I am seriously considering buying a brand new Honda 400ex. (Not real soon because I need to find a job!) All of my friends seem to give me that dumb look like i am from the moon or something. They all ask why buy an outdated and undpowered quad? One of my friends has a 400ex, but he's getting a 2-stroke, cause the Honda's is too slow for him. One of my buddies is set on buying a predator, and my cousin has a raptor. (01 tranny has failed) It seems like they are all against this awesome quad for some reason. It just always seems like it's getting ripped on. After all this is the sport quad that started it all, and it started to be called underpowered when the raptor came out. Another thing to consider, while doing a search in this great site's archives, it seems that the 400ex dosen't have many problems compared to raptor's losing gears. I know I am sounding biased but do a search about 400ex's breaking or falling apart. I did and there wasn't too many. All I'm saying is that I would be extremely happy to be out riding, while my buddies are fixing their quads. I will bleed red till I'm six feet under! Anybody out there agree with me?

ole

 

Well, the 400ex is a good reliable quad that handles well. It has no reverse or liquid cooling and is definately underpowerd compared to the modern quads.

The Z/KFX 400 is what the 400ex should have been. If you want more power the Predator and Raptor will give that to you but no reverse on the predator.

Don't buy the 400ex because you feel it is more reliable than the others - it might be a little more reliable but all quads today can (stuff still happens to ALL quads though) go for thousands and thousands of miles with no problems.

I wouldn't say the 400ex "sport quad that started it all" - that was actually Suzuki back in the 80's but the 400ex did bring sport quads out of the dark & stagnant ages in 1999. Unfortunately since then there are a LOT of new & better performing machines on the market.

I don't think the 400ex is a good choice for a new quad - used you can probably find some killer deals though.

Good luck whatever you get.

 

Ole,

I sure didn't need the extra power the Raptor provides for the conditions I ride in.

A lot of it depends on how you are going to use it. If your just going to trail ride or cruise around it would be a good trouble free quad.

We have a big riding area not far from are place and on the weekends you see all kinds of trucks and trailers going down the highway and more often than not you will always see a 400EX or two or three sometimes in the group.

I remember seeing only one leftover 2002 red 400EX, so in my area all the Honda dealers are selling there allotment so someone is still buying them.

Chet[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-cool.gif[/img]

 

The new 400EX's are selling for reasonable prices now and there are alot of add-ons for them.

 

dude thde 400ex is a lil outdated for one its air cooled with no reverse. while some people say reverse, you dont always need it but it does come in handy, get the z400 or kfx400, there the same price, but has reverse is liquid cooled handles just as well if not better the the ex. it may not be as fast as the raptor neither the z400/kfx400 or the ex but the z400/kfx400 can get you fast enough quicker. just my opinion

 

You have 2 threads going asking the same question but I see here your opinion is the z400/kfx400.

So the polaris thread goes.

Chet

 

well i put the same question in to forums because if i only put it in one it would probably be onesided. i saying for him to get the z400/kfx400 is because he said he liked the fell and everything of the ex and the z/kfx is about the same with only reverse and liquid with more power

 

Id like to know whats wrong with it being air cooled. My foreman 400 4x4 has not once let me down or gave me any problems. When you are moving fast it keeps the motor plenty cool enough anyway. You also dont have to worry with antifreeze or lines busting either. Im not saying liquid cooled atv's are junk, but i think air cooled is just as good. I would say go with the 400ex because im sure they are great machines, but i would say the Z-400 is good too, so its whatever you want.

 

The honda is a good buy if you can get it below list price. If you have to pay full price, get the Kaw/Suz for the money. but if you can get the Honda for $1000 or more less then it is well worth the cost. With the money that you save you can get some good add-on's that will make the Honda run real good. There are some real good buys on some used 400's out there for around $4000. The selection of new quads is the best it has been since1989 and the future is looking very good. If you are going to be waiting, they is going to be a new quad from Yamaha in the near future. But have not heard the price or the exact release date.

 

400ex's are very reliable, there are tons of mods, and the used ones r priced right