Bought a 400EX last night!

[inv3ctiv3]

So a little back story, I ride ATC's and currently have a 1985 Honda ATC 350x but I also wanted something newer and since they don't still make ATC's I went with my second love, a quad. I grew up riding both 3-wheelers and 4-wheelers and love riding both. I ride mostly fire roads, mountain trails and MX track.

Picked her up last night and am really stoked to go ride! I haven't ridden a quad in many years but always liked them as much as trikes so it should be pretty fun. It is really clean and appears to have been very well maintained, it still has the factory paint markings on the bolts and everything. I paid $1800 which is cheap here in CA, these go for $2-3,000 all day around here.

After riding for a while I plan on upgrading the suspension to either 450R shocks or something similar since I do ride MX quite often, if you have any suggestions please chime in!

Cellphone pics.....I'll get some better ones later today.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4117/4771664628_b8eb2bb714_z.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4097/4771664602_8f5ba3d7fd_z.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4137/4771026309_8b8bca22a0_z.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4141/4771026281_869f9929af_z.jpg

In the back of the truck on the way home

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4101/4771026245_0666b112c2_z.jpg

[400excracer]

Congrats! You will love it. I got rid of my 400EX and upgraded (so I thought) to a 450R and never was really happy with it. I am back on a 400EX and love it. It is the best all around quad made. Have fun!

be for you go and bye some mods clean up the shop there mite be some in there under all that stuff lol just joking have fun i love mine if you need any thing let us know.

[inv3ctiv3]

Trust me I am beyond pissed about my current garage situation.....Normally it is perfectly clean with enough room for 5-6 quads easily BUT my brother bought this POS truck and is completely rebuilding it in our garage so I basically lost my garage :(

I am thinking of getting a pipe and some shocks, any recommendations? I don't really want to do a lot of internal engine work (at least yet haha). I wanna ride it and get used to it stock before changing anything just so I know what the mods did and can really feel the difference.

get a 450r carb that is a must have with a nice pipe and 450r shocks. that all out side the motor next if you do a lot of woods ridding get a stage 2 hot cam it is the best all around cam.

[PaRedneckRiders]

if u want to keep it mostly stock i would say Get a good pipe
If your looking for quiet i would say the fmf q4
If you could really care less i would say an hmf mayb a sparks(depends on budget because sparks doesnt have a slip-on)

Then get yourself a K@N filter mayb a uni but K@N deff gets my vote

You could do the 450 shocks and carb that should help out alot

If u wanta run stock bore stock compression u could also get a sparks +6 timing key (they say dont run it with big bore or high comp motors but ive seen it done)

And if u want u could get a stage 1 or 2 hotcam

1= low end power
2= mid range power with decent bottom and top end power

[inv3ctiv3]

Is it just the front shocks off the 450R that fit? I also hear they are not the same length eye to eye and you have to re-adjust the pre-load to get them to sit right? What do you have to do to get the 450R rear shock onto a 400EX?

[PaRedneckRiders]

450r shocks r the only ones that bolt right up the yfz450 and kfx450 have to have to top mount ground down so that it fits in the mount on the 400ex

[inv3ctiv3]

I looked up the bolt pattern and the rear appear to be the same as my 350x, I have some ITP holeshots I'd like to use on the 400EX anyone see any reason why my 350X rims wouldn't work on this?

[TRX01]

post some pics of your trike.......also the rims should work, i swap rims with my dads trikes all the time, my dad has a
85 350x
86 250r
and 2 85 200x rollers

[inv3ctiv3]

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4058/4411515903_c73c0d8baa_o.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4023/4411515969_a064308075_o.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4062/4236983375_f4cb8dfb84_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2754/4237762628_e2bdacffbd_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2710/4237748106_3b4ddca8a7_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2500/4237761428_c8444556e8_o.jpg

[tri5ron]

Cheap and easy mods to wake up a stock 400ex are...

1- good slip-on of your choice
2- grind down the welds on the inside of the stock headpipe
3- k&n (with outerwears), or UNI filter
4- at this point you will need to re-jet your carb.
5- Sparks +6 timing key
(and your still able to stay running on pump gas)

this will give you a realistic 3-5 gain in HP. (Not bad for a bike that only puts out 24HP stock)

On a stock piston/cam, a 450r carb will only REALISTICALLY give you about 3 more HP.
(and that is ONLY when it is properly jetted to YOUR motor and mods).

Also keep in mind,... That to do a 450r carb,...
You must also replace the throttle cable, ($30), buy or make a intake adapter($30), and you MAY need to buy a hotstart plunger, (can't remember price at dealer), if the carb you get dosent have it. (This is usually the case when you buy the 450r carb, used, i.e.- ebay).

Suspension,...
Your rear shock is fine, stock.
Front shocks,... The 450r fronts are the most popular, and are a good "bang for your buck" upgrade.

They ARE a bit stiff, due to the 400ex a-arms a a little shorter than the 450r a-arms, but this can be easily compensated for, by upgrading the 450r shock springs to a good dual or triple rate spring set, bought according to your specific riding weight. (Works triple rates are a excellent choice).

Adding a good steering stabilizer will compliment the upgraded front shocks very nicely, and you will be quite happy with the overall improved handleing charistics.

After all of that, it basically boils down to, "The sky, (and your wallet), is the limit.

Yes, larger bores, higher compression, and bigger cams, can give you increased horsepower.
BUT,...
they also come with their own set of issues like,...
Big bucks for minimal gains
Increased heat, (bad for air cooled engines)
Reduced reliability
And possibly the need to run race gas blends, (depending on what compression ratio you go to).

There are many threads in the "Stickys" at the top of this forum that will help you to learn and decide how far you want to take it.
As well as, there are many knowledgeable folks here who are glad to help, and share their personal experiences, and expertise.

Enjoy your new toy. It looks SUPER CLEAN, and will be alot of fun.
For $1800, you got a SMOKIN' GOOD DEAL !

You could not have chosen a better quad to play with.
The 400ex is practically a bullet-proof machine when properly maintained, AND, it is by far, the most modifiable quad out there.

BTW-
Welcome to the forum, and welcome to the disease...
Feel free to ask any questions,
We're here to help.

Ron

[tri5ron]

Oh I meant to ask,...
Where are the riding pics of the 3 wheeler taken at?
Is that anywhere near Santa Barbara ?

I'd like to find a place like that fairly local (1 1/2 - 2 hour drive) to me.
I'm in Orange County.

[inv3ctiv3]

Yea man it's at Zaca Station MX track in Los Olivos, they only let quads/atc's on the big track on Wednesdays but if it is slow they'll let them on the smaller track (where those are taken) on Sundays.

Check out these write ups I did on some spots here in SB, if you ever wanna go ride hit me up. We are riding this weekend as well.

http://www.3wheelerworld.com/showthread.php?110374-Divide-Peak-Trail-(-Santa-Barbara-CA

http://www.3wheelerworld.com/showthread.php?110373-Zaca-Station-MX-(Central-CA

[inv3ctiv3]

One thing I did notice is the kill switch does not turn off the motor and it will start when in the "do not start" position on the kill switch.....That's kinda odd.

[tri5ron]

With as clean as that quad looks, I'd be more likely to guess that a connector has come unplugged.
If not then check for continuity through the switch.
possibly a broken/pulled wire common to the switch.

[inv3ctiv3]

So I took some real good pics of it today, I'll post them up in a new thread later tonight or tomorrow.

[TRX01]

Im almost certain ive seen your 350x before

are you a member of any of the 3 wheeler forums like 3wheeler.org or 3wheelerworld.com or anything

[inv3ctiv3]

Yea I am on both 3WW and .org

[TRX01]

are you familair with a guy named FIRE1
has a black and red 350x
a blue and red 250r with tons of chrome and polished stuff?

if so thats my dad

[inv3ctiv3]

Originally posted by TRX01
are you familair with a guy named FIRE1
has a black and red 350x
a blue and red 250r with tons of chrome and polished stuff?

if so thats my dad

Yea, I absolutely love his 350x with that color scheme.

[inv3ctiv3]

What's a good site to get mods for this? I want to look into a steering stabilizer, some good skid plates, hand guards, etc.

[tri5ron]

These should keep you busy reading for a while....

http://www.exriders.com/vbb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=349366&highlight=stabilizer

http://www.exriders.com/vbb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=349499&highlight=sparks+advance

http://www.exriders.com/vbb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=187613

http://www.exriders.com/vbb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=409169

http://www.exriders.com/vbb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=314423&perpage=13&highlight=carb&pagenumber=1

[inv3ctiv3]

Wow that steering stabilizer is nice! I messaged the guy who makes them on eBay, hopefully he gets back to me. And I've read all about those 450R shocks but my friend who raced a 400EX for many years said the 450R shocks are longer eye to eye and you have to re-adjust the preload in order for them to work properly, any truth to that?