xr400 vs xr650

[EXracer14]

i am looking to get a new bike.. i ride mainly open trails and some technical stuff.. which bike would you recommend

[XR4DEZ]

XR400 will be a big let down considering your current bike and the 650 is over 300lbs.

[JoeBlow Kokomo]

Open stuff - 650.

Technical - 400.

See, it's easy.

[big t]

EXracer14, I sent you a PM.

[EXracer14]

well i know the 400 wont have the power of my cr250.. but i really dont need at that power i ride trails.. and i need low end power.. my cr just bogs down then hits the power band and spins the tire

[XR4DEZ]

Fatten up the flywheel. The 2 strokes still rule the woods.

[adam574]

sounds like inexperience riding more then you need more power. the cr250 should be plenty fine for the woods

[EXracer14]

well i am not inexperience.. i have been riding all of my life.. i am just tired of 2 strokes.. i had always had trail bikes.. but then i started riding at my local track.. so i got a motocross bike.. the cr suspension it too stiff for the trails.. and i am looking to get a xr400 or xr650.. i just wanted a opinion on which bike you thought would be better...

[NorCal]

You probably don't want to hear this but have you thought about swapping your FMF fatty for a gnarly. It should make your 250 more thumper-like with more hit down low where you need it most.

Anyways, 400's are great for just about anything. 650's are more for desert and wide open stuff. 650's are a bitch to kick over too.

[EXracer14]

lol...thanks for the advice... but i am pretty dead set of selling my bike.. i kind of wanting to get out of 2 strokes

[Big Ron L]

even a stock 2 stroke 250 is great in the woods with the right rider.there very light

[SniperTeamBravo]

well i am not inexperience.. i have been riding all of my life.. i am just tired of 2 strokes.. i had always had trail bikes.. but then i started riding at my local track.. so i got a motocross bike.. the cr suspension it too stiff for the trails.. and i am looking to get a xr400 or xr650.. i just wanted a opinion on which bike you thought would be better...

Hate to steer you from a Honda, but honestly, get a KTM 450 or 520 EXC, you'll never ride the CR again.

[EXracer14]

i would like to get one of those but i honestly dont have the money.. and if i had the money i would get a crf450X.. if just going to get the xr400 and i see how it goes

[exaresix]

How many times does this poor guy have to say he's asking questions about the differences between the XR400 and the XR650. He doesn't want a two-stroke, he doesn't want a KTM, and he doesn't want a different tire — period! I have an XR400, and I ride both open desert and tighter trails...I think the bike is a little underpowered for my own tastes, and I'd be inclined to get the XR650. On the other hand the air-cooled 400 is a simple trouble-free bike that doesn't need modification to the intake or exhaust to run right.

[SniperTeamBravo]

How many times does this poor guy have to say he's asking questions about the differences between the XR400 and the XR650. He doesn't want a two-stroke, he doesn't want a KTM, and he doesn't want a different tire — period! I have an XR400, and I ride both open desert and tighter trails...I think the bike is a little underpowered for my own tastes, and I'd be inclined to get the XR650. On the other hand the air-cooled 400 is a simple trouble-free bike that doesn't need modification to the intake or exhaust to run right.

Well, once is enough if he actually said he was "only" looking for an XR4 or XR^%. As you know here on this site have varrying views of what is "best" for any givin use. From what he said he was going to use the bike for there are other alternatives he should be aware of. Now, as for dirrect answer to his question, Id say the XR4 is better unless he described the riding conditions incorrectly.

Terrain,

tight at all: XR4

Open at all or less tight than open: the XR650

40 tight 60 open probably the XR4

[EXracer14]

ok thanks for the info.. i think im going to go with the xr400... i dont care about the power so much..

[ej67ss]

I read a lot of posts here and i hardly post so here is my two cents. I have 2 xr650r's and a xr400r.. I like my 650 much better but i am also six two and i weigh 270. The 400 is way down on power compared to an uncorked 650r. I also sold my cr250 to buy my 650!! Best decision i ever made period!!! I put applied triple clamps on it to move the bars forward and that helped a lot and made it feel more like my CR. But she is a big heavy girl and does not like to change direction sometimes, and that causes you some problems if you are a little guy. If you are some one my size or really strong you can muscle it around and you can surprise your buddies on 450's with how fast you can ride a trail. ? and making your 650r street legal makes it even better because you can cruise around on it a lot further than the 400r would want to go. So i would make my decision based on your physical size and strength and go from there. And my 400r does not feel that much lighter than my 650r. It feels slimmer and the steering is quicker but you can wheelie the 650r outta trouble and steer it where you want to go with the rear tire. I like four strokes but i am planning on buying a ktm 300 this year because i think that is a better pure woods bike! But if you are gonna ride everywhere i would get a 650r. You can do almost anything you wanna do on a 650r within reason...

[EXracer14]

o man.. you guys are making my decision really hard... i am going to be going through alot of ruts and through creeks.. and i think the lighter xr would be easier to handle.. i dont mind sacraficing power

[ej67ss]

Well if everything i have herd is true about the riding you have back east a xr400r will probly do the trick. just put good exhaust and rejet the carb and you should have enough power. just remember your size does matter to the bike if you are a big guy like me you might not like the 400r. see if you can find someone that has both bikes that would be willing to let you ride them that will make up your mind real quick?

[exaresix]

I would NOT change the stock exhaust on the xr400, in fact, I would not buy this bike if it did not have the stock exhaust on it. An article in a dirtbike mag a few years ago compared about 15 different aftermarket exhausts to the stock xr400, with and without jetting. Most made less horsepower than stock, and only one made more. That one (forget which brand), made only about %3 more HP and was so loud that the reviewers found it unacceptable.

The stock muffer is extremely well made, quiet, and breathes well. You'll often see xr400s with aftermarket exhausts, and many times this is due to that fact that the original was trashed and the aftermarkets are about half the price. Other times, the owner simply believed louder equaled more HP. Don't be fooled.

This same advice does not apply to the xr600 of years past. This muffler was too restrictive, but the baffle could be easily removed to let it breathe right. The muffler was pretty heavy too, so aftermarket exhausts do make sense with this bike...but then, this is not the bike you're asking about.

If you've decided on an xr400, and you can find a clean one, then I think you'll love it.