stock 400ex or built z400

[250xjohn]

hi guys, my friend wants to buy my 400ex from me. i see a z400 that is mx built. i like honda reliability and parts but im sure the z400 is in much better condition. any ideas and personal experience with the quads. I will get pictures up of both bikes.

[250xjohn]

this is what it looked like when i bought it. it now had 18" razr mx in rear and a burgaurd +1 steering stem. The nerf nets are extended to the frame too

[250xjohn]

this is the z400. http://cnj.craigslist.org/mcy/3116143985.html

[TacicalRedneck]

You can't judge a quad to well by pics, but by the pics, it's definitely worth a shot to look at the z400!

[2001400exrida]

that would be a sweet trade if you could do it. I can tell you right now that Z400 is worth more than your 400ex. If MX is what you like or hell even XC, the Z already has elkas and gussetted frame and it appears somebody spent some money on it

You could sell the frame and suspension and have yourself another 400ex, lol.

[ish416]

That Z is running a stock swing-arm for MX!!!

If it was ridden hard at all that swinger would be snapped in half. I have broke 2 of them personally and I know of 3 other people that have had their swing-arm break on the welds.

Seriously, I would be very hesitant about riding one of those that was setup for MX with the stock swing-arm.

Check the welds on the swing-arm for cracks. Also, plan on getting a new aftermarket swing-arm and be on your way.

Once you get that cleared up, it looks like a nice quad.

[250xjohn]

Haha, sounds good, im getting a vid of the z400 and ill show you guys. i love honda, kinda hard to step away but if the z blows up i guess i can part out! aha the 400ex vibrates a lot so i guess i cant go wrong?

[250xjohn]

im looking to buy it for 1900

[toomanytoys]

I broke my stock 2003 z400 swing arm trail riding and just messing around on the mx track.

[250xjohn]

oh really? thats what i planned on doing. How was the result? a crash? and how long did it take to break?

[2001400exrida]

Originally posted by 250xjohn
oh really? thats what i planned on doing. How was the result? a crash? and how long did it take to break?

don't let people get you too dissapointed. It all depends on circumstances, plenty of people break swingarms on any machine. I ride with several kfx/dvx/z 400' and they all have stock swingers and i've never seen one fail. We all ride trails and hit medium size jumps. The one thing i don't like is how the z swingarm is setup. it's a pain to adjust chain and stuff, but it's not just going to break on you. There are plenty of these machines out there that don't have any issues with the swingarms breaking.

[250xjohn]

thanks for the input. Today i am checking out a trx250r and if its a no i guess im going for the z400. thanks again

[400exrider720]

Hey i don't know where you're from but i have a complete z400 Houser swingarm for sale. Bearings are good and it's grey in color.Let me know if you'd be interested.

[ish416]

don't let people get you too dissapointed. It all depends on circumstances, plenty of people break swingarms on any machine. I ride with several kfx/dvx/z 400' and they all have stock swingers and i've never seen one fail. We all ride trails and hit medium size jumps. The one thing i don't like is how the z swingarm is setup. it's a pain to adjust chain and stuff, but it's not just going to break on you. There are plenty of these machines out there that don't have any issues with the swingarms breaking.

The first time I broke a swingarm on a Z400 was in a flat field while on a 5th gear wheelie. The swingarm literally snapped in half on the welds. The second time, was on a small 45 ft double. My friends have all broke theirs trail riding except one. It broke when he was going down the road to his brothers house. 60 mph on pavement and it simply snapped. He was seriously injured and hospitalized for nearly a month with a broken pelvis, cracked ribs, a dislocated shoulder, broken clavicle (collarbone) and some pretty bad road rash. Needless to say, Suzuki has excellent lawyers and was not at fault since he was riding less than a quarter mile on the road and the machine was not designed for highway use.

Every person in my riding group that has/had a Z400/KFX/DVX has had the swingarm break. That is 5 of these quads and 6 broken swingarms, most were gently ridden and well taken care of. A few have been abused, regardless, they all broke. I have heard of a few other people breaking theirs as well but I do not know them personally so I don't mention them.

Now, the Z400 and it's clones really are great quads. They are basically a more advanced EX with way more potential. In full race build they are just as good as any 450. The Achillies' heel of this quad is the swingarm. Replace that and you will have a solid quad.

[250xjohn]

hey 400exrider720, sorry! i went out and got a trx250r

[250xjohn]

and ish416, great info, at least i don't have to worry about that any more

[chronicsmoke]

Originally posted by 250xjohn
hey 400exrider720, sorry! i went out and got a trx250r

I want pics and details, now we're talking :D:macho

[250xjohn]

chronic smoke, check out the trx250r forum, its called trx250rbuilt by nacs. pics are there and if you want more just ask aha

[chronicsmoke]

Keep that 330 top end man!!! You'll be sorry you sold it, trust me.

[2001400exrida]

good info ish, you guys are having bad luck with those swing arms. there was a guy last night at the TT races with a decked out Z400.....stock swingarm, he got 1st in the 400 class.

I can tell he races alot so i'm not sure why he would be running the stock swingarm if he was familiar with it failing, but either way that thing was fast!

I ran the 450 class and got my *** handed to me.

[250xjohn]

yeah but too bad it runs on expensive race gas! are you going to do the 250r swap in the 400ex?

[chronicsmoke]

Originally posted by 250xjohn
yeah but too bad it runs on expensive race gas! are you going to do the 250r swap in the 400ex?

You don't have to swap the whole jug man! just the dome in the head.. Keep the 330, just buy a pump gas dome for it.

I still plan on doing the CR/EX swap.. I'm going to wait until I have everything before I start.. The 426 is running good and I have to rebuild the CR engine I bought and get a rad, then I pretty much have everything for it. So it'll be a while before my thread really gets going.. definetly after the MX season is over i think.

Plus I'm rebuilding my 450 again in the off season, and I'm gussetting my 250r right now so I am swamped with projects lol.:p

[250xjohn]

O man! aha alot of work, well thanks for the info, ill have to change the gearing on my 250r, in second gear im sure im going as fast as 4th on my old 400ex ahaha. i just dont want to hit a damn tree at the track i have aha

[dxcody]

Double up the headgasket or something, lol.

Put a stage 5 hotcam in the 250R, that will lower the compression alot!!! :)

[250xjohn]

i should try that ahaha