So it seems from the responses that a 250 can be made faster than a 400. On the other hand, it seems that swapping in a 400 is not a bad idea either.

What about cooling? If I mod out the 250, which is air cooled, will I have issues with cooling and/or longevity? We typically ride trails that are very high in elavation. We've been as high as 14K feet, but typically will ride around the 7 - 10K range. This means there is not as much air to cool the engine.

I'm very mechanical, and not worried about performing the work, but I want the best "bang for my buck", while maintaining reliablity.

Either way, I think I'm gonna get the clutch kit and pipe for my wifes, and see how that goes. Maybe even a smaller sprocket. I'm sure this will end up just like Jeeps in that there is no end to the mods. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

Hello shepherdblake. Seems to me you could use a cooling fan like they used on the old 300 xplorer if you're worried about cooling.
BryceGTX

 

From a manufacturing point of view, it would make so much more sense for the 250 and 400 engines to swap out easily. Having frames and seats and wheels and tires and all the stuff that bolts on be the same between the two would offer such a great cost advantage. Not only in production, but in maintaining inventories. But, just because it makes sense doesn't mean that's what they did. Maybe the real question should be, is it cost effective from YOUR perspective. Used 400 Sports and Scramblers are real sleepers, one of the best deals out there. They are very underrated, alot because of a Japanese-biased press. So you can find some real deals on them. For what it might cost you in pieces here and there to get a 400 in there, you might could just sell the 250 intact and buy a 400. Save a few skinned knuckles too.

 

trailbeast34 what setupo is your front suspension? It looks pretty trick.

 

the struts are hpd dual rate resi shocks the ride is amazing

 

trailbeast, are u running the stock rear shock? i was debating gettin the works front struts somewhere along the line but i wasnt sure if i would need to change the rear shock too.
scott

 

i have a fox rear shock too but you wont need to change the rear shock if ur going with new struts

 

Well I am not Dennis, but I am just as short and just as ugly as he is[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img][img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-mad.gif[/img]My 12mm doesn't come close to my 7mm 400. It will all depend on what kind of rideing you do on what you will be happier with. I am happier with my 400 because I can run with modded shees and it will dune great. On the other hand I am happy with my 12mm 250 because when I race people that I am not supposed to win and kick ther buts...well the look on there faces is priceless...and it is the favorite in my family as far as going out to the dunes and riding..I have done everything to the 250 that I have done to the 400...clutch kit, race porting, trail lightened flywheel, same race pipe as much as you can without going to alcohol.....The 12mm has been really reliable so far. Hadnt had any problems. My 7mm just broke the cylinder because my oldest son likes to fly over big jumps. I mean he was flying. Dennis is going to put a girdle kit on it. If you are going to jump anything I would put a girdle kit on it. I would do it any way on anything.

 

Thanks 1fast, that's kind of what I was looking for. So who is Dennis and what does he have done to a 250 that he is running with shee's and are they stock or modified shee's. Sorry for all the questions, I'm on the wrong side of the country. No-one that I know of around here has anything all that radical, there are some big-bore 400 honda and suzuki's but that's really as modded as it gets for now. My GF has pretty much told me that she will fund the building of a couple of quads. I already have my trail rider ( the 03 400, it's in the process of porting and cutting the head up now and hopefully next month comes the boondocker). Now I want some fast toys, I have a 99 400 pretty well modded with a bad crank so now the big decision... keep the 400 stroke it 7mm and maybe alky...or fix stock crank and sell it to purchase a 250 and mod it. Sorry for the long post. I'll quit now.

 

Shephurdblake I'm thinking about modding my sons 250 I dont think we'll have trouble cooling by just using alittle better gas however my concern is usually when you port something you have to give up some bottom end power and doing the riding elevations that we have I'm not to sure thats a good idea also I'm worried about getting a pipe that works at our elevations I know that alot of sled pipes that are made and tested at sealevel dont work as well as say a starting line pipe that does all there dyno work up high I think I'm gonna call Rick and see what he thinks about it