z or yfz?

[redgreen_parker]

i have a z400 and absolutely love the thing, but i have a friend with a yfz and it seems like everything on it is more advanced and better than the z. the one thing the z has that the yfz doesn't is the reverse gear. basicly what i want to know is what is better for gncc style racing, i have a whole course behind my house so thats about all i do. but i also ride the fields whan they are out. so for a place like this which bike is better? i'm not planning on a move soon, just looking toward the future is all and i do think that my next quad will be a yfz, but i could move sooner if there is much of a difference.

[honda6490]

YFZ would be slightly better for gncc style racing, a little bit lower front end, and a little more low end grunt. I would pick a z400 for best all around quad any day over the yfz, my friend has one and he only beats me by 4 lengths in a quarter mile drag. Reverse is always nice too.

[maxitout77]

I could never give up my reverse. I do mainly trail riding, so the better ground clearance and the reverse are a must.

[mojavedude]

look into the kfx450, its more of a gncc style bike and it has reverse

[redgreen_parker]

well, there are 2 problems with that. first, i dont have the money to dump in a brand new quad and second i've heard the front end wanders horribly on the kfx 450. the yfz is established and i really like them. today though a friend told me that i'd wind up working on a yfz all the time if i rode much, and that a 450r would be a much better choice. is this true?

[nicker71]

Nothing wrong with the Z, I would probably just keep it. If you want more speed just build the motor a little and put some shocks on it for better handling. My brother had one before his KFX 450 and it was really nice, not much slower than my YFZ, great woods bike and he wasnt scared to get some air with it. Sounds like your buddy has had some bad luck with his yfz. I wouldn't base your decision on his breakdowns.
just my $.02

[z40021]

If you do trail riding and field riding I would not go blow your money on a YFZ or especially a 450r. Yes the 450r is more reliable than the YFZ but the motor is weeker and the suspension is no match. But the extra money you would be putting into getting a 450 you could do some nice stuff to the Z like make the engine stronger and more reliable and better suspension. Plus you would still have rev. But in GNCC racing it is more rider than bike. So I would say keep the Z and build it up.

[07250ex]

Originally posted by honda6490
YFZ would be slightly better for gncc style racing, a little bit lower front end, and a little more low end grunt. I would pick a z400 for best all around quad any day over the yfz, my friend has one and he only beats me by 4 lengths in a quarter mile drag. Reverse is always nice too.

your probably better and a lighter rider then your friend a yfz would eat a 400 alive with equal riding skills ... you could subtract the power a z400 makes from the power a yfz makes and you'd still have 13 hp thats big ... thats like a 250ex pulling away from a suzuki lt160

[honda6490]

Im probably 30-50 pounds heavier than this guy, just a guess.

I wont deny the possibility of me being a better rider though lol

[honda6490]

Originally posted by redgreen_parker
well, there are 2 problems with that. first, i dont have the money to dump in a brand new quad and second i've heard the front end wanders horribly on the kfx 450. the yfz is established and i really like them. today though a friend told me that i'd wind up working on a yfz all the time if i rode much, and that a 450r would be a much better choice. is this true?

Doubt you would have to work on a yfz, 450r, or a Z, they are all reliable quads and everyone has to admit that no matter what they ride haha.

[07250ex]

Z's arent reliable 450r's only reliable stock or lighty modded, yfz more reliable then both when modded and equal to the 450r stock in reliability

[TheNewn]

I'd say stick with teh Z, i'm looking to pick one up myself. (If my friends brother decides to sell...)

I'm sure you'll be happy with whatever you get or decide to do, all of them are nice quads. I've ridden all 3 at least once, liked them all.

As far as Z's not being reliable like a previous poster said, I think they're not any less reliable than the 450's. Just maybe not as much so as a 400EX.

If i were you, i'd invest in a Z400. Reverse is a big selling point, IMO.

[redgreen_parker]

well, i have a friend with the yfz and another with the 450r. i've ridden both and like each of them. i just lean to the yfz because i woods ride in extremely tight conditions. just to give a little perspective my stock chassied z barely fits in several spots. the thing that really gets me is the simple fact that a yfz will stay planted when i'm racing friends on my course. right now the z wants to wheelie alot. it sits tall too which i do kind of like, but i'm looking at basicly gncc style races in my back yard....without coverage or money, but still plenty of fun. so i want something that will corner like its on rails and accelerate like a freight train. to me by the time you get the z to be that kind of competitive you might as well have gotten aither 450 for the money and been there with alot less money investedand better quads. anybody get what i'm sayin here?

[honda6490]

A. Freight Trains dont accelerate fast.
B. If you want something on rails but doesnt sit to high get a yfz.

lol

[redgreen_parker]

yeah i no freight trains dont accelerate fast....i kinda knew someone would point out my mistake. i want something that'll put my eyes back in their sockets so to speak.

[TheNewn]

...your eyes aren't aleady in their sockets?

[TWISTED DINLI]

id go w/ the YFZ.

[YFZ450Ridr]

Originally posted by 07250ex
Z's arent reliable 450r's only reliable stock or lighty modded, yfz more reliable then both when modded and equal to the 450r stock in reliability

:huh: :huh: where do you get your information from...i had an 03 z400 and currently my dad has an 04 z400 and they were/are incredibly reliable. heat or cold it always fired up... 450rs are pretty dam reliable quads, stock or modded :rolleyes: i have 3 buddies which all have cams, pipes, intake, and pistons and they are GREAT! years are 04,05, and 06 also. my yfz is pretty damn reliable too, if the battery would hold a charge that is. other than that its great.

anyway back on topic, last year i rode an 03 z400 with about the same mods my yfz has now and it was pretty decent. power was good, handling was decent, but the motor never gave me trouble and it always started. then i sold it for my current yfz450 and i couldnt be happier. handlingis wayyy better, shocks are like pillows vs pogo sticks, and the power is much more plentiful. it also sits much lower! my vote is for the yfz450! i ride mine 90% in the woods and its perfect for it, i dont miss reverse!:cool:

[Villageidiott83]

Yfz450r is right. i have no clue where you are getting your info but it sounds like an opinion. i have an 06 kfx and i have yet to break anything on it. the only thing i had to do was get the recall fixed and that was free. although my bike is last years model i weigh 240 lbs and i ride the piss outta that thing. dont get me wrong i change the oil and filter every 10 hrs and run semi synthetic. but i cant break it. ive rolled it jumped it drowned it anything you can think of. not one crack bend or tick has occured. my only thoughts get a new axle cuz you will tweak it eventually but what quad wont tweak an axle. unless the quad was put together wrong or had a faulty build you shouldnt have problems. basic maintenance and you should be fine on any bike. simple common sense.

[redgreen_parker]

Originally posted by YFZ450Ridr
:huh: :huh: where do you get your information from...i had an 03 z400 and currently my dad has an 04 z400 and they were/are incredibly reliable. heat or cold it always fired up... 450rs are pretty dam reliable quads, stock or modded :rolleyes: i have 3 buddies which all have cams, pipes, intake, and pistons and they are GREAT! years are 04,05, and 06 also. my yfz is pretty damn reliable too, if the battery would hold a charge that is. other than that its great.

anyway back on topic, last year i rode an 03 z400 with about the same mods my yfz has now and it was pretty decent. power was good, handling was decent, but the motor never gave me trouble and it always started. then i sold it for my current yfz450 and i couldnt be happier. handlingis wayyy better, shocks are like pillows vs pogo sticks, and the power is much more plentiful. it also sits much lower! my vote is for the yfz450! i ride mine 90% in the woods and its perfect for it, i dont miss reverse!:cool:

thats basicly what my friend says about his yfz. i've gotten to ride it a few times and i was very impressed. i was a little wary about the reverse, but he said that with any room at all you can lean over the bars and spin it around. and if not the thing is so dang light you can easily pick it up and move it in the direction you want to go. and the power and handling is so much better than the z that to me well, it's either get a 450 or build one out of the z.... but thats kinda expensive so i'm leaning more toward a 450

[LRD450R]

stick with the z gust thank before suzuki came out with the ltr450 the z hade to be used and they won to so dump the money into the motor

[TeamOMatic69]

definetly get a yfz, there is no question to that. You could pick up a used 2004 for like 3800 or less. And hands down they are the best atv for mx. You will be satisfyed with both bikes, but even more so if you get the yfz.

[LRD450R]

I don't thank TeamOMatic69 read he dont do mx he does gncc

[YFZ450Ridr]

Originally posted by LRD450R
I don't thank TeamOMatic69 read he dont do mx he does gncc

atleast he can put together a proper sentence, your last 2 posts in this thread are a little hard to follow..

[TeamOMatic69]

Originally posted by LRD450R
I don't thank TeamOMatic69 read he dont do mx he does gncc hahaha what in gods name did you just say?

[TheNewn]

A 2004 YFZ for 3800? Wow. One was just sold in town here (went through my dads hands briefly) for 2800. And it was like, mint.

Interesting.

[procircuit406ex]

Personally, I would go with a YFZ. They are a better all around bike and have more of a woods stance than a Z

Tyler

[Bender]

Myself I'm picking up a Z this week, I can't wait. I'd rather ride my 250r in the woods than the YFZ. I really do like the YFZ but for me the ergo's suck. I'm 6' 200 lbs. I feel like I'm sitting on top of the YFZ and my knees are to high up. I know I could probably get bars/stem and relocate the pegs, but why when there are so many good bikes for the woods, 400EX,Z400,even the 450R to name a few. I mean you're gonna like what you like.
Being comfortable for for riding all day in the woods is what I want.
I think most 400+ cc quads have plenty of power to ride fast in the woods, you can only go so fast in tight woods, at least for me in NH where going wide open is very rare occurance.
I thought my old 400EX was a great woods bike, and many times wished for reverse after being tired from getting it unstuck in the mud many times, it's nice to just back out sometimes.
Thats why I'm getting a Z, it's like my old 400EX, but better, there is a slew of aftermarket for it, it's well proven, it's alot of quad for the money. But just get something and enjoy it.
:)

[TeamOMatic69]

Originally posted by TheNewn
A 2004 YFZ for 3800? Wow. One was just sold in town here (went through my dads hands briefly) for 2800. And it was like, mint.

Interesting. ok i dont care, im just saying for a 450 you could pick one up for a little amount of money. Thats why i put 3800 or less, so u need to calm down. lol

[redgreen_parker]

yeah i no i could pick one up pretty cheap. and as it is a stock yfz is going to have more than my moded z. my mission is simple as is probably everyone else's get to the destination in the least amount of time with the most exciting ride possible.