KHI doesn't quote power or torque specs for the KFX 400 - but it's enough to pull huge wheelies in the first two gears.

It feeds through a grabby clutch to a conventional five-speed motorcycle transmission and chain final drive – not easy to get used to but great fun once you're up and running.

To select reverse you need to find neutral, hold the clutch in, turn the transfer switch to the right and push down on the gear lever – for first just lift the lever.

The power comes on strong from low revs, though at the expense of some ferocious power-thudding, then smoothes out in the mid-range before you get to a screaming top-end that feels like about 10 000rpm.

There's really only one way to ride this thing and that's full tilt – anything less and the 400 feels wasted.

It's a quad for the rider who knows what he's doing and enjoys doing it.

The chassis and running frame are all performance stuff; the frame and separate rear sub-frame are fabricated form high-tensile alloy tubing with a tubular steel front bumper and skid plate.

Serrated foot pegs keep your feet from slipping even in wet or muddy conditions (I can vouch for that!) and the long motocross-style saddle is firm but unexpectedly comfortable.

Suspension chores are handled by the usual double wishbones and cast alloy swing-arm but with adjustable shock-absorbers and disc brakes all round. The race-style alloy rims run on radial tyres, 22" in front and 20" at the rear.

The fascia has warning lights for neutral, reverse and coolant temperature – I don't know what colour that one is because we never saw it. Night-time fun is assured by the fitting of twin headlights as well as a brake/tail light unit – but please note that the KFX 400 is not street-legal.

At only 169kg dry with a compact 1245mm wheelbase the 400 can be thrown around under complete control; perfectly balanced, it jumps like a jack-rabbit and lands like a cat.

It may not be as fast as the latest 450cc hotshots but it's a fine enduro machine and a superb weekend hooligan tool.

Specifications:

Motor: Liquid-cooled four-stroke single.
Capacity: 398cc.
Bore x stroke: 90.0 x 62.6mm
Valvegear: DOHC with four overhead valves per cylinder.
Compression ratio: 11.3:1.
Induction: One Mikuni BSR36 SS carburettor.
Ignition: Digital CDI.
Starting: Electric.
Clutch: Cable-operated wet multi-plate clutch.
Transmission: Five-speed and reverse constant-mesh gearbox; final drive by chain.
Suspension: Double wishbone with hydraulic shock absorbers in front, swing-arm with link-mounted single hydraulic shock absorber adjustable for preload at rear.
Brakes: Twin discs with single-piston floating callipers at front, single disc brake with single-piston floating calliper at rear.
Tyres: Front: AT 22 x 7R10 tubeless radial. Rear: AT 20 x 10R9 tubeless radial.
Wheelbase: 1245mm.
Dry weight: 169kg.
Fuel capacity: 10.0 litres.