450r handling

[blakefoote]

who says the 450r ( IDK about the 04-05 ) handles like pure crap...man i had a sweet 400ex that was pretty crappy and i was racing and doin twice as good as i am doing now...I am trying to run nationals on the 450er and cant even compete andif I still had my 400ex i could prob run in the top 5...I am WAY slower in the turns now and I have all that is in my sig...am i the only one who thinks this???

[Clove450R]

Could be the power that you did not have on your EX give it a chance before you get to upset.

[BALZOUT ATV]

I couldn't be happier with the way my 06 handles, dead engine starts are a diff. story.

[450rJam]

they did make improvements from 05 to 06 in the handleing department but stock it still sits too high IMO.
I think the 400 could have a advantage in corners but power is
not compairable.
sounds like some suspension mods are in your future.

[red4r]

mines stock and i havnt really had any probs...it feel like its gonna roll sumtimes on flat turns but other than that its fine...i just lean of the sidess....i destroy on my 450r compared to my 400

[roundsy]

blakefoote, i know exactly where your coming from, i came from a 400ex before i purchased my 06 450er...my 400ex was realitively stock with just a pipe/jetting, and the first thing i noticed when i started riding my 450 hard after i got used to the power increase was that the handling on it stock has been dissapointing. i think my old 400ex handled better which is kinda annoying on hondas part but what can ya do...im just going to get some +2 ST a-arms and with revalved shocks

btw i dont want to be hated by saying this but i think my buddys 700 raptor handles better than my 450r (stock for stock)...hope i didnt start world war 3....lol but this is JMO

[blakefoote]

Originally posted by roundsy
blakefoote, i know exactly where your coming from, i came from a 400ex before i purchased my 06 450er...my 400ex was realitively stock with just a pipe/jetting, and the first thing i noticed when i started riding my 450 hard after i got used to the power increase was that the handling on it stock has been dissapointing. i think my old 400ex handled better which is kinda annoying on hondas part but what can ya do...im just going to get some +2 ST a-arms and with revalved shocks

btw i dont want to be hated by saying this but i think my buddys 700 raptor handles better than my 450r (stock for stock)...hope i didnt start world war 3....lol but this is JMO

yeah...i have the rebuilds and the +2s and i would suggest aftermarket shocks instead...they are good but not great....i would really really suggest a linkage!

Originally posted by roundsy
btw i dont want to be hated by saying this but i think my buddys 700 raptor handles better than my 450r

the raptor is like riding a cadillac everywhere and the 450r is like drving a porsche with racing suspension everywhere. if you like to just mess around and/or weigh over 400lbs then you might prefer it too

[450rJam]

I rode my friends 700 rappy and it handles as good (hate to say better than my 450r), its a little harder to toss around in the air
but its a little more weight.
the seat height is lower on the 700.
comming off my 250r I thought the 450 handled like a pontoon boat but as I learn the "4-stroke ways" its not that bad.
I am thinking the gt thunder revalve/rework of the stock shocks will give me what I want (it also drops the overall height 1")
I also have been told that the stock tires roll over too much, but at 3 psi it hooks up pretty good in the straights, after I wear the stockers out I will get some hole shots or something with a better ply.

[roundsy]

yea i shouldnt have been so general with the word handling, your right, the 450r is easier to toss around in the air compared to the rappy...but i will say this when it comes to cornering and trail riding through tricky trails the raptor out handles my r, although i think my old 400ex out handled the raptor and the r through the trails and even in the air...not suspension wise though

[bwilson624]

I have an '06 450er and I rode a raptor 700 last weekend. I don't know where yall are coming from saying that the raptor handles better. I thought it handled like a refridgerator on wheels. JMO, but I think with the derisi racing revalves, the 450 is not bad at all. I also came from a 400ex that was almost stock.

[jeepnrocks]

if you liked your 400ex "feel" look intoa corbin seat. THey are expensive at 250 bucks but they lower the ride height significantly...I think the picture shows a little over an inch lower but that is very conservative. Id say it was closer to 2 inches
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v322/jeepnrocks/tech/DSC02574.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v322/jeepnrocks/tech/DSC02564.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v322/jeepnrocks/tech/DSC02563.jpg

coming from a 400ex with elka fronts and gt thunder revlave and rear linkage, i was little disappointed in the feel of the r...it felt tall and tippy at first, but after 2 or 3 rides, it felt like home. the suspension is coming into me. it is getting broke in and time for me to adjust it. i thhnk the r handles better then the 400 now that i am used to it. although i cannot wait to get all 3 shocks revaled and lower the ride height by a few inches. the r(stock) sits at about 11" while the 400ex(aftermarket) is at 8".

i had the chance to ride a 700 a few weeks ago...the suspension was nice and soft compared to the r's stiffer racing suspension...it felt taller and way more tippier than the r does. if i were to choose, i would take the r again, but maybe put the raptors nice plush shocks on it...

[blakefoote]

Originally posted by speedyquad
coming from a 400ex with elka fronts and gt thunder revlave and rear linkage, i was little disappointed in the feel of the r...it felt tall and tippy at first, but after 2 or 3 rides, it felt like home. the suspension is coming into me. it is getting broke in and time for me to adjust it. i thhnk the r handles better then the 400 now that i am used to it. although i cannot wait to get all 3 shocks revaled and lower the ride height by a few inches. the r(stock) sits at about 11" while the 400ex(aftermarket) is at 8".

i had the chance to ride a 700 a few weeks ago...the suspension was nice and soft compared to the r's stiffer racing suspension...it felt taller and way more tippier than the r does. if i were to choose, i would take the r again, but maybe put the raptors nice plush shocks on it...

I had PEP triple rate linited mass front shox and astock back shock set up by Baker's Performance ATV (excellent suspension) and went to the rebulds all the way around on the 450r and axle and houser arms and it isnt half of the ole trusty 400ex...:ermm:

[MR.BIG]

I have an 04 450r and even when it was stock I thought it handled very well compared to my 400ex. The stock tires do roll alot in the corners but other than that I have no complaints at all!

[root]

I felt that I could slide through the corners on my 400ex better than the R, but I soon realized that the R requires more of a pivot like maneuver to rail through the turns. Both machines had 18 inch rear tires.