Frame Recall?

[racerx81]

A friend of mine has a 450r with a cracked frame just behind the left top motor mount. he took it to his dealer and they had the honda service rep come look at it and they are getting hin a new frame free of charge but they told him that the frame will not be here for a couple of weeks because the new updated frame is not done yet. the service rep told the dealer that they have had several frames fail in the same spot. If so this is obviously a flaw in the design. has anybody heard of this problem? i just dont want to get out of my warranty period and be screwed when my frame cracks. dont get me wrong im not in here starting false rumors this it a true story. I love my 450r and wouldnt trade it for anything.

[Pappy]

my local dealer has replaced 4 frames so far so an issue with the frame has validity. im certain if it comes to a recall honda will stand fully behind its product!

Sounds like the same issue the 400ex had.....:cool:

Honda did nothing to fix the issue except point out that the quad was not meant for racing...:eek:

[PEPwalshZ440]

if my frame breaks im gonna break sum1s neck

my frame is tweaked after an accident...i hope I can get one of these new frames

[Punk'd]

Originally posted by PEPwalshZ440
if my frame breaks im gonna break sum1s neck

LMAO

If my frame breaks I will cry

[1badex]

dont they sell a kit that you can weld on your frame to prevent it from breaking?or have they not come out with one for the 450 yet.my friend had one welded to his kawasaki before pcing it.

[PEPwalshZ440]

Walsh gusset kits
www.wrcracing.com
i gotta get one of these but ya know money goes fast lol

[450rboy]

well when i take my 450r apart here in the winter i am gonna put some joints in some places. like a place where you guys are talking about but i will try to put it on the inside so no one will notice i did it. but actuslly that is the only place on the frame that has been having trouble. i am taking it down for a powdercoating. and put my new stuff on it when i get it for christmas that i will have to buy lol. but i hope i get some other stuff for my 4 wheeler so i don't have to buy everything. haha

[dn1911]

i just got done having mine powder coated and i'm now puttin it back together. i better not break after all that work to just have to do it again!!!!:grr:

[BSTURDIVANT]

Frames are cracking at the left and right upper engine mounts, shock towers, lower subframe mounts, steering stem tower,and rear shock mount. Keep checking, the paint chips first!

[PEPwalshZ440]

Originally posted by BSTURDIVANT
Frames are cracking at the left and right upper engine mounts, shock towers, lower subframe mounts, steering stem tower,and rear shock mount. Keep checking, the paint chips first!
IF any of that happens to me....Cycle World is going to have one seroiusly not happy customer :devil:

[sparky450AR]

Could someone please post a picture of there 450R's cracked frame. I'm talking about the crack behind the upper motor mounts. I'm hearing all these claims, but i've yet to see a picture.
Thank you!

[speedfreaksguy]

I was just washing my 450 after practicing all weekend and found the same crack in my frame. On the right side behind the top motor mount, in front of the weld. It looks pretty bad already, and there is a hairline crack on the other side in the same spot. I sold my 250R because I was sick of welding on the frame and now I'm back in the same place. Whats the chances of Honda's warranty covering this after I added pro-peg mounts to the frame? Not very good I'm shure.

[Bretmd94]

The whole frame thing sucks. I want to know what you guys are doing to crack your frames. If mines breaks, i will go off on someone if its not replaced. It is only Mild Steel though. We are asking a bit much out of these frames.

Someday the quad manufacturers will just make them out of chromoly or aluminum like they should. Honda and Yamy have aluminum dirtbikes now.

[KYmxracer52]

My friend broke his frame on his a week ago. Downtime is 2+weeks. Just glad I'm on a Cannondale.

[WhiteZee]

someone said the paint cracks/chips off first??? on both sides, the paint has cracked on the vertical tube just in front of the motor. the frame looks fine, but the paint is gone around the welds on both sides. i wonder if i have anything to worrie about?

[sparky450AR]

Untill I see a picture, I claim bs:macho . and bluetraxx members can stay on the other side of the net.

Now if someone could post a picture and prove me wrong, id take it all back.

[Pappy]

Originally posted by sparky450AR

Now if someone could post a picture and prove me wrong, id take it all back.

the last time i posted a picture of a broken frame i was labeled every name in the book.

most of the problems are from those that race and truthfully they are welding them up as soon as its seen. i have seen them with my own eyes and thats proof enough for me. if you cant take my word that these problems do exist then the hell with ya:o

[sparky450AR]

Originally posted by Pappy
the last time i posted a picture of a broken frame i was labeled every name in the book.

LMAO pappy, I witnissed that whole thing, and it was blown way out of proportion.

I know you said "the hell with me". But would you consider e-mailing me a pic of the busted frame?


Thanks

[Pappy]

truthfully if i had a picture i would post it. the 2 that ive seen in person were both sitting side by side in the shop of a honda dealership. the other 2 were at the same dealership about 2 weeks later but they had already been returned to honda and the info relayed to me that a total of 4 had broken.

i have had several riders that have absolutley no reason to lie tell me they have already welded cracks in thier frames and either had or know of others that had to resolve subframe cracks.

i wish no frame would ever crack because its a total pain in the *** to fix right. but it is what it is no matter what the brand of quad. i think its safe to assume that honda will take corrective action or i can garuntee we will see many posted pictures of cracked frames.

as gabe has posted, honda supposedly took measures to beef up this frame to handle increased HP and demand/stress placed on it by todays riders. thats all well & good but any engineer will tell you that if your relieve stress in one spot its bound to show itself in another. is that the case here? i couldnt tell you im no engineer. i own a 450R so im in the same boat as everyone else and have my fingers crossed i dont have the issues that others have had.

[sparky450AR]

Originally posted by Pappy
truthfully if i had a picture i would post it. the 2 that ive seen in person were both sitting side by side in the shop of a honda dealership. the other 2 were at the same dealership about 2 weeks later but they had already been returned to honda and the info relayed to me that a total of 4 had broken.

i have had several riders that have absolutley no reason to lie tell me they have already welded cracks in thier frames and either had or know of others that had to resolve subframe cracks.

i wish no frame would ever crack because its a total pain in the *** to fix right. but it is what it is no matter what the brand of quad. i think its safe to assume that honda will take corrective action or i can garuntee we will see many posted pictures of cracked frames.

as gabe has posted, honda supposedly took measures to beef up this frame to handle increased HP and demand/stress placed on it by todays riders. thats all well & good but any engineer will tell you that if your relieve stress in one spot its bound to show itself in another. is that the case here? i couldnt tell you im no engineer. i own a 450R so im in the same boat as everyone else and have my fingers crossed i dont have the issues that others have had.


Thanks for the reply pappy. The only thing that made me suspicious was the fact that all the claims came from people with 20-70 post, and I have never heard of them. You get what im saying.

[Pappy]

lol...i know of one member here that has less then 20 posts that has personally had 2 broken frames and atleast 3 cracked subframes.


i hope we never hear of another issue regarding any frame, but thats wishful thinking im afraid. infact i am concerned enough about this issue that i have held off gusseting and powdercoating my own frame for the simple fact i want to wait and see what the best fix is for all this.

[Sm0k3d]

Well.. i hope honda does something.. Im 290lbs and I like to ride dunes (thats all I do) and I like to jump razor backs and stuff... I don't want a broken frame.. So im holding off buying one intill I see something clearing up.

[sparky450AR]

Originally posted by Pappy
lol...i know of one member here that has less then 20 posts that has personally had 2 broken frames and atleast 3 cracked subframes.


i hope we never hear of another issue regarding any frame, but thats wishful thinking im afraid. infact i am concerned enough about this issue that i have held off gusseting and powdercoating my own frame for the simple fact i want to wait and see what the best fix is for all this.


Yeah, but you see where I was comming from.

[twisted threads]

Originally posted by Sm0k3d
Well.. i hope honda does something.. Im 290lbs and I like to ride dunes (thats all I do) and I like to jump razor backs and stuff... I don't want a broken frame.. So im holding off buying one intill I see something clearing up.

I bet that the 450r frame is alot stronger than the 250r frames. After the dune season the last two years I have had to fix cracks in the frame of my R.:o O well you wont see me take it easy on any of my quads and if the frame cracks I will fix it.

[Pappy]

Originally posted by sparky450AR
Yeah, but you see where I was comming from.

yes i see your looking for every excuse except a logical one that a problem is being fabricated and in reality it doesnt exist.

[Hammer trx450r]

Everything has a breaking point, I can't beleive that i haven't broke my quad in half everytime i ride, let alone a crack! If Pappy has seen it, i don't need a pic. he has way over 20 posts;)

[speedfreaksguy]

Posts or no posts, I'm not making it up. I will take some pics today an e-mail you. I don't know how well cracks are going to show up in a photo, but i'll see what I can get.

[sparky450AR]

Originally posted by Pappy
yes i see your looking for every excuse except a logical one that a problem is being fabricated and in reality it doesnt exist.


First of all, I would hardly call me being suspicious of people that may be lying, an excuse. And I surley wouldnt call it "every" excuse. It seems like lately, evertime I see you post, your trying your hardest to shut someone down. Sit back and chill for awhile. I wasnt trying to insult you, yet you come back with insults.

[Motoman440]

Honda's are junk!!! Sell it!!! LOL!!!

[Pappy]

Originally posted by sparky450AR
First of all, I would hardly call me being suspicious of people that may be lying, an excuse. And I surley wouldnt call it "every" excuse. It seems like lately, evertime I see you post, your trying your hardest to shut someone down. Sit back and chill for awhile. I wasnt trying to insult you, yet you come back with insults.

im not trying to shut anyone down...and frankly im not argueing with anyone. im free to state my opinion and my thoughts the same as you. i will however not battle wits with you as a few members on here do because it seems you dont take logic or expierence into consideration when you post..and post...and post the same question over and over on a subject.

some of us actually see more then the 6 local quads every weekend...some of us are actually in contact with the industry and have information relayed to us. hell some of us know the answers and some just wont accept them.

now on to the personal side of this. i find this subject dead serious yet i will glady joke about it. if you cant define the difference between humor and an insult let me know and i will insult you so that you are taught what an insult really is.

[sparky450AR]

Originally posted by Pappy
im not trying to shut anyone down...and frankly im not argueing with anyone. im free to state my opinion and my thoughts the same as you. i will however not battle wits with you as a few members on here do because it seems you dont take logic or expierence into consideration when you post..and post...and post the same question over and over on a subject.

some of us actually see more then the 6 local quads every weekend...some of us are actually in contact with the industry and have information relayed to us. hell some of us know the answers and some just wont accept them.

now on to the personal side of this. i find this subject dead serious yet i will glady joke about it. if you cant define the difference between humor and an insult let me know and i will insult you so that you are taught what an insult really is.


You must be humoring yourself?

Also, it sounds like you know me pretty damn well.


"and post the same question over and over on a subject."

What are you refering to?

[Pappy]

i have stated my OPINION and what I have KNOWLEDGE on. if you can dispute what ive stated then by all means do so.


If not the horse your beating is dead..comprende':confused:

[lukester720]

Originally posted by Sm0k3d
Well.. i hope honda does something.. Im 290lbs and I like to ride dunes (thats all I do) and I like to jump razor backs and stuff... I don't want a broken frame.. So im holding off buying one intill I see something clearing up.

Hey man, I don't know if this helps you any but I'm 260 now and have been as heavy as 280 since owning this quad and I had the 1st one that came to my dealership and the frame has been holding up great for me. Its seems to me that the sand is a softer landing than the hardpack stuff I ride on so you should be fine. I went riding tuesday and put about 40 laps in total on 2 different mx tracks and bottomed out the shocks about 6 times one of which I though I sprained my wrist and the frame is still in great shape, this kind of riding has become very common for me after switching to the 450R. BTW I ride hard on the track and there was a kid there that was probably about 110lbs on a stock yfz that couldn't outrun me just to give you a little bit of an idea on how I ride.

I believe that a lot of the cracks are coming from xc racers which puts and entirely different stress on the frame than mx. Think of xc racing like taking a paperclip and bending it back and forth over the course of a minute or two, it gets hot and snaps. I think that the frame is kinda doing the same thing over the course of a rough 2 hour xc race IMO.

[Sm0k3d]

lukester720, thanks a ton!

I think I'll just get one right away then, one question I do not understand though..

You said that it seems people who race xc beat up their frames a lot more than mx racers?? I have only seen gncc and xc races on television so I am not aware of how that puts more damage than jumping 90ft table tops and going through whoops and casing jumps like that?

[lukester720]

I look at it like this, honda made these frames to flex so the rider wouldn't get as fatigued as they would on another quad. Giving the frame the ability to flex like they do may be causing over the course of a 2 hour race certain flex points of the frame to heat up and become brittle causing them to eventually snap.

Landing of a big jump isn't really the same thing because that's not causing the frame to flex back and forth repeditively for a long period of time like you might get from riding as fast as you can over ruts and creek rocks of 2 straight hours, do you see what I mean? I haven't heard of any mx guys with broken frames yet. I think it will hold good for the riding you are doing anyways.

[Sm0k3d]

Totally understand what you mean by that. True sand is a lot easier on the bike because the suspension is able to soak up a lot of whats there. I just need 2 stupid o-rings to get my rear end together and sell my 250r to buy a new 05 BLACK 450r!!! YEAH!!!.. with the mony I save im going to buy new bars, ims front bumper, A/C full belly skid, k&n filter, and some jets!!! Already got my sand tires and Im going to just uncork the exhaust and pull the air box lid!

[lukester720]

Sounds awesome, don't forget to post some pics when its done!

[Shawn H]

Well I can tell ya I have 3 cracks in my frame and I took pics but its hard to see them with the glare and light of camera.
I race XC and have 8 races on mine and countless practice time. 2 are at the stem and are self induced and the other is a bad weld.

[TRX450R2]

have done 16 hrs on my R and found the paint is cracking at Quite a few welds ? I race mostly XC so I am now going to lokk harder at these stress areas?????? Thanks for the warning!:D

[Sm0k3d]

Seems every one that XC races have been cracking these frames.. I'm going to wait till September's Honda show to see their new products and see if there is an beefed up frame for 06 or whichever..

[Johnson]

I have always had trouble with my 400ex frame.

[BSTURDIVANT]

This is my 450R frame! It has been raced xc all year. We did a quick fix on it to get me going agian!

[BSTURDIVANT]

The new weld is just to the left of the factory weld.

[TRX450R2]

mmmmmmmmmmm, thanx

[BigAl]

Maybe that junk yfz frame is as good as the Honda?











That's a joke kids.

:D

[cinigen9]

Originally posted by Johnson
I have always had trouble with my 400ex frame.

have you had any trouble with your yfz frame?

[nhyfzrider]

nope. i look all the time because i had an 03 z400. upper shock mounts on 03 z's are prone to cracking, other spots 2, but i think those where the worst.

[BIGBLOCKBILL]

Chalk up two more,both broke at the same time on the right side behind the upper motor mount. Hope Honda will help.

[cinigen9]

bigblockbill - when this happens does it render the quad unridable? The reason I am asking: Is it better to gusset before, or wait and see where it happens. What is your advice after seeing these frames?

Also, have you guys found a good way to gusset this spot?

thanks,
Carson

[WhiteBros400ex]

Ill have to check mine out:eek:

[BIGBLOCKBILL]

They didn't separate all the way,so yes it's still rideable but not for long. As far as gussetting it'll have to be trial and error. hopefully we get lucky.