Hey guys...

I had planned to for sure buy a ride YESTERDAY!

I'm dead ready, I just can't for the life of me decide.

Here are my NEW choices

LTZ/DVX/KFX 400 (DVX 400 probably)
Outlaw 500 IRS
Scrambler 500 4x4

Here are my USED choices
'01 TRX400EX


Now here is where I get hung up on the new ones... I like them all to an extent...

The DVX400 is awesome, but it does not have IRS or 4x4

The Outlaw 500 is bad, should ride the best with the IRS and has great protection & clearance, but it is not 4x4

The Scrambler is nice, it's auto and 4x4 too, and sporty, but it's not really an all-out sport quad either. The negatives seem to be the 200 extra pounds and the auto tranny (although the auto is nice because anyone can ride).

The used 400EX I haven't seen in person yet to judge it's used condition. But I know I like this simple air cooled sport quad, and prefer the old '01 look, but also know it lacks reverse, which is nice to have but not a huge deal...

I have been mauling this over for a WHILE now and had decided if I didn't find the right used quad by the 19th that I would get one of these new. But I can't decide. All of them offer nice features.

The wheeler will be used for various stuff. I'll ride it hard in the trails by myself. I may take it on a track by myself if I find one too... but strictly for FUN. Other days I will be putting around on it, carrying a passenger... my wife or daughter... leasure riding.

I live in a mountain area... so all woods trail riding. Some tight, some rough, some steep, some muddy, some easy and open... no sand dunes, no swamps.


About the only thought I've had really is I thought about just going and getting the Scrambler because... 1 - my wife could drive it too.... 2 - it has 4x4.... 3 - no clutch or shifter to get at with a passenger.

But ultimately that thought ended as soon as it was finished because I thought about how seldom my wife might crawl on it herself, how dang heavy it is, and how unsure I am about the auto tranny.... I've always ridden full-on sport machines all the time, except for like deep mountain travel for hunting, etc... where 4x4 is really needed... and I used a full-on utility quad for that... which made me think of the leftover Honda Rancher AT I saw the other day...

 

[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-confused.gif[/img]Duster,It sounnd's like you are try-ing to find one that will do it ALL!!! I don't think they make one.The auto is nice for the wife&people that can't shift one,but they are Boring to a-lot of rider's.A ranch type Quad is a good Hunting Quad.,, and a poke around type!!!!Slow creeping riding.I have a mix myself!!!.I have the Kid's ride with me and some of them can't shift&work a clutch.As for as the EX400,I have 2, a2004&2005.The 2005 has reverse,also have a 2004 Suzuki 250 Sport Quad with a auto clutch for the Dauther and it's a great little bike.I also have a 2002 Blaster+a 2005 Banshee!!All I can say is it all depend's on where and what kind of riding your doing.The EX400's are hard to beat if you can handle a clutch,they will go about anywhere+if you can find a good used one you can save a lot of $$$$'s.I just dont care for the Ranch Type Quad's myself,they seem to be Heavy and slow'and the full auto Tran's can be Boring.The Banshee I have is Built,so it's a go Fast Quad that I ride!!!but I do the Desert 99% of the time.I know it can be hard to make up your mind.My 10 year old Grandson loves the Blaster!!!Lite and fast for it's size.But the little Suzuki is a nice Quad also.Hope this help's.Good-Luck.You mite try and rent a couple or barrow a couple different kind's before you shell out any $$$$'s on one.IMHO!!! The EX400Honda is hard to Beat.It will do just about everything,poke along on trail's or run Flat out in the desert+not bad in the sand.

 

if you plan to ride track at all if you will hate life with Scrambler 500 4x4. if you dont roll every jump you will end up spending a ton of $ fixing the thing. the 500 with irs is not ideal for it eather. the z400/dvx400 is going to be the best all around of the 3.

 

eddieo,

Nope... one ain't going to do it all. It would be nice, but I don't expect it. In the end I'm not really looking for that either. If I was leaning more that direction I would probably just go get the Scrambler. It's 4x4 and ought to be at least a little more sporty than a ranch type... it has more wheel travel and stuff...

But what you are saying about autos sure is on my mind. Sluggish and boring sometimes. I had a Kawasaki Priarie 4x4 for the putting around, 4x4ing, hunting/fishing, picnics, etc... The auto trans was good for that, except down steep hills (no engine braking). But it was a bore if you were looking to do anything more. Without spending money on mod kits for the auto, it is what it is... controls itself... leaving you little control.

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: bigned1904

if you plan to ride track at all if you will hate life with Scrambler 500 4x4. if you dont roll every jump you will end up spending a ton of $ fixing the thing. the 500 with irs is not ideal for it eather. the z400/dvx400 is going to be the best all around of the 3.</end quote></div>

Yeah, I know a Scrambler is not ideal for a track. It's way way too heavy. But it's probably something I won't do often and it won't be a competitive type thing, nor will I be testing the limits. I've done it when I was younger and know what kind of equipment it takes for that. It takes a powerful sub-400 lb machine with plenty of mods.


As for the IRS... I've seen some video and it seems Polaris did a pretty good job with it. It's not "mx" but it's good enough to have a lot of fun and has many bonuses off the track. But I do wonder how well I will adjust. This is why I have not eliminated the DVX400 and the used 40EX.

 

Does anyone know of any worthy difference to consider between the Polaris 500 engine and the Suzuki 400 engine in the DVX?

Design, maintenance, etc, etc?

 

Have you considerd a KFX700? I found a few where the owners were willing to go down to $3200. They're auto with reverse, the only thing is they aren't that small and nimble.

If the manual tranny isn't a big issue, I'd go with a 2004 and up 400EX. I had a 2001 and it was awesome, just a little too small for my 6'6" frame. (and weight, but we won't talk about that)

 

edit

 

The KFX700 never did make a hit here.

The kawi dealer here ordered one when they came out, and then never another because it sat on the floor so long. So I'd have to order it new, and it's too heavy not to be 4x4 also. So it has kind of been eliminated by me already.

The 4x4 and auto trans is all that has kept the Scrambler in the runnings up until now.


I like the 400cc sport quads
400EX, DVX400, KFX400, LTZ400.

But the IRS on the Outlaw also seems like a good idea.


I'm still stuck... else I would be back home with one of them by now....

 

I just found a used KFX400 I have to go look at too.

It's team green and fully loaded.
It has it all...

Full skids, nerfs, Razr 2's on beadlocks all around, pipe, filter, everything...

I'm doubting it will be an option though unless I can talk the price down.
Asking price is near the point I'd just as soon have new...