Rods new Z400 put 7 lengths on a pipe 400 in a 800 ft drag. The Z is all stock. The EX was gaining back at the end. The z seemed to top out early. The seat is higher on the Z than a raptor(we measured it). Everyone present agreed the Z eats the 400ex on the track,trails and drag strip. Time to step up Honda, cause your dealers are going to get tired of dicounting ex's to 4999 to get them out the door.

The Z400 ran close to a stock raptor that was present today.

 

Wow,I'm impressed. Now let's see if it'll be reliable.

 

<< Rods new Z400 put 7 lengths on a pipe 400 in a 800 ft drag. The Z is all stock. The EX was gaining back at the end. The z seemed to top out early. The seat is higher on the Z than a raptor(we measured it). Everyone present agreed the Z eats the 400ex on the track,trails and drag strip. Time to step up Honda, cause your dealers are going to get tired of dicounting ex's to 4999 to get them out the door.

The Z400 ran close to a stock raptor that was present today. >>



Well, that's not what I've been hearing. Z400 and piped 400ex, dead even....and 3-4 quad lengths behind a Craptor and a Stock Cannibal.....Sorry, I'd still take the 400ex at the 4999 and put a slip-on, high comp. stock bore piston and the XR400 cam in it....it'd be no contest then for the Z or the Craptor for that matter....

 

Jvc400- you have heard, we have seen. The 400ex seemed like it had flat tires after riding the new Z400. Sad, but true, if you are stuck on honda, you will be blue. The clutch/shifting is sweet, better than Honda. You can find nuetral easy on the Z. Fast, responsive turning on the Z. I am not to fond of the yellow tint on the plastic, but plastic is not that big of a deal. I would rather have a solid machine than good plastic. I think that the Z400 could be a better MX machine than the 400ex, or Cannons. Cannondale has more to worry about than honda.

 

99 views, and only 4 replies. You honda guys are scared!

 

14mins;
Thanks for the report!

I've been wondering how the one would fair against the other.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-shocked.gif[/img]

 

14mins, where on the seat did you measure the Z and the Raptor? The Z's seat was actually taller than a Raptor?? As a former Raptor owner and a prospectful Z owner that doesn't sound good. I know that with the Raptor's seat height it felt rather unstable in the corners. But you say you felt like it handled as good or better than the EX? Anyway, thanks for the report.

 

I don't see why an inch or two of extra seat height is such a big deal. If the quad has a low center of gravity, that to me is much more important. Seat height can be a very misleading way of determining stability.

 

...The seat height and tippy &quot;thing&quot; is EASILY solved with just a little width. There are a couple of ways to solve that problem too.

 

I was running dead even with piped and jetted 400EX's this weekend on my Z400. But, I want to point out that this was the first time I had ever raced. Also, I was using Sand Sharks, about the cheapest sand tire you can buy. The Honda's were running Haulers, Sand Skates, or Gecko's. I'm still very pleased with the results. The Z is totally stock and I've been told that the airflow is very restricted. Wait till I get a pipe, modified airbox and rejet. I think the DRZ dirtbike has a 450 kit, so the Z400 will probably have that kit available too.