02 Honda 400EX and Powermadd hand guards??

[mike18421]

Went to go pick up a set of the powermadd handguards for my 02 400EX and the parts guy said they won't work because I have stock handlebars and I would have to go with aftermarket bars. Has anybody mounted them using the stock bars? If I go with aftermarket handlebars can I still use the stock plastic cover that's in the center of the stock handlebars?

[dalejiw25]

I don't know what kinda riding you do but, The stock bars are not very rugged. You may want to replace them anyways. Stockers will bend and break pretty easily. You want something with the Renthal style mid brace. I don't know about mounting the center plastic piece on after market bars though, I've never done it.

[spydertrex]

stock bars should be 7/8 use the tri mount no need to even move controls or middle platic peace sold at bikebandit.com

[mike18421]

Looked on Bikebandit and couldn't find a tri mount. Who makes the tri mount? Do you have a link? Thanks for your help guys!

[spydertrex]

bikebandit type in search powermadd handguards third from the bottom powermadd mount kits then click on tri mount

[mike18421]

Thanks for the help just found them! I also found that Acerbis has a crush sleeve that goes into the bar end for their handguards. I like the looks of the powermadd handguards better though

[slightlybent47]

I have a set of Renthal bars on mine and there the same bend as the stockers and the same diameter and my powermaidds fit just fine. So I’m assuming that they will fit the stock bars as well.
I would just run the stockers for now and only replace them when or if they get bent.
The stock bars have no cross bar and this will let the bars flex a bit and reduce arm pump and fatigue. Bars with a cross bar won’t flex so they transfer energy to the hands and arms.
I had to drill two holes in the steering stem to mount the dash back on after installing the Renthal bars but it was easy to do. I just put two set screws in to hold it on. I cant see the indicator lights anymore but I really never paid attention to them anyway.

[f4iracer]

another bonus to the stock bars is they will bend before the steering stem.

So, if you roll it, your bars will take the blow and will bend instead of the steering stem. ONce you put sturdy bars on there you can expect the stem to bend if you flip it.

[slightlybent47]

Originally posted by f4iracer
another bonus to the stock bars is they will bend before the steering stem.

So, if you roll it, your bars will take the blow and will bend instead of the steering stem. ONce you put sturdy bars on there you can expect the stem to bend if you flip it.

One would think that but I bent the bars and the stem at the same time. Both stock.
Here is a pic of crossing the line after crashing on the hole shot and breaking 3 ribs, bending the bars and the stem and I still finished the race. Don’t ask me why I rode in pain like that but I did. you can see my wheels are strate and my bars are not.

http://i56.tinypic.com/fph7m.jpg

[mike18421]

Thanks for the help guys! I ended up ordering the Powermadd hand guards and the Tri mount kit. I just bought the 400EX last weekend and she's bone stock except for the holeshot tires.

http://img823.imageshack.us/img823/4944/400ex003o.jpg

[beags86]

86 trx 70 huh?? sweet quad, got mine for x-mas in 86!! i was three, i still have it at my parents place, it needs a new chain and some rear tires, but all in all it still in pretty good shape. got a pic of yours? sorry i don't have one of mine..

nice pickup of the 02.

[tri5ron]

Clean Bike ! looks good !

Now listen very carefully,.......
before you read ANY further in this forum.


QUICK, HURRY, DONT ASK WHY, JUST DO IT NOW BEFORE IT'S TO LATE,.....
Give your wallet, checkbook, ATM card, and all credit cards to your Wife, Girlfriend, Mom, Dad, Dog, Gueniea pig,..... WHOEVER !

You'll better understand, and thank me later, (when the disease goes "Full Blown").

(OH trust me,... it IS going to happen, and you will have no control over it. It IS terminal, there is no cure).

Oh , I almost forgot, Welcome to the site.

Oh yeah, and one other thing,.....

Now all you need to modify is
Shocks,
Stabilizers,
Nerfs,
Skids,
headers,
mufflers,
jetting,
filters,
airbox
cam,
piston,
timing chain,
gearing,
ignition,
headlights,
oil cooler,
spal fan,
lug nuts,
tires,
bearings,
bolts,
grips,
(and some other stuff too)

enjoy the site, and welcome to the disease

:D

[mike18421]

Originally posted by beags86
86 trx 70 huh?? sweet quad, got mine for x-mas in 86!! i was three, i still have it at my parents place, it needs a new chain and some rear tires, but all in all it still in pretty good shape. got a pic of yours? sorry i don't have one of mine..

nice pickup of the 02.

Sure do have some pics of it. Mine still runs and drives great. Me and my wife are expecting our first child which is due Dec 8th. It's a boy. It's so awesome that my son will be riding on the same atv that I had when I was a little boy!!

http://img64.imageshack.us/img64/3762/dscn1645ya.jpg
http://img64.imageshack.us/img64/5124/dscn1646l.jpg

[mike18421]

Originally posted by tri5ron
Clean Bike ! looks good !

Now listen very carefully,.......
before you read ANY further in this forum.


QUICK, HURRY, DONT ASK WHY, JUST DO IT NOW BEFORE IT'S TO LATE,.....
Give your wallet, checkbook, ATM card, and all credit cards to your Wife, Girlfriend, Mom, Dad, Dog, Gueniea pig,..... WHOEVER !

You'll better understand, and thank me later, (when the disease goes "Full Blown").

(OH trust me,... it IS going to happen, and you will have no control over it. It IS terminal, there is no cure).

Oh , I almost forgot, Welcome to the site.

Oh yeah, and one other thing,.....

Now all you need to modify is
Shocks,
Stabilizers,
Nerfs,
Skids,
headers,
mufflers,
jetting,
filters,
airbox
cam,
piston,
timing chain,
gearing,
ignition,
headlights,
oil cooler,
spal fan,
lug nuts,
tires,
bearings,
bolts,
grips,
(and some other stuff too)

enjoy the site, and welcome to the disease

:D

LOL!!!!:D Thanks!:D

[honda400ex2003]

sweet machine!!!!!!!!! man that thing is cool. I thought a 250r was cool but that thing takes the cake. :D steve

[beags86]

Originally posted by mike18421
Sure do have some pics of it. Mine still runs and drives great. Me and my wife are expecting our first child which is due Dec 8th. It's a boy. It's so awesome that my son will be riding on the same atv that I had when I was a little boy!!

http://img64.imageshack.us/img64/3762/dscn1645ya.jpg
http://img64.imageshack.us/img64/5124/dscn1646l.jpg


oh my, that brings back some memorys!! yours is in really good shape!, have to say i must have a bit rougher on mine. lol man that makes me want to go out and buy some tires and a rear chain!!
i can say my dad put a trailer hitch on mine (so i could be like him and his big bad 200! lol) you would be suprised how much sweet corn them little 70s will pull!! i also used it to pull milk out to my calfs and move limestone in the barn. lol good old days!

one day my boy - or girl will terrorize my back yard with there big mean red machine, just like i did!!:)

[mike18421]

Originally posted by beags86
oh my, that brings back some memorys!! yours is in really good shape!, have to say i must have a bit rougher on mine. lol man that makes me want to go out and buy some tires and a rear chain!!
i can say my dad put a trailer hitch on mine (so i could be like him and his big bad 200! lol) you would be suprised how much sweet corn them little 70s will pull!! i also used it to pull milk out to my calfs and move limestone in the barn. lol good old days!

one day my boy - or girl will terrorize my back yard with there big mean red machine, just like i did!!:)

Your dad had a 200? Was it the TRX200? My father still has his 1984 TRX 200. I have a twin brother who also had a 70 and when we would ride with my father he would come to a stop and my brother would run into the back of my fathers 200 and I would run into the back of my brother! LOL Good times!

[beags86]

yep sure was a trx 200, i know all about running into the back of father, wish they would have made brake lights back then.... kind of makes me think i should be thinking of some sort extended lower rear bumper for the back of my ex now... i know the back end surely sits alot higher then an old 200...

my father still has his as well, guess its mine now.. i beat the hell out of it from about 9-10ish to about 14, when i got a yami 250.. it still runs but its in rough shape and hasn't moved from it spot in a few yrs.

old man has a 4x4 these days.

since then i have been able to pick up another one for parts, still aways down on the project list. but its on there

[mike18421]

My dads 200 is in great shape. He used it right up until 2001 and then he bought a foremen 450 ES. I don't think it's been run since then. Just sits in the garage. One of these days I will bring it over to my house and get it going again.

I remember jumping that 200 for the first time and it felt like I broke both my ankles when it landed!! LOL:D

[mike18421]

Took the 400EX out for it's first real ride since I've had it. Went pretty good. I'm really happy with it and it has plenty of power for me right now. I did have one issue though. I was going at a pretty good clip and I guess I must have bottomed out because all of a sudden I heard/felt a really bad grinding noise. The skid plate got pushed up into the rear disk brake. I ended up getting it away from the disk but it was still rubbing. It was good enough fix to get it back to the trailer. Funny thing is I was riding on an old rail road bed that is flat so I have no idea what I hit. Oh well.

What's a good aftermarket skid plate? Is there any that are stonger than the factory skid plate?

[honda400ex2003]

ricochet is good, prm has good ones, tusk, dg, they all make decent ones. most are .190 thick and others are .25 thick. you will get what you pay for thickness wise. i would take the stocker off and at least bend it all back the shape it should be for now. steve

[tri5ron]

Any brand will do fine, just make sure to get a .250 thick.

power wise, the 400EX has more than enough for the stock suspension.
The OEM front shocks, are what is the most limiting factor, to you, and your stock machine.
replace the front shocks with some good aftermarkets, or 450r
shocks with aftermarket springs.

[99400esex]

Originally posted by mike18421
Sure do have some pics of it. Mine still runs and drives great. Me and my wife are expecting our first child which is due Dec 8th. It's a boy. It's so awesome that my son will be riding on the same atv that I had when I was a little boy!!

http://img64.imageshack.us/img64/3762/dscn1645ya.jpg
http://img64.imageshack.us/img64/5124/dscn1646l.jpg

Haha! thats so awesome man! I used to have the same exact thing whenever I was younger. That was my first quad and even though its long gone I still remember it really well.

[99400esex]

Originally posted by mike18421
Took the 400EX out for it's first real ride since I've had it. Went pretty good. I'm really happy with it and it has plenty of power for me right now. I did have one issue though. I was going at a pretty good clip and I guess I must have bottomed out because all of a sudden I heard/felt a really bad grinding noise. The skid plate got pushed up into the rear disk brake. I ended up getting it away from the disk but it was still rubbing. It was good enough fix to get it back to the trailer. Funny thing is I was riding on an old rail road bed that is flat so I have no idea what I hit. Oh well.

What's a good aftermarket skid plate? Is there any that are stonger than the factory skid plate?

Aftermarket skid plates are a pretty important thing, I always use dg and ac racing products as far as skid plates and they never let me down. The problem with aftermarket skid plates sometimes is that they can catch things a lot easier since they sit a lot lower to the ground. But I highly doubt you will bend one of them things, especially a dg baja skid.