I prefer Hondas and I was ready to buy a 400EX when Yamaha released the Raptor. I like the idea of reverse and the bigger engine. Yamaha has built some pretty good quads. Does anyone know if Honda plans to answer Yamaha's Raptor? I'm in no hurry to get one but next year I want a new one. Any thoughts?

 

Well, I guess it would all depend on what type of riding you do. If you are riding alot of trails and doing some technical riding, the 400EX would probably be your better choice. Do you really need all that power for tight trails? (660cc's??)

Now, if you do alot of wide open riding, such as logging trails, the Raptor sounds like your best bet.

Just wait until the Raptor comes out and test ride it vs. the 400EX and make the decision. Its gonna be your choice and no one elses

Eric

 

Both machines are and gonna be awesome. Thje Honda just doesnt have much power. I would buy the Raptor it has the power handling and to top it off REVERSE. But you decide because the 400 is a great machine, I have had NO problems with mine and i have been riding it REALLY HARD for a year now

 

actually the raptor is the better trail riding bike since it is narrower than a 400ex. They weigh a little more than a 400ex and they are'nt supposed to handle as well. I have a 440ex and i think the raptors are gonna smoke me when they come out until i make more mods. I'de rather have a race ready raptor than a race ready 400ex, but i already made the choice so i will have to take a loss when i face the pipmed out 660 raptors.

 

To answer your question, there are rumors of Honda using their new liquid cooled XR650R engine in a quad.

If they are going to do so anytime soon, it will probably be announced at the dealers meeting on September 11th.

 

for the price of a rapter you could modify a 400 to smoke it(they accelerate the exact same as a banshee and are 1mph faster.go honda.

 

It says on the honda website that the new models will be realeased on sept 14th, or is that just when it will be up on the site.

 

Not possible to modifya 400EX to smoke a Raptor. The most you can get out of a 400EX is about 42hp and they tested one against a Raptor and the Raptor one with ease. The 40EX is a awesome bike. Its is quick off the line and mid range put has no top end.

 

Here's what I heard... About a month or so ago I had my 400EX at the dealer to replace a bent rear axle, and had to get the Southern CA district service manager involved to approve the repair. When talking with him he asked how I liked my 400EX, and explained I was very happy with it after recently upgrading to it from a 2000 Warrior. I especially commented on how I had quickly outgrown the power and handling of the Warrior but was now satisifed with the 400EX, although I might move up to a Raptor for the extra power and if it proved to handle as well as the 400EX--he said to wait to upgrade until after Sep 11th. He wouldn't answer any of my questions about the possibility of a 650EX, other than the fact that for the first time in years, quads on a whole are now outselling street and dirt bikes...and Honda is very aware of that fact.

 

buy a 400 or wait,honda will never sit back and be # 2 it'll never happen(although the 400 and rapter are in different classes-like 125 and 250's)the ex still compares and just might win some shooouts against it(it didn't do well against a banshee!,pulled even and was 1mph faster)if you want a race quad-honda will come through-just look at history.