First up was the Suzuki Z400. Immediately, the increase in torque gave me an ear-to-ear smile. The more-responsive clutch matched the boosted performance, and the suspension was more in tune with my weight and not as rough. Shifting was a lot easier, but I'd still need a longer shift lever to accommodate my boot size. Nearly the same as the Suzuki, the Arctic Cat DVX 400 certainly mirrors it in performance. Its seat left me with a sore butt after riding, but it was still a fun 400. The Suzuki and Arctic Cat were easy to ride and were very predicable on the trails, and both had good power, maneuverability and braking. If I was going to buy one, it would be the Suzuki. I found it to be the most comfortable, with plenty of power for me, and its black plastic and body kit look good, too. It did everything it was asked to do on the trails, and I had the most fun on the Z400.
Joe Neric/5'9"/230 lb/Novice
My vote for easiest to use, the Kymco Mongoose 300, cuts out the confusion for first-time ATVers with its automatic transmission. Just hop on and go! Since it was very flickable, negotiating the tight trails on the Kymco was a breeze. With that said, it is heavy and lacks power. Its weight can be felt in turns and while loading/unloading the beast. If it lost some weight, I'd bet it could be a huge contender. The weak power wasn't noticeable on the trails, but it was a completely different story in the sand. The chunky Kymco just didn't have enough to climb the bigger dunes, having to settle for a way around. However, the Kymco is still a great beginner ATV.
The first thing I noticed about the Honda TRX300EX is how light it was. Next was the smooth motor, and before I knew it, I realized how much fun I was having on this little machine! Even for being a 300, it made it to the top of some of the bigger dunes, but it did struggle. The powerband was evenly spaced, and it seems as if Honda paid close attention to the gap between second and third gear, which really paid off in the tight, technical trails. However, my first mod would be adding an aftermarket pipe to increase the power then maybe putting on different tires-I had some traction issues coming out of turns on the trails and dunes. The 300EX is ideal for beginners who are too big for the 250 class but don't have the experience for 400-450s.
I was a little surprised at how the Yamaha Raptor 350 snapped my head back. This little ATV was smooth and easy to use on the trails, yet I found it a blast carving the Dumont Dunes. What a motor-awesome except for the nonexistent second gear, making it a challenge in the tight, technical trails. However, by time the speed was up to third-gear level, it yanked-almost too much-and would just keep pulling. My other complaint was the ergos. At 5 feet 9 inches, I consider myself to be around the national height average, but the Raptor 350 was a tight fit. Even the shifter was too small: When I stood up in the rough stuff, my boot went right onto it. Handling was another area the little Yamaha shined. Although a little lean, give it some throttle and this puppy turns. The Raptor 350 pumps more power than a 250-300 yet keeps up with your buddies on the 400s.
When I first hopped on the Honda TRX400EX, I instantly thought, "This is the perfect ATV for me!" Having put some time on all the stock 450s, I realize the 400 is more my size and speed. If I were buying, this one might cause me to dip into my future kid's college fund. Honda's build quality shows-when loading it into a truck, navigating technical trails or carving big dunes. So I have no major complaint with the TRX400EX; I'd like to see what it will do with a pipe and some aftermarket tires. I thought the gearing was perfectly balanced, which made climbing and descending trails a breeze. It did seem a bit tippy on the dunes when I really pushed it, which may be due to my riding level, but it wasn't something I noticed on the other 400s. If you spent your money on the 400EX, you won't be disappointed.