2002

[Baxter]

Amazing owning a 2003 400ex that I after asking had to revert to Dirtwheels.

The way I read it was 400ex glory years was in 2002 , the year after it was CRF/YZF hybrids

[Mtndew99]

To me the 400ex is still a all around great quad

[RNL]

Hard to believe the 400 used to be the quad for racing. Now its looked at as a beginner quad. IMO it's the best overall quad ever made.

[cheater13]

I got mine back in 07-08 when i was in 7th grade. Had to get it rebuilt 1 time and it never caused me problems for the whole time i had it. I mean, stuff wears out but that's usual. I.E chain, sprockets, tires, etc. Even when i rolled it, the plastic bent the whole way down and touched the head and left a cut mark on my plastic. Didn't break though. :macho:

I didn't even know it was that flexible! But even getting the thing rolled in 4th gear barely did anything to it.

But every person that asks me what quad they should buy, I ALWAYS say the 400ex because they are fast, reliable, and super easy to maintain. Plus, when you do some work to them, they can be fast or close to a 450.

Then they end up getting some type of 450r and come back complaining how it's in the shop all the time getting worked on.. :rolleyes:

[ish416]

Originally posted by cheater13
But every person that asks me what quad they should buy, I ALWAYS say the 400ex because they are fast, reliable, and super easy to maintain. Plus, when you do some work to them, they can be fast or close to a 450.

Then they end up getting some type of 450r and come back complaining how it's in the shop all the time getting worked on.. :rolleyes:

A fully built 400 might stand a chance against a completely stock 450. Do anything to the 450 and they aren't even close.

Also, I have had less issues out of my 450 in the first few years of ownership than I have my 400 in it's first few years.

As for the 400EX's glory days, that was in 1999 - 2000 when it's only competition was the Banshee and to some extent the Polaris Sport 400L. Then the Raptor came out in 2001 followed by the LTZ400 and it's clones in 2002 (actual model year was 2003) and then the 450's came out in 04. It's been getting left further and further behind in performance since 2 - 3 years since it was released.

The CRF/YZF hybrids were never attainable by the average person and the only people that raced them had serious amounts of money (typically $15,000+) and great fabricators and machinists at their disposal.

[Pittsburgh400ex]

Originally posted by ish416
A fully built 400 might stand a chance against a completely stock 450. Do anything to the 450 and they aren't even close.

.

100% accurate.

Owned both and loved both but even a stacked 400 is simply outgunned.

One time i had a friend of mine ride my 426 and me on the 450 so i could compare and i was shocked, my EX literally dusted my 450 until i let out the clutch.

[quadmanw]

I like the 450s and one day will own one but like most of us, I love my 400. They are great quads. Sure the 450 will beat them in a straight away but with a good rider and a 400 that you're used to, the 400 can still be raced for XC. Just wanted to express my love for the quad I guess :rolleyes:

[cheater13]

Yeah i know when 450s are upgraded, even slight engine work and a pipe, it makes a world of difference. But i sure do keep up with them drag racing 300ft but my gearing is changed and that's one of the main things to do when dragging.

I'm not saying i beat all them, but i give them a run though. There's some fully modded yfz450s there that I'm not too far away from keeping up with them.

But i love my 400 and would probably never sell or trade the thing. One day I'll eventually own a trx450er or 450r if i want to deal with the kickstart. Overall, i think the 400ex is a great fourwheeler for power and reliability even though it don't stack up against a fully modded 450r.

[ish416]

Originally posted by cheater13
Yeah i know when 450s are upgraded, even slight engine work and a pipe, it makes a world of difference. But i sure do keep up with them drag racing 300ft but my gearing is changed and that's one of the main things to do when dragging.

I'm not saying i beat all them, but i give them a run though. There's some fully modded yfz450s there that I'm not too far away from keeping up with them.

But i love my 400 and would probably never sell or trade the thing. One day I'll eventually own a trx450er or 450r if i want to deal with the kickstart. Overall, i think the 400ex is a great fourwheeler for power and reliability even though it don't stack up against a fully modded 450r.

With equal riders in equal conditions, I doubt that a 35hp 400EX will keep up with a 50hp quad that is lighter. It's just not going to happen.

My EX is a very similar build to your's cheater13 and my KFX450 will simply annihilate my EX in any race over 30 feet. When I say annihilate, I am meaning it's simply not a race, like, at all.

For comparison, my KFX450 can go from a dead stop to well into 5th gear (70 MPH) in about 430 feet on pavement. My 400EX takes about 600 feet to accomplish the same thing.

[CJM]

Straight line the 400 will never win. Come close with enough mods and rider skill-maybe..

Its still slower, my 04 450r eats the 400 alive and its totally stock except for exhaust.

[cheater13]

I don't know then cause at 300ft,I give the 450s a run on the drag strip. Not the ones that people dump 10+ grand in, the stock to slightly modified ones.

Last summer, I beat my buddy's kfx450 at the drag strip but his was stock. I didn't have some stuff I have on my 400 like I do now i.e. intake and sprocket changes either. I consider myself a pretty good rider, not bragging though. I know how my fourwheeler responds to everything I put it through. Well, not when I wrecked though. :p

Anyways, his kfx is in the school's shop now and we're working on it because he messed something up with the head. He also bought a full exhaust system and a programmer for it for us to install. I'll see how I compare to him at the drag strip this year.

I know 450s are godly fast. I rode a built yfz450 that is raced at the track. I about sh*t myself in first gear when I realized how much power that thing had compared to mine especially throughout the gears.

[ish416]

Originally posted by cheater13
I don't know then cause at 300ft,I give the 450s a run on the drag strip. Not the ones that people dump 10+ grand in, the stock to slightly modified ones.

Last summer, I beat my buddy's kfx450 at the drag strip but his was stock. I didn't have some stuff I have on my 400 like I do now i.e. intake and sprocket changes either. I consider myself a pretty good rider, not bragging though. I know how my fourwheeler responds to everything I put it through. Well, not when I wrecked though. :p

Anyways, his kfx is in the school's shop now and we're working on it because he messed something up with the head. He also bought a full exhaust system and a programmer for it for us to install. I'll see how I compare to him at the drag strip this year.

I know 450s are godly fast. I rode a built yfz450 that is raced at the track. I about sh*t myself in first gear when I realized how much power that thing had compared to mine especially throughout the gears.

I will give you that a stock KFX450 is pretty mellow and not much of a difference over a built 400. I was rather disappointed with mine as far as the power output when stock.

That leads me to this, if your buddy is putting money into a pipe and programmer without getting an FCI intake then he is wasting his money. A KFX450 will not make any power until the stock intake is replaced. It is seriously the worse design I have ever seen. Power gains with just an intake and programmer are 5 - 7hp depending on the dyno. My KFX450 dyno'd stock at 39hp and after just an intake/full exhaust/cams and tune it now puts down 51hp on the same dyno (which is known to read a little high).

I'm just passing that along because even with a full exhaust and programmer that KFX450 will be slow until that intake is replaced.

[2001400exrida]

It's important to keep in mind that the 04/05 trx450's are much slower than the 06+ 450's. in stock trim.

the 04/05 trx450's have a 10.5:1 piston which is a slug and they also only have about 34-36hp depending on the dyno.

So, a stock trx450r can and will lose to a built 400ex. My 426 11:1 will beat my friends bone stock trx450 all the way to 40mph, after that he pulls away from me, but that's comparing a built 426 to a bone stock 450.

mod for mod the 450 wins all day long and if it's an 06+ 450 it'll win no problems.

[cheater13]

One day I think I'm goin to get a 04-05 450r even though I like the look of the newer ones better since the headlight is actually under the plastic.

But the 06+ I think are fuel injected aren't they? Unless I'm thinking of the newer kfx's. Even though the 06+ look better and are faster than the 04-05, I still think I'd rather deal with the carburetor than fuel injection.

[2001400exrida]

no, none of the trx450's are fuel injected.

the 06+ has an FCR carb which is better, and it also has a higher comp piston, i believe the stock piston is 12.5:1

[ish416]

Originally posted by cheater13
One day I think I'm goin to get a 04-05 450r even though I like the look of the newer ones better since the headlight is actually under the plastic.

But the 06+ I think are fuel injected aren't they? Unless I'm thinking of the newer kfx's. Even though the 06+ look better and are faster than the 04-05, I still think I'd rather deal with the carburetor than fuel injection.

The only fuel injected sport quads on the market are the KFX450R, LTR450R and YFZ-X/R.

The 06+ Honda has an FCR carb. Also, the frames on the 06+ aren't any where near as good as they are on the 04-05. One more thing, the 06+ are known to have weak bottom ends (gears and shafts). That is why you see more privateers and racers running the 04-05s than the 06+.

The 04-05 is the best 450R with a few upgrades, just make sure the crank bearings have been replaced.

[ish416]

Originally posted by 2001400exrida
no, none of the trx450's are fuel injected.

the 06+ has an FCR carb which is better, and it also has a higher comp piston, i believe the stock piston is 12.5:1

Stock piston is 12:1.

[Kawie450r]

Originally posted by ish416
The only fuel injected sport quads on the market are the KFX450R, LTR450R and YFZ-X/R.

The 06+ Honda has an FCR carb. Also, the frames on the 06+ aren't any where near as good as they are on the 04-05. One more thing, the 06+ are known to have weak bottom ends (gears and shafts). That is why you see more privateers and racers running the 04-05s than the 06+.

The 04-05 is the best 450R with a few upgrades, just make sure the crank bearings have been replaced.

DS 450 is also fuel injected....

[ish416]

Originally posted by Kawie450r
DS 450 is also fuel injected....

Haha .. I knew I was forgetting one but couldn't think of which one.

[cheater13]

Ah gotcha. I knew they had something and i thought it was fuel injection but i was wrong. I'll still probably stick to my older year 450r whenever i get one. I kind of want a 450er so i don't have to deal with the kick start.

I had a 250 Mojave that was kickstart and it was a pain sometimes.

[jcs003]

Originally posted by ish416
A fully built 400 might stand a chance against a completely stock 450. Do anything to the 450 and they aren't even close.

Also, I have had less issues out of my 450 in the first few years of ownership than I have my 400 in it's first few years.

As for the 400EX's glory days, that was in 1999 - 2000 when it's only competition was the Banshee and to some extent the Polaris Sport 400L. Then the Raptor came out in 2001 followed by the LTZ400 and it's clones in 2002 (actual model year was 2003) and then the 450's came out in 04. It's been getting left further and further behind in performance since 2 - 3 years since it was released.

The CRF/YZF hybrids were never attainable by the average person and the only people that raced them had serious amounts of money (typically $15,000+) and great fabricators and machinists at their disposal.

the honda trx250r dominated the ATV racing world til the production class rules. in 1999 the 250r won every national championship.

john