When I arrived at the Suzuki press event, I couldn’t
wait to throw a leg over the newly updated 2009
Z400 and see how well the new and improved version
really performed.
After a brief overview, I was free for the
rest of the day to ride the Z400 on several
trail loops, which had a little bit of everything
from hill climbs, high speed straight-aways,
tight technical sections, and small jumps to
thoroughly test the Z400.
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2009
Suzuki LT-Z400 QuadSport ATV |
My first objective was to inspect the re-styling
and ergonomics of the Z400, and I was thoroughly
impressed with almost all the changes. With LTR450
inspired styling is much more aggressive look,
and it also designed to facilitate more aggressive
riding as well with the front fenders moved forward,
there is much more leg room to lean off the side
of the vehicle for turning with out making contact
with the front fenders, which was an issue on
the original Z400.
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| The
gas tank capacity was reduced for 2009
on the Z400, which has allowed for the
fenders to be more streamline for a more
comfortable ride. Also, the gas tank side
panel mounting has been improved to eliminate
the seam along the top of the gas tank,
which was prone to separate |
The
front fender brackets on the original
Z400 were mounted to the upper frame tube,
and they could break over time, which
could cause radiator damage, but this
is no longer a concern on the 2009 because
the fenders are now secured to a lower
frame tube bracket |
Also, new fender mounting design around the
gas tank eliminates the issue of the gas tank
plastic coming apart while riding, which occasionally
happened on the original Z400. A very nice feature
of the restyling is the much easier to remove
headlight, which is now not incorporated in
to the front fender and instead mounted in front
of the fender, so it can be removed without
creating a noticeably open space in the fenders.
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2003-2008
Z400 Front Fenders |
All
New 2009 Z400 Front Fenders |
|
The 2009 Suzuki Z400 front fender re-styling
makes a dramatic change in the appearance
of the Z400, and it is also much more
functional than the original design with
separate headlight unit for easier removal.
Also, the new fenders allow for more leg
room and a sportier look likes it big
brother the LT-R450 Quad Racer
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