Hey, I am looking at purchasing my first ATV in years. My previous experience includes a Polaris Scambler and a 4x4 Honda. I started riding ATV at age 5 (110cc Kawaski) but have not ridden much in the last 5 years. I would like to get somthing a little sportier such as and almost limited to a 04' KFX 400 and a 06' LT-R 450. I live in ND so the used ATV market is somewhat slim and I've found these two ATV's in my price range and seem in good shape. My ego tells me go with the LT-R because it's bigger, sportier, and race ready but without me planning on racing is it really a good idea? I will mainly be riding ditches, small trails, the shoreline at the cabin, and occasionaly recreationaly on a local track. Is there any pro's or con's with either bike in consideration? Other ATV's currently listed locally but aren't as clean or higher priced include the usual Blaster, Banshee, 400 ex, YFZ 450, Z400, and TRX450R. I am now 23, 6'1", and 200 lbs if it helps. The LT-R has been ridden harder than the KFX and reliability and maintence is some what of a concern. Thanks!

 

The KFX 400/z400 is a good all around quad. It can do a little of everything well and with the riding you stated would work very well.

The 450 has a feature I love and thats Fuel Injection but the 450 class quads require a little more maintenance and if your questioning how well it was done that would concern me. All in all though if it is mechanically sound just slap some 20's on it and it will feel your needs quite well also.

 

Thanks, I also think the KFX would be the better ATV for me as far as needs and price but this LT-R is priced very reasonably and not in horrible shape by any means. Will I be disappointed with the 400 after a while and wish I would have gotten the 450? My two closest buddies ride YFZ450's but the whole group in general is a split between the 400/450's.

 

That 400cc Suzuki mill takes very well to mods... So if you get bored or feel your 450 buddies have too much on you, a pipe and jet kit will make a good bit quicker....

Besides, unless you are racing MX, or drag racing, the 450s are not going to be all that far ahead of you.... In trails it's all rider. I'd be willing to bet that Doug Gust could smoke 90% of the 450 riders on the planet.... on a stock z400 even on an MX track, so in the woods the faster quads don't make much difference.

I ride with 450s on occasion, and outside of the wide open stretches, they are not pulling away at all. And in real world applications it's nothing.... a couple seconds between buddies riding down the trails is nothing that can't be made up in the first tight section. In a race 2-seconds in the world, but out on the trails you won't even notice it.....

There is a guy I ride with who has an early year 450r and we've raced on our MX track.... I can't pass him unless he makes a mistake, but I can stay right on his butt the whole time. Even on our long 4th gear straight, he only pulls about a ten-foot gap on me, but I make it right up in the next turn.

I don't think you'll be disappointed with the kfx400 at all....