WA Riders such as Chris Brenton, Anthony Yewers, Ryan Lancaster and Chad McKay have proven time and again to be more than a match for most quad racers in the country and the 450cc machines they ride are formidable weapons indeed.

You may think two wheel motocross machines give your arms a workout and bring on crippling arm pump? They do of course, but the effects are certainly not as quickly felt as when trying to hang on to a race tuned quad. Riders are forced to continuously push and pull two fat front tyres against changing oversteer and understeer. This gives the wrists, forearms, shoulders and chest a punishment workout the likes of which have to be experienced to be believed.

I’m pretty fit these days but certainly don’t mind admitting that I have no hope of mixing it with the likes of that aforementioned trio of nutters.

So what machines are out there for us meagre mortals who are just seeking to have some fun on a grunty, lightweight machine equipped with a proper manual gearbox and quality suspension?

The answer is not too many.

One machine that does fit the bill and has stood the test of time like no other is Honda’s TRX400EX Sportrax.

First introduced in 1999 this versatile sports quad shares most of the benefits of the more race focused machines but is more robust, less maintenance intensive and for most a damn sight easier to ride.

Powering the 175kg Honda is the same lightweight engine that made the XR400R two wheel enduro machine a legend amongst enduro riders and farmers. Extremely tractable off the bottom the well proven XR sourced engine makes the 400EX is easy to control for riders of all skill levels. It spins up quite well and pulls hard enough through the mid-range and top end to give all but the most serious adrenalin junkies a decent fix. A flick of the thumb is all it takes to step the rear out sideways, combine that with a tug on the bars in any of the first three gears and the machine will rear up nicely. That shot on the right wasn't done from a standing start off a suspension bounce but was on the exit of a third gear left hander so it's certainly no pussy.

Cold morning starts are aided by a manual choke situated on the left side of the accelerator pump assisted 38mm carburettor. Honda have also added a reliable push button electric starting system to the XR sourced powerplant. The maintenance free sealed battery also powers the Capacitive Discharge ignition system with electronic advance and a 9100rpm rev limiter.

The five speed gearbox benefits from thicker plates and a reverse gear that makes tight manoeuvring on the machine a cinch. That benefit is much more handy than you might first imagine. Pushing a sports quad backwards or having to manoeuvre in a tight space can be an exercise in frustration without a reverse gear. And that’s something most of the 450cc race machines don’t offer.

1.8 litres of oil passes through a large oil cooler before circulating through the dry sump system. Changing the oil filter is as simple as removing a cover secured by two bolts and replacing the filter. Conveniently the OEM oil filter has ‘OUTSIDE’ marked on the face that is to remain pointing outwards and the oil tank employs a dipstick for level checks. With the filter priced at a very reasonable $11.62 and two litres of Shell’s finest coming in under $20 that means oil and filter changes will come in around 30 bucks and take only 10 minutes of your time. Preventative maintenance doesn’t get any cheaper and easier than that.

The air filter is an oiled reusable two-stage foam type so a quick clean and re-oil is all that is needed to keep the Sportrax’s lungs clear. An eccentric type chain adjuster also follows the easy and simple route.

Triple disc brakes, a convenient parking brake, skid plates, the security of key start, quality plastics, powerful headlights, fully adjustable Showa suspension and a lowest in class sticker price of $8990 makes the TRX400EX a very appealing option.

Of course it is not the full race bred weapon that most manufacturers offer in the 450cc class but it still offers most of the performance. If racing is your game and you are an expert rider then perhaps look elsewhere but for the rest of us that are just out for grins and giggles the TRX400EX doesn’t disappoint.

• Positives
  • Proven mechanicals
  • Reasonably light and agile
  • Decent performance, enough thrills for anyone but hard core racers
  • Reverse Gear always make for an easier life, as does electric start
  • Price
  • Ease of maintenance

• Negatives
  • Six month warranty could be better considering the proven mechanicals

Check out some images of the TRX400EX sized at 1280x1024 for use as your desktop wallpaper by clicking here