r00st
12-01-2004, 09:46 PM
first off, let me start out by saying i have read all the faq's (given i might have slept through a couple of them, but i think i pulled what i can out of em)
*note* for those of you who dont want my life story with quads, scroll about 5 paragraphs down*
I am 6'2 240 (working on making that 220...lol) and ride a 2003 Bomb ds650 Baja.
I love the quad, BUT i feel i picked a lemon. I have talked with hundreds of DS owners, and have only found ONE that has had anywhere close the as many problems as i have had (and of course i was too cheap at the time to buy the ext. warranty)
so i have spent over 1k on OEM parts for the thing (FULL starter gears, on 3rd batt, on 2nd clutch, plus the release shaft gave out twice, lots of wiring issues, seized up a crank bearing and the list goes on and on..) at this point i no longer feel comfortable taking it on long trips, as i fear ill pull it out and it wont run. (has happened in the past...) so im thinking maybe somthing easier to toss around.
A freind of mine got the new 05 Baja (very nice, seems more nimble, but still, its heavy) so far i havnt felt comfortable on anything but a lazyboy after riding the DS for nearly two years. my main 3 riding buddies all have yfz's, one being bone stock, and the nicest is FULL mx suspension with pipe/cam/flywheel. Even with all the power of the mx quad, im still no where near being comfortable on it! (its a mix of MANY things, i think its size is the biggest, along with the seat/ergos feeling pretty messed)
so, yfz is OUT. My plans were to wait for the new zuki, but it dosnt look like it will be out in time for our mid june st anthonies/lil sahara dune trip.
i have ridden a predator, and i cant even explain how odd it felt, along with very weak (on par with a z400 imo) so looks like 450r is what i should focus on for now.
I am pushing somewhere around 45 hp.(never dyno'd it...but stuck ranges from 38-40, so im hopefully at least 6-7 over stock) with my mods (ported/full pipe/KN in box/cdi/ and some other smaller doo dads) and am basically on par wtih a piped yfz (all 3 of my riding buddies on the yfz's are between 150-180, which definatly dosnt help me in drags) I am looking for somthing equally smooth torquey and powerful as my ds (anything on top of that is icing on the cake)
Im hoping i can get an 05 OTD for around 6200 or so. For now, i would like to set my mod limit to about 1k (but of course it is flexible...lol) My goals are 30% comfort, and 70% GOOD power (not just a motor with everything in the top, but somthing pretty lateral, with good bottom torque for the woods. yet still retaining a screaming top end for long dune climbs.) Also, we ride 50% tighter trails, and 50% open high speed land and then some dunes.
What combo should i get for my application? Has anyone done dyno's on different pipes/cams/filters etc etc?
I want a:
Pipe - somthing with an optional SA would be the best, also not somthing SUPER loud...i have the HMF and run it open now, so somthing a bit quieter would be nice. full system, or slip on?
Filter (hmmm foam or gauze.... is there an optimum setup? i would want some sort of airbox with a lid...maybe one of those KN lids? i know on the DS its dyno'd to get MORE hp with an IN box filter with lid and snorkels on)
Cam. I dont have much experience inside motors (i can do clutches and stuff no problem, but id feel better having the local shop install the cam, any idea how long it takes to drop in?) Seems like the R is mostly top as it is, and with the tight trails we do, i definatly need somthing i can lug if needed, to spare my clutch. HRC seems to be top? HC2 best for my app?
I just found out last night that Maeir makes ORANGE plastic for the R? (what does it run for EVERYTHING?) i would definatly want to do orange and black theme, like i have on my DS. I hate being a cookie cutter quad owner...always looking for somthing unique.
some of my biggest concerns:
Kick starter. Knowing that i can hit a button to keep the engine continually churning until fired is pretty nice. (i have had it where we travel, and i didnt get my jetting close enoguh before we left, so i have to crank on the DS for awhile. I am just worried my jetting will be off, and i wont be able to kick it over)
Carb.... one thing nice about the HUGE ds, is that there is enough room on both the top and bottom of the carb to access the needles and the jets, while it is still on the machine. I read a little write up, and it looks like the tank has to come off to get access to the needle? how about the jets?
one solution i was thinking, was an externally adjusted carb. seems like for somthing under 500 bucks, that adds a few HP, keeps a tune well, and is externally adjustable, would save a lot of headaches on trips. Was it the FCR carb that is externally adjustable? does anyone know if this is a good carb? hold a tune well, not finicky?
you honda guys dont like to trade quads do ya !?!! ;) :P
I like trading quads with people to see what other machines ride like, with each persons mods and tweaks. But you honda guys dont budge! i went through 7 people before i finally found a guy that would even drag me. Once i started talking to him (assuring him i wasnt gonna take off on his R, he finally agreed to swap quads for a few mins.) This R was totally stock, except for elka quad rates F/R. (so i cant really say how i liked suspension, as i dont plan to dump 1500+ into shocks) It seemed moderatly comfortable. One thing i noticed was that first gear was SUPER high. Im hoping that with the mods listed above, i wont have a problem lugging it at super low rpms, so i dont fry a clutch from feathering it in the tight trails. I wish i could find someone local with a piped R, and get 10-20 mins on it so i can truly feel what its all about. Until then, the best i can do is get more information on mods, and how they respond.
If i get one, i will be getting the longest warranty avail (3-4 years?) i have heard bad things about honda not wanting to repair stuff? (id be afraid my local dealer would just not want to do the warranty work, and say it cant be warrantied)
What are the main problems with the 450r? the only things i have heard of, are the kickstarters coming loose (locktite the bolt?) and then some crank problems? i heard they replace them no questions asked..but do the cranks seize up or what? (do they just give you the new part, and your stuck paying for anything else that was damaged and the install labor?)
any other prob's?
I apologize to those of you with better things to do than to read my 6 pages of questions... but i thank everyone in advance for any information!
Mike
*note* for those of you who dont want my life story with quads, scroll about 5 paragraphs down*
I am 6'2 240 (working on making that 220...lol) and ride a 2003 Bomb ds650 Baja.
I love the quad, BUT i feel i picked a lemon. I have talked with hundreds of DS owners, and have only found ONE that has had anywhere close the as many problems as i have had (and of course i was too cheap at the time to buy the ext. warranty)
so i have spent over 1k on OEM parts for the thing (FULL starter gears, on 3rd batt, on 2nd clutch, plus the release shaft gave out twice, lots of wiring issues, seized up a crank bearing and the list goes on and on..) at this point i no longer feel comfortable taking it on long trips, as i fear ill pull it out and it wont run. (has happened in the past...) so im thinking maybe somthing easier to toss around.
A freind of mine got the new 05 Baja (very nice, seems more nimble, but still, its heavy) so far i havnt felt comfortable on anything but a lazyboy after riding the DS for nearly two years. my main 3 riding buddies all have yfz's, one being bone stock, and the nicest is FULL mx suspension with pipe/cam/flywheel. Even with all the power of the mx quad, im still no where near being comfortable on it! (its a mix of MANY things, i think its size is the biggest, along with the seat/ergos feeling pretty messed)
so, yfz is OUT. My plans were to wait for the new zuki, but it dosnt look like it will be out in time for our mid june st anthonies/lil sahara dune trip.
i have ridden a predator, and i cant even explain how odd it felt, along with very weak (on par with a z400 imo) so looks like 450r is what i should focus on for now.
I am pushing somewhere around 45 hp.(never dyno'd it...but stuck ranges from 38-40, so im hopefully at least 6-7 over stock) with my mods (ported/full pipe/KN in box/cdi/ and some other smaller doo dads) and am basically on par wtih a piped yfz (all 3 of my riding buddies on the yfz's are between 150-180, which definatly dosnt help me in drags) I am looking for somthing equally smooth torquey and powerful as my ds (anything on top of that is icing on the cake)
Im hoping i can get an 05 OTD for around 6200 or so. For now, i would like to set my mod limit to about 1k (but of course it is flexible...lol) My goals are 30% comfort, and 70% GOOD power (not just a motor with everything in the top, but somthing pretty lateral, with good bottom torque for the woods. yet still retaining a screaming top end for long dune climbs.) Also, we ride 50% tighter trails, and 50% open high speed land and then some dunes.
What combo should i get for my application? Has anyone done dyno's on different pipes/cams/filters etc etc?
I want a:
Pipe - somthing with an optional SA would be the best, also not somthing SUPER loud...i have the HMF and run it open now, so somthing a bit quieter would be nice. full system, or slip on?
Filter (hmmm foam or gauze.... is there an optimum setup? i would want some sort of airbox with a lid...maybe one of those KN lids? i know on the DS its dyno'd to get MORE hp with an IN box filter with lid and snorkels on)
Cam. I dont have much experience inside motors (i can do clutches and stuff no problem, but id feel better having the local shop install the cam, any idea how long it takes to drop in?) Seems like the R is mostly top as it is, and with the tight trails we do, i definatly need somthing i can lug if needed, to spare my clutch. HRC seems to be top? HC2 best for my app?
I just found out last night that Maeir makes ORANGE plastic for the R? (what does it run for EVERYTHING?) i would definatly want to do orange and black theme, like i have on my DS. I hate being a cookie cutter quad owner...always looking for somthing unique.
some of my biggest concerns:
Kick starter. Knowing that i can hit a button to keep the engine continually churning until fired is pretty nice. (i have had it where we travel, and i didnt get my jetting close enoguh before we left, so i have to crank on the DS for awhile. I am just worried my jetting will be off, and i wont be able to kick it over)
Carb.... one thing nice about the HUGE ds, is that there is enough room on both the top and bottom of the carb to access the needles and the jets, while it is still on the machine. I read a little write up, and it looks like the tank has to come off to get access to the needle? how about the jets?
one solution i was thinking, was an externally adjusted carb. seems like for somthing under 500 bucks, that adds a few HP, keeps a tune well, and is externally adjustable, would save a lot of headaches on trips. Was it the FCR carb that is externally adjustable? does anyone know if this is a good carb? hold a tune well, not finicky?
you honda guys dont like to trade quads do ya !?!! ;) :P
I like trading quads with people to see what other machines ride like, with each persons mods and tweaks. But you honda guys dont budge! i went through 7 people before i finally found a guy that would even drag me. Once i started talking to him (assuring him i wasnt gonna take off on his R, he finally agreed to swap quads for a few mins.) This R was totally stock, except for elka quad rates F/R. (so i cant really say how i liked suspension, as i dont plan to dump 1500+ into shocks) It seemed moderatly comfortable. One thing i noticed was that first gear was SUPER high. Im hoping that with the mods listed above, i wont have a problem lugging it at super low rpms, so i dont fry a clutch from feathering it in the tight trails. I wish i could find someone local with a piped R, and get 10-20 mins on it so i can truly feel what its all about. Until then, the best i can do is get more information on mods, and how they respond.
If i get one, i will be getting the longest warranty avail (3-4 years?) i have heard bad things about honda not wanting to repair stuff? (id be afraid my local dealer would just not want to do the warranty work, and say it cant be warrantied)
What are the main problems with the 450r? the only things i have heard of, are the kickstarters coming loose (locktite the bolt?) and then some crank problems? i heard they replace them no questions asked..but do the cranks seize up or what? (do they just give you the new part, and your stuck paying for anything else that was damaged and the install labor?)
any other prob's?
I apologize to those of you with better things to do than to read my 6 pages of questions... but i thank everyone in advance for any information!
Mike