I have a 300EX, and I love it. We have ridden many miles together..lol But lately since my friends have bought 450Rs, YFZs, Banshees, and Raptors, I just can't keep up. Some days we ride technical trails and my Rancher 420 does great. I'm usually jumping onto their quads to help drive them through stuff...But on regular wood trails, whoops, and fields. I'm in the dust. I have looked at Z400s, Banshees, and most of the 450s. I had a Banshee when I was a kid, and I loved it.. I'm leaning toward another one, but am I going to be disapointed? Help me decide..I'm sick of dusty goggles.lol.

 

I ride a 660 raptor, and my buddy rides a 400ex. He always eats my dust. You say you've been on most of the other quads you mentioned so its really what you like and feel comfortable with. The banshee is a fun bike out in the open, but it is difficult to ride when the trails get technical and slow. The best advice i can give you is ride all the different quads you can, and make the decision for youself no matter what anyone else tells you.

 

Have you thought of a renegade 500/800? It still has 4 wheel drive and should hang w/ most of the quads you listed.

 

might want to think about a wolverine as well...

 

I'm in the same boat as the RancherRed I have a 450 wolverine with 25in mudders. I love it alot but I nomally run with about 4 400ex a 300 ex and 2 250 ex a huge group of honda sport quads I can hang with the smaller quads but racing in to the trails the 400s kick the crap outta me. but on the flip side my uncles and other friends have honda 600s and I fit right in. I'm in the mud and doing everything their doing no problem. I fly in woods with the wolverine. I wanted a faster machine like a 700r but I think I'm going to keep the wolverine and upgrade the hell out of it and make it into a more sporty and trail happy. if you want the best of both worlds I would get a wolverine and make it a mudder or a trail machine. think is as a blank sheet of paper you can make it anyway you want.

 

Shotgunguy, it kinda sucks, doesn't it? I love my Rancher and it does everything I need it to do when I ride with the utility quad group. I usually ride with 2 groups. One utility and one sport. The sport group is 2 Banshees, 1 400ex, 1 Raptor 700r, 2 YFZs, and a Kawi 450. The funny thing is that they all gave me hell for buying the 300EX a few years ago!!! They were devoted utility people back then..Anyway as you can see I just can't keep up with these machines. I am suppose to ride with the sport group on Friday.. Gabe is a hardcore two-stroker and he said he would give me as much seat time as I wanted on his shee. Mary drives the Rappy and she said she would do the same.. I'll keep everyone posted..Maybe I will know Friday.Sorry for the long post, thanks guys.

 

The 'shee will drink gas like a mother. I used to pull my bro wherever we were going to ride and let him go from there. They are tons of fun but if your in trials they are horrible. Suspension sucks on 'em too. 450's aren't the best for trail riding but get the job done much better than the 'shee.

If you want to keep up with 450's you'll need a 450 or a raptor 700. The 700's are great all around machines with alot of power but, still a little expensive. Watch and you'll pick up a '04-'05 450 for around 3200-3500

 

I sure don't need a gas guzzler. I think I'm probably going to go with the Raptor, but I'm not completely sure. The only thing that's holding me back is a friend of a friend wants my 300ex for his daughter. He has a 2005 shee and he wants to trade even. It has around 30hrs, never wrecked etc.. Almost a to good to be true thing.. What does everyone think?

 

take the 'shee, thats a deal if i ever heard of one. thats like trading a ninja 250 for a gixr 600. and the 'shee's hold their value very well, actually their worth is on an incline

 

Im not a big Shee fan for trail riding but sounds like a good trade. If you dont like it you will most likely be money ahead anyway.