Here's a question maybe you guys can help me with. I was wondering which atv would be good to get. The 250R or the 400EX? I like them both and I would like to hear what the guys at the forum have to say. I want something that won't tip over and kinda handles easily. I'm a women and I'm kinda small so I want to be able to control it. I want it basically for regular riding not racing or anything.And if I'm going to spend that much money i don't want to buy something and then end up hating it later. Whatever input you guys could give me would be a great help.

P2gal-hopelessly helpless(with no machine... oh the shame)

 

They are both great machines. If you just want something good that will go every where get the 400. the 250 is a lot faster and more powerful but not as reliable and easy to control as the 400.

 

The 250r is a 2 stroke an will require the motor to be rebuilt after so many hours, the 400ex will run for years. The 400 has electric start and the 250r has kick start. Sounds to me like you will be doing mostly trail riding, with that I say definatly get the 400ex. The 250r would be faster, but not enough to notice. I have a Kawasaki Tecate4 which is faster than a 250r from the factory, and it doesn't beat my 400ex by much in a drag race.

 

My wife is only 5'2" and 105lbs. She kick starts her own R. She also rides it very well, wherever. We've ridden with 400EXs and go everywhere they go, but they can't keep up with us through the dunes.
A 250R handles better and is about 75lbs lighter so it handles easier than an EX.
I don't know why people gotta insist that a 2-stroke isn't dependable. I've seen my engine go for 4 years on the last top-end, and a top-end can be done for less than $150! My friends 88 250R is still ALL ORIGINAL!! Never been rebuilt. So much for that BS they gotta be done all the time!
A 400EX is a great machine, it really is.
A 250R is just a heck of a lot better.
In fact, it's better than anything else.
And yep! Girls can ride them!

 

Why do you have to rebuild the motor every so many hours on the 250r?

P2gal-Hopelessly Helpless( not to mention confused)

 

They're two of the best quads ever made. Tough choice. The 250R is a little harder to ride due to the nature of the 2 stroke powerband. Also, its been 13 years since the 250R was made and alot of the quads are HAMMERED. Cracked frames, stripped bolts, worn seals and bearings are just some of the issues that will need to be addressed should you buy a 13 to 16 year old quad. I enjoyed my 250R, both riding it and spending lots of time and money keeping it in top condition. When the 400EX came out it was love at first sight and i haven't been disappointed. Easy to start, easy to ride, easy to maintain, and not hammered. If you decide to look for a 250R try to take a friend or 2 with you who have owned one to give it a good once over. Good Luck

 

If you're into serious racing, then yes, you'd rebuild your engine every so many hours regardless of the type of motor you have.
When I was drag racing many years ago, I did extreme maintenace on my motor. That was so it was always ready for a hard fast run.
If you are just wanting to ride for fun, which is what we do, you can have your R run for many years provided that it is put together properly and that you run a good fuel/oil mix. You won't necessarily be the fastest person around, and I personally don't care if I am (there is ALWAYS someone faster), but you can have a great time on a stock R.
If you want to modify it, it is easy and inexpensive to boost horsepower from a 2-stroke WITHOUT doing anything to the inside of the engine. Just do some airbox/filter mods, put on a new pipe/silencer, you just boosted your horsepower.
My wife's and mine are basically stock motors with pipe's and air filter changes. Since they are piped for low-end/mid-range they are very easy to ride, almost like a thumper.
Maintenace on a R; a few zerk fittings you gotta do a few times a year, change the transmission oil twice a year. That's about it.
My 86 and my wife's 87 have no frame cracks, original axles, etc. They're great rides. Dependable. Ride them anywhere you can ride a EX.
Now then,
if you insist on thrashing your ride, well, yeah, you will do engine rebuilds more often, but that would happen regardless of what you ride. You abuse it and it won't last. Like I said in my earlier post, my friend has a 88 that he bought new, and has never rebuilt it. Still runs good. That's 13 years for a 2-stroke!
When people say you have to rebuild a 2-stroke, usually what they are saying is that you do a "top-end" rebuild. Very simple and inexpensive to do. If you pull the parts off on Monday afternoon, take them to the shop on Tuesday afternoon, you can usually pick them up on Thursday, put it back together Friday and ride it Saturday. Cost, about $150. Lets see you do that for that price with a 4-stroke.

 

I agree with trapperb1. My dad has an 81 air cooled 250R ATC that he bought in 1983. That old bike has gone through him dragging an elk (it has needed a new piston since then cause it smokes bad), me racing it up the dunes at Sandlake, and it is still the fastest of our three stock! My dads 83 with a DG pipe and silencer along with a K&N, cant keep up with it. Even with a new piston. I say it all depends on how you ride it and if you use good oil, take good care of it and what your mix ratio is. Hope this helps!

 

If I was going to start over again I would have still gotten a 250r.When I got my 300ex We went to the dealer to buy a 400ex but they where on the waiting list so we got the 300 instead.I have an 86 trx250r and my cousin has 99 400ex.I LOVE his 400 it is prety much stock.And I still love to ride it!It handles great and is a blast on trails.I get tired alot faster on my 250r than the 400ex.My 250r is modified alot and it Smoke his 400 and handles way better.The 400ex is Alot funner to ride.Don;'t get me wrong for racing I would much rather have the 250r but for just trails I would rather have a 400ex.electric start is great and I love the way it looks.I would rather a have 250r for what I do though.I would much rather have the 400ex if I didn't race.


You can see my 250r and it's list of mods at my web-site

www.geocities.com/atvracerman1/picpage1.html

 

if you are more of a beginer/trailrider get the 400ex. if you are a hard trailrider/racer, get the 250r. with the 250r, you have to work the cluch and gears to keep it in the power band. with the 400ex, just pick a gear and roll the throttle. the 250r has more power, but it is all in one basic area, this is the case with any 2-stroke. the 250r is better then most 2-strokes, but it cant match the 400ex's flat powerband for ease of use. the only thing you have to use the cluch for is starting from a stop and shifting (unless you ride mud). i havent had much experiance with the 250r (read: none) but i have heard from different places about this. i have ridden the 400ex lots.