asking the experts out there for pro's and con's of each. looking at both and still not sure. I like the tech. on the z400 but I like the caveman durability of the trx 400. Seth 03

 

Buying new? Don't even bother with the Honda unless there is a HUGE price difference. With the new body style Z it is almost becoming a stretch to even consider these 2 in the same class. The Z has 450 class potential in the motor(but it will cost you!) that the EX doesn't have, and the suspension is worlds better too. Any mx/jumping plans and the Z is the clear choice. If your budget has you dabbling more in the used market then the balance can tip the other way, I would prefer a well maintained machine over anything else there.

 

I have owned both.
I like the EX for tight, technical trails. Its engine will lug down and you can idle throught the rough stuff. Best tight trail quad on the planet!!!

I like the Z for everything else! The Z is a bit on the heavy side for a 400, and I think the new one with fuel injection is even worse. Mine would never jump level. Always came off nose low, no matter what. I was short on room in the garage and had to get rid of something, so that turned out to be the Z.....

 

great posts so far. I should note that I ride tight technical trails, I ride with buddys that have 4x4 can-ams,wolverens and grizzlys. So I guess that I ride pretty rough stuff. Need something that is bullet proof. I am thinking of buying 2009 brand new so that may make a diff. but the prices are only a couple hundred apart. so I need opinions not based on price. Thanks Seth 03

 

If you ride really tight and technical...... a lot of slow 1st gear stuff..... You are going to grow tired of the z400 quickly as it is a DOHC engine and those just don't do low RPMs well. You will wear out your clutch and eat up spark plugs much quicker....

The 400ex is an old push-rod engine and they can lug down in low RPMs all day and love it. If I rode a lot of tight trails with 4x4s I'd probably want a 400ex over my z400.......

Maybe consider a Raptor 700 too...... They have all the high tech goodies of a z400 but also have an engine that will lug down well in low RPMs and tight trails.

 

Sorry, but no "pushrods" in my engine! The EX engine is a single overhead cam design, taken from the legendary XR400 dirt bike. This is Honda's forte, when it comes to engine design! A single (vs two cams) keeps the engine lighter and the center of gravity lower.

My EX is 10 years old this year. It has thousands of miles on it, and countless newbs have learned to ride a manual clutch on it. I have never had to touch the engine, except for routine maintenance. Only major thing I have had to do is replace the rear bearings, and that was partly my own fault anyway (got in a flash flood with a lot of very fine silt).

The Raptor 700 is a torque monster, but all that power is wasted on a slow tight trail! I have never really liked the Raptor's ergonomics, myself.

 

Both the 400's are good. I'd give the slight edge to the new (09 & up) Z because of the fuel injection. Used, I'd lean more to the EX simply because they bullet proof. Not to say the Z isn't, but the engine design between the two has Honda with one that is more forgiving if the previous owner wasn't the best on maintenance.

 

Its an OHC right... Why do I always think those things are OHV? I'm sure I've been corrected before on this but for some reason I always forget....

Either way my point still stands up.... A SOHC will usually have better low end power than a DOHC simply by design.....And whatever Honda does it always works well.

As far as the Raptor.... I was just tossing out another option for arguments sake. But a lot of people complain about the ergos on that machine. Especially Honda riders it seems.

 

My vote is for the 700 ;-)

 

I never understood the ergo complaints about the 700, either. Every single mag test that I have seen on them praises the ergos.
For me, as soon as I sat on a 700, I knew it was the one. . I am not a big guy , by any means. I tried Flexx bars on mine, and didn't like the ergo change, went to Pro Taper Raptor bend, and all is right again.

To each his own, by all means, one size doesn't fit all.

Back on topic, either 400 is a good choice. Personally, the injection would sway me to the Z.