appearently some of us need to read the upcoming race and team reports for this years ama gnc season. Doug gust is talking of being supported by tc racing and suzuki and riding a quad based on the 400cc motor that suzuki put out last year. Farr, Ellis, (spl), both race yama 4 strokes, Farr a Yz426 motor with a 416 sleeve. Ellis a YZf400 bored to 416. Dave diver also rides a 426 sleeved to 416. This is gnc and you can plainly see that the 4 strokes can and will beat a moded 250 race bike. This is also very evident in the gncc season too. Farr and ellis both race in the pro quad class, and i think diver runs in the 4 stroke mod.

 

as far as i know travis spader runs a modified 2 stroke 250R.

 

The DS 650 and Raptor is only the beginning.We very well may see them go the way of the dinosaurs because of the DS 800s or Raptor 800s in the near futures. There is a market for just straight line white knuckle ride machines that does nothing else but has the title of the most powerful stock quad you can buy.What is the % of people that ride around a race track anyways?

 

Sorry ladies and gentlemen, but there is a big difference between the YZ426 motor and the XR400 based 400ex motor, and as long as people are demanding reverse and electric start there won't be a 4stroke racer and the new Suzuki and the 400EX are not racers.So buckle up and realize the 250 will still rule for many years, because the Pu$$y average ATVer doesn't want to tire himself out kickstarting his atv and he will get "beat up" after one trail ride without reverse.It may not be easy, but just accept the truth, if you want a racer your gonna have to build it.

 

Mr manilow this is where a lot get confused. #1 there is no such thing as a factor ride unless, its a prototype(kx250 Team Green), or a Honda 400ex, Raptor OR Ds650. There are no honda 250 factory teams. Yes service honda still sells the bottom end for the 250R motor but the honda motor coperation doesn't sponser a team. I acknoledge that there is a difference between a 426 and xr400(400ex) motor. Once agian its who puts out the most hp, and yama is it. Since the 400ex and suzuki arent racers a 250R is not either if you remember. A 250r was made as a sport machine just like a blaster or a mojave. There is no difference in intended use when they were produced. Yes you are right if you want a racer you have to build one but a good start is a 400ex that is decked out. And who are you to say that electric start and reverse will keep a 4 stroke back from becoming a racer. 2 stroke will live on for some time but they will eventually die out. I have a question too, if all us pu$$y riders don't want to kick start a quad and we want reverse then how come there are so many 250x still around and kicking and how come the 400ex sells so well. I have one last thing to say. If VAR and Husaberg(atk) come out with there quads if might well be the end of 2 strokes in one swift kick. a 400cc 4 stroke with a kickstart that weights the same and is faster. Thats all some want to here to sell there 2 strokes for a somewhat easier to ride machine. This is why the raptor sold so good when it can out. Its all about braging rights of whos the king of the mountain. Right now the Ds and Raptor and 250R are tied for the throne but there will come a day when they will sit at the bottom with everyone else and a new king will come. Who ever it may be get the respect that it deserves.

 

DirtDemon, what the hell are you talking about? No there aren't factory racers, now what? Who doesn't know that? And if you think the 250R was made with the same intended audience as the Blaster or Mojave, then this will be my last conversation with you.The 250X is not new, and the new version (the 250EX) has electric start and reverse and what is your point about the popularity of the 400EX? That doesn't have electric start?There is an insurmountable difference between the XR400 and the YZ426 and its more than HP.Like I stated before, the 250 one off racers will still dominate for many years to come, nah your right a VAR(haha) or Husaberg is the answer, that will suffice for the masses waiting for a new racer....Come on,get real.

 

This is interesting because I am in the middle of a huge dillemma right now. I am trying to decide if I should go with a built 250R, or modify my 400EX. The way I see it is it is going to cost the same either way, but the 400EX is going to be heavier and less powerful. By the time I get the power out of the EX, I really believe the reliability is going to suffer. The reliability of the 250R/bigbore 400EX issue may be false. I have no experience with the big bores, only rumors and stories. The 250R is obviously a proven machine for racing, but I am worried about spending $12k on a quad, then having no parts available, or go $$$ky high in the future. Then again, the motor is about the only thing I will have to worry about because everything else is aftermarket. The pros do not seem to have any hope for the 400EX motor, they are going with the YZ426. Are they just doing this to be different or have they heard the 250R engines are not going to be available?

 

Whats up philzie, Your choice is a hard one, but for me I would go with the R without question.Where do you get your $12000 estimation? I have a couple contacts I could hook you up with and I think you could get a Rolling LSR for $5500, now I don't know where you plan on getting the motor, if you want to build an actual brand new one, or a refurbished old one, but I know of a place where you could get a refurbished motor w/out electrics or carb/rad for about 6-700.So my estimation is alot less than $12000, but it all depends on particular parts you want to use.I know there is alot of optimism with the 4strokes and I understand where that comes from, but easy or not, I give credit where credit is due, and the 400EX pales in comparison to the R, its a nice quad for its intended purpose, but it just simply pales to the R and thats not coming from a bullheaded brand loyal R owner, its coming from an open minded realist.As much as it sucks, the old 250R is the best racer we have seen.Good luck and let me know if i can help you in any way.

 

I may be an idiot for wanting a brand new motor, but that is the only way I think I will do it.

Here is how I get my figure:

Chassis = $5500-6000
Motor = $3000-3500
Shocks = $1500-2000
Fenders, bars, gastank, brakes, skids, wheels, $$$

I have an '87 R right now, but it is junk. I am thinking I will either ride that as a thrasher and mod/Race the 400EX. Or, build up a decent 250R to race and use the 400EX to thrash on.

 

IF you remember MR manilow, there is no such thing as a production race quad and there never has been. Therefor a 250R was released as a sport quad you may think other wise but face the fact, it was developed for sport use. My point about the 250x is that it is kickstart and the 400ex has no reverse. The 250R is also dated but age has no compliance here. You do offer several good points. A long shot i know for husaberg and VAR, They are still designing but for those of us out there who like 4 strokes and learned on one, some of us are going to continue to ride one. I am also not dening that a 250R is an excellent race bike given the proper attention but there is a following for the 4 stroke in the pro classes weither it be a 426 or a mod 400ex.