RedRacer44
10-16-2005, 06:59 PM
I finally got the '06 450ER put together on friday night after we pulled into Little Sahara for a weekend at the sand dunes! I dont have pictures yet, gonna clean the bike up and put the MX wheels/tires back on tomorrow. I'll snag some pictures then. Now to what most of you probably want to hear....the ride review!
First off, motor performance....the motor is great! My Sparks exhaust didnt come in this week so I had to borrow a "custom fit" Sparks silencer from a friend that he had modified to fit the stock head pipe on his '06 450ER. I could tell the motor was being held back with the stock head pipe but this is all we had to work with!We installed the pipe, removed air box lid, used the stock air filter, and threw in a 165 main jet. I wasnt able to get to the air-fuel mix screw, but it does need to be a tad bit richer. The 165 main worked fine though. I also installed a 14t front sprocket 'cuz the 13t is too low for my riding (MX). To the point, the motor runs great right off the bottom and pulls very well through the gears. The higher rev limit is extremely nice to have when ya want to rev it out just a bit more. Even with the 14t front sprocket, I was able to get 2nd gear starts w/ 20 inch ITP Sand Star rear paddles. The internal gear ratio changes worked out well I think, especially with the 14t sprocket because I could leave the bike in 2nd or 3rd gear in the tight stuff and still was able to lug it in the sand. The quad had no problems shooting up the tallest dunes Little Sahara has to offer even starting on an incline, PLENTY of power on tap with a small amount of mods and EVEN more power to be gained with more mods!
As far as drag racing, I had some friends with me who each had '05 450Rs w/ Sparks exhaust, jetting, filter, no lid, etc...no cam or piston though. In drag racing, off the start we were even but by 3rd gear I would pull about a bike length or so lead on them. About what I figured it would be, so I was happy. I also lined up my '04 450R (JE 13:1 piston, S2 HotCam, Dyno Jet Kit, Sparks Big Core) against the '06.....the '04 would pull the '06 off the start and be about a bike length or two by the end of the drag strip. I think with better paddles, my '04 woulda pulled a bigger lead (had crappy worn out paddles on). I do think though, with better jetting and a FULL exhaust, it would be much closer and with a good cam, I'm ALMOST positive the '06 would beat my '04. I'm not sure on that though, so dont quote me. Another thing, drag racing in the sand is really tough to call because there are SOOOO many factors that can figure in. Just wanted to put that out there.....
Ok, as far as handling, I cant give you anything as far as how it rides in stock form but just like the '04s and '05s....with a good front end and axle, they ride like a dream. I will have to say that my new Holz/Elka LT front end is greeeattt! I cant seem to noticed any difference between my '04 and '06 as far as turning, cornering, etc.....so no comments there. I will say this though, the stock rear end still isnt that great. I messed with severall different settings all weekend to try and make it work....no such luck. Finally though today as we were going out for our last ride, I tried 1 last setup and it worked out OK. The main problem was it still wanted to buck through the whoops n' such although it doesnt swap hardly at all like the stock '04 rear ends did. I would hit the sand whoops in 4th gear and just ride to the edge of falling off the whole way through. But I did make it through! I do think its better than the '04 rear end but not by much. Also though, I'm used to riding a dual-rate/ZPS setup rear shock w/ GT MX link.....heh, thats a big part of where my complaints are coming from. I will say this though, I was launching pretty well off a few dunes and the rear shock soaked up every bit of it even when I landed at the bottom of the dune so that impressed me.
I still dont like the e-start all that much but it does fire up better after you open it up and let it breathe (jetting). Even after a chilly night sitting outside, just flip the choke and it'd fire right up. Quite cold natured but good to go after its warmed up Only problems I had was when it would stall, then it would be a pain in the arse to start back up but nothing too bad. The front end is still pretty light when there is good traction but its better than the '04/'05s I believe after riding my friends '05 450Rs. Motor makes lots of noise as many have already stated, didnt have any problems with the bike all weekend and I rode the **** out of it to say the least.
Overall, I'm really happy with the bike. I will be putting a different rear end on it soon along with a full exhaust and the HRC kit. I will post pictures tomorrow.....stay tuned for more mods in the weeks to come!!!
Also would like to thank JH Racing and Honda of Stillwater for getting me my parts ASAP in time for the dune trip and for the TQRA vs. STQRA Lone Star Quad challenge next weeked at Swan MX in Tyler, Texas.....
Also like to thank my buddy Cameron (Honduh440) for helping me finish putting the front end together at the dunes.....
First off, motor performance....the motor is great! My Sparks exhaust didnt come in this week so I had to borrow a "custom fit" Sparks silencer from a friend that he had modified to fit the stock head pipe on his '06 450ER. I could tell the motor was being held back with the stock head pipe but this is all we had to work with!We installed the pipe, removed air box lid, used the stock air filter, and threw in a 165 main jet. I wasnt able to get to the air-fuel mix screw, but it does need to be a tad bit richer. The 165 main worked fine though. I also installed a 14t front sprocket 'cuz the 13t is too low for my riding (MX). To the point, the motor runs great right off the bottom and pulls very well through the gears. The higher rev limit is extremely nice to have when ya want to rev it out just a bit more. Even with the 14t front sprocket, I was able to get 2nd gear starts w/ 20 inch ITP Sand Star rear paddles. The internal gear ratio changes worked out well I think, especially with the 14t sprocket because I could leave the bike in 2nd or 3rd gear in the tight stuff and still was able to lug it in the sand. The quad had no problems shooting up the tallest dunes Little Sahara has to offer even starting on an incline, PLENTY of power on tap with a small amount of mods and EVEN more power to be gained with more mods!
As far as drag racing, I had some friends with me who each had '05 450Rs w/ Sparks exhaust, jetting, filter, no lid, etc...no cam or piston though. In drag racing, off the start we were even but by 3rd gear I would pull about a bike length or so lead on them. About what I figured it would be, so I was happy. I also lined up my '04 450R (JE 13:1 piston, S2 HotCam, Dyno Jet Kit, Sparks Big Core) against the '06.....the '04 would pull the '06 off the start and be about a bike length or two by the end of the drag strip. I think with better paddles, my '04 woulda pulled a bigger lead (had crappy worn out paddles on). I do think though, with better jetting and a FULL exhaust, it would be much closer and with a good cam, I'm ALMOST positive the '06 would beat my '04. I'm not sure on that though, so dont quote me. Another thing, drag racing in the sand is really tough to call because there are SOOOO many factors that can figure in. Just wanted to put that out there.....
Ok, as far as handling, I cant give you anything as far as how it rides in stock form but just like the '04s and '05s....with a good front end and axle, they ride like a dream. I will have to say that my new Holz/Elka LT front end is greeeattt! I cant seem to noticed any difference between my '04 and '06 as far as turning, cornering, etc.....so no comments there. I will say this though, the stock rear end still isnt that great. I messed with severall different settings all weekend to try and make it work....no such luck. Finally though today as we were going out for our last ride, I tried 1 last setup and it worked out OK. The main problem was it still wanted to buck through the whoops n' such although it doesnt swap hardly at all like the stock '04 rear ends did. I would hit the sand whoops in 4th gear and just ride to the edge of falling off the whole way through. But I did make it through! I do think its better than the '04 rear end but not by much. Also though, I'm used to riding a dual-rate/ZPS setup rear shock w/ GT MX link.....heh, thats a big part of where my complaints are coming from. I will say this though, I was launching pretty well off a few dunes and the rear shock soaked up every bit of it even when I landed at the bottom of the dune so that impressed me.
I still dont like the e-start all that much but it does fire up better after you open it up and let it breathe (jetting). Even after a chilly night sitting outside, just flip the choke and it'd fire right up. Quite cold natured but good to go after its warmed up Only problems I had was when it would stall, then it would be a pain in the arse to start back up but nothing too bad. The front end is still pretty light when there is good traction but its better than the '04/'05s I believe after riding my friends '05 450Rs. Motor makes lots of noise as many have already stated, didnt have any problems with the bike all weekend and I rode the **** out of it to say the least.
Overall, I'm really happy with the bike. I will be putting a different rear end on it soon along with a full exhaust and the HRC kit. I will post pictures tomorrow.....stay tuned for more mods in the weeks to come!!!
Also would like to thank JH Racing and Honda of Stillwater for getting me my parts ASAP in time for the dune trip and for the TQRA vs. STQRA Lone Star Quad challenge next weeked at Swan MX in Tyler, Texas.....
Also like to thank my buddy Cameron (Honduh440) for helping me finish putting the front end together at the dunes.....