Ask the Editors: Help Me Gear My Z400 For the Road
Congrats on purchasing a very well-rounded ATV. Throughout the years since their introduction we have encountered Z400s in just about every configuration imaginable and it seems always to prove successful.
To answer your first question, we are assuming you are running the stock setup at present? This would be 14 tooth up front and 40 in the rear.
We in the United States have very limited road ATV experience on account of legalities but we assume you are looking for more top end out of your gearing ratio (less torque but more top speed from each gear)?
To achieve this you want to gear your machine up to a taller gear ratio. Less teeth on the rear sprocket or more on the countershaft (front) sprocket will accomplish this.
Depending on how much of a change you’re looking for, we’d probably experiment with a 38-tooth rear sprocket so as not to need to run additional chain links.
In terms of the second part of your question, the Z400 responds very well to modifications and perhaps one of the more affordable, effective mods would be to switch to a full aftermarket exhaust system and higher-flowing air filter.
