2fiftyX,

How's the cereal? LMAO!!!

Thanks for replying to my post and thank you for the opportunity to respond in kind.

1) Glad you have a track to ride MX on and 4x times a week at that. I am sure that all hi-per riders have such a luxury on tap.... I couldn't even imagine the joy of riding 4 times a week. Career and family generally take up most of that time. I do enjoy my weekly ride though and am glad to hear that you have no life except for riding MX. At least you are getting your $'s worth out of the quad and you could do a lot worse.

2) I disagree that sport quads make it through the woods faster period. A lot of the wood trails around here are so tight that you really can't use the full potential of a hi-per quad. There are lots of trees with brightly colored scars from ATVs going too fast. You are correct though, those hi-per bikes were going faster on impact than any other kind of ATV but the trees invariably win.

3) Can a 400lb. hi-per quad magically levitate over any mud puddle that would cause a 550lb. 4x4 bike (with reverse just in case)lol to wallow in the mud? Sounds like it is possible only if you and your 4x weekly trip to the MX track (which as we all know is great practice for mudholes) has allowed you to attain what the japanese refer to as Onaghi-San (loosely translated "Way of the light-toed Mudskipper" Kung-Fu thing.) lol [quick note: I too skip mudholes on occasion but this can get dangerous and I have seen numerous people ferk themselves up and their bikes good doing this, not to mention the fact that a lot of the time there are tight turns before and after said mud holes].

To clarify, pigs do not naturally gravitate to mud and are actually one of the cleanest animals in the wild. It is mankind who pens them up in mudpits and God Bless 'em cause I do love Pork Chops.

As for my name, it comes from an obscure part of the "Blues Brothers". Jake and Elwood are looking for their bandmates and stop by a rooming house. They don't find anyone but before they can leave a lady comes running out of the house yelling "Mister Man...Mister Man..." I thought it was funny and the name stuck. Hell, you live in Elwood Il. and have to ask? Sheesh!

Your unfortunate and unoriginal Texas comment reveals an ignorance and lack of creativity that I find distressing. My Drill Sergeant told me that one in Basic Training and he was from San Francisco if that isn't enough irony fer chrissakes.

Ya know, maybe I am ready to join the "hi-per flame crowd" This is easy LOL!

Seriously, I was just looking for a straight answer to my question, but in the absence of answers, flaming will do. LOL

Regards,

MrMan

 

I've gotta say you guys come up with some interesting replys. How did we get to comparing 4x4s to pigs , and sport quads or "hiper machines" to some wierd thing that can walk on water?

K , i have to agree that sport machines can go thru mud better AT FIRST cuz they sortof skim the top if your going fast then they sink in. but see 4x4s sink but they keep going thru the mud. while sport machines are stuck once they sink in less there is a solid bottom.

BUT , sport machines arent really made for going thru alot of mud. 4x4s are. The 400ex for example was made not for racing but for trails. You can modify it and race it (alot of people have) but when its stock its a great trail ride. also who ever said sport machines arent for going fast on trails was wrong. they can go a hell of alot faster thatn most 4x4s. for exampe i was haulin' *** on one of the trails this winter on my 230E i was going faster than a skidoo formula 500 , honda fourtrax 300 4x4 (one of those pigs LOL) and a skidoo tundra all becuase of suspention. Im not braging that im faster than those guys , acually they are faster than me most of the time , im just saying that a sport machine was wippin' some machines cuz of suspention

I agree that the 400ex should have come with reverse , there was no reason it souldnt have.

1) it was mad for trail riding .

2) it has electric start .

3) thers alot of people who want it.

4) the people that dont can take it off and save wieght.

Ripsnorter

 

The "riders before now" weren't paying $6000.00 for a quad! I have been riding a 300ex for 5 years waiting for a 400ex with reverse. I am not going to give it up for a machine that doesn't get through the woods any faster than what I already have, plus I would have to pay several thousand dollars to move up (or down considering no reverse) to the 400ex! Just my 2cents worth.

 

I always thought that the 400EX was classified as a sports quad. To me, this means that it is designed to be faster and lighter than the utility class, but not necessarily just a racing quad. The OEMs generally try to make their mass produced products satisfy as many customers as possible (after all, sales are the name of the game). If it was just for racing, it would not likely have an electric starter, so I'm a bit surprised that they didn't include reverse, but when it first hit the showrooms, there was only old competition and Honda didn't need reverse to be a good seller. It probably was too expensive to engineer the engine for it at the time.
The 400 EX is versatile enough to satisfy a large segment of the ATV market right now. It would probably do even better with reverse though.
According to an owner survey in the April issue of Dirtwheels, the most desired change to the 400EX was adding reverse, so the masses have spoken. If Honda feels that they are losing sales because of it, they will probably add it, but not until then. Changes cost money.
Maybe Honda should make one version of it with no electric starter and no reverse, and one with both. I think I know which one they would sell the most of---and thats what pays the bills.

 

I don't care about reverse, I don't need reverse, I just don't want reverse, but at the end, is only my opinion, I respect the one who like it.
So, for me, Honda should make 2 types of 400ex's (Well I really expect a 450ex Liquid cooler), one with reverse +$$$, and without it.
That's it in this world, everybody have different opinions, and YOU ALL have to respect them.

 

Mr. Man,

How's your hot dog flavored water? Hardee har har.

I did not mean to flame on my last post, well maybe a little bit. I do like the opportunity to state one's own 'opinion' on these forums but to not let it get too rediculous.

I was simply trying to reply to your comment that you see no sense in owning a sport quad by stating the pro's of it. You may have no use for a sport quad and you do not have to own one. I see the exact opposite. That is our God given right.

1) No, I do not make it to the mx track 4x a week. I do have a child and a professional career. As a matter of fact I have yet to go this year because of the weather and rebuilding my bike.

2) You are correct that some of the higher end sport quads have trouble in the woods but that is mainly the 2-stroke engines. The 4-strokes such as the 400ex, 300ex/250x, etc... with more bottom end are made for those situations, reverse helps here too. Either way 2-stroke or 4 they are still better trail quads. Maybe you meant you could use a utility quad to make a trail. It is not my fault that you have noticed unexperienced riders having trouble. It is just a bad comment to say sport quads are not faster in the woods.

3) I did not say anything about levitating over the mud but you said it perfecty a 400-lb. sport quad will not sink as fast as a 500+lb. utility quad. Usually though a utility quad will have good mudding tires on it to keep traction. I was talking out of my a$$ a little on my last post but I never have had any more problems than a utility with mud. An any instance, when I go out riding I do not go out to get in the mud. I did as a child but then I grew up.

Sorry, I do not know too much about pigs being I did not grow up on a farm. But I sure do like pork chops too.

As for your name "Mr.Man" I do love the "Blues Brothers" movie. Espeacially liked it because of Elwood and Joliet Jake, it was filmed in the Chicagoland area and the part at the gas station was filmed in Elwood. I do not remember the 'MrMan' part, it must have not been to funny.

Really, I think we just need to agree to disagree. An atv is an atv, I would go riding with anybody that has one. Diversity is what makes everything interesting. I wouldn't fight between ourselves but save it for an "enviro-****". Peace

 

2fiftyX,

ROFL@Hot dog flavored water!

I like agreeing to disagree.....it's so durn democratic. I also excel at talking out of my **** at times. I suppose it comes from eating all of that Noarseitol. lol

Honestly, I am trying to justify getting a true sport bike. However, I want to make sure I can take advantage of its strengths. I realize the handling will make a difference but I don't want to give up 4x4 and reverse. That is why I want a true sport quad 4x4 w/reverse by whatever manufacturer makes it first.

I ride w/a lot of guys who have Sport400s, 400EXs, DS-650s etc. and everytime we ride, there comes a moment when they all wish they had reverse and 4x4. Of course, any time we hit the whoops, jumps or a nice beach straightaway they are in their element. THOSE are the times when I wish I had a true sports bike. The Scram is heavy and really doesn't handle that well in the whoops or air. I also agree that a lot depends on the rider as far as kinds of terrain an ATV will go through.

This thread has helped me narrow down my choices for my next bike. Until a manufacturer builds my dream bike or gets pretty close (a true sport quad with reverse and 4x4), I am getting a motorcycle. I have a buddy who picked up an older CR500 2 stroke for $400 and there are more where that came from. That bike is so ridiculously fast we call it "The Widowmaker". lol
It is within my budget and will be fun to work on too.

I agree us Off-roaders need to stick together as we have so many well organized enemies, but I also feel threads like this with their strident tones (I'm guilty) and frequent hyperbole (ditto) have a purpose as long as it doesn't descend into name-calling (which we came close to).

I got some good pointers out of this thread and that is the main reason I visit here so frequently.

Regards,

MrMan

 

Mr. Man,

I think you will be hard press to find your dream bike ever being manufactured. The term '4x4 sport quad w/reverse' is kind of a contradictory statement. I think the closest to that and being a sport quad will come as bikes like the 300ex, Raptor, etc...

If you can get a cr500 for $400 I'll take 2, seriously!

Maybe it's the kid in me but I sometimes like to post 'flame' or read it myself. As long as there is some reasonable logic behind it and not just like playground children arguing.

 

There are times I wished I had reverse (when I'm in the mudhole, and it keeps going down down down down, and water rises rises rises), but most of the time I can live without. BUT the shee (as the EX) are lightweight quads. Alone, you can easily lift one end and turn around. Did you try that with an Xplorer? We were 2 and it took twice the effort it takes to flip the shee in the air (almost exagerating).
There are machines that need reverse (snowmobiles are a prime example...although our sleds don't have it), and if you feel you can live without...that's great.
The pushing the front wheels with your feet is one good trick...I'll give it a try!!ahah

 

MRman, you are an intellegent brother.First off let me say people will feed you lots of soup on ATVs, The "hiper" type quad you speak of is what we all used to be blesed with (250R,LT250R,Tecate) and they were not 400lbs, more like 340 which as i'm sure you know is a big difference on a quad! A real hi performance quad is really really wanted by alot of people, not just for blasting around an MX track, but for really flying around a good woods loop(like the GNCC) their lap times are much faster than the scramblers (unlimited utility)class, which shows a real hi performance quad can fly through the gnarliest woods, and the whole time you have a huge grin on your face with mud packing in your mouth as you yell"wooohoo" shooting mud 20 feet behind you.Reverse has no place on a bike like that, I have ridden hi performance ATVs all my life in the thick woods and never needed reverse, if I did happen to get in a situation where I got stuck, I just flipped the back end around, no big deal.If your on a machine meant more for comfort, than reverse could be an option along with racks and 4X4, but on a hi performance quad it is just a ridiculous add on that shows how red neck toothless lazy the average ATVer is becoming.On a machine like yours and other machines like yours, reverse fits, but on a real hi performance machine it is simply not needed and if people keep throwing out the word "hiperformance" at any ATV with 2WD and keep demanding things like reverse we will never see another no comprimise hi performance ATV again. Good luck MRman, and if you like to shoot mud and jump high, blast over whoops and do long wild slides, than pick up a hi performance quad and have fun! If not than have fun on your current machine beacause they are very different machines intended for different things.