Like many of you , I was disappointed by no effort on the part of Honda...But there are still many of you that will CLING to the idea that "someday" Honda will be nice to you again and give (sorry-SELL) you what you want.I have had plenty of Hondas in the past(bikes and quads) and it's true they make a good reliable product with reasonable performance. But doesnt it bug you that when it comes to quads they would just as soon leave the "upgrade" part up to the consumer? Ever since their corporate butt was kicked in the 3 wheeler lawsuit they have been a paper tiger when it comes to 4 wheelers. Well guess what? I have had enough! Not only did they turn their back on the sport quad riders for this year, they didnt even think you were important enough to "string along" with a teaser press release of a future quad! That should burn your bacon! Let me list the quads that have come out since the inception of the first 400ex that out perform it: Bombardier DS 650, Bombardier DS650 Baja, Cannondale fx400,Cannondale Cannibal, Cannondale Speed,Cannondale Blaze, Cannondale Moto, Cannondale Glamis, Yamaha Raptor, Suzuki Z400, Polaris Predator, Kawasaki KFX 400 and now by January 03 get ready for the Gas Gas 300 and the Kawasaki KFX700 V Force! GEEMINEE CHRISTMAS FOLKS, Does a house have to fall on you to figure out that Honda is jerking you around? You guys are like a wife who's husband ignors her birthday every year and wont talk to her at all and then she says "Oh, but he really loves me, he just doesnt always show it"!!!!! Start looking at companies that put their JOBS and reputations on the line to bring you what you ask for! Cannondale and Polaris are just 2 of many! And dont bring me the "Well they are unprven and have some problems" talk. Bull! Show me a quad with no problems at all and I'll show you a Mattell Big Wheel. Some will say they will be back in the future... So What? Are any of you getting any younger? I'm not! Hats off to Cannondale, kawi ,Suzuki ,Polaris etc for "Steppin up and Making it real"! What that old saying? Carpe Quadiem (Sieze the Quad!)

 

Can't agree with you any more! Honda totally fell of thier rocker on this one, Not only does the green team get a 400 but now a 700 V twin. Stick a fork in Honda , they are DONE! Don't get me wrong, I love both of my Hondas but its kinda Funny how bad "Red" is getting trashed on. We get no respect out in the trails any more. "oh you have a honda....I'm sorry" Unless Honda get something out now, It looks like my 2004 replacement of my 400 will be DS 650 Baja. Sorry honda I bailed on the cars after you sold your soul to the street racers, now I'm gonna have to bail the Honda quad scene.

 

<< Snap out of it! >>



Seems to me that all the topic starters are non-Honda owners.......so who exactly should be snapping out of it??

 

Ditto, Dalehard.

Knowsalot, it's true that most of the topics are started by non-Honda owners (me, for one). Remember, though, that there were a LOT of Honda owners who were POSITIVE that Honda was going to introduce a new sport quad and many of them KNEW exactly what it was going to be... Maybe these people are a little timid right now???

Personally, I am not brand loyal and will buy what suits my needs at the time. I also would like to have seen a new sport quad from Honda and am disapointed. The difference is that I didn't wait year after year after year for Honda to do it like many people did. heck, one guy on here even CLAIMED he put a down payment on the new sport quad on Sept 12th.

 

<< Remember, though, that there were a LOT of Honda owners who were POSITIVE that Honda was going to introduce a new sport quad and many of them KNEW exactly what it was going to be... Maybe these people are a little timid right now??? >>



The dealer show is over. That has nothing to do with what becomes available for this year or next year. They have released many motorcycles and ATVs over the years that appeared from nowhere and was never seen by dealers before production was started. I'm not saying that I call every day to wait, but it isn't over by a long shot. In fact, the next show is scheduled for March.....6 months.

 

HONDA WILL BE BACK??? HONDA IS DEAD??? STICK A FORK IN THEM???

Honda appears to be doing pretty good to me considering that they are still competive in national events on a quad(in stock form) has never been changed. Honda didn't have to take off for 10 years and then come back with a mediocre quad. You may have to spend money to make them faster,,,but to me,,thats the fun of it. Speed costs money,,How fast do you want to go???

In the two-wheel side of HONDA,,,,,HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF A GUY NAMED CARMICHEAL???? Seems to be doing pretty good for riding a bike for a company that SUCKS??? How many titles did McGrath win after he left the red riders????

CBR's,,,want more needs to be said??? Utilitys????

Honda ,,in my eyes,,,are right where they need to be... They can't make a GREAT Comeback,,since they are already here an have never left!!!

 

Knowsalot, I think the point is that there are great quads available NOW from all of the other brands. Why wait for Honda to build a true high performance machine when you there are such choices NOW? Sure, MAYBE in 6 months or a year or 2 years Honda will build that quad.... Maybe.

camegan, nobody ever used the term &quot;Honda sucks&quot; - don't put words in peoples mouths. Nobody is disputing that Honda makes good stuff (lawnmowers, bikes, cars, etc). Again the point is that Honda seems to have abandoned the people looking for a HIGH PERFORMANCE quad (no, the 400ex isn't high performance). Personally, I couldn't care less about how good or bad their other products are since that is IRRELEVENT in this discussion...

I'm done.

 

(no, the 400ex isn't high performance)

Was it not considered high performance when it was introduced? What's different now? That fact that it is not the highest performing four-stroke available now certainly does not mean it's not high performance anymore.

 

Well, a model T Ford was considered high performance compared to a horse and carriage and, unlike a 400ex, cutting edge when it came out. It is certainly not high performance now is it?

My point is that yes, at the time the 400ex was released, it was the highest performance 4 stroke quad out. Of course a Banshee for example was still faster but overall the 400ex with it's superior handling and suspension was a better overall package for most people.

Since then we have had MANY new machines introduced and the 400ex has slipped to the bottom of the heap in every performance aspect. Plus, it was low tech when it was introduced and is even more low tech now although to me that is a minor issue.

Also, bear in mind that for over 10 years all of the manufacturers except Yamaha either dropped their true high performance quads or just kept the safe &amp; slow sport quads around to fill that market segment. There were several quads before the 400ex and before the CPSC intervention that were much higher performance than the 400ex is today.

I'l compromise with you - The 400ex is the lowest performing high performance quad on the market. Or you could say it's the best performing sport performance quad out.... Well, you get the idea....

 

Its just a cycle manufacturers go through. Hell, Kawasaki (until this past year ) offered the same ol' machines for the longest time. Thier biggest machine offered was only a 400cc prairie and the bayou has been a constant for years with very little improvements...... That of course all changed this past year.

Just be patient or switch brands. Honda won't expedite any changes in thier line up until they are forced to.