quad_man,
Yep, it was the same hill. I didn't see him actually try it though. When I got to the riding spot, he and his buddy were sitting there at the top of the hill. He said they had just backed the thing all the way down the hill because he could not turn around in the trench. (There is an easy road on the opposite end of the hill) He said he was using 2wheel drive. Later, when I asked him, he didn't want to try it again in 4x4.
We thrashed around a little, but went our separate ways and he didn't really try any of the big stuff. So, as Andrew T. said, maybe it is a rider issue more than power.

I can start from a dead stop 30 feet from the bottom of that hill and make it. I only go to second gear because of my larger tires. They really draw down the power. It is tapped out all the way up. If you get into first gear, you are done for. Also, I never take the trench, I always go left or right of it. It is steeper, but the trench will lock you in and you can't turn around if anything happens.
One of the other 400EX guys I ride with has a DMC exhaust and K&N filter, running stock tires. He does the hill in 3rd gear.

Photos do not do justice to the hills.

 

Thanks Philzie... BTW--I think I have said it before, but I love your site. I can't wait for that VR quad to be complete.

No photos don't do justice. And I found out videos don't either. I made it up this one muddy hill that noone else could, and when I went to show it off on video, nobody cared because it looked so easy!

I love to hill climb though, it's just so much fun!

 

I haven't worked on the 3d stuff for ages. It has been so nice out I have been riding for real! We don't have any snow yet and our lake is not frozen at all yet. Very unusual for this time of year.

When I was out last weekend and met up with the Scrambler and some of the regular ridin' buddies, I saw a good digger.
Josh, who has a piped 400EX, went to the top of one of the hills to toss a rooster for the camera. When he came around under power the thing looped out on him while it was pointed down hill. He went off the back like the quad was a bar of soap, and when the front end came down, the quad did a complete somersault and landed on the left front wheel. It blew the tire right off the bead, but that is all. Oh yeah, it bent the toolkit box just a little bit, I think when it initially wheelied over onto the rearend. I couldn't belive the thing survived. He took the front wheel into town and we were all back riding in 20 minutes!
The guy running the camera was so amazed all he got was the rooster and when the quad freaked, he just stood there like: "whoa".
So, no mid air flip pictures which is too bad, and Josh didn't want to try it again.

 

Jeremy- from what i have been hearing and such in ohter forums is that the Scrambler adn 400EX are both good quads, but if you are looking to climb giant hills and go through mud holes get the scrambler, but if you are looking for anything else, go with the 400EX, they are one of the funniest quads out there! thanks and good luck!

 

400EX ALL THE WAY. BEST SPORTS BIKE ON THE MARKET!!!

 

One reason the 400ex could out climb the 500scrambler is the weight difference. While the ex might stay on top and keep the wheels spinnin the 500 probably sinks in and has to dig as it climbs depending on the terain. I have seen this first hand where we ride here in Idaho. Sometimes a 2wd will out climb a 4x4 simply because of weight and power.
Mike

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Usually, a sport 2wd machine will out climb a 4wd on a hill, unless the hill is slippery or rutted up or rocks, etc...

That's what makes the Scrambler good though. It has the power of the sport machine with the traction of 4x4.

So in most cases, a SPORT 2wd machine will out climb "the average" 4x4. But if you put 2 equal machines, like Big Bear 2wd VS Big Bear 4wd, I would put my money on the 4x4.