hey guys I have a 2001 400ex and was maybe wanting to start racing hare scrambles or something of that nature...I was wondering if a 400ex was worth spending the money to try and race and what I shoulddo to get it ready to race?

 

You have one of the best starting point ATVs out there for hare scrambles. I would stay with that quad for at least your full first year of racing. Then afterwards you can debate over stepping up to a 450 class quad.
On a 400EX there are a couple things you need to keep on hand. Two tie rods, clutch cable, and throttle cable. Those were the only things that ever failed when I raced them for a few years.

 

I would look to "bullet proof" the machine. You need to have a sturdy swingarm and belly skid, and a decent front bumper and bigger rear grab bar can also be helpful. 6ply tires are a must. If you need to buy tires, one of my favorite combos is Razr2 on the front and Razrs on the rear, works pretty well in just about any terrain. Nerfbars are nice, but not usually necessary for xc, best to check with the promoters rules however. A tetherkill WILL be needed though. Other than that, just go have some fun. The 400 is a good starting place, and like KNOWSALOT has said, having some extra tie rods/ends and a few other wear items on hand never hurts. These days even the teen C classes are full of 450's so i wouldn't dump a ton into the motor or anything right now. The 400 will hold its' own in the woods all day long, but if you have a lot of open racing, you might be better served to step up to a 450 in the next year or two.

 

Thanks guys yea I am not planning to dump a bunch of money in to the motor i already have a cam and a high compression piston and i have HD on the back and rzrs on the front and full skid plates and new bumper

 

still one of the best handling quads out there i think, certainly better then a pre 09 z400

 

That is about all any 400cc+ sporty will need. Now just make sure you have the required safety equipment for the races you want to do and go have some fun!