Options! Give the people options when they buy their new Z400!

Optional Reverse, electric start or kick start and/or the choice between DRZ400, DRZ400E or DRZ400S engines.

Width. This is more what Yamaha should have done to the Raptor. Have a choice between a narrow woods cruiser or an all out MX or TT racer. You could also have the choice between Heavy duty and light duty arms.

Shocks. Maybe something like a choice of three between Standard Premium or Racing. Standard being what they are offering right now, Premium having an inch more travel and racing being something like zero-preload PEPs only available with the heavy duty wide A-arms.

Special editions or Yoshimura-tuned models. Or just factory installed, dealer installed or dealed distributed yoshimura parts and accessories. Think about it, the appeal of driving over to the dealer and being able to buy a piped Z450 right off the showroom floor.

Lights. Three levels of options. Racing, Standard and Desert. Buy a Desert model and get the standard Z400's stacked lights and two 8" round bumper or handle bar mounted lights. Standard would be what the Z400 is being released with. Racing would be no Headlights. This would be available only with a kickstart model.

Tires. Holeshots, Razrs, Bandits, Ohtsus or the Dunlop Radials? Also a choice of wheels. Again, three levels. Light duty, thin aluminum. Heavy duty thick aluminum and Reinforced heavy duty.

Bumpers, Nerfs, Graphics, bars, silencers, pipes, Shockwears, Skidplates and other accessories would also be available through the dealer like how Yamaha has GYT-R and how Suzuki will probably have their own line of accesories. It would be nice if you could get Suzuki parts or a higher-end line of Suzuki-Yoshimura parts. Like Yoshi Graphics and pipes...

What do you think? I think it would turn the industry upside down, spilling Yamaha and Honda onto the floor! Even Suzuki's number one threat to the Z400, Polaris would be phased. Yeah, that's right, I said Polaris. Watch out for those guys. They're up to something... Something like a 450cc out of the box racer. And unlike Cannondale they already have an amazingly strong dealer-chain. Then there's Bombadier, they've already done a lot of the stuff mentioned above and are supposed to be making a 400 class machine... We all know how much power the Rotax 650 makes compared to the Raptor 660 and what kind of suspension they made for the DS... Imagine what they'll be thinking of putting in their MX racer... 40hp, 12" of travel in a 330 pound chassis with a frame like a 250R?

As a Zuki-Zealot I'm feeling a little yellow... lol

 

I really like the way you think. If only we could get all enthusiasts to put pressure on their local dealers. Cannondale is the only manufacturer even close to doing anything like this.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-cool.gif[/img]

 

Or.....just buy a Cannondale! [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img] Sorry, had to do it. The big 4 will never do this....it'd take away money from our 2 wheeled brothers.

 

While it would be nice to do this I don't think it would be cost effective for Suzuki. Not only that but too few people would be happy with this setup. I may want wider a-arms but may not like the type Suzuki uses. Everyone has preferences in shocks so maybe the ones Suzuki uses on the "Race" setup aren't the ones I'd like. You're back to building the quad with the specific pieces you want anyway. It's the nature of the beast. Even if Suzuki would provide the 450 big bore kit off the showroom floor it wouldn't be enough. We'll always want to be faster, there'll always be better cams, new exhausts, etc.

The only thing I'd like to see changed on the Z400 would be the use of the best DRZ motor and give the quad the FCR that the dirt bike uses. That would be a very potent platform.

 

The manufacturers need to quit DETUNING the quads!!!!!!!!! I can understand a little restriction as far as exhaust goes and maybe not the most top quality hi-per parts, but atleast leave the motor like it is in the dirtbikes!!! There shouldn't be a 10 and sometimes even 20 HP difference between the motorcycle engine and the quad motor. The only good motor you can buy that hasn't had all it's manhood taken away from it, is the C-dale motors. Yeah the exhaust and air intake is a little restrictive, but thats just done for price reasons. I don't mind that, hell, exhaust and some free "do it yourself" mods to the air box, will solve that, but having to tear down a motor to make it equal to a bike is just makes the companies plain pathetic.... THATS RIGHT... I said it... the "big 4" are pathetic.

 

WORD!

 

<< While it would be nice to do this I don't think it would be cost effective for Suzuki. Not only that but too few people would be happy with this setup. I may want wider a-arms but may not like the type Suzuki uses. Everyone has preferences in shocks so maybe the ones Suzuki uses on the &quot;Race&quot; setup aren't the ones I'd like. You're back to building the quad with the specific pieces you want anyway. It's the nature of the beast. Even if Suzuki would provide the 450 big bore kit off the showroom floor it wouldn't be enough. We'll always want to be faster, there'll always be better cams, new exhausts, etc. >>



I totally agree.



<< The only thing I'd like to see changed on the Z400 would be the use of the best DRZ motor and give the quad the FCR that the dirt bike uses. That would be a very potent platform.
>>



Yeah, but not everyone wants that. I would rather have the exact same powerplant out of the DRZ with no lights or reverse or even electric start... but the guy who's only modification to their quad is a hitch and racks would probably want the most un-sport-like Z400 offered...

 

<< The manufacturers need to quit DETUNING the quads!!!!!!!!! I can understand a little restriction as far as exhaust goes and maybe not the most top quality hi-per parts, but atleast leave the motor like it is in the dirtbikes!!! There shouldn't be a 10 and sometimes even 20 HP difference between the motorcycle engine and the quad motor. The only good motor you can buy that hasn't had all it's manhood taken away from it, is the C-dale motors. Yeah the exhaust and air intake is a little restrictive, but thats just done for price reasons. I don't mind that, hell, exhaust and some free &quot;do it yourself&quot; mods to the air box, will solve that, but having to tear down a motor to make it equal to a bike is just makes the companies plain pathetic.... THATS RIGHT... I said it... the &quot;big 4&quot; are pathetic.
>>



Suzuki did not detune the Z400. They 're-tuned' it for more bottom end power without losing top end.

Here's the dyno graph between the LTZ and the DRZS: http://www.off-road.com/atv/reviews/...CTERISTICS.jpg