|
|
| 2001 400EX |
|
|
Honda 2001
Sportrax 400 EX
The perfect Sport Quad?
___________________
Tom Bukowski
Sport Editor
December 9, 2000
"We love to fly and it shows"...The 400 EX does too and will treat you to great air manners and a plush landing!
As the Sport Editor for ATV Connection Magazine I receive a lot of e-mail with questions regarding all aspects of ATVs. Here is a question I get asked frequently, "I'm XX (insert age here) years old and enjoy riding (trails, MX tracks, woods, Hare Scrambles, fast trail riding, a little bit of everything- Choose any that interest you) and was wondering what is the best sport ATV model for me? I could probably have our e-mail server set to automatically respond to these questions, because more often than not these questions are answered by the following phrase, "Sounds like the Honda 400 EX would be the perfect choice for you."
Whether exploring canyons at a crawl or ripping around your favorite track, the 400 EX makes a great choice.
Chassis/Suspension
The 400 EX chassis/frame is closely based on the legendary Honda 250R frame dimensions, known to most as the best handling OEM ATV ever built. The frame is slightly taller as is the center of gravity, both due to the extra height needed by the taller four-stroke powerplant. Fortunately it takes after its' forefathers and chassis handling remains excellent. The rear swingarm is a unique one piece cast aluminum assembly that is said to be stronger, weigh less and be more rigid than a traditional design. It houses Honda' s ingenious eccentric carrier chain adjustment system, which is the easiest and most reliable chain adjustment system available. Chain adjustments can be easily made in the field using only the supplied 6-mm Allen wrench and about a minute and a half of your time.
If there is a "Best ATV Wheely Machine award" my nomination goes to the 400 EX.
The riding position and layout is very good for most riders small to large though the bigger and taller riders may be slightly less comfortable, especially when standing. Part of the blame goes to the swept back bend of the bars which makes standing a little tougher for taller folks. The bars can be adjusted forward for less back sweep but since they are "econo-special" steel bars with no cross bar it would be wise to get a quality aluminum set and give the stockers to your dog to play with.
The only item preventing the 400 EX from being "the" perfect trail ATV is reverse.
The suspension is one of the brightest points of the 400 EX's overall package and allows this machine to embarrass faster machines through finesse rather than trying to overpower with brute force. Offering 8.2 inches in front and 9.1 inches in back, the 400 EX surpasses even the legendary 250R in overall suspension travel. OK, so we have quantity. How about quality you ask? Superb! The 400 EX is blessed with excellent suspenders perfectly matched to the ATV' s intended purpose. The suspension works well and gives a plush controlled ride on everything from rough and rocky mountain trails to MX track jumps and whoop sections. The excellent suspension helps the machine to maintain composure regardless of the terrain and allows a rider to attack gnarly situations without even thinking twice. The Honda seemed to really like the softer front preload settings, which lowered the center of gravity slightly and widened the front A-arms a little for even crisper handling.
Bottom line: There are good chassis/suspension packages and there are great chassis/suspension packages, the 400 EX fits into the latter category.
Very good handling manners allows the 400 EX to slide, be thrown, railed....Whatever through nearly any corner with confidence.
Engine/Transmission
With all the new high tech, liquid cooled, large displacement sport machines to hit the market recently one might think that the 400 EX powerplant is undoubtedly "old school" when compared with these big brutes. Though down on overall displacement, the 397 cc RFVC (Radial Four Valve Combustion chamber) holds its own with the larger machines and makes great use of the power it has while getting it to the ground very efficiently.
Instant, front end lifting power is as easy as extending your right thumb.
Starting is easy via the handle bar mounted electric starter but the "Hide and go seek" choke can be a little tough to find at first. This is another Honda machine that is just screaming for a handlebar mounted choke lever! It is mounted on the carburetor and can be felt but not seen. During colder temperatures it required a little "thumb nursing" to keep running when cold but within a minute or so would idle fine on its own. Once warmed and running through the gears it becomes apparent that low end is the 400 EX' s forte. Low-end power comes on instantly right from the bottom and can loft the front end in nearly any gear at will--a definite plus for wheelie aficionados. The midrange power is good but not as spectacular as the low-end grunt. It pulls well and allows for brisk acceleration and a wide, usable powerband. The top end is OK but a 400 EX in stock configuration really doesn' t make that much power on the very top--it' s much happier short shifting (shifting slightly early) and using the excellent low end torque to take care of business. The broad power and instant response allow the 400 to accelerate effortlessly and instantly making corner to corner sections great areas for passing wheel spinning, peaky machines.
The suspension offers a soft and supple slow speed ride while providing excellent high speed suspension action too.
The 5-speed transmission is typical Honda-smooth shifting, short throw and effortless to use. Probably the best transmission in the business. What else can we say? We noticed on a few 400 EX' s, (this unit included), that the neutral light didn' t always light up when in neutral. Reverse would have been a warm welcomed feature but the 400 is light enough that it doesn' t become too big of a problem.
Bottom line: Killer low-end power + great throttle response = "Right now" power and acceleration. Buttery smooth shifting but reverse would be nice.
Good handling and great throttle response help the 400 EX to be a demon at corner to corner warfare.
Brakes/Controls
The braking system consists of the familiar double discs up front and single disc in the rear providing powerful, well modulated braking in typical Honda fashion. Nothing fancy, nothing exotic just great braking performance with minimum effort and excellent "feel."
The overall control package is quite good and everything (except the choke) is exactly where you think it should be located. The clutch pull is slightly stiffer than some of its competition but is by no means overly difficult. One strange feature is if the handlebar mounted kill switch is in the off position, the engine will still crank--it just won' t start. One nice control feature missing from the EX is a rear brake light, many new machines are coming with them and we think they are a worthwhile feature--especially for safe group riding.
Bottom line: No government regulated alloys here, just good, strong brakes and nice controls.
Honda's rolled edge aluminum rims are among the best in the business.
Odds/Ends
The dual cowl mounted 30-watt headlights work well and do a good job of illuminating the trail at night. The radial design tires work and perform well but are a little more prone to flats, running slightly higher air pressure and Slime in the tires helps to alleviate the problem in rocky areas. The rolled edge rims are very durable and just may be the strongest OEM rims available.
Verdict/Summary MSRP: $5699
Specifications
Model: TRX400EX
Engine Type: 397cc RFVC air-cooled dry-sump single-cylinder four-stroke
Bore and Stroke: 85mm x 70mm
Carburetion: 35.5mm piston-valve with accelerator pump
Ignition: Solid-state CD with electronic advance
Starter: Electric
Clutch: Manual
Transmission: Five-speed
Driveline: O-ring-sealed chain
Suspension
Front: Independent double-wishbone with Showa shocks, five-position spring preload adjustability; 8.2 inches travel
Rear: Pro-Link single Showa shock with spring preload adjustability; 9.1 inches travel
Brakes
Front: Dual hydraulic 174mm discs
Rear: Single 220mm disc
Tires
Front: 22 x 7-10 knobby radial
Rear: 20 x 10-9 knobby radial
Length: 72.2 inches
Width: 45.3 inches
Height: 43.7 inches
Seat Height: 31.9 inches
Ground Clearance: 4.3 inches
Wheelbase: 48.4 inches
Turning Radius: 10.5 feet
Dry Weight: 374.7 pounds
Fuel Capacity: 2.6 gallons, including 0.4-gallon reserve
Colors: Red, Yellow
MSRP: $5,699
|
|
|
|
|
|
