Ask The Editors: Faster 400EX or 450R?
Twinsies.
I don’t want to put more money and hassle into my 400EX so should I leave it how it is or buy a Honda TRX450R?
When it comes to power there is an old saying: There is no replacement for displacement. If you’re truly seeking a massive jump in power output, the 450R puts out significantly more even in stock trim (41 horse vs 28).
That being said, there may be a very affordable way to tweak your 400EX’s power output to match your needs: Change the final gear ratio via the number of teeth on your sprocket(s).
Since it sounds like you are looking to change the output to more pull on the top end, you would wish to gear the ATV up.
Gearing up an ATV can be done by running less teeth on the rear sprocket or more teeth on the counter-shaft.
Try picking up a rear sprocket with 35-37 teeth (stock is 39) and we suspect your 400EX may surprise you with a power spread more conducive to your type of riding.
Our full guide on how gear ratios work in action can be found here.
