Hello all! Honda Owner again!

[IHScoutguy]

hello everybody!
I had a 250EX in '01 and it was a good time, it made me relly appreciate the reliability and durability of a honda! it was stolen and after the insurance gave me the screwin i was out of atving for a while. i got into International Harvester trucks and LOVE 4 wheeling! well now that i have a good job i wanted a new quad. i hear alot of good things about the 450R but i remember how good my friend's 400EX was, i went to the dealer and took a look, i figure there's no replacement for displacement so i got a '07 450ER. I LOVE IT!i had fun on my 250 but this this is SICK! :eek2: but now i have a few questions!!


I'm not about doing 100 miles an hour on a quad, i mostly go on trails in the woods, i notice this quad's stubborn on the bottom end it likes being opened up. i must have stalled it 50 times! i'd like to gear it down a little but i don't know how much. i know i'd have to go smaller sprocket on front, bigger in the rear. what's the best setup you guy's have?and what would i have to replace the chain? i don't want smaller tires in the rear, i need the most ground clearance i can get, i have a PRM skid plate coming. i mostly ride pole lines, thick atv trails, and climb colmn dumps.

I plan on putting a K&N airfilter on it and a Pro Circuit headder and T-4 Silencer, are there any other things to help pep it up a little?i'm afraid to take the air box lid off incase i stumble upon a river crossing. :ermm:

and another question, when i lug it down it sounds like it's knocking... what's that all about? also if i'm crusing in any gear and i give it about 1/4 throttle i get a rattling noise, if i wack it or let off it goes away, should i take it back to the dealer to have it looked at?? :grr:


Thanks!!
-Jon :D

welcome to the forums

knocking is the nature of the beast

just ride it
ride it hard

Congratulations!!

The engine noise is normal.

[d3ktrix]

Originally posted by IHScoutguy

and another question, when i lug it down it sounds like it's knocking... what's that all about? also if i'm crusing in any gear and i give it about 1/4 throttle i get a rattling noise, if i wack it or let off it goes away, should i take it back to the dealer to have it looked at?? :grr:


It probably doesn't need to be looked at, but the 450r doesn't like to be lugged like other 4strokes.
Like you said it needs to be opened up a little more.
It will knock a lot easier then the other bikes you are probably used to riding.
If you stalled it so many times, most likely u are under revving it.

Once you put an exhaust on it, it will lug much better.


Originally posted by force
welcome to the forums

knocking is the nature of the beast

just ride it
ride it hard

The 450r do have a very loud top end. And the valves will sound louder then the stock exhaust.
But it still shouldn't knock.

Unless we can actually hear him ride, we can't tell if he's under revving it or it's the normal valve chatter.

[bloodmoney23]

just a quick inexpensive way to get the stalling out of the way, take the stock spark arrestor off. Just pull the muffler tip off and if it doesnt just come right out then cut it out. It opens it up and keeps it from stalling at slower speeds. You wont have to adjust jetting or anything for it. After you do that you may not even want to change the gearing.

[Fred55]

Looks good but I would look into a different exhaust, most Pro Circuit stuff for quads are interchangeable with the stock stuff, so the T4 will fit on the stock header and the PC header will work with the stock muffler, what that means is that the header could be huge up until the point where it would need to join with the stock muffler and same with the T4, it starts out as small as the stock header. I would look for a full system only exhaust so you dont run into this problem.

[IHScoutguy]

any advice on the gearing?

mainly i'd stall it when i'd have to slow down to go around a tree or something (under 3mph roughly, it'd knock then too) like i notice if i pull out on pavement i need to ride the clutch more then used to to keep it moving w/ out stalling, like no bottom end power (i'm use to the IH-v-8's making all their torque at 1200rpm! :rolleyes: )

i don't like removing the spark arrestor, kinda seems like a cheesy way to make it louder, cant be good for a brand new quad either.

i loved how the t-4 pipe and headder sounded and looked on my friends 400EX, i wonder if PC makes a full t-4 system? any other recommendations? i like the sleek smaller look of the t-4, i see some silencers that are as big as the stock muffler, which i think looks like poop! :p

Thanks
-Jon

i went with a full wb pro aluminum exhaust on my 06 450r and it made it much easier to lug around, still not like other four strokes...but more manageable...the other think people do is just go down one tooth( to a 12 tooth) front and leave the rear a lone...

[bloodmoney23]

Originally posted by IHScoutguy
any advice on the gearing?

mainly i'd stall it when i'd have to slow down to go around a tree or something (under 3mph roughly, it'd knock then too) like i notice if i pull out on pavement i need to ride the clutch more then used to to keep it moving w/ out stalling, like no bottom end power (i'm use to the IH-v-8's making all their torque at 1200rpm! :rolleyes: )

i don't like removing the spark arrestor, kinda seems like a cheesy way to make it louder, cant be good for a brand new quad either.

i loved how the t-4 pipe and headder sounded and looked on my friends 400EX, i wonder if PC makes a full t-4 system? any other recommendations? i like the sleek smaller look of the t-4, i see some silencers that are as big as the stock muffler, which i think looks like poop! :p

Thanks
-Jon

like i said, just try taking the stock spark arrestor out of exhaust. takes 5 min and will let the engine breath enuf that you wont stall. trust me on this one.

[NJ450rider]

Yeah these arent slow speed machines at all. I remember way back when i first got my 450R. I stalled everywhere lol. Going up hills in tight places and through the woods in tight places was a nightmare lol!!! You will get use to riding it. and yeah getting an exhaust system will help it breath a ton. Also a really good bang for your buck would be an HRC kit from honda.

as for gearing you can go down one tooth on the front sprocket. But on the 06 and up 450r's you shouldnt have to since honda changed the trans gearing. The 04/05 450rs are worse than yours is just imagine that.

[IHScoutguy]

ok i'll kick it down a tooth, a few of my buddy's w/ quads recommended taking it down 1 tooth. can i keep the stock chain, and what's a good company to go with?

i ran 1 tank of gas so far, i'll run another, change the oil then take out the SA and see how it feels.just the 3 bolts, slide out the piece, then put the tip back on?

what's the HRC kit run? what'll they whack me to install it?

-Jon

[d3ktrix]

Originally posted by IHScoutguy

i ran 1 tank of gas so far, i'll run another, change the oil then take out the SA and see how it feels.just the 3 bolts, slide out the piece, then put the tip back on?


Yup, if the 3 bolts don't want to come out, run the bike for a while to get the silencer hot and they will come out easier.
Your bikes brand new though so that shouldn't be a problem.


Originally posted by IHScoutguy

what's the HRC kit run? what'll they whack me to install it?


For the 07 it's a Cam, a header, jets, a connector for 1,000 more RPM and some other lil bs.
Cheapest place is probably ebay.
The 07 HRC kit comes with a real nice low end cam, so that will also help with the lugging. A long with the all around improved power making it harder to stall.

If u think u can, I'd recommend installing the kit your self. Its really ez if you've ever worked on any kind of engine.
A dealer will prolly charger you close to $300 to install it.
When I bought my bike, my dealer wanted $300 for the kit and $300 to install it. I laughed at them

I'd just start with going down 1 tooth on the front sprocket and see how u like it.
You shouldn't have to cut the chain for the 12t sprocket.
As for brand, really any steel sprocket should be fine. Anything but aluminum :P

[IHScoutguy]

i'll try the SA first, then the sprocket, then the HRC kit. when i get a silencer i'll be better off getting a full system instead of just the pipe, even w/ the HRC headder?

-Jon

[4ABURN]

My 2 cents I ride real tight woods

One tooth down on front
Turn up idle alittle
put in 45 pilot very lean from factory.
HRC header VERY good
Stock filter very good at keeping dirt out. (just buy Another and switch them back and forth.
Opional--- I drilled 3/8 holes around the outside of lid for more air but water will not land on filter about 20 of them.main jet 160 and CRF (bike) needle 4th pos and FMF Slip on and it run like a champ. Anyway have fun

PS some times that low speed rattle you here is the chain SLAPPING the chain buffer on the swing arm. next time you here it look down there.
:D :D

[d3ktrix]

If ur getting the HRC kit, just get a slip on exhaust to go with it the HRC header.
If not just buy a full system.

[IHScoutguy]

another question, i see on ALOT of 450R's the paint wears off the frame where you hold it w/ your legs, my friend said he saw a aluminum frame gaurd thing that protects that area, anybody have any idea? i RELLY REALLY love the red of the frame and want to keep it looking good!

-Jon

[d3ktrix]

Originally posted by IHScoutguy
another question, i see on ALOT of 450R's the paint wears off the frame where you hold it w/ your legs, my friend said he saw a aluminum frame gaurd thing that protects that area, anybody have any idea? i RELLY REALLY love the red of the frame and want to keep it looking good!

-Jon

I've seen alum ones, but I don't know who makes them.
Maier makes plastic ones though.
http://www.maier-mfg.com/shop.cfm?Product_ID=99093&page=details.cfm&cartaction=none&thisrow=39&action=list&criteria=101&startrow=31&mystartrow=31&maxrows=10&cat=&man=&stay=&afid=&searchcat_id=&itemprice=&searchfield=&searchman_id=&boolean=&var1=&var2=&var3=&makeid=10&modelid=180&modelyear=

[bloodmoney23]

well like D3 said, any steel sprocket will work fine. just drop it 1 tooth no more. if you want a good name brand i would say renthal or sunstar IMO. If you get the HRC kit then just get a slip on the header is actually better than a lot of aftermarket headers. And i see those alluminum shields to protect the paint on ebay every now and then. I think ATV Galaxy has them (ebay store) If you really like the color, once it starts wearing out just get the frame PC'd that color. Nobody knows yet why they dont PC from factory knowing what they are going to be doing but hey they gotta make a penny somehow. Enjoy the bike. Oh yeah and the guy that said 04/05's are worse......i really dont know what hes talking about cause ive trail ridden mine since the day I bought it and until my rebuild had nothing done but the spark arrestor out. I would maybe stall out once a day if that. I still trail ride and have a full blown MX quad and dont have problems.

[d3ktrix]

Originally posted by bloodmoney23
Oh yeah and the guy that said 04/05's are worse......i really dont know what hes talking about cause ive trail ridden mine since the day I bought it and until my rebuild had nothing done but the spark arrestor out. I would maybe stall out once a day if that. I still trail ride and have a full blown MX quad and dont have problems.

I agree with you. I think the 04/05's can be driven at a lower RPM when put'in around slow.
When ever I hop on my friends 07 I have to give it a lot more gas to get it going and keep it rev'ed up more trough the gears.

I never really have any problem with either year bike stalling though. Just a different style.

[IHScoutguy]

Originally posted by d3ktrix
I've seen alum ones, but I don't know who makes them.
Maier makes plastic ones though.
http://www.maier-mfg.com/shop.cfm?Product_ID=99093&page=details.cfm&cartaction=none&thisrow=39&action=list&criteria=101&startrow=31&mystartrow=31&maxrows=10&cat=&man=&stay=&afid=&searchcat_id=&itemprice=&searchfield=&searchman_id=&boolean=&var1=&var2=&var3=&makeid=10&modelid=180&modelyear=

sweet! alum. or plastic, doesn't matter, it's not going to take a hit like askidplate, i just want to protect the paint! :D

THANKS!!
-Jon

[Benjithx]

HRC kit is worth its weight in gold

Sidewinder Sprockets are great. drop a tooth in the front

Go to http://www.proarmor.com/ and buy some protection for that bad boy. Creek crossing and areas with rocks can end your fun quick.

Look into Dasa Exhausts. they are one of the top rated on this site for performance and would look great on that bike!

Enjoy!