Air-cooled engines tend to be more weather sensitive.

 

khen, easy killer. I haven't seen anyone saying the ex is susceptible to overheating. I do think that the z would have more long term reliability with, say, a 440 or 450 kit plus other engine mods.

 

I didnt say anything about one overheating. But the Z400 is more powerful and faster then a 400ex!!! My friend Victor had a 430EX with a DMC Exhaust and K&N, and it was only a little faster then gregs Z400 with a Yoshi Slip on and K&N

 

Air cooled in only bad when u are idleing or if u do engine mods like bring it over. Plus if your riding in a tail and a stick goes through your radiator. Your Screwed. Plus if u want you can get an oil cooler for an air-cooled motor.

god i cant spell for my life, pissing me off, my keyboard sukks!

 

So what do you think makes the Z400 engine more "advanced"? is it the liquid cooling? the double overhead cam?

1- I don't believe the reason for manufactures going to liquid cooling has anything to do with it being more advanced, liquid cooling has been around waaay longer than the invention of the quad. It's much more costly for a manufacture to design an effective high performance air cooled engine than to design a liquid cooled platform, but Honda nailed it with the XR400/400EX engine. The reason most high performance quads are going towards liquid cooling is because the manufactures can get a new design from the drawing board to the showroom floor quicker/cheaper using a liquid cooled design. If you want to read a good article confirming my point, read this article on the high performance air cooled Ducati 1000 DS http://www.motorcycledaily.com/21october02ducatids.html.

2- Honda still uses the SOHC design on it's latest iteration of sport dirt bikes/quads and they're every bit as competitive as the other manufactures DOHC engines.

I don't dislike the Z400, I think it's a great quad.. but it does not dominate the 400EX in any way.

 

I guess results vary then.. Like I said my piped 400EX ran with piped Z400's, my 416EX is a whole different animal. My brother's going to be doing some engine work on his piped KFX, he's going to do a cam, thinner gaskets for higher compression and possibly a carb. I would suspect after this work I might be looking at a carb for my 416EX to run with him. But right now my 416 clearly has more power, he'll tell you that.

 

I LOVE drag racing Zs cause they always find a new respect for the 400EX when I'm done...............but its not what your thinking. Its not that I'm faster cause sometimes I'm not, but its more so that they "thought they were" cause of all the post just like this one................. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-disgusted.gif[/img]

 

Hey khen -
Great link the air cooled Ducati 1000 DS read is just the kind of unbyist article I was wanting to read. I knew there was a reason that companies like Honda were still using air cooled motors. I'm still leaning towards the Z but I will still consider the EX. If I do not get a chance to ride both before I buy it may come down to price.
Thanks everyone who has replied.

Echo -

 

no problem and good luck, both are great bikes. Happy trails!!!

 

Yep, You can't go wrong either way.. good luck and enjoy!