I think the 400 will be around a very long time. It just has to fill a DIFFERENT NICHE!! Either it will be the KING OF THE SPORT QUADS, or the BUDGET PERFORMANCE QUAD. Who would buy a sport bike, when you can get a 400 for almost the same price??. One of my local dealers has been predicting that the 300 will disapear, and be replaced by the 250 as a beginners bike, and the 400 as the top sport bike. Who knows?? Either way, Honda is going to have to keep the price LOW to stay competetive, which is good for us consumers.

I have said this many times: My observation is that most buyers are pretty poorly informed, and they will buy WHATEVER is on the dealers floor at the time they come in!!!! I live like 5 minutes away from Chaparral, so I am over there all the time. They can get in a dozen of ANY MODEL, and they are all gone in 2 days. People will buy literally ANYTHING. If there are 400's on the floor when they come in, they will sell them a 400. I think Honda will be selling reduced price 400's by the truckload!!

 

Actually honda 400ex's are still selling like crazy, atleast around here in the midwestern states. I recently made a trip out to Silver Lake Michigan and there is absolutly no reason why i wouldnt buy another. I was actually quite surprised of how well i ran that weekend. Ds's, piped, cdi mod, "carb kitted" raptors were all behind me, and even surprisingly a few Banshees. IM still stock bore and running pump gas...

 

I replied to the post in the sport quad forum...

"
Well, I thought I would tell yall what I think about how long the 400ex will be
around. Okay, not many people will buy a 400ex when the Z is one step ahead
in just about all catagories and selling for the same price. Now, Honda COULD
lower the MSRP but then it would be to close to the 300ex's price, which would
cause them to lower the 300's price which would cause them to have to lower
the 250ex's price. I don't think they would be willing to drop the price of 3 quads
just to make the 400ex competitive in the "money market". But if they did lower
the price, the MSRP would be close to a Warrior which would take away sales
from Yamaha (but thats a whole different story). I seriously wouldn't doubt that
the 400ex ends up getting discontinued and replaced w/ another 400cc class
machine (we can all hope it's the CRF 450 but that seems unlikely as well).
They might just end up makin a 650ex and hoping that it will make up for sales
lost, but I bet Honda will resort back to a 400cc class quad sooner or later.
Another option that they are likely to take is improving the 400ex to have more
power and maybe shedding some weight.

One thing is for sure, if the 400ex does stick around for a while longer, it won't
be the same 400ex thats on the floor today.

CAUTION!: Watch out for a 400ex w/ slightly more power and different plastics
and labeled as an ALL NEW SPORTRAX [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]. "

 

Your average buyer walking into a Honda dealership, probably doesn't even know that the Z400 even exists!! I called a local Honda/Yamaha (no Suzuki) dealer, and they said nobody looking at 400's has been comparing them to the Z. Here in the forum, we represent the few well informed people. The rest of the world is oblivious!

 

Some of you guyes crack me up.LoL

As soon as a manufacturer makes a sport quad that is light weight, handles like it should, doesn't bend or break where it shouldn't, has bottom end torque and hp to burn, and has reverse, we will all be beating down there door to get it, they could almost name there price. The factory can build it right the first time a lot cheaper than we can mod it.

This is just for us "men" to play around on, not race.

What % of 400EX's and the like, are bought for raceing verses general use? C-Dale is trying it, how long do you think it will be before they come out with a quad that is designed for general use? Sounds like to me all they need is a motor with more low end, Raptor like power and reverse, then the EX,Raptor,and new Z will be wondering what there future is!!!

And for you guyes that hate REVERSE, bring um on, we love watching you tough guyes wade in water up to your ****, it's a riot! Start off into a mudd hole, gets a little deep, you got 2 choices, 1) get off and drag it back, then look\make a way around. And 2) well you know, that is the fun one to watch!!! Well I know what you mean about reverse(IF YOU ONLY RACE), but just cause it says sport quad doesn't mean "race only". Some of us "weekend-warriors" could suprise you race only guyes.

Anyway, if they would take the best of the few quads and put them together, we would have a nice ride...

Later...

 

I am a recreational rider and don't need reverse for anything but to get them off the trailer, as far as the mudhole thing I would drive a mile around to avoid that crap, even if I had the biggest baddest 4x4 around!

For me I want the simplest, most reliable, and best handling machine around and for me reverse, a single cylinder 660 cc machine, fuel injection, or a water cooled four stroke don't fit the bill!

If I want to drag race the only one that fits the bill in my eyes is the Banshee!!

 

Ok, somebody please answer me this: Why would you (Informed ATV Connection readers) buy a 400ex when for the same list price you can get a Z400???

The Z400 is faster, has reverse, same suspension, SAME shocks and is liquid cooled all at the SAME PRICE.

Please explain this to me because as an informed buyer I wouldn't even consider a 400ex now that the Z400 is out. Am I missing something? Oh, and If I hear the "reliability" word I will scream - all japanese machines are VERY relaiable; heck even Polaris is getting better.

 

Wyoduner,

Thats kinda funny I just bought a 400ex for the exact same reasons you said you would have bought the Z400!

The Z400 is faster (I didn't want a drag bike that is what Banshees are for and there is already a drag bike in the Garage, 60 mph through the trees and sand is plenty fast for me), has reverse (Didn't want it), same suspension,(agreed both very good) SAME shocks and is liquid cooled(Z400 is liquid cooled with radiators impellers electric fans all of which can go out when I don't want it to)all at the SAME PRICE (Well honestly the 400ex can be bought for 1000.00 cheaper)

I had a Z400 waiting for me and when I went to pick it up and after riding it I came home with the 400ex, and that was last weekend I rode it all weekend and its just right for what I wanted its even all packed up to leave at 5:30 today and I will be back sunday if you want to go! Oh ya the Yamaha is sitting in the garage waiting on a impeller seal do you have an extra cause the Yamaha dealer is taking his sweet time getting the damn thing.

 

Wyoduner-New 400's around here, are going for the price of a Warrior or 300EX! That's something like $800(?) cheaper than a Z. Like I said, this is the niche where the 400 will probably end up. Top of the sport bikes, or budget performance bike.

Another thing to consider-Suzuki is playing the spoiler here!! The Z is a very good value for the money. All the other brands are going to have to cut you a deal to keep you away from the Z. This is good on the one had if you are in the market for a new bike, BUT on the other hand NOW YOUR USED BIKE ISN'T WORTH A DIDDLE!

 

Can't blame anyone for choosing the EX over the Z, everybody knows how reliable the EX is.(sorry WyoDuner). If the Z stays together, it will be amazeing. People are complaning about: bent a-arms, AXels, and over heating problems. The Z ain't off to the best start!!!

When was the last time you heard of someone's day of rideing was cut short due to reverse breaking on there quad???

Good point, the EX is a grand less!!

Good luck with those Z's,

Later.