| Hard work has its rewards. It puts food on the table, | | | | Sportsman calipers, larger brake discs and new |
| beer in the fridge and gives you the ability to buy | | | | master cylinder, which upped the bleeding capacity. |
| cool things you can store in that newly added third | | | | The machine is also an inch wider, but retains the |
| garage stall. Mountain bikes, campers, fishing boats | | | | same A-arms. |
| and ATVs are just some of the toys you may own | | | | The 329cc four-stroke engine does OK for lighter |
| for recreating outdoors. The last thing you need to | | | | riders, but feels sluggish for heavy riders, especially |
| do on a Saturday is find more work to do. | | | | when the quad's 492-pound dry weight is factored in. |
| While we enjoy using 4x4 ATVs to plow snow and | | | | However, the Trail Blazer better accommodates |
| tackle mud bogs, we also love to let loose and just | | | | larger riders due to its overall dimensions. But then |
| ride for fun. And there's nothing like carving the | | | | again, Polaris didn't design this ATV to break any |
| dunes or dicing through the trees on a lighter weight | | | | speed records or contend for honors on an MX track. |
| sport quad or the freedom they provide. | | | | It was built for convenience, ease of use and cruising |
| Here are four sport quads between 330 and 400cc | | | | terrain and other moderately challenging trails. The |
| that are capable of providing a great joyride or day | | | | Trail Blazer has always produces stable cornering and |
| escape. Each packs more punch than the small | | | | can be fun to wheelie if the Carlisle tires find enough |
| entry-level models and is less intimidating than the | | | | traction. |
| larger displacement speedsters and race-specific | | | | Suzuki QuadSport Z400 |
| quads. | | | | Although the Z400 is the most expensive 400-class |
| Honda TRX400X | | | | sport quad, it's the most comfortable and loaded with |
| This sport quad was the talk of the industry a | | | | features. Electronic fuel injection was added last year |
| decade ago, but that was a different time and 450cc | | | | giving the Suzuki improved throttle control and |
| sport quads didn't exist! Despite its age, the 400X | | | | stronger, more efficient acceleration. There's nothing |
| (the artist formerly known as 400EX) has proven | | | | wrong with a quicker 400, right? For anyone not |
| itself to be fun, reliable and affordable! Its 2005 | | | | looking to compete in a motocross race, this is the |
| upgrades included a sportier look and reverse to | | | | Suzuki sport quad for you. Even if you do want to |
| make it more convenient. Then in '08, it received a | | | | race it, the removable headlight, suspension and |
| sleeker fender package and new seat. | | | | stronger steel-alloy chassis should appease you. |
| Powered by an air-cooled single-cylinder 397cc | | | | The resilient 398cc single-cylinder four-stroke has the |
| four-stroke, the 400X doesn't quite pack the hit or | | | | most thrilling power and is the lone liquid-cooled mill in |
| zip as Suzuki's Z400, but it's darn close and every bit | | | | this quartet. It fires electronically and is outfitted with |
| as enjoyable. While the 400X could benefit from the | | | | a nearly bulletproof five-speed transmission with |
| addition of electronic fuel injection, the 38mm | | | | reverse. I've ridden the Z400 with a group of 450 |
| piston-valve carburetor has proven to be reliable and | | | | machines and, although underpowered, its abilities, |
| provides a smooth throttle pull. | | | | speed, controllable powerband and comfort levels all |
| Its narrower 45.5-inch width and 32.5-inch seat height | | | | made me forget about its power disadvantage. |
| make runs through heavily forested trails quick and | | | | At 46.9 inches, the Z400 is the widest of these four |
| controllable. Aggressive cornering and big jumps can | | | | ATVs and has the best stock suspension. Despite its |
| overmatch the front preload-adjustable Showa | | | | advantageous width, the four-stroke remains a stable |
| shocks. However, while we'd love to see better front | | | | stalwart in the dense woods and can carve through |
| shocks, complete with piggyback reservoirs, we | | | | trees like a love-hungry 10-point buck. A 31.9-inch |
| understand this machine's affordability would diminish. | | | | seat height helps it rail corners. |
| The fully adjustable rear shock offers 9.1 inches of | | | | Fully adjustable piggyback shocks supply excellent |
| travel and does an admirable job of soaking up hard | | | | suspension travel figures and superb tuning |
| hits. | | | | capabilities. The linkage-type rear end, with it's |
| At 408 pounds wet, the steel-framed 400X is | | | | lightweight aluminum swingarm and single shock, |
| considered "heavy" for motocross racing, but it's | | | | offers 9.1 inches of wheel travel. Up front, the fully |
| capable of tackling milder tracks in stock form. | | | | independent A-arm suspension offers 8.5 inches of |
| Aluminum wheels and an aluminum swingarm reduce | | | | travel and tracks very well - point and shoot! In |
| the weight somewhat. The 20-inch rear Ohtsu tires | | | | addition, this machine feels lighter on the trail than its |
| are decent at supplying traction and work well in | | | | 425-pound curb weight would suggest. |
| muddier and sandy conditions, but could be stronger. | | | | Ergonomically, the Z can appeal to riders of various |
| The 400X has one of the industry's best chain | | | | sizes and shapes. The Z400's signature T-shaped |
| adjustment systems. Triple disc brakes are standard | | | | seat may be the best platform in the business and is |
| and provide ample stopping power, yet aren't as | | | | definitely the most copied. The larger 46mm foot |
| instant as some sport quads we've ridden. The | | | | pegs aid in supportingboots for aggressive racers and |
| newer seat is less plush butis also more refined - with | | | | weekend warriors alike. The 20-inch rear tires are |
| a slender front section and wider rear edges - for | | | | great for casual woods riders and admirably supply a |
| sport riders. Since its '05 redesign, the 400X has | | | | good balance between straight-line traction and sliding. |
| continued to rise in price (up $500). | | | | For those who enjoy a custom look, Suzuki offers a |
| With the current state of the economy, model | | | | limited edition Z400 with special graphics and black |
| saturation and sport quad sales figures continuing to | | | | wheels, for an additional $200. The Z400 is in a similar |
| decline, we wonder if the 400X will remain in the | | | | predicament as the Honda 400X, seeing huge sales |
| lineup or follow the 250R into Honda heaven. | | | | figures early on inits history and market saturation |
| Polaris Trail Blazer 330 | | | | more recently. However, the Z400 is Suzuki's trail |
| Polaris categorizes the Trail Blazer 330 as an | | | | machine not the QuadRacer 450, which targets MX |
| entry-level ATV and we agree. Although, its weight, | | | | racers. Plus, the addition of EFI gives it a technological |
| displacement and overall size may be too much for | | | | edge over the other guys. |
| some first-time riders, its automatic transmission, | | | | Yamaha Raptor 350 |
| power, full floorboards and single-lever braking make | | | | The Raptor 350 dates back to 1987 and the Warrior |
| it easier to ride than the other three quads in this | | | | nameplate, yet it's still living off a 2004 redesign and |
| group. Plus, a host of 2010 upgrades have improved | | | | its new name. And the fact that it shares a lot of |
| this machine. | | | | parts with its big-bore brothers, the Raptor 700R and |
| Updates were made to the plastic, seat, lighting, | | | | YFZ450, and has a unique package also help. Yamaha |
| suspension, chassis, disc brakes, master cylinder and | | | | has confirmed the 350 Raptor will return to its lineup |
| fuel gauge. Visually, it's easiest to see the changes to | | | | for 2010. |
| the modern plastic, taller seat and the brighter front | | | | The hearty, two-valve, 348cc, air-cooled four-stroke |
| headlight, which was borrowed from the Outlaw and | | | | has just enough muscle to put a smile on your face, |
| has 28 percent more power. Owners should also | | | | but can eventually leave you wanting more. Reverse |
| notice the more convenient remote fuel gauge even | | | | gear has also been a strong selling point for the |
| if they fail to realize the fuel tank's capacity grew .75 | | | | Raptor, even though it has the trickiest reverse lever |
| gallons. | | | | to operate in this group. The Raptor's six-speed |
| It's also easy to spot the Trail Blazer's new stance. | | | | transmission is also unique to the industry. |
| New floorboards are fashionable and functional and | | | | Surprisingly, at 396 pounds (wet), the Raptor is the |
| contribute to its improved ergonomics. The seat is | | | | lightest quad in this group. Even so, it can feel heavy |
| more contoured and longer and its height increased | | | | and slightly underpowered when the trails require |
| an inch, up to 35 inches, due to thicker seat foam | | | | all-out speed. On the forest trails, however, the 350 |
| and a new suspension. It could be the most | | | | is better than average partly due to its thin 43.1-inch |
| comfortable seat in the sport quad market. The | | | | width. |
| ground clearance declined from 5.5 inches to 4.75 | | | | That skinny design and a dated suspension can also |
| because Polaris added a beefier eccentric protection | | | | make it more challenging to control for inexperienced |
| skid plate, which it calls "much improved." | | | | riders. And the five-way preload-adjustable shocks |
| On paper, the 330 is also three inches taller. That's | | | | can only do so much to slow body roll. Some of the |
| partly due to the incorporation of the half-inch taller | | | | handling quirks are also due to the Raptor's tires; |
| Sportsman handlebars that are designed to better | | | | especially the rear treads which have a more rounded |
| accept a windshield and other accessories. | | | | profile and are often slide happy. The hydraulic discs |
| Beneath the plastic, the suspension and chassis also | | | | do the job and I've always enjoyed the flip-type |
| went under the knife. Sportsman front struts | | | | parking brake. |
| (castings), with separate front spindles for mounting | | | | Unfortunately the Raptor's size may be its biggest |
| the wheels, replace the old front-end setup. Also, the | | | | detractor. It's the shortest (length-and height-wise) |
| shocks have new springs to improve the ride. Polaris | | | | and the narrowest machine in this group and has the |
| engineers made the chassis stronger, improved the | | | | shortest wheelbase. This ergonomic configuration can |
| engine mounting and alignment and increased the skid | | | | make some riders taller than 6 feet feel cramped. |
| protection. Braking action was altered by using the | | | | |