should i or should i not get a 450r ? ? ?

[hotrodhonda400]

:confused: I'm on the fence right now on getting an 07 450er it is the limited edition model and looks to be in very good condition... my question is that I have 400ex that does me very well but i long for the 450's power. I ride 90% in the woods and for me the ex has been very good at this . will the R keep me happy or will i want the EX back. what are your experiences with the R in the woods. Second is the 07 a solid machine I have had not one hiccup out of my EX and want the same reliability can I expect that or close to it? Last wht suhould I look to pay for an 07 the one i've found is 3950 and is all stock thanks for your replies....:D

[d3ktrix]

If the woods/trails you ride are tight and slow where you are lugging around a lot using the low end of the gears keep the EX.
If you ride fast wide open trails / power lines / dirt roads then go for the R.

The Rs engine is not meant for slow lugging type of riding, it needs to be opened up.
Especially the 06+ engines, with the shorter stroke it needs to be kept at higher RPM.

[HondaRaceReady]

I wouldn't want to ride my 08 through the woods. But, where I live, there aren't really any trails in the woods either. So I have to run over logs and knock down small trees and stuff like that. 450r's are terrible for tight woods like that. I wouldn't get an ER either. It won't start as good as your EX. I don't know if your EX has reverse or not, but the 450r doesnt.

can you run at 90% throttle for 98% of the time? if so, then get a 450r. if you have some tight trails with lots of obstacles that you have to finesse over instead of hitting them at full throttle, then stick with the 400ex. there is a lot of clutch work involved with riding a 450r in woods that are tight. it becomes more work than fun. reason number one why i went back to a 400ex.

do you mind adjusting the valves(much more involved than the 400ex) every 20 hours or so to keep the dang thing starting somewhat good when it is hot, then get the 450r. do you mind changing oil every few rides. do you like to go over every little thing on it to make sure it is ready to go for the next ride or would you rather just wash it and put it away? if you don't mind spending nearly as much time wrenching on it as you do riding it, then get the 450r. if you would rather ride and not worry about what is going to need replaced, then stick with the 400ex. reason number 2 i went back to a 400ex.

do you like to sit on the trail while watching your buddies ride away because your 450er won't start? or would you rather know that when you push the magic button, the bike will fire right up? if you don't mind waiting a few minutes, get the er, if you would rather go right away, stick with the ex. reason number 3 i went back to a 400ex.

in the 2 years that i had my 450er that i bought brand new in february of 2006, i spent more on it, to keep it running, than had in the 5 years that i had my 2000 400ex. reason number 4 that i went back to a 400ex

i spent more on the 450r to get as comfortable on it as i was on my 400ex. the shocks were too stiff and the ride height was too high. that took about 800 or so in suspension mods to get where i liked it. even though i ran 450r bars on my 400ex, the stock 450r bars were not comfortable for me on the 450r. i needed to upgrade to some trail tech x-bars and a trail tech clamp to feel comfortable. another $130 spent to get me to where i was at with the 400ex. reason number 5 that i went back to a 400ex.

if you get this bike...make sure the starter recall/bulletin was performed on it as it replaces about $300 worth of bad starter parts for free. of course the bulletin expired around septemberish and chances are you will not be able to have it done now if it had not been performed. and it needs done if it weren't. the bulletin didn't help it start easier, it just made it harder for the starter to break.

[scuzz]

Get a 700xx if you want an ultimate trail machine.

[quad2xtreme]

a nearly new 2007 450es just sold for $3,500 in Raleigh but I don't see them this cheap often.

400ex is easier to ride in tight situation as the 450r is more prone to stalling. Lower front sprocket helps on the 450r though and sticking with 20" tires. Getting rid of the stock skidplate and installing a rock ring to protect the rear sprocket and a 1/2 skid plate from Lonestar helped too.

You will need to grind your steering stem stops down to get the 450r to turn in tight situations. I even have 2005 hubs and spindles on my wife's 2008 450r with Houser a-arms (also made for the 2005 model year). She likes the 450r over the 400ex and we ride in the mountains of Kentucky and WV all the time. Honestly, I don't know how she controls it. It doesn't like to be lugged...yet she doesn't burn out clutches either.

The 400ex is cheaper to maintain as noted in other posts.

We run heated handgrips too (the style that goes underneath your regular handgrips). The 450r puts out more electrical power. I can kill the 400ex battery after a day of riding.

I've been considering a 450r myself but realize the 400ex is probably the better choice and it allows me to focus my spending on the 450r for the mx track (which isn't cheap by any standards).

/Jon

/Jon

[CR500rider]

Originally posted by speedyquad
can you run at 90% throttle for 98% of the time? if so, then get a 450r. if you have some tight trails with lots of obstacles that you have to finesse over instead of hitting them at full throttle, then stick with the 400ex. there is a lot of clutch work involved with riding a 450r in woods that are tight. it becomes more work than fun. reason number one why i went back to a 400ex.

do you mind adjusting the valves(much more involved than the 400ex) every 20 hours or so to keep the dang thing starting somewhat good when it is hot, then get the 450r. do you mind changing oil every few rides. do you like to go over every little thing on it to make sure it is ready to go for the next ride or would you rather just wash it and put it away? if you don't mind spending nearly as much time wrenching on it as you do riding it, then get the 450r. if you would rather ride and not worry about what is going to need replaced, then stick with the 400ex. reason number 2 i went back to a 400ex.

do you like to sit on the trail while watching your buddies ride away because your 450er won't start? or would you rather know that when you push the magic button, the bike will fire right up? if you don't mind waiting a few minutes, get the er, if you would rather go right away, stick with the ex. reason number 3 i went back to a 400ex.

in the 2 years that i had my 450er that i bought brand new in february of 2006, i spent more on it, to keep it running, than had in the 5 years that i had my 2000 400ex. reason number 4 that i went back to a 400ex

i spent more on the 450r to get as comfortable on it as i was on my 400ex. the shocks were too stiff and the ride height was too high. that took about 800 or so in suspension mods to get where i liked it. even though i ran 450r bars on my 400ex, the stock 450r bars were not comfortable for me on the 450r. i needed to upgrade to some trail tech x-bars and a trail tech clamp to feel comfortable. another $130 spent to get me to where i was at with the 400ex. reason number 5 that i went back to a 400ex.

if you get this bike...make sure the starter recall/bulletin was performed on it as it replaces about $300 worth of bad starter parts for free. of course the bulletin expired around septemberish and chances are you will not be able to have it done now if it had not been performed. and it needs done if it weren't. the bulletin didn't help it start easier, it just made it harder for the starter to break.

Wow you must have gotten a real lemmon, or you just like to complain a lot.

no, money was spent to get it to start after it was warm like it should...nothing worked...i tried a carb with a hot start...the fcr carbs aren't cheap, even used ones...valve shim kits are not cheap for all you get either...and when the nearest dealer is a 40 minute drive, you just don't wanna be driving there trading shims all the time

i tried a rekluse to make it more rideable, that was a no go and i ended up needing a new clutch pack because of it...although i did like the rekluse...the clutch pack alone cost more than i ever spent on the ex

why is it complaining when i am conveying my experiences?

[d3ktrix]

Originally posted by CR500rider
Wow you must have gotten a real lemmon, or you just like to complain a lot.

Agreed

90% throttle 98% of the time, common :P

yes, to ride them, you have to keep the rpms up...or the clutch in. you cannot lug this atv around like a 400ex.

all the "downtime" i had was trying to get the bike trail ready. to me, trail ready means it will fire when i want it to, not five minutes after every one else is down the trail. i am not the only person that had this issue. lonestar_r is one. he got rid of his 450r for the same reason. there are many of us out there. i spent 2 years and more money than i should have had to to get the 450r where i expect a brand new quad should be. and i still wasn't happy because it still wasn't a reliable starter. i had reached my wits end with it and traded it. the guy that i traded with has made the dew remaining mods to it to get it to start better. i was done with it. i had had enough. another thing where it fits him is that he uses it for what it was meant for...racing...he don't do the family rides, he don't wanna putt(not necessarily full throttle) around every now and then, he goes ball to the wall all the time with it. i didn't. i was on the clutch more than i was on the throttle. i am not saying that a person can't be happy with a 450r. if i rode in the desert, or raced, the 450r would be the bike for me.

listen, he asked a question. basically he wanted to know if he would be happy on a 450r. i told him why i wasn't happy. but then again maybe i am lying because i don't want any one else to own a 450r. i can't think of a reason why i would want to do that, but you guys, essentially, are eluding to that.

i want him to make an informed decision. had i known what i posted before i bought the 450r, my wife would have a had a new 400ex instead of me getting a 450r and her getting my old 400ex.

i am not saying that there are not positives to it. for me the negatives far outweighed the positives. everyone knows the positives to them, but not every one knows the negatives. like i said...had i known what i know now, i would not have purchased a 450r and my wife would have a nice 400ex right now.

[bama06300ex]

Originally posted by CR500rider
Wow you must have gotten a real lemmon, or you just like to complain a lot.

Yeah, this is the 3rd time I've seen him get on the R forum just to talk about the very few negatives of the 450R. I could say, "do you like getting smoked by all your friends on their bikes? Do you like having to yank the handlebars to pop up the front end, instead of rolling in the gas? Do you like having to literally hop on one foot and smack a kitten with your right hand to get you're bike to start? If so... get the EX."

EX owners: I love the 400, so dont get pissy. Just tryin to prove a point. Honestly, we all know, in certain cases those aren't valid points. Just sayin, anybody can say anything on here, doesn't mean you should believe it.

ok, i am lying. i loved my 450r. it always started on the first push of the magic button. it never stalled on me because i could not keep the rpms up. i didn't spend $$$ suspension, handlebars, a carb with a hotstart, or anything else to make it more to where i was comfortable. i didn't give it a year before i did suspension mods. i didn't trade it for a 400ex. i am not happier on my a 400ex than i am on a 450r. thank you bama06300ex for setting me straight. i was living in a world of make believe.

now, why i the hell would i make any of that up...if you have seen me post 2 other times, then you know i keep tossing out the same issues. i can keep up with anyone on a 450r of equal skill to me while on my 400ex. as long as there are not any long open stretches, and then when it tightens back up, i have caught up. i am sure some of you guys that RACE and are always going as fast as possible are happy, but not all people who buy these machines are into that. those people deserve to know that the 450r may not be the best choice for them for the reasons i have stated.

none of my friends smoke me. i will say that since my current 400ex has an 1.25" longer swingarm and a gt thunder linkage/revalve, it is much harder to get the front end up. it just wants to squat and push forward. i would rather have that than the front end coming up all the time. and maybe if all i had to do was hop on one foot and smack a kitten to get the 450r to start, i might still have it. it really sucked when i was still sitting there trying to push the button, while hearing every one ripping down the trail.

all of you people that say i am blowing smoke, tell the truth, the 450r does not like to be lugged and would not do well in tight, obstacle laden trails and it does take more maintenance than a 400ex.


don't get mad because i am just letting people know the negatives of the 450r. there are negatives and anybody looking to buy one should know about them.


why can't i be on an "r" forum? because i don't have an "r" any more. i can post anything i want anywhere i want. there are no rules preventing me form doing so. i have 2 years of experience with a 450r. you have less than 6 months. i have been riding for 27 years now, how long have you been riding? i think i know what i like adn what i don't like. i think i know what i am willing to put with and when the negatives out weigh the positives.

now bama...ya called me out...now it is my turn...so far you have had a "disappearing oil" thread. you bought your 450r in june(6-25) and now you are trying to sell it already, and you broke the steering stem. why all the issues? why are you selling? what's the deal?

i am not saying the 450r is bad bike. given the right conditions, i would have another one again. but if this guy is in the same boat as me with the riding style, then why lead him into something he is not going to be happy with?

[bama06300ex]

First of all, I'm not trying to start a damn contest. I really have better things to do. I'm just pointing out that numerous times you have come just to bash the R's. Just give the points and move on. Its the way you put it man, not exactly what you say, but how you say it.


Did you not see where I said," In certain cases, those aren't valid points. Just sayin, anybody can say anything on here, doesn't mean you should believe it." I have been beat by 400's before, they are a great bike. And I would think that anyone that has any quad at any given point and time would have at least one GOOD thing to say about it. Look dude, maybe you got a lemon and not one single thing operated like it was suppossed to. I dont know and dont care. But the way you talk, it almost seems like you have a grudge against the quad itself.


You go boy! Put that foot down!:macho You can be on whatever forum you want. And I'm sure not gonna stop you. I would just rather you not come for the sole purpose to point out the negative things about the bikes that we own. But I guess I cant stop you from doing that either.

Who said I was trying to sell my 450? Maybe you're confusing it for the 300EX I'm trying to sell, since they are so easily confused. And yes, a broke steering stem, I bet you think you're stock 400 stem would take a end over end roll down a 29' hill? And you're bike probably would of been able to eject me off to the side and onto a mountain of pillows?

I'm not here to argue, just inform others when I can, but mostly learn. The things you say arent helping anybody. I guarantee that if you said nothing, the same exact points would get brought up, but put better.

You can write back and try to start stuff but I have work and other better things to do. It's gonna do you no good to try and keep this going. Waste you're time if you want. Its been a real blast.

no, i have a grudge against people trying to tell me i don't know what i am talking about. someone asks for an opinion of the 450r and i give my experiences with it. next thing i know, every body and their brother that think the 450r is the best thing since sliced bread decides to tell me i have a lemon. well, then there are a lot of lemons out there because there a re a lot of people that have a hard time starting the er's. you can search it here and one other specific site...it is a design flaw from honda in the starter somewhere. i am not sure what it is, but there seem to be no sure fire way to get it to start right. if it don't start right away after it is warmed up, it is not trail ready and there fore needs worked on before the next ride.

i say what i didn't like about it. i could easily say it had gobs of power over the 400ex, but to be honest, the difference wasn't mind blowing. it was more powerful and the hrc cam made a heck of a difference after i had that installed, but it still wasn't oh my god powerful.

i don't come on to bash the 450r. i come on saying what i wish someone had had the balls to say before i lost a lot of of money in buying a 450r. i read what people like you had to say. i say none of what people like me had to say. couldn't find it anywhere, that is until after i had my 450r. boy do i wish someone had the gumption to post what i have. i would not have bought the 450r because i would have known it was not the bike for me. the sad thing is is that my friend bought one about 4 months ahead of me, unfortunately, it was winter and he only rode it 2 or 3 times before i bought mine. he has since sold it for the exact same reasons that i have. he is back on a 400ex now too. he had a ltr450 in between.

i am just trying to let people know that they aren't without their issues. people don't like that i say they have issues and try to make mine seem like a one of a kind basket case when it is a not.

you didn't like it when i put words in your mouth and twisted around what you say don't call me a liar by saying i "can anything on here, doesn't mean you should believe it"

you are happy with your 450r, good for you. i haven't missed mine once since i made the trade. now the o.p knows some of the negatives of the 450r. if he wants to verify, he can pm lonestar_r to see his thoughts on the 450r.

i am sorry to the 450r lovers that i found fault with the bike. i wish i had the few grand back that i lost on it. both in trying to make it right and the loss i took in getting rid of it. oh well, hindsight is always 20/20.

[MX#9]

I think speedy is pretty accurate with his assessment of the 450r.

It is better suited to aggressive riding. It don't like to be tractored around.

I do disagree with the power output. The raw acceleration over a 400ex is night and day and the brakes are way superior.

I can go faster on a 450.....but i have to waste more energy to do it. they do wear me out quicker.
I'm also more comforable on a 400ex.....but i do enjoy the power difference.

I'm likely going to move to a 700xx.....I think it suits my current riding style better than a 450r(i do like to slow down and take a break once in a while) and I'm getting too fat for a 400ex!

[CR500rider]

I have an 04 450 kicker and I dont understand what speedyquad is talking about. Mine starts first kick hot or cold and i have never had to mess with the valves to get it to do so. I seriously think he bought a lemmon. Maybe the person at the factory whos job it was to put the valve shims in was thinking of pu$$y instead of thinking about putting the right shims in? I dunno? lol.

I bought my 450 in late May of this year and i think I have stalled the engine maybe 3 or 4 times but it was only because it was the first quad i had ever ridden and i was trying to get used to a new machine and clutch. I can litterally lug this thing all day if i want, i go over logs and stumps and run over small trees all the time. Sometimes i just make my own trail and the machine feels right at home doing so. I have never felt that the machine needed more bottom end power, sure it doesnt like to do much at 900rpms but if you wanna go that slow maybe you should look into buying a utillity quad that has a low range.

I owned a CR500 before this and for me to say that this quad starts easy, has good low end and i can tractor it all day is actually saying a lot if you think about it, especially when i am talking about something that has close to twice the power and half the weight. My CR had pretty much the same power delivery just a lot more of it and maybe just a hair less bottom end. It was also a one kick machine just like all the other hondas i have owned.

[represent618]

I have owned a lot of bikes, and now own a 07 450ER.

The only issue I have had is a defective battery...about 30 hours on it now.

I do think speedyquad had a lemon, though they are higher maintenance than a 450r, we all know that when we buy one....I hope.

I have owned a cannondale and had no problems with it that were not caused by my "modding went wrong" lol. look at the issues that everyone has with them.

Speedyquad, you are a little bit snippy when everyone does not agree with your horrible experience, you may not realize that bro, but it is true. You have also offered me some good info, so I know you are a good dude that had a horrible experience. That isn`t your fault.

the starting issue is with the er's!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


i snippy because people are trying to say that i didn't really have these issues. i had the issues. i experienced it, i am no the only one that has these issues and i don't recall any of you guys being there while i was trouble shooting a starting issue for 2 years.

i am also not saying that you can't get over logs and other stuff slowly, you just need much more clutch finesse that ends up being more work than fun. i didn't stall it a lot, but i knew it had the potential to stall easily.

essentially all of my maintenance issues are because the damn bike would not start when hot. it fired up right away when cold, but get the motor warm and you may be sitting for 5 minutes, you may be sitting for 10 minutes, or it may fire right away. again, this is an issue with the er's and is really an engineering flaw.

i did have a bad battery to start with also. the dealership drove it into my truck, i brought it home and for the next hour or so, i was changing a few things out. i went to start it up and the battery was dead. put it on a charger over night as per the dealerships advice, and still had a dead battery in the morning. i took the battery back to the dealership and they tested my battery and 4 other ones they had there. none held the amperage that they were supposed to. one held just below it and i was given that battery. as long as i kept that one on a maintenance charger it was fine. it lasted 2 years and then i replaced in the quest to fix the starting issue.

i don't think that i had a lemon. everything else on the bike was good, it just wouldn't start with the magic button. the kicker version of these bikes didn't have the problem, just the er's. any time during the 2 years that i owned it, it was "trail ready" except for the starting issue. it had come down to where i was taking my wife's 400ex over the 450r because i knew it would start reliably once out on the trail.

shortly before i traded it, i had the decompression setting changed it that helped it start a lot better. i was actually excited about having a reliable starting bike and then some "user error" issues popped up. in a way, these were a last straw that i haven't mentioned at all. i had a tether go bad on me on one ride and a the after market fuel screw fall out on another ride. i fixed those issues and took it for one more ride with my father in law and one of his co-workers. they both have utes and i because i always bring up the rear, i was on the clutch more than the bike should have been put through. we got on it, there was some fast riding, but i never got out of first except for a few occasions and when we hit the fire roads or legal back roads where i could open it up a little more. even if i had been in the lead, the trails were not condusive to wide open riding past 2nd gear. i began my search for a 400ex after that ride.

[represent618]

bro, I wasn`t making a jab at you, at all.

look at your post in the 450R section, most all if them you are completely making them out to be the worst bikes on the planet. maybe you don`t realize that you are just posting up extremely bias crap, but you are.

like I said, I know you have responded to post of mine with good info, so I don`t mean to trash-talk against you at all, seriously, you just go overboard with your anti-450R vision.Look at a quote you made

"can you run at 90% throttle for 98% of the time? if so, then get a 450r."

dude, I lug mine around a LOT, I ride 1/8 throttle in 1st & 2nd gear for miles, no issue at all, I am capable of running the balls off of it until the crank pukes too, but I don`t.

what I am getting at is you are a little overboard to say the least. I agree with you on some issues, but dude, who runs 90% throttle for 98% of the time? - that is ridiculous and you know it.

[MX#9]

I had an 04 450 and now i have an 06 with HRC kit.

There is a huge difference between the 04 stock and the 06 with the HRC.
My 04 was easier to lug than my 06......but even it was prone to stalling more than my previous 3 400ex's.

My 04 started easier than my 06....one kick compared to 2-4.

A 400ex is more user friendly in tight situations....ie: rock gardens,logs,tight rooty and rutted areas.

In my experience,I was able to make myself comfortable on a 400ex with just a set of the cheapest Works shocks on the front.

Both of my 450's had the GT Thunder revalve,respring,and link......and they were a lot better than stock.....but far from perfect. I lived with them and still had fun.

They are just two different animals.

bias or not, it is my view based on my experiences. your experiences are different and you don't hear me call that bias crap either do i? no, because it is your experiences. you people seem to think i am saying that the 450r is the worst bike out there. i am not. i would take that over any other 450r(well maybe not a ktm...and i can't believe i just said that) any day of the week.

mine simply would not lug around at all. it was much better after i put a full white bros aluminum pro exhaust, twin air air filter, and jetted it, but it still was work to ride.

maybe 90% throttle 98% of the time is not perfectly accurate, but it gets the point across. statements like that aren't made to be taken 100 percent literal, they are made for emphasis. anything less than 60-705 and i was feathering the clutch.

one thing i didn't mention because it really is no big deal and was a cheap, easy fix was the low end bog of the fcr. a simple 5 dollar or so leak jet change and it went away. not really an issue, but it still should not come from the factory that way.

and again, put in plain english. i am not getting snippy because people don't agree with me, i get snippy because people say i am not being truthful about what i went through as an owner of a 2006 trx450er6.

obviously, it was enough to make me trade it for a 2000 416ex with a some good mods and some cash, essentially taking a loss in the trade. i gave it over 2 years to try to make it into what i wanted and it never happened. yes i miss the power it had, but i don't miss the fact that i might have to wait for it to start. i don't miss the added routine maintenance.

i am sorry that i don't share everyone's opinion of the 450er, but just because i differ from everyone doesn't mean i am making up the problems that i had with it.

so as long as everyone keeps telling me i don't know what i am talking about or that i am exaggerating my experiences, i will defend my position on the 450r as it is what i experienced and have sen other experience first hand.

as far as the power difference between the two goes, yes, the 450r has much more, but it really isn't a jaw dropping difference. after i put the hrc cam in, i feel that that hrc cam should be the stock cam and then the difference is greater...

[WilRideAnything]

I agree with the ERs starting like crap. I also agree with the the valve issue. If you ride hard you have to constantly adjust them. I've done 2 valve jobs on mine since new in 04. I also have to constantly keep an eye on the valve clearnace. My 04 starts right up as long as my valves are adjusted properly. I have friends with Z400s and YFZs that never have to worry about that. With that being said I still love my 450R. I've never owned a 400EX. I went from a 250R to the 450R.

[gcart2]

Originally posted by d3ktrix
Agreed

90% throttle 98% of the time, common :P i dont even do that in mx:huh

[fastredrider44]

Ya'll are just going to confuse the guy.

IN MY OPINION... The 400EX is a GREAT BIKE!!! The 450R is an AWESOME BIKE!!! 450s require a lot more maintenance than the 400. They're aren't as reliable as a 400. They have a lot more power than a 400. They are clearly meant to be ridden faster than a 400.

If all I was doing was playing around the yard and leisure trail rides, I would go back to a 400.

I like to go fast, I have a 450. No complaints, I'm not going back to a 400 anytime soon. I don't mind working on my wheelers to keep them going strong.

[hotrodhonda400]

:) Thanks for all the replies I think I'm still gonna look at the R this week I still haven't made up my mind.... I do ride pretty hard 80% of the time and even in the woods. I tend to ride the EX in 3rd and 4th alot at it's peak so i can get the front end up if needed I have to. The 400 IS a GREAT bike and has served me well the only worry is the damn starter on the 450. I do'nt want to have the thing crap out on me in the middle of no where so that is my only concern. I don't mind changing oil or filters and I will have to learn the 450r valve adjustmnet procedure ( is it that hard and do they need it THAT often?) I'll let you know what i do and post pics if I get the thing thanks again .... anyone else have anything to add fire away !!!
:D

[Eastcoast08]

I KNOW!!! Just put the 450 motor in you 400 chassis!!!! That will solve everything!!! AHAHA

[5W0P3]

Originally posted by scuzz
Get a 700xx if you want an ultimate trail machine.

+1 for the 700xx :D

[fox945]

Well as a fellow 450r owner, I love it. I also use it for trail riding. I don't do any type of racing other than with my own friends in some straight aways.

If you want to ride a R on trails and to make your life a lot easier, drop a tooth in the front and maybe go up one in the rear, JMO. I just dropped a tooth in the front and put a full FMF exhaust, jetted it(stage 2), and K&N(with pre-filter :) ) and it does great even in tight trails. Mine is an 05'. Never done any big maintenance work but it doesn't need it. I do the necessary oil change, changing spark plugs, and little stuff like that. Think it is starting to need a valve adjustment cause it is getting a little harder to start but for almost 4 years old it and it hasn't let me down yet.

I will say though... If you don't like riding hard than its definitely not a quad for you. Because you can't just putt around on it, but for me that is good because I love to ride fast and hard, kinda the reason I'm about to put a stage 1 HC in it... MORE POWER....

Hopefully this helped you out some. Just my two cents.

[WoodsRacer16]

YES SPEEDYQUAD KNOWS WHAT HE IS TALKING.DONT GET A 450 UNLESS YOUR GOING TO BE RACING EVERY WEEKEND.I SAY GET THE 07+ YFZ. I HAVE HAD LESS PROBLEMS WITH IT THEN MY 450R THAT I SOLD.I RACE GNCC IN C AND B CLASSES SO ONLY IF YOUR GOING TO RACE GET A 450 BUT IF U DO GET A 450 NO MATTER WHAT U WILL WORK ON IT MORE THEN U RIDE IT.I SAY GET A Z400 BEST BIKE I EVER HAD...................:cool: THATS WHAT I KNOW HOES

[86250rrider]

i have an 05 and i run the rekluse pro and i ride tight stuff alot.you wont need to change gearing at all because of no stalling.its the best of both worlds if you ask me. tons of snot down low without stalling and strong power and speed to boot !the rekluse makes it a better all-around mount imo. dont settle for less!:D

[Brauap]

Originally posted by 86250rrider
i have an 05 and i run the rekluse pro and i ride tight stuff alot.you wont need to change gearing at all because of no stalling.its the best of both worlds if you ask me. tons of snot down low without stalling and strong power and speed to boot !the rekluse makes it a better all-around mount imo. dont settle for less!:D

I am sorry for brining up an old thread but I really want to ask this question.. what exactly does the rekluse clutch do? I have read the ads in RMATV and Dennis Kirk catalogs but it really never makes much since.. please explain?

[400ex07]

why cant you just search it for yourself? Is it that hard to google "rekluse clutch" The rekluse website tells you all about it.

[stoopidbot]

Originally posted by speedyquad
can you run at 90% throttle for 98% of the time? if so, then get a 450r. if you have some tight trails with lots of obstacles that you have to finesse over instead of hitting them at full throttle, then stick with the 400ex. there is a lot of clutch work involved with riding a 450r in woods that are tight. it becomes more work than fun. reason number one why i went back to a 400ex.

do you mind adjusting the valves(much more involved than the 400ex) every 20 hours or so to keep the dang thing starting somewhat good when it is hot, then get the 450r. do you mind changing oil every few rides. do you like to go over every little thing on it to make sure it is ready to go for the next ride or would you rather just wash it and put it away? if you don't mind spending nearly as much time wrenching on it as you do riding it, then get the 450r. if you would rather ride and not worry about what is going to need replaced, then stick with the 400ex. reason number 2 i went back to a 400ex.

do you like to sit on the trail while watching your buddies ride away because your 450er won't start? or would you rather know that when you push the magic button, the bike will fire right up? if you don't mind waiting a few minutes, get the er, if you would rather go right away, stick with the ex. reason number 3 i went back to a 400ex.

in the 2 years that i had my 450er that i bought brand new in february of 2006, i spent more on it, to keep it running, than had in the 5 years that i had my 2000 400ex. reason number 4 that i went back to a 400ex

i spent more on the 450r to get as comfortable on it as i was on my 400ex. the shocks were too stiff and the ride height was too high. that took about 800 or so in suspension mods to get where i liked it. even though i ran 450r bars on my 400ex, the stock 450r bars were not comfortable for me on the 450r. i needed to upgrade to some trail tech x-bars and a trail tech clamp to feel comfortable. another $130 spent to get me to where i was at with the 400ex. reason number 5 that i went back to a 400ex.

if you get this bike...make sure the starter recall/bulletin was performed on it as it replaces about $300 worth of bad starter parts for free. of course the bulletin expired around septemberish and chances are you will not be able to have it done now if it had not been performed. and it needs done if it weren't. the bulletin didn't help it start easier, it just made it harder for the starter to break. I have never seen any of these problems you speak of. I think you just like to type a whole bunch of nonsense. You think big post make you look smart. Get some correct info before you try to school people on stuff.

[250x_kyle]

Originally posted by stoopidbot
I have never seen any of these problems you speak of. I think you just like to type a whole bunch of nonsense. You think big post make you look smart. Get some correct info before you try to school people on stuff.

considering it wouldnt start in the back room of the dealer after he traded it in. i will believe every word he says.

[stoopidbot]

Originally posted by 250x_kyle
considering it wouldnt start in the back room of the dealer after he traded it in. i will believe every word he says. Like everyone else said, he must of had a lemon!

[250x_kyle]

ive heard of numberous people having problems with there er not starting but not a continuing problem.

Originally posted by stoopidbot
I have never seen any of these problems you speak of. I think you just like to type a whole bunch of nonsense. You think big post make you look smart. Get some correct info before you try to school people on stuff.


think what you want...but i know i am the one that dealt with this problem for over 2 years...it is a real issue...look around you'll find others with the same problem...pm lonestar_r and ask him why he got rid of his 06 450r...

and to be honest, i don't care about my post count...i don't even know what it is at right now...(by the way this part is an add on in an edit, if i cared, it would have been a second post...but hey believe what ya wanna believe )

i'm so curious about the 450's and what it would be like if I were on one? if i'm whoopin a** on a 400ex with simple mods then with more power I should be killin the competition right? I really do wonder though how much faster I would be on a 450. I hate the YFZ450 I need to own a TRX450 and see how that goes but I dont want to sell the 400ex until I ride the TRX450 around and make my judgement. I'm getting to the point were suspension is my main focus I have the money in hand to get all 3 shocks revalved, resprung, link, high flow pistons. But I dont want to make a final decision to do it on the 400ex if a TRX450 would better suit me. When dumping $800+ into something I want to make sure it was the right decision. So who has a TRX450 in the Tampa Bay area that they would let me ride? My biggest fear is how many I have seen go from 400ex to 450 back to a 400ex.

if you're racing, then step up to a 450r...if you are only casual trail riding, then stick with the 400ex...

through tight trails, the ex is pretty much even with the 450r because the r cannot use all of the power it has, it is more work to keep it going and in control than the ex. where the 450r shines is when the trails are more open and you can keep the rpms up...

if i were racing, then i would still have the 450r, but it was not the right machine for me.

I dont do organized racing I dont have the cash but where I ride if I can find someone to race even if I get my arse handed to me by a full out MX build and rider trying to follow and keep up with a better rider makes you better. Most of the time though competition is weak and people wont race anymore they give up because they lost. I mess around at times just cruising, slow wheelies.. what i call "dickin around".

[86250rrider]

a 450r is not that wild....with the right mods,it can be. mine is mostly trail ridden , just a few x/c races a year. when you want to rip...they can do that too. im quite happy with mine

[stoopidbot]

Originally posted by speedyquad
if you're racing, then step up to a 450r...if you are only casual trail riding, then stick with the 400ex...

through tight trails, the ex is pretty much even with the 450r because the r cannot use all of the power it has, it is more work to keep it going and in control than the ex. where the 450r shines is when the trails are more open and you can keep the rpms up...

if i were racing, then i would still have the 450r, but it was not the right machine for me. I reread what I wrote. I'm not trying to be a dick. You are absolutely correct on this statement. I agree 100%. I just get tired of people telling people not to buy the ER because of the starting issues. Mine fires up every time no problems. It is a very touchy machine to start. Almost everyone who tries to start mine floods it.

No hard feelings man, I apologize for being an ***.

[300extreme#8]

My input is this. I rode many 400exs. They are prolly the best all around quad made. You can trail ride them, race mx or xc and be very comfortable. But there's many reasons I bought tha 450r as soon as it came out. I knew the 450r wouldn't hold me back on the track. That's not an issue for you. The biggest differnce between the 400 and 450r isn't power. Any who have has rode both for years will agree. The big difference is the riding style. The 400 you can ride in any style. But the 450r is hard to get your body to not fight against the quad when riding. 450s are harder to handle in tight obstacles and the extra power actually can slow you down more. You have to learn to position you body ride to make the 450r handle better. So if you get a 450 then don't get discouraged. You just have to learn to position your body in different positions to make the quad do what you want unlike the easy going 400.

[300extreme#8]

Also from maintance wise. I raced my 450r all the time so I changed the oil every ride pretty much and the air filter. But for trail riding it cuts that in half. With a 450 you want to keep up with hours and tanks of gas and you need to change oil more often. I changed oil almost every 2 or sometimes 1 gas tank. That cost. Also with a 400 and trail riding and playing at the track you"ll only have to clean the air filter when its dirty and most change the oil about twice a year. The 400s are way more reliable and you only have to get into the motor if something breaks. The 450 you have to reshim a lot. And not bashing the 450 hell I owned one and loved it, but I strictly raced only and all this comes with the responsibility on using the 450 to race. I don't want you to be mislead by thinking the 450 has less responsibilty in maintance.