Hey everbody... been chillin and checkin out this site for a few days and finally desided to introduce myself and ask you guys some questions. I do not have a quad right now but am seriously considering getting one. I need a toy. I will be riding it mostly on trails and on my buddies track.

I haven't ever owned a quad but have riden quit a few times, but mostly just utility type bikes. I am not really interested in getting one of those, but I want a Z400 instead. My buddy thinks I am crazy, he just bought a 2002 quadrunner 500 and thinks utility is the only way to go. I told him I am not ready to get one like that I want to have something I can race around on. He insists his quadrunner 500 will be just as fast and handle as well as the Z!?!?!? I told him dream on...

Anyway I have been reviewing the possible quads and have decided that the Z400 is probably the best all around quad for me. Sounds like I can take it any where trails, woods, track, tearing up the neighbors yard!!! He doesn't think I will be able to go places he can in the woods cause I don't have 4x4 but, I think for the most part I will be able to. I think I will have more fun racin around, the Z will be good on a track and jumps right?


Please give me some advise on weather or not to get the Z. Also the KFX, is it the same bike? Any reason to get one over the other? Besides the colors green looks good, but so does the white? Is the white hard to keep nice, cause it looks real nice! When is the 2004 model coming out, anytime soon would it better to wait?

Any help would be great.

 

2004 models usually come out around late fall, just like cars. There are no mechanical differences between the kfx and z 400's. The only difference is plastics. The white is very cool looking, but I have heard complaints from owners that it is kind of hard to keep white. I have a black raptor, and its not easy to keep it black, but when it is it really looks good.

 

Most of the boys I ride with have 4x4's and they are impressed on what I can go threw. I can't go everywhere they go but most of the places, but look out when we get on the track and out of the mud they can't keep up then![img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

 

Well, I went over to a dealer yesterday to check out their inventory. They sell Suzuki, Honda, Yamaha. They had several Zs and pleanty of EXs, I sat on both seemed to be very similar. I think the reverse on the Z will be very important to have, but the price of the EXs is really hard to beat. They wanted 5600 - a couple hundred for the Z, and the EXs are $1000 off right now! putting them around 4600. Plus they are giving 6.9% financing for the EX and the Z starts around 9-13%.... so this kinda makes my decision harder. I probably will not be able to feel the difference between the two since I am not that experienced of a rider. However I like the idea of the liquid cooling of the Z, and I think Reverse is going to be real nice...... Ah man this is tough to pick! Need some help guys....

 

I would still go with the Z. I would think that you could get it a little cheaper out there considering that's what I paid for mine here in Cali ( $6k OTD w/ warranty ). Try talking them down some, and then make your decision. Either one is a good choice, but I think you'll be happier with the Z. JMO

 

The Z may be a faster quad and it does have reverse. The 400ex is still a great quad and very reliable. You may find that after buying the ex and saving a grand or so you can put that money into pumping it up a little. I really enjoy my EX.

 

Another buddy of mine has been pushing the Scrambler 400 or 500 on me. He says its the best of both worlds you can fly around with the Zs and EXs and go where they can't if you want to in 4x4. Any thoughts, should I consider the scrambler, I thought Polaris auto's for the most part were unreliable?

 

Now there is a real cool quad. The polaris 500 is nice. It has 2 and 4 wheel deive. It is kind of quick and powerful. not a bad choice at all.

 

That is a good point, what could you get to bump up the EX for a grand? What does the EX really lack compare to the Z once you get past the reverse issue?

 

Liquid Cooling (nice to have)