Someone remind me again how we're comparing the 700R to a quad that isn't even being sold to the public yet?

We can speculate for ages, but it won't mean much until a few thousand hit the market and we can actually get information from someone who's actually ridden it, not just looked at a spec sheet on the internet.

 

the big tire bike made by yamaha was a bw 200 known as the big wheel.there was a few other bike makers that made simular bikes like one from the 70's rokon had i think bigger front and rear tire if i remember correctly.i had a buddie that had a bw 200 back in the 80's cool bike to putt on.

 

i know there coming out with the 700xx but know nothing about it.i do know that the raptor 660's and 700's can be rode slow.in stock form they have very predictible power.can be cruised or haul *** either way.as mentioned you can change gearing taller rear or smaller front sprocket but then you have a wheelie monster with the torque.a blast to ride either way.

 

Yeah,
back when we rode 80s a friend of ours had a very aggressive sprocket set-up... All I remember of him was (seriously) in the feilds on his back feet trying to hold back the bike from putting him on his ***. Literally dancing w/ the damn thing! Also, he sold the thing with putting no more then an 1-2hr.

*Someone before him must have really spruced-up the bike!

Long story short, the bike had too much power for him!
And I couln't sell my bike if I wanted too!
I always would trade off with my other friends with 4-strockers!
And eventually traded it in for a quad!

And yes Mad dog 57,
I agree! Nobody truly knows what the quad is like!
Only, we can compare them too other atvs with similar designe...
Like the polaris irs!
The 650r bike!
And 450 atv frame... At least thats what I've read in 4-wheeler magazine!

So yes we don't really know, but we can only imagine that it can be a great piece of art... Carfully put together by pros in an attempt to creat the perfact Baja machine!
And now Honda wants to claim it as their own design... Only because everyone loves Honda, and in forieign contries parts are more prevalent!

The quad should be great, but why is there only going to be 1-2 ATVs per store (depending on size of shop) when they come out???

Thats why I doubt it!

 

In all, thanks guys!
You have helped me break down the different thoughts on witch atv would be good for me, and my riding style...
Frankly, I'm glad people have pushed me to both Raptor and 400ex...
I made a couple calls back North and spoke with my uncle who has stayed in the dirt when I went pavment. His comment was Yamaha is good, but Hondas are very reliable!
Deep down I'm a family man stuck in a rat race! When image is everything and ego trumps all... But, I'm going to take my chances with something that has been around a long time w/out change...
And plus, I'll be out in Glamis by the end of Febuary; I'll try the 400ex out there and see how it is in the dunes!

Sincerely Brad Lee

 

Dunes will suck up all the power of a 400ex and you will not enjoy unless it is highly modified, alot...
If you are gonna hit the dunes, one of the newer 450's will be double the fun over a 400ex, the new 450 engines have way surpassed the 400 ex but a big-block 4-stroke with the torque factor is also a bunch of fun over everything and always my vote.

XR

 

if your going to trail ride the 400ex is a good choice,just for playing,one of my friends i ride with all the time has two 07's and there a good dependable quad.but like xr650 worrior says you wont like the 400ex in the sand,doesnt have enough *****.sand takes power,just like your average quad will run like 5mp faster on concrete than it will on a flat dirt surface.from what it sounds like to me for what your going to do io would get the raptor 700.i think you will be happy with it all the way around.if it ever gets slow mod it.i have seen sum raptors with turbos if you ever want to get serious.

 

I USE TO OWN A 400EX FROM 2000 TO 2003. GREAT MACHINE AND FUN ON THE TRAILS. WE HAD A TOTAL OF SIX IN THE GROUP...ALL 2000 400EX'S. WE NEVER HAD AN ISSUE WITH THEM. ONE OF OUR BUDDIES TRAIDED HIS YAMAHA WARRIOR IN ON HIS. HE HAD TO REBUILD HIS WARRIOR MOTOR BECAUSE IT DID NOT HOLD UP VERY WELL IN MN. WHEN THE RAPTER 660 CAME OUT HE TRAIDED HIS 400EX IN FOR IT. AGAIN HAD MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH THE 660 RAPTER AND HE HAD TO REBUILD THE MOTOR ON THAT ONE ALSO (ALL COVERED UNDER WARRENTY). THE OTHER PROBLEM HE HAD WITH THE 660 IS IT WAS ALLOT HARDER TO RIDE ON THE TRAILS COMPAIRED TO OUR 400EX'S. HE ENDED UP GETTING RID OF HIS RAPTER 660 AND GETTING ANOTHER 400EX.

THE MAIN PROBLEM AND COMPLAINT ABOUT THE 400EX FOR TRAIL RIDING WAS THE GROUND CLEARANCE. THE SKID PLATE TAKES A POUNDING TO THE POINT OF FALLING OFF AND SOMETIMES BREAKING. THE ONLY OTHER THING IS IT CAN WEAR YOU OUT ON A LONG DAY OF RIDING.

WE ALL ENDED UP GETTING RID OF OUR 400EX'S EXCEPT FOR ONE OF OUR BUDDIES THAT STILL HAS HIS 2000 400EX TO THIS DAY. IT IS OLD AND GETTING CREEKY BUT IT STILL KEEPS ON TICKING WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS. MOST OF US ENDED UP GETTING 4X4 QUADS TO DO A DIFFERENT STYLE OF RIDING. I ENDED UP GETTING A 2003 SPORTMAN 600 AND HAD A BLAST ON IT IN THE TRAILS. WE WERE DOING MORE BACK WOODS RIDING AND SOME MUDDING. I THEN TRADED THAT IN FOR THE NEW 2005 SPORTSMAN 800EFI. WELL THAT WAS A GREAT MACHINE AND I HAD A BLAST ON IT AS WELL. AT THIS TIME A FEW OF OUR BUDDIES ENDED UP GETTING DIRT BIKES AND I FOUND MYSELF NEVER USING THE 4X4 ANYMORE AND FINDING MYSELF GOING ***** TO THE WALLS ON THE TRAILS AGAIN LIKE I WAS RIDING MY 400EX. I WOULD HAVE TO HONESTLY SAY THAT I AM BETTER AND MORE AGGRESSIVE WITH AN IRS THAN I AM WITH A SRA BECAUSE I HAVE GOTTEN USE TO THE IRS AND FEEL VERY COMFORTABLE WITH THE WAY IT HANDLES. I WOULD SUPPOSE THAT IT IS SIMULAR TO TAKING THE FEEL OF CORNERING WITH A DIRT BIKE ON DIRT VS CORNERING A SPORT BIKE ON PAVEMENT... YOU JUST START GETTING USE THE THE FEEL OF THE IRS AND YOU START UNDERSTANDING WHAT IT WILL DO AND NOT DO...KIND OF HARD TO DISCRIBE IN WORDS. THE IRS IS ALSO 10X MORE FORGIVING WHEN JUMPING AND LANDING CROOKED (ON ONE TIRE). WE HAVE ALSO BEEN RIDING ON A 1 MILE TRACK WITH ALLOT OF JUMPS AND THE SPORTSMAN 800 BELT DRIVE WAS NOT HOLDING UP.

I FOUND OUT ABOUT THE IRS SPORT QUAD AND THOUGHT....THIS IS THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS. I CAN HAVE THE FUN FACTOR BACK OF THE SPORT MACHINE AND NOT HAVE TO GET RID OF THE IRS THAT I HAVE LEARNED TO LOVE OVER THE SRA. SO I HAVE PUT MY DOWN PAYMENT ON A 700XX AT OUR LOCAL DEALERSHIP.

YES THE 700XX IS HEAVIER THAN THE RAPTER. AND YES THIS CONVERSATION HAS BEEN GONE OVER IN MANY FORUMS. ALL IN ALL IF THE RAPTER HAD IRS IT WOULD BE 70 LBS LIGHTER AS THE IRS ADDS ABOUT 30 LBS TO THE 700XX. AS FOR THE V-FORCE KAWI..... THE ONLY THING THEY HAVE IN THAT IS SIMULAR IS THE 700 TITLE AND THAT THEY ARE IN THERE OWN CLASS.

I HAVE SEEN THE 700XX IN THE FLESH AND IT IS A VERY AWESOME LOOKING RIDE. THE PICTURES DO NOT DO IT JUSTICE.

IF I WAS TO CHOOSE BETWEEN THE 700XX AND THE RAPTER 700.... WELL I GUESS I HAVE ALREADY MADE THAT DECISION.

I DON'T THINK YOU WOULD BE UNHAPPY WITH EITHER QUAD. IF YOU DO MORE TRAIL RIDING AND SOMETIMES TOODLING OR TRACK RIDING I WOULD NOT HESITATE AND I WOULD GET THE 700XX. IF YOU DO MORE TRACK RIDING AND DUNE RIDING I WOULD NOT HESITATE AND I WOULD GET THE RAPTER 700.

I HAVE TALKED WITH THE HONDA SALES REP FROM CORPORATE AND HE SAID THAT HONDA HAS BEEN TESTING THE 700XX AGAINST THE RAPTER 700. ALL HE COULD SAY IS THAT HONDA IS VERY EXCITED AND VERY PLEASED WITH THE POWER OF THE NEW 700XX...HE WOULD NOT SAY ANYMORE.

 

Ok, Ok, you don't have to yell j/k next time check the caps lock button[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

And you are right about the dune/track thing, SRA is the only way to go IMO.

 

Sorry about the caps. I am an Engineer and that is all we use for documentation and drawings. I guess I am just use to it. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]