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

I have a friend who is in the same boat as you. He has a raptor 700 and she has a 400 ex (stock). She wants to trade off her 400 for a raptor cuz she likes it better than the 400, only because of the power. I tried to convince her to mod out her 400 instead. I'm not a honda guy, but I do know the 400 ex is great on trails and you can get a lot more power out of them with mods. I have owned a raptor, and although they have made some improvements since the 660, they are still tall and lunky. They take a lot of body english to control, I equate it to riding a snowmobile! The 400 is so much easier to ride and flick around. The problem I would have in your situation is that I would trade the 400 for a raptor, take it in the a** in value, ride the raptor for a couple of months and then want more power and mod it out. So, now I would be back where I was with the 400, only broke! I have had several atv's. I ride mostly woods and trails, some sand when I can make the trip to the coast. I have to admit I love the 400/500 class. Plenty of power to be had with mods and light and easy to ride.



BTW Reconranger is dead on when he said all those cc's of the 700 are a waste in the woods. My predator is well known for it's top speed, but I never see it unless I go to the sand. I find myself in 2nd and 3rd gear most of the time. When I do hit 4th gear my a**hole begins to tighten significantly! LMAO!



So, if I were you I would seriously consider modding out the 400 (it sounds like you already are researching it). I have considered the same of my preddy, boring, porting heads, etc. But it would cost about $1300 and I just don't see paying that much to get another 5hp's. SO, I guess I'll live with it. Really, it's plenty fast the way it is.



You did mention the outlaws. I would stick with the KTM motor, much better than the Fuji. The IRS is awesome for the trails. Definitely worth considering. There are some people with outlaws on this forum in the polaris section that could give you some good feedback.</end quote></div>

Well, if I did a Raptor it would be a 700R... 2007 GYTR or 2008... for the better suspension... and get the ride height down where I like it.

I probably would not mod it... just skids, nerfs, tires, wheels, etc...

I'm not crazy about where they put the radiator though.
But nobody has mentioned that but me.

I have been looking into internal engine work on my 400EX. If I had the place to do all the work, I'd tear it down, have the machining done and put it back together myself... it would be a lot cheaper.

As much as I like the quad, I like you have a hard time thinking about sinking a bunch of money in it... when I can trade for better and also gain a few options I don't have.... like reverse, liquid cooling, premium stock shocks, etc...

I really do like my EX though. I rode it some yesterday and was reminded. It's just really hot on the legs, the pegs are too high, the swingarm geometry is a little steep, and it could use some GT Thunder or Maul Tech suspension. But overall, I like it a lot and it already has a lot of stuff I wanted on it... and that will be to re-buy.

 

im also a east coast woods rider, and my outlaw has never let me down. if you do find a builder then the 426 kit would be pretty mean in that ex of yours. if your gonna trade then irs will be a great help on tight trails. as far as the rest of them quads you named, well you will have to ask some of these other guys, but im confident that you would love the irs.

p.s. them fuji engines are not all bad, their just not as beefy as the KTM's...

 

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

im also a east coast woods rider, and my outlaw has never let me down. if you do find a builder then the 426 kit would be pretty mean in that ex of yours. if your gonna trade then irs will be a great help on tight trails. as far as the rest of them quads you named, well you will have to ask some of these other guys, but im confident that you would love the irs.



p.s. them fuji engines are not all bad, their just not as beefy as the KTM's...</end quote></div>

Thanks for the input.

I should hear from a local builder very soon.


I have still yet to find a reasonably priced 525 IRS model.
Right now my choices are the 500 IRS or 525 straight axle (S & MXR).

 

Well, I think I'm as certain as I will ever be that I'm trading my EX (or selling).
I highly doubt I will build it, unless I have some sort of sudden change of heart.

 

Also, I think I am crossing the Raptor 700R off my list.
The dealers around here have some leftovers.
But it doesn't take long to figure out why they are several years old and still there.

They still want full MSRP for them!!!


To date I have found 3 that were reasonable.
One turned out NOT to be new and is already sold.
One is exactly what I want, but I found it online and it's 500 miles away.
One other is here in my state, but it's the gray one.

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I don't think it is terrible looking, but I don't think it's my style either.
I prefer the blue and the white (factory-racey) and I have not seen graphics for the gray that would change that.

 

Of all the 450's, my experience has been that the Kawi will lug down the best. That doesn't mean it is anywhere near an EX, but just that among the 450's it seems to be the best lugger. It has good trail handling manners as well.

I ride my Honda 450R exclusively in the desert. Lots of it is wide open, but there are lots of trails as well. You are more likely to be dodging rocks and cactus instead of trees, so some trails can get relatively tight. I am geared down one tooth in front, and it helps! I lose a little top end, but it is well worth the extra acceleration I get on a takeoff. Still...it will go 25 mph in 1st gear at idle!

I have never really liked the Raptor. It is better than the old 660, but it still carries its weight a little high in the frame, and that makes it a little tipsy. And, I have never ever liked its ergonomics.

 

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

Of all the 450's, my experience has been that the Kawi will lug down the best. That doesn't mean it is anywhere near an EX, but just that among the 450's it seems to be the best lugger. It has good trail handling manners as well.



I ride my Honda 450R exclusively in the desert. Lots of it is wide open, but there are lots of trails as well. You are more likely to be dodging rocks and cactus instead of trees, so some trails can get relatively tight. I am geared down one tooth in front, and it helps! I lose a little top end, but it is well worth the extra acceleration I get on a takeoff. Still...it will go 25 mph in 1st gear at idle!</end quote></div>

reconranger,

Long time no-see brother! I was starting to fear that desert had swallowed you up. Good to see you posting.

Anyways, yeah the fact that the Kawi had that type of word of mouth going around about it... and the fact it has reverse... and the fact it can be made to look trick afterall..... all those things had me considering it. I still am.

With that said, I'm going to from this point forward group the KFX450 and the TRX450 together. I see them in the same class more so for reasons I'll point out later.

For now though, here are my considerations at this point.

EFI - KFX
Grunt - KFX
Reverse - KFX

Aftermarket - TRX
Cost Savings - TRX

Myself, I think I can probably be OK gearing either down, because I do not need to do top speed. But with the price of the TRX, I could add a Rekluse clutch also, and have money left... So I don't know... might make it better than the KFX, except not having reverse.

With that said, what year is yours reconranger?
I'm looking at brand new '06-'08 models.


What do you think about gearing a TRX on down, and installing a Rekluse pro clutch?


Now the same is true with the Outlaw models. They are more than the TRX and the KTM powered ones are even more than the KFX.

But, all have reverse... and I believe that we will find that even the Outlaw 450 is in a bit different class than the 450's (KFX - TRX - YFZ - LTR). Reason being is that these Outlaws have long stroke motors like the 400 EX.

The Outlaw 450 has the KTM engine, and aside from bore, it is the same as the 525. Both have around a 72mm stroke.

I don't know if they do, but I would have to assume the KTM engines are going to have way more grunt... even the 450 should have a lot more than the others before it.

I'd like to find a 'jap' rider that has experienced the Outlaw/KTM.


I'm waiting on a weekend ride report now that should hopefully tell me a lot.

 

Well, I left out yesterday with my 400EX on my trailer to go make my trade...

To tell the truth, I was having trouble stomaching the idea from the moment I finished trailering it for the trip. But I pushed on and left out.

Well, on my way it just never did sit exactly right with me and I actually ended up turning back for home. Unreal.

On my way back I met my wife in passing and we pulled off to chat. I explained and she encouraged that I just take the pressure off and go "look" some more.

So I did go to two dealers not too far away where I knew they should have many of what I was looking for (just priced too high).


Of what I looked at today.... ohhhhhh how I WANT a KTM 525 XC!!! I just can't stomach the investment with the economic uncertainty that exists today. I'm convinced it's worth the price... I'm just uncomfortable with spending that much.

 

Past the above posting, I did accomplish getting my head screwed partially back on straight and I now have a "buying plan" worked out in my head.

I got to actually 'tire-kick' on many of the quads I'm considering all in one day. So I have a ranking in my mind at least now.

I have pretty much narrowed it to the KFX450R and the LTZ/KFX/DVX 400... with the possiblity of a Raptor or Outlaw.

I'm still loaded and ready for morning, and I plan to pass through 3 dealers tomorrow.

All prior to considering my trade....

- the Honda dealer has shot hardest for my business with his quote on a 450R. But I am kind of unsure about wanting the 450R.

- the Kawasaki/Polaris dealer falls in second with 2 great quotes on leftover models... a KFX400 and a KFX450R.

- third is the Yamaha dealer who is promised to deliver a great quote on a 700R.


Overall, I am disappointed because I have a local dealer I like... who's prices are just way-way too much.


For the record though, I have to say that I kicked the tires on an '09 KFX450R and I have to admit that everything "just felt right" about it.... except the seat (how's that for irony?). So the leftover I'm going to see in the morning looks like the likely candidate.


But it obviously is not going to be easy to trade me out of my 400EX (even more than "I" thought). I've even considered just buying a new quad and selling my EX later, just in case I decide I'm not in love with my new selection.... I can take it back!!! So anything could happen, and if none of them work out, I don't think I'll be all that disappointed.

 

Well, I realized my problem was that I was uneasy about trading my 400EX for it's replacement.

So I left the 400EX at home and came back with a new KFX450R.