why did you pick your bike?

[erik420]

I'm bored at work right now so I figured I would post something. Why did you choose your bike? I bought mine after riding a few different quads, I rode a 400ex and it just felt right. Glad I did its been great! Its whay more reliable then the kfx400s and yfz450s I ride with. Yea they are faster but really not as much as I expected!

Ride red or stay in bed!

Erik.

[4strokernow]

A friend of mine told me about a 400ex that was for sale for $400 and I couldn't pass it up, and once I found out that it was a 440 I was sold and I couldn't be happier with my choice to buy it

[erik420]

Wow 4strokernow !!$400 and its a 440!!! Wish I could find deals like that! Lol. I paid 3x that for mine but it was in great shape and needed nothing at the time. What shape was she in when you picked it up???

Erik

[4strokernow]

It was a little rough, it only had the rear fender and seat on it the whole thing was spray bombed and the lights were being held on with duct tape and wire ties. The axle was shot and the only thing holding on the right side wheel and hub was an old cotter pin. The keyed ignition was by passed and the entire harness was wrapped up in duct tape as well. But more recently its undergone a makeover, I picked up a set of plastics for $100, got a keyed ignition for $32, and got an extended g-force axle $125 (that is too big for my trail riding and so for sale/trade if interested lemme know and I'll give further detail)

[riotact]

It was cheap and I wanted to get a wheeler.I'm glad it is a 400ex and have never looked back.

[Honda#4]

I bought mine to build my dream quad

[erik420]

Good answer honda#4... hope to do the same... eventually... having to much fun ridding her!!! Keep em comming guys!!!

Erik

[PaRedneckRiders]

bought mine for 500$ blown up and figured ill but some cash in it and flip it for double what i have in it

Then i wanted an mx quad and already had this 426 so thats what its turning into, slowly
still need an axle aarms and front shock but ill prob get a set of used lrs arms and 450r or yfz450 shocks and just have fun because i still dont have much in it

Had a g-force on my raptor and it was ok, wouldnt mind another one altho i would perfer an LSR

Well guess ill have to pm 4strokernow haha

[dalejiw25]

I got tired of wrenching on every 2-Smoker I ever owned. Not to mention the sometime seemingly endless kick starts. I wanted reliability and electric start. I Rode some of my friends 400s and liked em. They all said they were "Bulletproof" and so far I haven't been able to prove em wrong. While others are wrenching, I'm Ridin. I did however keep my '89 250R(310 Big Bore) Just because it is The Baddest Bike Honda and I ever Built.

[erik420]

Dalejiw25 the 250r is my dream quad. Some day I will own one... some day... but my 400 has been bulletproof too.

Erik.

i got mine to play around with.

then i had some one say you cant make it run with a 400z or 450s.

now there eating there words.

cuz we are killing them at the track. the nos is to run with street bikes and shees.

videos in the drag racing .

[hocman123]

everybody i new had a 400 so i went for it last winter and mine has been less then bulletproof with the engine breaking down 2 times and now needs new axel bearings and new chain and sprockets

but i know the old owner used and abused it really bad and did not maintain it at all i don't think he even lubed the chain, he put in a stage one hotcam and stripped all but 2 bolt in the valve cover and heilcoiled them but did a piss poor job at that so i had to drill and tap every bolt for 7 mm and let me tell u finding long 7 mm was not easy

but hopefully when i finish this stuff i get my long lasting reliable atv i wanted and i guess i am learning a lot along the way:)

[tri5ron]

I bought mine because I was mad at the dog for chewing up my new slippers, and it made me feel better.

[erik420]

Haha...stupid dog

[440ex. ehhh!!]

I started out learning to ride on my grandpas big red 250 trike and got hooked, i looked around and got my hands on a 93 300ex, which by the time i was done with it, was beaten up and chopped to the max and i was in NEED of something faster and meaner. i looked around for a month or so and found a few 400ex's which was what i wanted because Honda had been a great choice for my other 2 and for my dad when he had his 84 250r, so i found a couple for $3000 and then this 2001 popped up for $2400 already bored to 440 with exhaust and powder coat so i drove out that weekend and picked it up. But the more i read on here, the more i wish i lived in the states because of hearing about all these 400's you guys are picking up for practically nothing.

but lately i have been thinking about selling her and getting a 450 or a predator. i actually would have traded straight up for a 2004 raptor this weekend but i found out the kid lives 5 hours away :ermm:

sorry bout the long post.

[bherriman]

When I was sixteen I bought my first quad, a 1987 250r, it was by far the most fun I have ever had on any type of quad or other power sport. I had that for 3 years when my dad bought a new 450r, and of course after riding that I had to have a 4-stroke (grass is always greener on the other side lol). So eventually I sold the 250r (stupid idea) and picked up a crf 250r dirtbike. That bike freakin ripped it was awesome, until all my buddies wanted to go trail riding, at which point I would have to stop every 30 minutes because it was starting to overheat (race bikes aren't made for the trails lol). After doing a little research trying to find a good quad for all day trail rides and the occasional hair scramble with exceptional reliability and low upkeep, the 400 was an obvious choice.

[CJM]

I had had a go kart as a kid, but my parents sold it when we moved (nowhere to ride).

Against there wishes I went out and bought a beat up 86 suzuki 230 4 stroke. Friend of mine had an 85 worked 250r bike and we rode alot, but no way a little 230cc 4 stroke can beat a bored out 250r. I originally wanted a z400 but everyone said the EX was bulletproof and rather cheaper cause it was old tech.

I found one on CL that needed some work but had some nice goodies for 1500 bucks. All it really needed was the headlight tabs fixed, new exhaust (was totally gutted and dented badly!) and a steering stem.

by now ive upgraded it 10 fold to what i want and Im still not done!

[MidnightBlade]

[i]
Ride red or stay in bed!

Erik. [/B]
ok guess ill go back to sleep then (mines yellow:devil:). i talked to my cuz who by this time had owned a 250ex, 300ex, 400ex, z400, lt-r450, and rm-z450. so i asked him and he said for performance the suzuki, but for reliability the honda, so then i came here and read some reviews. then i saw a mint condition 05 400ex that wasnt broke in and i was the 3rd owner (both owners were older) now she has seen the toolset a few times and is rather familiar with the tools to remove the plastics:p .

[MO-EX-RIDER]

my 3 reasons.....
bunch of cheap used parts, easy to maintain and pretty close to bulletproof

[IRISH-RACER-14]

i bought a 300ex because its a honda!! my dad said its the best option so i took his advice and i now own a bulletproof 300ex

[erik420]

Lol.. I know what you mean midnightblade... she's seen the tool box a bunch already... a arm bushings are next... oh and my 400 is red...haha

[MidnightBlade]

yea my a-arms are very close to being screwed as of right now

[4strokernow]

Funny mine is yellow too, I didn't expect to find so many yellow ones lol

[440ex. ehhh!!]

im loving the yellow. i have lots of people asking if its a suzuki. :D one guy asked me the second night out Racing and he works for Honda. :blah: figure that one out. aha

[Wheelie]

At the time I bought it (August of 99'), it was the best sport ATV out there. It's hard to believe I've owned this thing for 11 years now.

[honda400ex2003]

I rode one once back in 2000 when they first came out with a guy that stayed at the camp ground we were riding from. after that, i said i wanted to get one of those one day. plus it looks awesome. so finally after getting rid of my xr100 i had in 1999-2000 i traded it in on a 2001 250ex that i rode for a couple of years. the switch to atvs was made to be able to ride on more trails around our house. at that time only one trail system allowed dirtbikes so either we went there or we didnt ride as a fam on the machines. so after having my 250 till early 03 i decided it was time to get a new one and pass the 250 onto my sister. this was when i got my 400 :D best day ever to see that sitting in the driveway after i got home from school. lol I have had it since the spring of 03. I paid for it all myself at 14 and have bought all of the parts on it myself along with all of my other machines. too many toys though lol. steve

[06typeS]

price and location plus the motor was rebuilt with only a season of riding on it.


I didn't know much about quads but the more i read def glad i got a 400ex

[MidnightBlade]

Originally posted by Wheelie
At the time I bought it (August of 99'), it was the best sport ATV out there. It's hard to believe I've owned this thing for 11 years now. i think it was the ONLY 400 out there at the time

[KISSmyACE]

I was a brand new rider, learned to putt around on a friends 250ex. Decided I wanted something faster so I could keep up with everyone better.
Found my 05 400ex on a local forum with wheels, nerfs, bars, tires, tether, & exaust for 2k. Decided I'd buy it, since it was the best price out of all the 400s I was looking at, with some bolt ons. Not to mention, it was my favorite color... (red) At the time it was set up for XC racing, I used to only trail ride but now I seldom ride trails, mainly MX.

When I picked it up:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v94/Etnies3590/seven.jpg
Now:
http://i697.photobucket.com/albums/vv338/KISSmyACE/37607_1417265987337_1103220171_31117053_3506873_n. jpg
http://i697.photobucket.com/albums/vv338/KISSmyACE/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_0573.jpg

[Miami_Vice454]

dammmmmm......not talking about the bike

[99400esex]

An 02 400ex was my first quad. I got it brand new when I traded my yz80 in on it. It has been my favorite quad ever since. I love the power and reliability. I put it through abuse for years and never failed me. I also love how they look, well at least the 99 thru 04 models. They are just great all around machines.

[yama450yfz]

I have had an obsession with going fast since I was a kid. Unfortunately my parents could never afford to fuel my habit. So when I got my first good job I bought a brand new 2006 YFZ450SE leftover stock in 09'. I bought this quad cause it was the one I used to ogle at everyday on the Yamaha web site. Always loved the 50th Anniversary graphics and my brother having a r6 50th didn't help at all either.

[ish416]

I bought my 400EX brand new in February of 99. The only reason I bought it was because it was the best all around new quad you could buy. I was on the Honda waiting list for 3 months until I got mine.

I paid $5200 OTD from Dryer Honda in Indianapolis as they were the only Honda dealership within 300 miles of my house that had access to any EX's before the summer of 99. Mine was the 5th 400EX that was sold in the state of Indiana.

I had never even seen a 400EX in person. I just knew I would like it since it was based on the 250R frame geometry.

It was my primary mode of transportation for nearly 3 years until I was able to get my drivers license. I'm sure I have 30,000+ miles on my EX. I will say that it is the best investment I have ever made.

[tri5ron]

Originally posted by ish416
I bought my 400EX brand new in February of 99. The only reason I bought it was because it was the best all around new quad you could buy. I was on the Honda waiting list for 3 months until I got mine.

I paid $5200 OTD from Dryer Honda in Indianapolis as they were the only Honda dealership within 300 miles of my house that had access to any EX's before the summer of 99. Mine was the 5th 400EX that was sold in the state of Indiana.

I had never even seen a 400EX in person. I just knew I would like it since it was based on the 250R frame geometry.

It was my primary mode of transportation for nearly 3 years until I was able to get my drivers license. I'm sure I have 30,000+ miles on my EX. I will say that it is the best investment I have ever made.
UMmm, wow ! ... just Wow !!!, I mean WOW !!!

[87HONDATRX250X]

I have all ways wanted a quad since i first drove one when i was 6. I have owned 2 since i got my 01 400ex. A 87 trx 250x (beat to crap) and a 300ex that was dying. After trouble with both of those. I decided enough was enough im tired of breaking down quads. So i took out a loan and bought the nicest 400ex i could fine that was running in mint condition. He was the original owner and hadn't road it in 3 years besides up and down the road every month or so. Got a job that summer and had it payed off by the end of summer. Best choice ive ever made! Also forced my lazy butt to get a job :p

[tri5ron]

Originally posted by 87HONDATRX250X
I have all ways wanted a quad since i first drove one when i was 6. After trouble with both of those. I decided enough was enough.
So i took out a loan and bought the nicest 400ex i could fine that was running in mint condition.
He was the original owner and hadn't road it in 3 years besides up and down the road every month or so.
Got a job that summer and had it payed off by the end of summer.
Best choice ive ever made!
Also forced my lazy butt to get a job :p
All too often, I see posts by the youngsters, that make me feel like all hope is lost.

But there are those rare occasions that make me feel,
like there is still some thin strand of diligence, commitment, and perserverance,
that will prevail, and define those things that do have personal value.
Thanks

[87HONDATRX250X]

Originally posted by tri5ron
All too often, I see posts by the youngsters, that make me feel like all hope is lost.

But there are those rare occasions that make me feel,
like there is still some thin strand of diligence, commitment, and perserverance,
that will prevail, and define those things that do have personal value.
Thanks

Thanks! Every thing i own is because i have worked hard for it. And i aim to keep it that way.

[Ian400ex]

Because Honda is reliable and a 400 was a good step up from a 230. If I borrowed a 400 for a month I would have saved money and bought a LTR450 and beat my 400s ***. :o

[Ian400ex]

Originally posted by Miami_Vice454
dammmmmm......not talking about the bike
Ahaha

[blwn3800gs]

I've owned several quads,banshee,raptor,rancher,foreman,300ex...etc.B ut i ended up trading a 2000 polaris sportsman 500 for my 02 400ex. My son and i drove over 5 hrs one way to pick it up and am real glad i did.....what a blast to ride!

[400exbullet]

When I started looking around for a new atv I had my mind set on getting a banshee. After coming up empty handed my friend called me and asked if I was interested in his atv. He bought it right after I got my last atv (kfx400) but he lost intrest in the quad and put it up for sale. He had been trying to sell it for the past couple years without any luck. After talking for a little bit he told me he would come down from $3000 to $2500 since we were friends. I still couldn't get the sounds of a screaming twin cylinder two stroke out of my head so I said no. After a couple day's go by he calls me and say's that I can come and pick it up and ride it for a few day's to see if I may change my mind. Well that's when I fell in love. I couldn't get enough of riding this quad. I went riding with some buddies and although I had the slowest quad it just felt like the ergonomics and suspension on this quad was designed for me. I'm pretty sure that I have found my soul mate.:D