400 versus 700


Don't worry about any relability issues with the z400. The early frame problems were worked out in 2005, and for the most part very few issues have come up.

I know a TON of people with z400s and KFX400s and I would say 99% of them have had no major problems, and many of them race and beat the living heck out of their machines.

I beat the heck out of mine, it gets ridden a lot, but I maintain everything to a high level. I've not really had any problems beyond normal wear and tear.

My Father rides a KFX700 and we race all the time, both machines are virtually stock and they are pretty close in speed. In a drag, we are generally close off the line, I have to slip the clutch to keep the front end down, but he has to keep the front end down with a gentle thumb. Both machines will walk right from under you if you are not careful. I will tell you also that we are both big guys, I'm around 300 and my Father clicks in around 250, and neither machine seems to notice the weight very much against lighter riders, so the power is there.

Once out of the gate at the same time, we are even until I shift from 2nd-to-3rd, the torque of the 700 will pull about a half-length to a full length almost every time. However, if allowed to hit 5th gear, i will start to reel him back in and eventually I will pass him slowly. But I'm sure his top speed is limited to the gearing, with the proper gearing the thing would probably hit 80.

On the track if he's in front, I can shoot out of a corner faster and close some gap, but I generally cannot pass him unless he makes a mistake and leaves me a line open. If I'm in front he is generally in the same postition. Unless I make a mistake he can't catch me either. This tells me that they are close enough on a track to where it comes down to the rider.

In the woods, again, it's all rider. The difference is that I can hop back and forth between lines a lot quicker. The heavier machine can't change lines as quick at higher speeds. The more I push my 400 the better is handles in the woods, the suspension is amazing for stock and soaks up everything I throw at it. The 700 requires more bull-like riding and less finess.

Jumping the 700 can be done, my Father clears everything I do but he finds his suspension limits a lot quicker. I can soak up a lot more on the landing and not hit bottom.

With that said, I can say for me the 400 is far and away the best choice I could have made last April when I bought it. Of course the Raptor 700 was not out yet, otherwise it would have been a much tougher choice. Of course the Raptor 700 on my local dealer's floor right now has a $7395 sticker hanging on it....I paid $5199 for my KFX........... I don't think you can beat a z400 in the "bang-for-the-buck" catagory.

 

Buddy of mine has a 03 400ex. Only obvious mod is full exhaust. We aren't sure what else is done to it but it puts 3-4 quad lengths on my buddies kfx400 EVERYTIME.

My 400ex cannot keep up with it but still you can make a 400ex outrun a kfx400 for pretty cheap. That 400ex is only 2 quad lengths behind my buddies raptor 660.

 

The bombardier ds 650 is a nice quad but not for the mx track so i would have to go with the raptor 700 due to you being a bigger guyand the 450's feel like there is nothing to them. I dont know about you but i want to feel like im actually riding something like the raptor 700. And it also has the new technology to go along with it and can be made into what you need it to do.

 

I have seen 1 450 Honda so far. Some younger kid was riding it. It was QUICK. Wheelied like crazy and was extremely loud.

I thought it was a 400ex till I saw him kick-starting it.

 

I think I am going to go with the 400EX or 450R. I'm really impressed by the reliablity of our CRF, and XRs that friends have. It just seems that those Honda motors never quit!

I also read the DW article on it where they said that the 450R was the most comfortable and had good trail manners. I want something I can toss around and jump well too. I would imagine that any of the 450s will do the job well.