Best race quad

[85bigred00]

I know trikes are awesome but finding faster quads is just easier if im gonna keep up with my friends with fast bikes and what not. Now what fast quad would you guys recommend like an old 80s 250r of some kind Suzuki or Honda most likely, should i just go crazy and find a banshee or a newer early 2000s quad like a Honda trx400ex, they seem pretty good and also a lot easier to find.
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Not going to lie im more just getting info for the future because im going to college soon and cant buy a bunch more atvs right before I leave, the big red will do for now.

[fieldy]

Two things i was thinking after reading your post.

Maybe get a dual sport bike that you can license for cheap transportation if you need to and Canada seems like great dual sport country (in my mind).

I am under the impression Banshees can be big bucks to maintain.

Extra free thought......Race 4-wheeler, 88 Honda 250r would be my choice. Rebuilding late model 4 strokes are also an expensive endeavor. 2 stroke, not so expensive to fiddle with.

[oldskool83]

banshee was never a race quad they never handled. A race quad would of been something like TRX250R. 400ex's were never fast but run forever. LT250rs are cool, little hooky up front. Fast and race are two different words.

In todays would these are LT250R's 1200-1500 all day long and well used. TRX450R's are all over and a great machine, plus many YFZ450's out there. I'd rather jump on a YFZ450. I didnt like my banshee but hills is was good. my KFX450R was better at everything and handled nearly like a TRX250R.

[HondaRidr]

My thought is go with a 400ex. They are pretty affordable, handle well and parts are cheap. I got one for my wife and it has surprised me quite a bit. Rides nicer than a stock 450 from the big 4, pretty quick and well balanced. They also last longer than a 450 (And are much cheaper to rebuild if they blow as well). Just my 2 cents.

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[shortline10]

For a sport quad I would recommend the Raptor 700 , fast , reliable and not to expensive on the second hand market .

[85bigred00]

For a sport quad I would recommend the Raptor 700 , fast , reliable and not to expensive on the second hand market .

Ok so maybe sport quad is more what I was going for, I would not be doing any racing anyhow just want to keep up with my friends bikes, and Id think about a dual purpose but i had a bad bike accident so I'm kinda weary of them for a while still. Honestly if i was going for cool old ride id find an old 250r quad but if I was going for long term id prob go down the 400cc sport quad or maybe if I found a 700 raptor for a good price I would go there. So 250r quads actually were really at handling, actually didn't now that. And ya I wouldn't actually want a banshee but it would be fun to drive one someday.

[deathman53]

if you are going with something that is cool and turns head.........get a trx250r 86-89 doesn't matter much as there is so much mixed up part in all them now. It will haul the mail and outrun 80% of the quads out there too. They handle very good, its the bench mark of quads. While there is 20+ years newer, a trx450r really isn't all that much faster and better handling. A magazine did a FAIR article about stockish trx250r compared to trx450r, ltr450r, kfz450 and something else....they concluded that the trx250r wasn't much behind the newer quads in stockish form. I don't know if you they did a aftermarket frame/chassis w/ suspension + motor mods and compared it to the newer quads, but it would still be a close call. They did say that the upkeep costs and maintenance on the newer quads are far more expensive, also most can't do it themselves either.....raising the costs.

[85bigred00]

I knew old 250r quads were good but id figure they would be more expensive to maintain than newer quads, just due to the nature of 2 strokes and what not. I think after college I will shoot for an old 250r, I always thought they were sexy anyhow.

[Red Rider]

Whats the nature of 2-strokes ?According to the Animal Planet channel, in their natural habitat, 2-strokes are untamed beasts, that are best left out in the wild. ;)

[ironchop]

I knew old 250r quads were good but id figure they would be more expensive to maintain than newer quads, just due to the nature of 2 strokes and what not....

Myth.

Two strokes would be cheaper to maintain than newer quads especially where the topend is concerned. Two strokes have less parts than four strokes which means less parts cost. Reeds are cheaper than a whole valve train. 2 strokes don't have cams, timing chains.... Or leaky valve seals.

A two stroke is a very simple design and, for the Honda 250R, very easy to work on especially if you are good at following instructions and don't mind using a pressure tester guage.



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[jb2wheels]

400EX is stone axe reliable but doesn't solve your "can't keep up with my buddies" problem. If you can't keep up on a 350X/250R/T3 the 400EX won't help.
I hate to admit but those YFZ 450s walk away from me...

[oldskool83]

Racing mx vs racing a stright line is different. No bike of 30 years ago can eat todays stuff but built up they can, don't mean it's gonna last. You find a balance between fast and power once you built a few. I have a 60hp 660r raptor...it goes and does things my buddys trx450r wont. You can't go wrong with today's 450s. However if your buying a 10year old sport quad it's not gonna last too long unless it had an easy life. Thats why I got into this raptor...in an mx track a stock 450r would hand me lasf spot, give me some hills a 450r I'll hand him last. It's how your honna use it. You go talking bigbore this that you spend the cost of the bike.

College and buying toys never mixed. I would be scared to buy an lt250r 87-92. Most are nicer shape then clamped out trx250rs...then again a 450 can put most ppl saying it's got alot of power but they really dont. It's just very usable. Ride a few buy what you like. Fun comes in all hp ranges.

If you can build your own ground up that's best, whats power if youron crap shocks. Endless cycle.

Want to beat them all....kfx700.