It's not so much that i think the 400ex sucks, it's that i think after all that time honda could have and should have done better. Oh well, guess I'll stick to my "old" 87 250r.

 

The DS650 are fast on flat, But the dont like to pull long sand hills. The DS's at sand mountain wont even race up the big hill anymore. On a long sand hill HP to weight is king. My 400ex is set up to LRD's setup that they did for ATV sport. This combo dynod out between 42 and 47 rear wheel HP even at 42 the HP to weight is better than On a DS which has a rear wheel HP of 43-44 according to Dirt Wheels. Even a Stage 1 Doesnt Help on sand. On sand a engine needs to rev The DS lacks this. I have no doubt a stage 2 or 3 would beat me up Sand Mountain. Ds's may be the fastest stock quad and have an awsome suspension, But on steep sand hill they are slugs. They will beat a stock 400 up the mountain however. The stock 400ex doesnt do to well on sand hills. My ride beat a DS up a hill that only 2 strokes usually make it up. The owner went back and started taking off everything that he could to shave weight. He still lost however. the steeper the hill the worse they loose. I'm only int my ride slightly more thana stock DS. If I put another 1500 into the engine (the price of a stage 1 kit) I would probably still win up the big hill.

99 426ex , Web Cam, FCR carb w/ twist, CT revlimiter, DMC exhaust, XCT's ,K&N, One kit, Renthal bars, DG nerfs, Armidillo Swingarm plate, 8 paddle Haulers

http://www.trxoutlawz.com/

 

I got to agree with you rnl, I have a '88 250R as well as a '99 400 ex. The 400 falls way short of the 250. You would think that in 10 years Honda could have come up with a "new" engine rather than an reworked motorcycle engine.
I got to take a ride on a 650 over easter weekend, my advice to 400 ex owners- don't fool with em on fast fire roads, they will flat outrun ya. On a jump filled track it will be a different story, something I didn't get to try. the 650 did feel "heavy", but it went where you wanted it to.
I felt the brakes were not as good as my 400 though, and the 400 did feel lighter and more nimble, but on those straights between the corners, that thing flew.

 

Air is right. A motor that revs wins in the sand. thats why his 426 beats the 440, the piston is lighter and revs quicker. Im running higher compresion and a cam, lighter piston in my 400 and have beat 440 kits up the hill. just having alot of torque dosnt makr you thw quickest in all applications.