Pros' Opinions
For our 12-Hour test, we invited quite a few top pros from the motocross and cross-country world to help us push the machines to their limit. If something was going to fail, it would more than likely do so with them at the controls.
For our MX panel, we chose three young, up-and-coming pros: Dustin Wimmer, Jason Dunkel-berger and Pat Brown. Our expert woods team included Chris Borich, Matt Smiley and Traci Cecco. In addition to these riders, who would be helping us evaluate each machine, we also shared some seat time with a few others whom we'd like to thank for participating--Honda's Tim Farr, Yamaha's Shane Hitt, John Natalie, Jeff Thompson, Andy Lagzdins, Rob and Tom Hertz, John Pellan (atvscene.com), Harlen Foley (exriders.com), Tyler Lenig and Randy Lehr. We also had input from photo god Adam Campbell and Technical Editor Todd Canavan, who managed to hurt themselves too severely to finish the test.
Wanna know what the pros thought? Even we were surprised at the outcome!
Chris Borich
Winner of two '04 GNCCs, a future star of the GNCC series
I like the TRX's power delivery the best out of the group. The Honda also has the best brakes by far; the front and rear don't fade at all. The quad is also well-laid-out and very comfortable to ride. I know some people think it's geared too tall, but I think it's perfect--you can click it up a gear and lug it around in the woods, then if you want, slip the clutch a little, and you're right on top of the power.
The Z400 is just a really comfortable ATV. The brakes are decent, too. The motor is down on power a little, but its delivery is smooth. It handles well but feels a little heavy when you pound into the rough stuff at speed.
The Predator's power is awesome. The steering feels a bit twitchy. If you get on the gas hard, it tends to wheelie a tad too easily. If Polaris shifted the motor forward just a bit, I think it would really improve the Predator's handling. Overall, it's comfortable--the seat did feel a little hard toward the front but was really soft toward the back. The other thing I like is it has good ground clearance.
In stock trim, the YFZ is really uncomfortable. The rear end feels as if it sits too high, and the stock thumb throttle is really bad. I got arm-pump right after I started riding it. The ground clearance is also really bad in the back--I wasted the rear brake disc pretty quickly on the rocks after I tore through the plastic rear skid. The stock tires are weak--after one lap I came in with three flats!
Pat Brown
2004 GNC MX Pro Am 265 and Pro Am Produc-tion class Champion, finished fourth in first pro race last year
The 450R handles the best and feels the fastest. It's well-balanced; I could wheelie it easily, and it also jumps really well. The bar position feels really good, too. The Honda is by far the best all-around package.
The Predator is comfortable and surprisingly fast. I also thought the stock suspension was far superior to anything else out here. Plus, it was fun having reverse on the trails.
The Z400 is super-comfortable and really fun to wheelie. I think it has the best handling and is the most-comfortable one to ride of this bunch. The Z has decent power but definitely gives up ground to the other quads.
I think the YFZ is the fastest machine in the group, but it's very, very uncomfortable to ride in stock trim, especially during trail rides such as this one. It's the best race platform here, but stock for stock, it's just uncomfortable. The stock rear suspension was kicking my ass.
Traci Cecco
Three-time GNCC Women's class champ
The Honda has nice, smooth power, and the stock suspension works very well. The throttle was easy, and the overall geometry was very good. It glided very levelly through the air over jumps. I noticed the rims got hammered more than the other quads'.
Suzuki's Z400 has a very comfortable riding position, and its throttle is easy, but the rear suspension tends to kick a bit. No matter how fast or slow you hit a jump, it seemed as if the rear end wanted to kick you up in the air. The power has a nice, even pull. For trail riding, it's really decent.
The YFZ rode pretty well but was a little twitchy at high speeds. It's not a very comfortable quad to ride on trails. The throttle is a killer ... The engine has great grunt, though--it's easy to wheelie and is overall very balanced.
The Predator is a comfortable ride, but the front end felt pretty high. When you get on the gas, the rear end gets a lot of traction, and it brings the front end up easily. The quad is bigger than the others, so it didn't fit me as well.
Jason "Dunk" Dunkelberger
One of GNC MX's young guns, no podiums in '04 due to midseason injury
If I had to buy a quad to trail ride with, it would be the Honda. The shocks are excellent right from the factory. The power is excellent, too. I did think the 450R was geared a little too tall, but compared with how the rest of the machine feels, that is easily overlooked.
This was a tough pick between the Z and the YFZ. I like that the Yamaha has more power, but on the trail, the Suzuki is simply more comfortable. If you were only going to trail ride, I would pick the Z.
The only fault that held the YFZ back for me was the stock shocks. I thought if I weighed about 100 pounds more, they would have felt a little better. They are way too stiff for trail riding. And as everyone else has probably mentioned, the stock throttle will kill you.The Predator's rear suspension feels really good. The harder you push it, the better it feels. The front end needs some work, though--it's too twitchy and easy to turn. I'd also fix that gap in between the fenders around the fuel tank and make the front fenders a little lower--I kept getting my knees hooked under them when cornering aggressively.
Matt Smiley
Podiumed six times in '04 in GNCC racing action
I didn't feel cramped on the Honda at all. I think it has the best overall handling of all of these machines. I don't think the engine is as strong as the Yamaha's, but it still has a nice, strong delivery.
The back shock works really well on the Predator. The engine also produces strong, controllable power. The motor is so smooth that when going up the rocky hilly sections, it just hooked up and [took off]. The Honda and Yamaha would smoke the tires all the way up. It also feels like a couch--it's totally comfortable. The front end wants to push out a bit when you're compressing it into a turn, though, and it is also a little too light.
Stock for stock, the Suzuki is down on power compared with the others, but it's really easy to ride in the woods. It handles well--its handling actually fits the motor.
The Yamaha has the best motor; it's actually the most-fun motor I've ever ridden. In stock trim, the shocks are really harsh; and I felt cramped on the machine. The thumb throttle is bad.
Dustin Wimmer
'03 GNC MX Pro Am 250 Champion, sixth overall in '04 Pro rookie season
The Honda is definitely my favorite. The brakes are really good; they are the strongest of the group. And I think the power delivery is the best overall, too. Plus, it handles really well.
The Predator is a fun machine. It has really decent suspension and a nice, strong motor; the power delivery is just really smooth. It's also very comfortable, especially the seat. The only thing I didn't like was the front end; it just felt a little off.The stock Suzuki suspension is pretty decent, and the overall handling is really good. The only problem the Z has compared with the others is it's down on power.
The Yamaha suspension needs work, and the thumb throttle flat-out sucks. In stock trim, the Yamaha just isn't comfortable for trail riding. The power is really good, though--I think it has the strongest motor of the bunch.