everyone says not to buy the first year production quad because you usually get burned ((which is true)) trx250r had changes in the 86 model to the newer models LT250r did as well ,everyone knows the raptor did [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]etc etc etc, but my question is there any differences in the 99 thru present 400ex quads?? or did this quad have no flaws from the beggining? i am still thinking cannondale but if it falls threw 400EX is my next choice.
i have seen people call the 400ex wife bikes but why in heavos 4 dana creech and a bunch of others ride them then? i thought they where males [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img] i see 400ex's kick butt in the races i go see so i would consider these race bikes not wife bikes.
and how many of you guys actually think you will purchase the first year suzukilt400 when its out? i know if i bought the cannondale FX400 then the next year they put bigger bearings in the engine cases of there new cannondales i would be pissed that i bought the first year with bearings that could fail easier. same with the raptor tranny too. just looking for some feedback and im bored at work hehehe

 

The 400ex is a "wifes bike" when it's stock, but when they're built, they rip! What kind of riding do you do? Aren't you aksing about a LT250R in the suzuki forum, are you getting a C-Dale and another quad or what, because there is a big price difference between the two.

 

I tend to agree of the fact that most first year production quads usually have some flaws to them when they come out. Yeah, a lot of 2001 Raptor owners are probably pretty pissed if they have had tranny problems. I know I would be if I was a 2001 Raptor owner.

Anyway, to answer your question about the 400ex. Yeah, a 1999 model is identical to 2000, 2001, and 2002 models. When the 400ex came out, it was named ATV of the Century after only one year of being out on the showroom.

As for any flaws that the 400ex has. I haven't noticed anything with my 400ex however there have been several claims that many 400ex owners wish that Honda would do something about. I like my 400ex a lot and am a very proud owner of it however, I only have two complaints about the machine. The first thing is, where the spark plug is located on the very top end of the motor which makes it hard to get to whenever I have to change a spark plug. My only other complaint about the machine is how the grab bar and the sub-frame is all on piece rather than two. If someone where to accidently run into your grab bar say during a race, well your sub-frame is bent. Instead of just undoing a couple of bolts and replacing it with an aftermarket grab bar, you have to buy a whole new sub-frame. And all of us know how much Honda charges for a stock part that costs Honda only 10 cents to make, but decides to sell them for $500 to the public. Those are the only two complaints that I have about the 400ex.

I have read in Dirt Wheels Magazine, some of the things that they wish that Honda would change such as a liquid-cooling system rather then air-cooled. Another wish that Dirt Wheels says as well as many other sport/high performance enthusiastic riders wish that the 400ex had reverse. In my opinion, sure, yeah, it would be nice to have but I don't really think its a big deal. I honestly was a little intimidated about not having a reverse gear because I was just coming off of riding a 300ex which does have a reverse gear and I was used to that fact. I don't really miss not having reverse though. Dirt Wheels also says that Racers tend to find that the 400ex's rear sub-frame has had a tendency to develop cracks at the top of the rear shock mount. They also say that another weak point of the 400ex is at the bottom of the swing-arm pivot mounts. I personally haven't heard any complaints from anyone else about the cracks in the top of the subframe or the top of the shock mounts, however I believe what Dirt Wheels says because I believe they are legit and very knowledgable about tests that they do.

Some people think that the 400ex is "under-powered" or a "wife's quad". I personally don't think that either of those two are true at all. The 400ex isn't the fastest thing on the market, but it is very reliable, and has awesome handling and superb controls.

As for purchasing a new quad the first year that it comes out in the market, well, thats a hard question to answer. The Raptor did have some tranny problems however, I heard that a 2002 tranny will fit in a 2001 Raptor. I don't know if Yamaha is willing to cover it though. I guess is that they probably wouldn't cover it. But I don't know.

The 400ex is a great quad. The Raptor is also a great quad. Hell, the Banshee, as long as the Banshee has been around, is also a great quad (frightening, but a great quad...lol...). The DS650 has also received good ratings. I have never ridden a DS650, but I have read about them and also seen them perform very well. Same thing with the new Cannondales. I also like the Cannondale quads as well. I have never ridden any of them, (although I would really like to) they have also gotten excellant reviews. Hopefully the new Z-400 will also be a great quad. It is long over-due from Suzuki. But now I am glad that Suzuki is finally entering the High Performance market. I only have "beef" with all of the so-called sport quads that Polaris makes that weigh 600 pounds and are 4x4 sport quads that think they can actually compete with the 400ex, Raptor, Banshee, DS650, and the Cannondale quads.

I hope that I answered your question.

Fourtracker14

 

oregon:
yeah that was me in the suzuki forum...but im not buying a suzuki just looking at it for a friend, along with a yamaha banshee where suppose to look at.

 

There have been a few changs...nothing major though.
The earliest '99's were rumored to have weak swingarms, which has been fixed in almost all 400's you'll see. Also, there have been a few small changes like the flap over the battery and how it mounts, along with some vender changes and such.