I am a long time dirt bike rider that has recently decided to get into quads. I'm leaning heavily towards the 400ex because of its trail riding qualities (which is where 80% of my riding will be) and also because of reverse. However...one of my buddies who lives 2hrs away and rides mostly dunes insists that it would be a mistake not to get the 450. Im looking for low maintenance and reliability but want to make sure the 400ex will have enough power and will perform adequately for the 1 or 2 times a year I will be riding dunes....any opinions are much appreciated!

 

if you get honda then you get reliability.......but if your only gunna ride 2 times a year and you ride 80% trails then you should get the 400ex you still have to adjust your valves.....youlll have to do that on any kind of high performance quad

 

I'll ride much more than 2 times a year but will ride dunes twice a year. I just want to make sure the 400ex will at least be decent in the dunes....

 

The 450's all like to be ridden reved out...they don't like to go slow. This makes them great in open country, but on a tight trail you have to do a lot of clutch slipping, and that gets old real fast!

The 400EX is a great trail quad, especially if the trails are tight and semi-technical. It has low end torque and its engine will lug down. I can put mine in 1st gear, and idle through the rough stuff. In the dunes, it does OK. Lots of hop up potential in that engine, so that will help you in the dunes as well.....

Another machine to consider is the Suzuki Z400. Great all around machine! It really is just a 400EX knockoff, with more engine. Its engine likes to rev, but not anything like the 450s.

So, you have to decide if you want to be comfortable 80% of the time, but not so fast in the dunes, or if it is so important to keep up with your buddy in the dunes that you are willing to be miserable the other 80% of the time.

 

Thanks reconranger, that was the answer I was looking for. I'll go with the 80% comfort and just make my buddy ride trails a couple times a year to even things out!