i like hard dirtbike seats- after riding a dirtbike for 30minutes and then getting back on my ds250, my seat is much softer, and i literally checked to see if i sh*t myself- its jsut so soft compared to dirtbike seats and felt weird after riding dirt bikes.

 

There is a 2003 Honda 400ex sportrax with less than 20hrs (my neighbor got laid off) for 3,000 dollars.

 

Now if that was my neighbor, I'd be checking that one out for sure.
A used 400EX like that would suit me fine... but I bet that model year doesn't have the reverse addition, and I want that this time.

Ideally, I'd like to buy used so I can get TWO rides... a sport and a utility.
Best of both worlds and enough ATV's so the whole family can putt around with me too.

Those low priced, hardly ridden machines are hard to find though.
It takes time, and that I have I guess.
I don't get a lot of time to ride in the prime season, so I am in no big hurry.
Plus I have another baby on the way in the fall.

In a way, that's why I was kind of straying away again towards one sport machine... which is where the idea of a new DVX400 crossed my mind again.
It's probably going to be a long while again before more than two of us will go out on a ride at one time.
My wife won't ride again this year probably... just me and my 7 year old (she loves to ride 2-up!).

 

Yes, it does have reverse

 

After riding my KFX and then getting on the wifes ds250, it feels like getting on a bike that should have training wheels.

 

If it has reverse then it is a custom mod, Honda did not put reverse on thier 400EX until '05.
I test rode an '04 and it did not have reverse, it was clean with upgrade exhaust and could of gotten him below 3k, but getting older and darn it I want reverse! And for the hot, hot days in the sand I also wanted liquid cooled. 400EX - Great sport quad though for the rest of the time and grew up on Honda dirt bikes with my Dad running a Honda dealership, so going to another brand was very difficult decision, but damn these Cats look cool.

 

if you're saying it is narrow- i agree, requires a lot of body english to keep all wheels planted at speed. -+4axle and +1.5spacers on each side at front for a total of 3 inches wider should fix the tippyness though- but a pred would solve the tippyness even better
I was going to say it was skinny but it is actually quite obese for a 250 4 stroke

 

I wish it was the same size as the Trail Blazer we have. It's not worth putting that kind of money into a ds250. Only reason I got it was I couldn't talk her into a 250ex. She's says she just has to have an auto. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif[/img]

 

I know it's not really worth it to put any money into it- performance wise..... reliability wont be beat

its just that 450s are so expensive and preds can have bad trannies, and im still researching how much it would cost to fix it, if i had a complete failure

edit: and i hate how tall the z400/dvx400/kfx400 are and they have frame issues (unless the dvx and kfx use diff chassis than z400, but the kfx is the exact same, even the HEADLIGHTS!!!) and the power isnt comparable with the pred

I dont want a 400 ex- air cooled, heavier, back end heavy, and even less pwoer than the z400, etc

Many people say that preds have bad trannies (some are non-pred owners), but there is an equal amount of pred owners with perfectly fine machines

 

The 450's are not all that bad price-wise.
Although I never turned a bolt on mine..... the issue with them seems to be maintenance.
Over-Square bores = lots of oil changes.... and that's to be expected and no bog deal.
But I hear the Honda's valvetrain needs a lot of attention.... and I worried about that with the YFZ.

But here's the skinny....
Unless you are going to race, or you literally BLAZE wide open trails... they are not practical.
They are too HIGH STRUNG.
The LTR 450 is too wide... and so are the other 450's if you set them up for what they are made for (track/racing)
The 450R is too much maintenance for a trail rider.... and the others 'may' turn out to be too...
The 450R is geared too high for trails... and the YFZ450 is close ratio but easy to stall.... and the LTR probably has issues with rear trail tires on too...
The YFZ handles sharp, but rides too sharp for long days of trail riding, and the others probably do too if you set them up to handle that well.

However, I totally agree with you that the Z400 machines seem too tall.
You feel that way coming off a 250 and I feel that way coming off a YFZ.... it's relative I guess.
There are probably shock sets out there to cure that though.
A shock that runs with a 'sag' that doesn't roll in the corners, and drops to give you full travel for big air.

I have also heard from many sources that the early years did have frame issues.
In fact, the first time I posted in this forum about the DVX, I asked about the frames and got little response.

Anyways, I think the 400's are all good choices.
When the 400EX was in it's early years and 'all-the-rage' I had little respect for them.
But now, I think even the 400EX is a great choice for sporting the trails.

For you, coming off of a DS250 to a 400EX would be a HUGE UPGRADE for sport riding.

Better handling...
More suspension travel...
150cc's more engine...
Manual trans...
Manual clutch...
43 pounds lighter...

Well I think you get the picture.

Anyways, as far as the predator goes... I hadn't even considered it or the Outlaw.
I unfairly didn't even think of them I guess.
I'm not anti-polaris or anything... I like them... just 'assumed' they would be too heavy... maybe they are not.
I WILL check them out when I go to look at the DVX (maybe tomorrow) because the Polaris dealer is sorta on the way to the Cat dealer.

On a side note, my buddies used to have this term they used to use to 'rib' me with.
They used to call the YFZ a "Yamalaris" LOL....
Certain ways you look at the front center lines on the plastic, I have to admit it does look like a TrailBlazer/Sport/Scrambler.
Long pointy nose... LOL...