho i'm not bashing the 450... it's nice... to race... do hillclimbs... and the such... those are just a couple more things to think about...

[440ex. ehhh!!]

right. but if you get a 400, make sure you get an 04 or newer because thats when they came out with reverse i believe. my 01 doesn't have it.

[NMills]

Originally posted by 440ex. ehhh!!
right. but if you get a 400, make sure you get an 04 or newer because thats when they came out with reverse i believe. my 01 doesn't have it.

I'm gonna correct you.... They came out with reverse in 05... I wish the 04's had it... but nope..

[440ex. ehhh!!]

Originally posted by NMills
I'm gonna correct you.... They came out with reverse in 05... I wish the 04's had it... but nope..
yea i wasn't 100% sure, i knew it was 04 or 05

[NMills]

I just bought my 04 not too long ago... thinkin it had reverse... but it did not... but for the money.. and the condition.. i could'nt say no..

[440ex. ehhh!!]

yea i just bought my 01 about a month and a half ago, most around where i live were goin for 3500-4000, 2001 that is, but i managed to pick this one up for 2400, WITH almost all the upgrades too.

[NMills]

That was about the same time i bought mine... 1400 bucks... pretty much stock... tho the guy ripped the baffles out of the muffler... doesn't burn oil... runs awesome... and it has new rear tires... I thought it was a great deal...

And i must apologize if it seems like we stole this thread....


but i would seriously get a 400.. you'll be much happier i think...

[Tyler01]

Why don't you go buy a banshee motor and modifi it into your 300ex then you would have every body trippen(:

[2001400exrida]

Originally posted by 440ex. ehhh!!
yea i just bought my 01 about a month and a half ago, most around where i live were goin for 3500-4000, 2001 that is, but i managed to pick this one up for 2400, WITH almost all the upgrades too.

dang, that's high dollar bro.

for 4 grand where i'm from i could get a damm near new one. hell they have them at the dealer for 3599 msrp on last years model.

[honda400ex2003]

x2 people are getting new ones for that just about everywhere. some guys are getting new 450s for that price depending on the place. i feel bad for you guys that have to pay that. :eek2: :( steve

[440ex. ehhh!!]

Originally posted by 2001400exrida
dang, that's high dollar bro.

for 4 grand where i'm from i could get a damm near new one. hell they have them at the dealer for 3599 msrp on last years model.

no sh*t ehh bro.
well either way, im trying to sell my 440 now, well for a while anyway. nobodies willing to give me 2200 for it :s
and i bought a 450, payed 2900

[skip426]

I know you already have a ton of replies, but heres my 2cents.
I do excactly the same kind of riding your doing, beside a buddy who has a 05 banshee with low hours. I ride a 03 400ex bumped to a 426. We ride all over Ohio. He is constantly having heating problems with the banshee. I also have a 89 250r 2 stroke that I have the same problems with if I take it. Open fields or trails there great, but get into well wodded area, low creek bed, or any day in the woods with high humidity and they tend to run hot, his even spues coolant sometimes. Point is I guess, that you cant beat the 400 even modded for where you ride. IMO. -- Skip:chinese:

[RATPACK Z400]

Suzuki Z400 is what you need ,bulletproof,high performance motor liquid cooled with better everything(motor/suspention) on it stock! you can get one around same price as honda 400ex .And can be easily modded to whoop 450,s/banshee,s for alot less money!

[trx400exrider14]

i just got a 2001 400ex with uni filter,fmf powercore 4,msr bars,maxxis razr 2's (front and back) and it is a pretty sweet quad.its perfect for woods riding style.it can keep up with 450's in woods depending on the rider.i would prefer it over a 2 stroke any day.it doesnt require hardly maintence at all.i recommend it to you

[2001400exrida]

Originally posted by RATPACK Z400
Suzuki Z400 is what you need ,bulletproof,high performance motor liquid cooled with better everything(motor/suspention) on it stock! you can get one around same price as honda 400ex .And can be easily modded to whoop 450,s/banshee,s for alot less money!

they are fast stock but they aren't bulletproof. i ride with these quads so i've seen comparisons for over a year now.

only the newer (maybe 05 and newer) have the gas front shocks. the older ones has shocks just like the 400ex except they have longer travel.

the carb and air box are junk on the z400/dvx400/kfx400

a common mod is to put the 400ex carb on these wheelers. the vaccume carb is the whole problem. the choke cable is notorious junk.

also, the frame is weaker in the front. you can step back and see what i'm talking about if you pull it up next to a 400ex. the frames look very similar but up by the oil res there is a weaker setup on the suzuki's. not a big deal, i'm just saying.

400ex's have their problems too don't get me wrong but i would say as far as bulletproof the 400ex is going to win that one.

[RATPACK Z400]

400ex frame just as the Z,s frames are weak for MX they just break in different places ! Both frames should have Gusset kit period . The carb off 450 and a 400ex airboot you got major hps with the Z compared to 400ex. thats $100 mod for 5-6hps combined with filter/jets/pipe/revbox you already have is a nice addition in power.

[2001400exrida]

they aren't that much faster man.

my old 416 whoops the z400.

a stock 400ex vs. a stock z400 would be a close race up until 3rd or 4th and there is only a slight quadslegnth distance at the end.

also, the z400 is like 11:1 comp isn't it? so it's sitting at a higher compression stock it should waste the 400ex.

you put an 11:1 piston in a 400ex with stock bore an di bet it will beat the z400's!

far as power goes they have a little more stock than the ex does, but the ex will outlast it i garuntee ya.

[RATPACK Z400]

theyr,e both good quads (had both) Z is just more performance better motor for mods and has better suspention over all better quad IMO and All the mags say the same thing . has won MX championships has over 100+ upgrades since it was introduced now it has Fuel inject,wider a-arms ,motor has been improved etc just cant beat it for around same price.IMO EX,s are good trail quads the Z just has alot more to offer a rider!Honda never upgrades squat ,same quad no improvements yr after yr! And the Z is ALOT faster with simple mods ,airfilter,pipe,jetted .

[2001400exrida]

yeah the newer one is fuel injected. didn't know we were talking about the 2009 model. they only made that for 1 year and then in 2010 they quit making sport quads all together.

"has over 100+ upgrades since it was introduced"

sorry but you're not gonna win the upgrade/mod battle against a 400ex. I don't htink there is another quad in the world that has as many upgrades as the 400ex does bro!

[RATPACK Z400]

There,s diffinetly more mod parts for EX then the Z ,but it dont matter if they cant get the hps the Z can get with same mods or more ! the Z motor is the first high performance modern 4-stroke put in quad chassie . now all manufactors are making dual cam motors for MX ,only honda makes single cam design KTM,YAMAHA,KAWI,CAN-AM,Polaris.All dual cam design with some having FI too !

[99400esex]

Originally posted by RATPACK Z400
There,s diffinetly more mod parts for EX then the Z ,but it dont matter if they cant get the hps the Z can get with same mods or more ! the Z motor is the first high performance modern 4-stroke put in quad chassie . now all manufactors are making dual cam motors for MX ,only honda makes single cam design KTM,YAMAHA,KAWI,CAN-AM,Polaris.All dual cam design with some having FI too !

I cant tell if this guy is really serious or just a troll, but yeah, Z's are weak. Ill stick with my ex all day long