Trail Tested!
To give all of these parts a good punishing, I went to a testing area in the mountains east of San Diego, California. This location had everything from windy boulder-laden trails to fast, high-speed straightaways that'll test every aspect of this machine. As soon as I sat down, the change in height from the steering stem and handlebar felt great and was as welcome as the cushy seat and cover from Quad Tech-ATV. A quick push of the start button and a throaty roar came from the exhaust. I was defiantly ready to hit the trails.
The power felt from the modifications to the exhaust and intake systems was definitely noticeable. What used to be good on this stock motor was now great, and the quad felt closely comparable to a stock 450-based ATV. Throttle response was instant and led into a strong pull that never seemed to flatten out. As I was pleased with the results of those modifications, I was ready to see if my suspension upgrades would give the same results.
The first trail I veered down started with a series of high-speed flat and banked turns with the occasional off-camber downhill. As I blazed down the path, the quad went exactly where I pointed the bar and my previous complaints of an ill-handling machine were now nonexistent. The front end never pushed, but stuck to the ground and allowed the Holeshot SRs to bite into the ground and give me a feeling of being on a roller coaster at Six Flags. The plushness of the suspension along with the wide track made this a very predictable handling machine that did exactly what you wanted it to.
As I proceeded down the trail I came across obstacles that could give even the best GNCC racer a tough time. Although I didn't go through as fast as they probably could, the nimble Z hammered through with no problem. The ITP wheels and tires definitely took a beating through sections like this, but that is why I went away from the stock rubber to a good set of quality four-ply tires like the Holeshot SRs. All in all, I was thoroughly impressed with the way this machine turned out.
The End Result
Just because a manufacturer comes out with a "new and improved" model doesn't necessarily mean that it works as good as it should. Sure, the engineers at Suzuki had all of the best intentions when they revamped the Z400, but some of their ideas went too far in one direction, which made a machine less of what it was known for: a sporty ATV that is suitable for all skill levels and riding styles.
What I proved with this project is that with simple modifications this machine is capable of being a formidable race ATV while still being a capable trail machine. Although with the mods we've done it isn't the best choice as a GNCC racer because of its width, I'm sure it could still hold its own. For anything held on the West Coast, I wouldn't have a second thought about lining up for a GP or MX race on this machine. It's not as fast or powerful as a 450, but it can definitely outhandle some of those machines on the track.
| + | Precise steering and great power for beginner or experienced riders | |
| High-quality parts empty the wallet faster | - |
| = | An excellent trail machine that’s capable of taking on a
challenging racecourse | |