Once a machine reaches 800 ccs, its not considered an ATV anymore.

 

When Honda comes out with their new 450 4 stroke MX bike they should put it in a quad. The manfactures have to relize not every one rides dessert and dunes. Some of us would like a small, light, nimble woods mx bike, which is why in my opinion the 400EX is better. The 450 would be perfect, right in the middle. Good idea if you ask me.

 

I think as long as people arent getting hurt or the government leaves Honda alone. Then the 400EX will remain. Personally, until Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, or Kawasaki campaign a true GNC or MTGP effort we will not see a true purebred MX quad from them.

Hopefully, one of the major manufacturers will run the GNC or MTGP soon. I think if one of them does and it is well responded too then others will follow suit. If this was too happen then I think the machines that would be offered would be unreal in comparison to what we have now.

The 400EX is a great machine stock for trailriding and I can only assume the Raptor is as well, and I am sure that the Raptor's power advantage make it a good dune machine too.

However, none of the current sport machines are true mx machines stock, and honestly none of the machines of past are true mx machines either. There isnt a sport quad past or present that you can compete at the pro level with and not have put serious mods say +$3000 easy, but any mx dirtbike currently available can be raced at the pro level with about $1200 in the motor and maybe less than $500 in suspension revalving.

Quad riders just arent getting the technology that the dirt bikers are. Even the raptor doesnt get mx grade shocks, the DS supposedly does, but it is really too heavy and looks kinda cumbersome to me. I saw several in Utah and they just dont look like a natural choice for MX.

I think even if Honda comes out with a true MX quad they will probably keep the 400EX as a stable pony. It is a great machine and I love mine especially now. It fills a niche right now as a machine that you can ride fast and smooth and really forgives mistakes. I know when I first got mine I hadnt ridden atvs for about 5 years and was amazed at how fast I could go with ease and comfort.

Adam Smith

99 400EX

 

Someone on another forum told me that there was a lot of problems with the 426 in a quad frame,I will try to look it up.

 

I talked with a rep. from Yamaha (I don't know what department/area he was from, so I can't vouch for the validity of his statements) and he said the YZ 426 motor was designed for a dirtbike and the stresses a dirtbike gives a specific motor, and that a 426 could not be adapted to a quad due to the stresses a quad puts on the motor and long term reliability was questionable, personally I have no idea I'm not an engineer, thats just what he told me when asked.

 

A new sport quad such as a 650ex would be great but I don't think Honda would discontinue the 400EX. Believe it or not there are people out there who don't want/need the fastest quad out there. They would be content with a 400EX.

Look at the Rancher it has less CC's than the 450 but has out sold the larger foreman this year!

 

The Raptor will not make the warroir obsolete. Why do you think sled munufacturers make sleds with 1000cc's, 800cc's, 700cc's, 600cc's, 440cc's, 370cc's, and even 120cc's? To attract all potential customers.

 

I could see Honda discontinuing the 300EX, but not the 400EX.