Yeah, every time I read a test / shootout of one of these new Japanese sport quads I really take it with a grain of salt. Take my ride for example, the 400EX and it's tires. Man, for the last several years I've heard how the tires kick ***. Now that I actually have one I see several glaring faults in their logic.

#1. While the tires DO get good traction in soft stuff, they wear quickly on hard pack. I imagine they're great if all you ride them on is either snow or sand or a little mud, but throw in some nice hard rocks and see how well they last

#2. While the tires DO have a low profile to them they also give a whole 3" of ground clearance under the rear axle skidplate. They're great if you're riding on a nice smooth MX track or two track dirt road, but if you take it any further off road than that forget it. Not to mention the beatings the nice soft aluminum rims will take.

#3. While the tires DO give a good ride (being two plys) they stink as far as flat resistance is concerned. Sharp sticks generally abound in the forest as do some really nasty thorns. Not to mention that some rocks seem that you could shave with them and things look pretty grim. Also I've seen plenty of times where a softer tire was pinched between a rock and a rim. NOT GOOD!

All of the dealers (funny how we call them "dealers" when some of them refuse to "deal") in my neck of the woods told me they had none available at the time I bought my 400EX. I asked how much it would cost when (and at the time, IF) they got them in. They universally replied the MSRP of $5999. I asked if they were going to run specials on it, they said NO! I figure by the time I add new tires to it, plus the 5.5 gallon gas tank (that they don't make for the Predator just yet), I would have the OTD price of a brand new Predator that some of you have, if at least one of the "dealers" would "dealt" with me.

 

LOL Mike, I experienced the same woods thrills your talking about when riding a buddy's 400EX last year in the mountains. No ground clearance, and I actually high centered through a mudhole that my wife went right through on her scrammy. I didnt think she was ever going to leave that one alone! [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]Bubba

 

My rear stock tires are all sliced up from rocks and low level stumps. I got mine out the door for 5600 last spring.
Diggler

 

the z came in 1st in alot of those test ...not bad for a 400cc

 

Finally got a chance to read this article. Why do they say they've let the Z-400 weak axle issue die, but they won't let the Raptor's trans and carb coughing go. Seems to me, with the 2002 model year Yamaha also fixed those issues. While they fail to comment on the Z-400's a-arm mounts cracking. Polaris must've done one heck of a job when all they can find to complain about is what kinda fasteners they used. How weak is that? The tank plastic issue, let it go, they just can't handle the futuristic modular design. Actually works great for totally hangin' over the side while woods blasting.....then again, they probably still have wayyyyy to much sakeeeeeeee flowing through their veins to squeez the throttle that hard.

Darn soapbox [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

Ken