Like the 400ex, but i am 6'6 250 and I needed more horses so I went with the raptor. Is honda going to come out with a machine that will compete with it or the predator? I haven't read of anything in the near future, has anyone else??

 

Rumors have been goin around about a crf450, but i highly doubt that

 

It must be more cost effective to spend there resources else where to miss
this point.

 

you're not happy with your Raptor?

 

You should check into a bombardier DS650, it's an ATV on a little larger scale. Might fit your frame pretty well, and they're kind of a blast to ride.

 

I'm 6'7" and I modified my 400ex to fit me better. I lowered the foot pegs by 2 inches and put after market handle bars that were about 2 inches taller than stock. Granted, I have to be careful the foot pegs don't hit obstacles, so I stiffened the springs to keep from bottoming out. Man what a difference in comfort for me. Since then the 400EX went to my son and I now ride a Rincon, mainly because I wanted an automatic. I tried a DS650 and the distance between the seat and foot pegs is the same as most sport quads.

 

I am a honda guy to the end. But when I bought my ds it just fit me better. Im 6'3" and 320+++. Dont get me wrong I love the Ds. But if honda would have built or will build a large chasis big bore machine I will probably look into it. I would like to see a wider 400ex with more ground clearence and a 650cc or bigger motor. Honda has been an inavator for years. I think they are hearing are cries. I know they are feeling it in the pocket book. I know of more than one Honda man that bought other big bore bikes from yamaha and bombardier. I look for Honda to make the change in the next year or so. But until then Im riding the bombardier.

 

i have got a 440 curtis sparks kit in my ex. i have yet been out run. have run against my buddies predator and have beat around 4 raptors. AWESOME kit. prolly the most powerfullest ex i hvae been on.

 

1BigDSRider has a great point. My dad is about 6', 275 and has raced atc and trx 250r's all his life. He was a honda guy, through and through, still is. The problem came when he went to go buy a new quad about 2 years ago. We had seen the 400ex, and it looked and ran great. Well in 2002 there were only 4 sport quads to choose from; 400ex, ds 650, raptor, and shee. The honda was just too slow and small for him, and being a honda 250r guy, he always had a thing against other 2 strokes. That only left 2 big bore, big sized quads, and he ended up getting an 02 rappy.

Moral of the story is, Honda is losing a lot of its customer base because it doesnt compete in the size and speed category with the big bore quads. I know the 400 sells great, but the honda market share lessens every quarter.

 

Hmm, lol, this is gonna sound wierd, but is true. we all hear Rumors about a bigger and badder honda. But every year, another company comes out with a Bigger and Badder quad of there own. so its gonna be Tough as hell for honda to make something that can Compete with the Raptor, DS, and Obove all, the Preadator. the CRF-450 is a good motor that would fare well in the EX frame, but like i said, there affraid of the other companies faster quads. and they also know that anything they make will be beaten within a year from another ompany. and this competition could go on forever. the "750 EX" concept has been floating around ever since the raptor came out, so that is a Big possibility.