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Posted by: jaybeecon55
Iwanna - I'll give some advice that I bet you don't want to hear:
Since you are working hard for your money and/or borrowing some from your mom, make your 'first bike' a used one. Instead of spending about 6K for a new one, find a used bike for about 1/2 that. Since you are new to ATVing, there is no way you can figure out exactly what you are looking for and what kind of riding you will like to do until you get some ride time built up. Once you get a few months or so experience in riding, you can sell the used bike for a very little loss on the investment and you will be armed with the experience and knowledge that you need to know which 'ultimate' bike will be right for you.
While you won't find any used Z's out there yet, there are many used Raptors, 400ex's and Warriors out there that can give you a taste of sportbike riding at a decent price. My first ride was a used Warrior that I bought for $3,000. I rode it for 9 months, discovered that I really would prefer and needed something with 4wd, and sold the Warrior for $2,800. It only cost me $200 to have an ATV for 3/4 of a year and I moved on to a more 'ultimate' bike. It costs much more to learn that lesson if you start out with a new ride.
Good luck. Ride smart. Buy smart.
Jaybee
Posted by: ftwflh
If I were you I would tune it down a little and go for a 400EX they are great learner bikes and are upgradable.
Posted by: Raptorx44
85 mph on a 300EX sounds scary.
Posted by: chad400ex
Sorry to start the flame, but a 15-16 year old "beginner" has no business on either of those quads. I'm sure he'll tell me different, but you gotta start with something a little smaller and learn how to ride before riding something capable of going over 70 mph. I dunno...it sounds like mommy and daddy are buying whatever you want, so it really doesn't matter what any of us say. Just stay away from the C-dale...I've got a couple friends that own them, and they have problems. The company is bankrupt, and sooner or later, parts and repair-shops will be a thing of the past. I think a safe choice would be the Z/KFX400. It has turned out to be a really good bike. The predator hasn't been around long enough to work out all the bugs yet.
And as far as comparing a sport bike to an atv....you are way off base. A 600cc sport bike has around 100 horsepower, where a 660cc quad has around 37 horsepower. Each one has its own challenges when learning to ride. You'll find out for yourself whenever you make your decision. Quads do have a faster learning curve, but that all depends on who you ride with. Riding with the right group of people can be very helpfull. You can see how they approach different obstacles, and copy their riding style. I've been riding for over 20 years now, and I've seen alot of beginners (most of them are in their 20's and have paid for their own quad...which does tend to make them be more carefull in the beginning) start out on sport quads. Lately it seems that the raptor is the quad of choice out here, and every beginner will have a few crashes/roll overs. I guess that's the only way you're going to learn though. Wear a helmet, gloves, and good boots, and don't give up after your first crash...because you will crash.
Posted by: atvguyinmaine
Hate to change the subject but..DanceingQueen..............how ya been?....been 3 or 4 weeks since I seen u on here?.....hows ur grandmother?.......drop me a line atvguy350@aol....talk with ya later
Posted by: YFZRacer
i kind of aggree with chad here i think before you jump into the high performance market i would get something smaller. imo you should just buy a used blaster keep it for a year i know its not going to be that fast or great but it will allow you to learn how to use the clutch and have some experience on a quad then after year or 2 then buy whatever you want new maby there will be a new 450 yamaha quad that will be better then the z400. i just think its good to have experience on something smaller then just go bigger. 2 many people in quading and snowmobiling just go buy something that has 2 much power for them and either they will get hurt or wreck there machine. well thats just my 2 cents but ya for you and the quads you listed and z400 sounds like a good choice id stay away from the pred since its still in new and the moto with them going bankrupt. good luck with your new quad lata
Posted by: YFZRacer
but hey do want you want i'm getting a new quad next year 2....but i'v been riding since i was about 4 so i still think you should buy a smaller used something first
Posted by: maddog56
Good point dancingqueen, but this could be a very expensive mistake. Even if you have money out the wazoo, its not always better to buy brand new. You can get such a better deal buying a quad with 20 hours on it. A used 400/300ex, blaster, warrior, or the like would be a great introduction to the sport. When you get into quads starting with the 400ex, you get into the really HI-PO stock arena. That can be bad for kids and beginners in a lot of ways. I rode my fathers 250r when i was 11, but I wasnt very good at controlling it. Big and powerful machines dont allow for many beginner mistakes. I know that iwannaatv is about legal driving age, so that makes it legal for him to actually buy something bigger than a 90cc.
I agree with chad and jaybeecon55 in that you shouldnt jump into the hi-po sport quad segment head first as a beginner. My father raced 4 trx250r's, an ltz 250r, 2 250r trikes, and a few other things before he got his first raptor. But when he got it he almost rolled himself off the back right away. He ended up crashing in the woods the next spring and almost lost his life. Now there were many factors that went into that, but the main point is that there are no room for mistakes when you are going that fast. Be careful, thats the most important thing.
if you are really going to pay out the rear for a new quad, the predator runs about the same as a cannibal or a raptor, for cheaper. possible reliability, reverse, and transmission issues aside, it looks to be a better bet from my seat. JMHO.
Posted by: Bing
what chad said!
Posted by: twitchell
I would go for a 300EX. My friend has one and made it go 85 mph. And reliability doesn't get any better. Trust me you will be happy. I wanted a big bore quad and after riding my 300 it was all i needed for the time being. Im just now learning the machine and wanting more power.
Posted by: twitchell
just get whatever makes you happy dude.
Posted by: BigBearFX
ok guys im not a sport rider but id go with a used 400ex, there reliable and hop-upable. o yeah and there pretty cheap
Posted by: RPM
All are good quads, but you might want to reconcider the Cannondale, since they are out of business for right now, and maybe perminately.
Posted by: RPM
First off, I Never said that you should get something "More tame"
The reason I said to "reconsider the Cannondale" is because due to the fact that they are closed for business, maybe indefinately, there is no one to warrantee the quad if anything goes wrong, and eventually the replacement parts May become hard to find.
If you look at my signature, you will notice that I own a KFX400, so I personally think that you would like a Z/KFX400, but the Predator is also an outstanding quad. That is why I stated "All are good quads".
Good Luck.
Posted by: RPM
Actually with the proper Mods, and a Bunch of Gearing, 85 mph is possible. The more important question would be WHY?
A while back, they used a DS650 to pace a Cart (Or one of those) Race. They made some Gearing changes and ran over 100 mph on the DS.
Posted by: reconranger
Go with the KFX 400. Good all around bike!!
Posted by: Predator03
Don't listen to these guys about the Predator. If that's really what you are looking for, you will PLENTY of riders on the forums who love their Pred. Other than a couple of small issues, it's been a remarkable machine. If nothing else, the suspension and handling are FAR superior to the 400EX, the Z 400, the Raptor etc....
Posted by: nccracing
If you are a beginner, Just my opinon but, you should get something a little tamer.
Posted by: iwannaatv
I'm 15 and a half and i wanna buy a brand new quad this summer, nothing used. I have my eyes on the kfx400, predator500, and moto440. I want your opinions on which one i should get, its an extremely hard choice to make because all the quads i listed have pros and cons. The predator is cheap, powerful, wide, long, and looks good, but its 45lbs heavier the the other two. The kfx is cheap, light, but its not wide and long. The moto440, is the best overall, its the kfx and predator put into one. Wide, light, powerful, state of the art suspension and all the other stuff, but the biggest thing is that it costs alot, i don't know how much, can someone tell me?
Which would you get if you were in my situation? Remember, don't recommend anything used, or a warrior or blaster, i'm only interested in these three.
Posted by: iwannaatv
Whats wrong with the quadsport400, same cc's as the 400ex. I don't plan on doing high jumps and all that other stuff on my first days of riding, i'll keep it down a notch. I don't even like the 400ex anyways.
And if cannondale might go out of business then doesn't that mean that dealers will sell the atvs for cheaper.
I reject what rpm and nccracing say about getting something more tame, if you were to ask this same question to a sportbike forum on another site than all the members would tell you to start on something 500cc's or less, i'm just saying this because as far as i know bikes are harder to learn than atvs and their power deliveries are crazier than a atvs delivery. I want a single cylinder 400cc quad and you guys say that it is too much, yeah right. The c'dale would be the easiest, it wouldn't tip over as easily as the others. Heck! The raptor would probably be easy to ride too. The price of the moto440 is no problem.
Posted by: iwannaatv
I never said i wanted the raptor as a first, i will get it as a second. Ok i'll forget about the moto440, i probably won't be able to use all of that performance anyways. So i'll stick with the kfx400, or a white z400. I already have a job so i'll be paying for the atv, my mom agreed that she'll use her credit card(good credit) so that the apr wont be so high and maybe so that i'll be approved to do one of their special deals going on with the free bonus bucks. I can use that money to get me some good quality gear from the dealer.
Posted by: Coyotechaser
KFX400 or Z400 would be a good choice.
Posted by: Coyotechaser
I don't think a 300EX could do 85mph. The Raptor and the Banshee don't do 85mph.
Posted by: dancingqueen
I dont know, I am sort of torn. My brother bought his first "new" quad with his own money at the age of 14(400EX). He had some prior experience but not much. He ended up okay, loves his bike and has made many mods since then.
There in only one way to learn sometimes. I think Iwannaatv should do what makes him happy now, even if it isnt the best thing for him. There is only one way to learn, if there is anything to learn at all.
Posted by: Ozarkrider03
Wow when I saw Begginner look to buy a new quad I never thought he was looking at a KFX 400, Predator, or the CD moto!!!What about yall?Well listen to these guys you should wait and buy these quads when you have expierience.
Posted by: Aguywhocanneverbuyagoodquad
Now first of all your a beginner right? And those quads are way too powerful to start ridin' with now I suggest maybe get a Honda 300ex,or a Yamaha Warrior and then maybe in 2 years you are really good you could sell your old quad and buy a Z400. The other quads you gotta look into for example: Look how much power they have,weight, and expereince requirerd(believe me you need the experience to ride a powerful quad or you might end up killing yourself.)
Posted by: WarriorMan2003
Well I hate to break it too you but cross the Moto 440 off of your want list because the price is OVER $12,000! If I were you I would go for something a lot less expensive and pick the KFX 400. It is a great quad and handles like a champ and has plenty of power for those weekend and weekday ventures. Happy Trails!
Posted by: WarriorMan2003
Oh Yea. As for the Polaris Predator I wouldnt get it because it has not been out long enough to prove it's reliability and engine. Later!
Posted by: WarriorMan2003
I'm not tryin to be mean Twitchell but I think your full of $hit! No 300ex can go 85 mph! Theres no possible way unless he invested a fortune, and if he did spend a fortune on a quad why hop up a piece of crap (no offense) like a 300ex. Oh well.
Posted by: helmer77
I think that the guys who say to buy a used quad are right. It is way cheaper. I would go for a warrior ar even a 400ex to start off with and then you will see if a sport quad is what you really want. Also it will help you gain experience riding. Thats what I did. I knew absolutly7 nothing about quads untill I bought a 1987 warrior. I rode it for a while until I realized that for the kind of riding that I do a sport utility 4x4 would be better( I ride alot of mud). But whatever you get, have fun with it and always wear a helmet.
