Best quad for me?

[Sm0k3d]

The reason I posted in the 450r forum is because I am in a deliemma about which quad to buy. I am selling my 250r for five thousand within the next month and need to make a decision.

I was talking with my close friend Scott about it and he turned me away from the yfz450, he told me he has been racing both the trx450r and the yfz450 up in northern washington because he works at razorbackdesigns.com and gets to test things out. He said the yfz has a lot of topend and seems like a 2 stroke in power. But thats not what I want, I want bottom end torque to play on hills with and not be in the 11,000 rpm range all day long.. So he said the best decision would be the trx450r, he said it wasn't tipsey, felt a LOT more comfortable to sit on, felt planted on the ground while the yfz seemed narrow and tipsy.

I talked with another neighbor and he said Sure the 450r seems like a great choice but I am a big guy (5'5 290lbs) and I might feel more comfortable and like the power of a DS650. I've seen a stock piped and jetted DS keep up with my full drag port 250r (on methonal) with a 230 lb guy on the DS and a 140 lb guy on the 250r. So it sounds like a nice bike, but their BIG!! I can throw bikes around easily but I also like to trail ride and play and jump razor backs, etc.. I ONLY sand ride. Whichever bike I will buy will be running 22x11x10 10 paddle Extremes (what I currently have) So what would be the best bike for me?? What are some problems I will have to watch out for.. I won't be doing no 90 ft doubles so frame breaking and axle bending wont be a problem most likely, and I don't crash much, about once a year at the most. I will most likely just pull the air box cover, k&n filter, outerwear, jet, and A/C pro peg nerf bars on either one I get. What sounds the best for me? (I don't drag race but I like to climb hills some times at Winchester, OR a lot.)

http://www.akmining.com/atv/bods650l.jpg
http://powersports.honda.com/images/model/c028_029_030_031_photos_all/atvs/2005/TRX450R/LargeHoriz/TRX450R_large_02.jpg

Which btw, I would not be paying full price.. I can get a discount on any thing I want (business license).

[Sportrax10]

I saw go with the 450r, esspecially if your coming off a 250r...

[Sm0k3d]

Any reasons why?? If people could give me a detailed post as to why they feel I should pick which one it would be a lot easier for me to see the ups and downs. I also fit very well on a 250r, very comfortable bike. Please no biased posts either, I am a die hard honda fan but I like all bikes for different reasons and just because this is a honda forum you shouldnt be biased either.


Being brand loyal is bad for the size of your balls!

[Sportrax10]

DS650s are massive, and IMO only are dune bikes...


but I also like to trail ride and play and jump razor backs, etc..

http://www.exriders.com/vbb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=113836&perpage=15&highlight=drag%20racing%20raptor&pagenumber=3

Cheak that out, 450rs have plenty of power and have been holding their own in drag racing..:macho

[PEPwalshZ440]

450r without question

[Sm0k3d]

PEPwalshZ440, any reasoning to that? I wont be mx racing, or cross country, or any thing like that.. Strickly dune bike. I like to go across the whoops in the sand and tight trails and also like hill climbing and jumping razor backs (at the most jumping 15ft-20ft) easily done in 2nd gear on my 250r and a nice landing, but I need more bottom end because my 250r has a full drag port. Wouldn't mind something that handled similar!

[03400EX_Nacs]

hey man you should check out the 05 predator. they have reverse now and they have plenty of power and they aren't as heavy as a DS650. my step-brother has an 04 predator and it is fast. the weight has not stop him from doing anything that i can do with my 450R.

[PEPwalshZ440]

Originally posted by Sm0k3d
PEPwalshZ440, any reasoning to that? I wont be mx racing, or cross country, or any thing like that.. Strickly dune bike. I like to go across the whoops in the sand and tight trails and also like hill climbing and jumping razor backs (at the most jumping 15ft-20ft) easily done in 2nd gear on my 250r and a nice landing, but I need more bottom end because my 250r has a full drag port. Wouldn't mind something that handled similar!
Just the fact that the 450r is prolly almost as fast as the DS if not as fast. lot lighter. lot smaller. simply put, the DS is a big hunk of outdated junk

[EXtremeEXer50]

I dont think u would have a problem goin to the 650 i have a friend who went from a 400 to a ds and he could ride good...he got his license and doesnt ride much anymore though:(

[Sm0k3d]

I know I wont have problems moving up to a 650cc.. no problem, i've ridden methonal 310 drag bikes, nothing is too fast. I'm just worried about the weight, I like to trail ride a LOT in the sand and there are some very small tight trails (sharp turns) and I think the DS might be a little large! I've seen the predator.. my neighbor is buying one once his jeep gets sold. Not sure that I like it, it looks nice but i hate the plastic and seat.. little narrow on the front. Like I said im 290lbs so a narrow bike isn't so fun! Though i'm a lot muscle :D I think I will go down to a showroom and sit on a 450r to see how it feels, if it feels like my 250r that is what i will be buying, though I've heard they sit a little higher.. which isn't So much of a problem. Any problems with dune 450r's from any one?


by the way, I was also told the DS has near 12 inches of suspension which would help me.. but heck, I was launching my 250r pretty high and far and never bottomed out ONCE!

[Thump_It]

Well....I have a 450R and only ride in the sand. You'll love what this bike can do in the trails and up hills. I can climb anything, sidehill anything, you name it it can be done. All I have is a pipe and K&N. I have beat tons of YFZ's, Banshees, 250R's and whatever else there is in drags. If you do get a 450R and get a pipe, filter and cam I would think about getting an extended swingarm. Handling is great with my bike out there. The bike can be kicked around at high speeds. Jumping my bike is a dream. It flys true and straight and the suspension soaks up the landings. With the light front end, woops are fun. Suspension doesn't beat you up in the rough choppy stuff either. I've never ridden a Bombardier but have sat on them and they feel comfy as hell. They have good suspension travel also. If you are looking for a cadillac type ride I would go with the Bombardier. But for something sporty, quick, great hill shooting ability, and jumping ability, go for the 450R.

[Texasrider]

If you spend alot of time on tight trails like you say then I would definately go with the 450r. The newer model ds 650's are smaller dimension wise than in previous year models but they are still on the large size for trail riding. I've ridden a friends ds650 in the dunes quite a bit (and it's alot of fun), but I would not like to try and conquer any trails with it!!!

[Sm0k3d]

Cool.. Thanks!! I ride the oregon coast mostly, fun stuff! Once i sell my 250r (need to order parts first) I will be buying a 450r from a friend (well.. giving him the money cause he is getting me one IN CRATE!!!) :huh

[Sm0k3d]

Any one know the dealer cost of these things?? I've heard some one tell me $3500-$4500, the reason being is I have a friend in the business that owns a quad shop and can buy one at dealer cost for me? What would I be looking at in a price?

[Seano]

im 5'11 and 230 lbs. i'm coming off an 87 quadzilla that i loved to dune but woulfd bottom out a lot. it was 20 years old so i decided to update. rode all the new stuff, yfz,cool but lame in chop.plenty of power. raptor. comfy but feels like your balancing on o top. its short and skinny. z400 liked it but felt the nose was to short sort of like the older LT250. DS650. really stable but felt like i was riding a sea doo. but when i saw the black 05 honda. i sat on it and it felt cool. i never even rode one. turns out its the best duner out of all. if you can handle kickstarting and no reverse. but it dunes good.

[trick450r]

i was coming off of a 250r as well and the 450r felt surprisingly the same! also you asked about power we took mine drag racing and i got a 4.92 and the closest quad behind that was a 5.67 this includs 2 yfz's 2 banshees, 2 raptors, 1 pred, a modded Z and so on in facct i beat all the bikes also the closest which was a KTM 400 got 5.37....this includs cr250, crf 450, crf 250x, crf 250r, kx 250, kx 125, ktm exc 400 and so on! so power is not a problem lol!

[Scottie Mac]

Sm0ked,

If you can, try to ride both quads in the environment you plan to do most of yoru riding. (dunes) The DS650 is probably the fastest production quad ever made (stock) and is VERY chocked up from the factory, more than the TRX or YFZ. Harldy anyone leaves these things stock. So, if you plan on adding a pipe, breather, etc to one, you shoudl consider how the other will perform with the same mods. There is so much crap that is slung on this forum that if youlisten to enough of the 13 year olds you will be convinced that the 250ex is the greatest quad of all time.

I have (unlike most) ridden all of the quads you mentioned in your original post. The TRX is a nice, comfortable machine. It has a plush suspension and with the "normal" mods like HRC kit and pipe will have enough power to keep you happy for a long time. The DS, when set up with breather and free flow end cap on the exhaust will have more power, but will always be 150 lbs more. The DS has more suspension, but doesn't come with piggy back rezzies, so heat build up (dunes=heat) may be more of an issue. If you only plan on keeping the quad for a while, you may want to go the honda route, it will keep its resale value much better than the DS.

I also think you should try out the YFZ. I don't know what your friend was riding, but the YFZ DOES NOT feel tipsy, in fact it feels a heck of a lot les "tipsy" than a TRX. But, in stock form, it can feel small to a larger rider, mostly tall guys. This can be easily fixed with a set of bars. In stock form it does have a peaky 2 strokish feel, becasue it is so chocked up from the factory. Once you do the (again) normal mods, pipe, filter, cam mod, it has a ton of torque/bottom (similar to the TRX) and still pulls like a 2 stroke on top. For the dunes, you need that upper RPM range power, and the YFZ has it. Again, test ride them first. Suspension wise, the YFZ as more than the TRX, less than the Ds. It is not as smooth as the TRX, but it has more adjustability. YOu have to figure out what is better for you. You mentioned you liked going thru the whoops, well the YFZ clearly better than both in that department. You can upgrade the TRX with a linkage kit from quite a feww different companies to fix that, but that is more expense. Compared to the TRX, I don't feel the YFZ is as comfortable, mainly the seat is as hard as a brick.

Again, not to sound like a broken record, ride them all, make up your own mind. You never know, one may just "feel" better to you. That way you can decide on your own which is the best fit for what you intend to do.


Good luck, sorry for the long post, but you asked for explanations.

Scott

[southbeach14]

was that 5'5 290 or is it 6'5 290.????????

[Sm0k3d]

5'5. By the way, thanks for the long post Scottie, thats what I like so I can see why people chose one over the other. Currently I can probably only ride the yfz or 450r at the dealership. I do only ride dunes and I've seen DS650's out there, big bikes indeed.. fast also but I really don't think I could see myself on the bike, same as for the predator, z400, etc.. So its down to the yfz and the 450r and the way I think of it its preference. I like the 450r plastic better, dont like electric start (kick starting is my style), color (blues awesome but their color is really dull), motor design with the seperate oils, softer seat, more plush suspension, seems like an ultimate dune bike. So I think I have made my decision on that.

Here's what I am wondering though, Right now I have 22x11x10 10 paddle skat-trak extremes and I am not sure if these will rub the plastics on the 450r, I plan on doing normal mods like k&n filter, no airbox lid, uncork the exhaust, and jet it. but I do plan on getting a/c pro pegs with heel gaurds and i can't have my paddles hitting them (some people have told me threw the whoops their 21's hit)??

Last of all, you talked about the linkage?? I've never heard of any thing like that, just wondering what you mean by it and what aftermarket linkages would be better? I'm going to be saving a lot of money buying this quad through a friend so I'll have a few hundred to spend on hop ups.. maybe a hrc kit or a full exhaust. Thanks!

[450rEdge]

As far as the tires rubbing, I haven't had that exact tire on my bike, but with my old 22" prowedges they clear by about an inch on the front near the plastic foot guard. When running top gear, top speed with 13tooth front sprocket (near 80mph I guess) they grow a lot and still dont hit (maybe 3/8 inch clearance left).

So are the tires measured 22" at the carcass or top of the blade?

[Sm0k3d]

Not sure.. ill have to measure them. They don't grow much though (less than an inch at MOST)