i have seen a 400ex get its doors blowed off. the 400ex will beat the z through the gears but after shifting into fifth gear the z will out run it. Also in a drag race the times are alot different to. the z run a 13.28 in the 1000 ft stock and the 400ex with a jet kit ran a 14.32 so there is a big difference in the performance.

 

The funny thing is that 400ex oem plastic is SO much cheaper than 300ex plastic ($50 for a fronts on a 400ex and $200 for a 300ex front set) and the 300ex/250x has been around for ages.

I think the 400ex is just a great platform to build a great sport quad on the cheap.

MX

 

In all honesty they are both great rides. I just chose the KFX400 because I got it $100 less than the lowest the local Honda dealers would go on a 400ex. My neighbor has a 400ex and it rides great. I have enjoyed reverse many times already and this is the first week. The performance differences are modest. I can leave him but not far. However I do weigh about 75lbs more than him so that hurts the KFX some. If you look at the stock dynos the kfx/Z 400's are dead middle between the 400ex and the Raptor. (off subject. sorry)*Sure the Raptor has more power than eitehr but what good is it, it won't handle turns, and if you hammer down in a drag race it points to the sky. It's unusable all the way around. * Back to subject: Just go and see if you can ride both and figure out what you like the best. After all you are the one that has to ive with it.

 

I have one thing to say as a GNCC racer.

The old 400EX with the Dated Air Cooled low power motor must be pretty good take a look at last years standings overall in the GNCC

Chad Duvall, Brian Baker, Gregory Trew, Jeremy Rice and Todd Knippenburg ended up ranked 7th throuh 11th on 400's sure there were not many Suzuki's or new Kawi's last year but Cannondale was fielding riders on there high powered quad and the Raptor is known for having a surplus of power compared to the the 400EX but funny none of them showed in the top 10. Riders 1 through 6 were all on Roll, or Leagers.

Chad Duvall is ranked 3rd Nationally on his 400EX right now in front of William Yokley who is Riding the new Suzuki and Bradley Page who is on the Kawasaki so the old out dated 400EX must not be as outdated as you think. These are all Pro Riders but the 400 is in front somehow??

Thanks
Kevin Haynes
1999 400EX

 

Well I have not read any of the other posts but IMO the Z/KFX handles allot better and as far as power goes well in a drag
against my friends 400ex , from a dead stop I smoke him , but if we are at a roll in 4th to 5th we are dead even.

The mods of each :

Friends 400ex = CDI , WB full exhaust , K&N filter kit ,14t sprocket (1 tooth down from stock) dynoed with razr's = 28.7hp

Mine KFX400 = CT full exhaust & K&N filter kit ,13t sprocket (also 1 tooth down from stock) dynoed with razr 2's = 29.9 hp
I think if I get a CDI there will be no competition

others that I have bet in drags and desert riding :

416EX = WB exhaust , uni filter kit , CDI , +2 a-arms , works triples , on Maxxis all trax
400ex= custom BigGun exhaust , CDI , no lid , on Maxxis all trax
01' Raptor = Yoshi full system , K&N kit , no lid , on Holeshots XCR's (desert all the time , Drag 1st -4th only)
02' Raptor = Stock , (desert all the time , drag 1st - 5th until I hit rev limiter then he slowly walks past me)

Hope this helps

 

There is NO doubt that the 400EX is and always will be one of the most reliable and best handling Quads to come along. Anyone that says otherwise is simply mistaken.

But you can hardly compare the 400EX's that the Pros ride to a Stock or even mildly modded 400EX. There aren't very many pieces left on those 400EX's that even resemble Stock components. But granted, you are starting with a solid base to build from.

 

My two freinds I ride with the most one has a completely stock 400ex and one a z400, the z allways wins in a strait race but both are great machines, personally if was going to buy one of them new I would go for the z, I like liquid cooled engines a little better and I do like reverse, but the fact does remain that you can buy a used ex cheap and it will more than likely still in great shape, and Mine was bullet proof, I'm sure it is still running somewhere for the crook who took it. If I was going to buy new I would wait a few months and check out the new yami and honda 450's if there really coming out, maybe for once they'll actually just take the motors out of the bike and put it in the quad instead of detuning it.

 

I hate to hear people say the Z handles as well as an EX

it may be close.... but definately not as well

the facts are this: the rear Dunlops on the Z have more sidebite than the Ohtsu's on the EX.... also, there are many documented cirumstances where the rear swing-arm geometry has "bucked" riders on certain jumps and whoops....

now, how is that considered handling as good as an EX?


In the Z's defense... what it does have over the EX is power, reverse, and water-cooling.....
BUT, being a true Honda fan, I will say that the power issue is much easier to fix than the swing-arm issue... and reverse is a luxury, not a necessity, and water-cooled??? I don't know of any EX's that over-heat, with the stock bore anyways

and you just can't forget about the EX's undisputed title as the MOST reliable sport quad on the market....