By the way, a ct pipe, jet kit, and filter put the z in the 34-35 hp range,which I believe is all the pep you need on a tight mx track, for around $500. I've seen a z smoke a raptor by half a lap. All the hp in the world won't make you a better rider or give ***** to make up for lack of talent. We're having state finals up here this weekend, and talked to a guy with a yfz, he described it as scary. I'll tell you how he did tomorrow night.

 

"will suzuki come out with a 450 to compete with yamaha and honda?"

probrably so... but there is no honda yet - we wont find that out concretely until september...
But they wont make it simply to compete. I hear suzuki is doing a 450 dirtbike so why wouldnt they adapt that engine to the z400 like they did before? Though some parts are different, there are interchangeable parts btween the dirtbike engine and atv version of the engines. It helps keep costs down to do this.

 

Just got back from the races, and it went down like this in the final race. Raptor in 1st, barely, Z400, with only a slip-on exhaust, jets, and filter, in 2nd, the yfz in 3rd, about 5sec. behind the z, and a pred. took 4th.

Power don't matter if you don't have skills, too, I guess.