weak frame??

[KFX450Rrider490]

just wondering my dad heard that the kfx frames are weak and says its a bad idea for me to take it to hurricane hills next weekend what do you guys think??
thanks

[k4f5x0r]

not weak at all(from my experiences). bottomed out plenty of times. rolled it 3 times. not tweaked or bent at all. but you can ebnt any frame. but it wont bend unless you roll it down alot or crash hard etc/.

[spanky101]

Personally id say this is the best 450 frame out. I havent heard of any bends or anything, maybe one or two but its bound to happen. If you ride these bikes hard enough your goin to bend stuff, its the nature of the sport. I say go race it, and ride it hard!

[KFX450Rrider490]

ok sounds good but how many people ride or race these at mx tracks without problems and lets asy i did break a weld apart or just got a crack in general would the warenty cover something like that??
thanks

[BLU82]

I put two full seasons of mx on my kfx and did'nt have a single problem with my frame. I even flipped it down suicide hill at jolly rogers in NH. It's like a 3 story near vertical hill that has a kicker on the back side of it, so your jumping down the hill. I had no doubts about the frame.

[coryatver]

Originally posted by 300exrider490
just wondering my dad heard that the kfx frames are weak and says its a bad idea for me to take it to hurricane hills next weekend what do you guys think??
thanks

Dads say that becuase they don't want you to ride it hard becuase they know how much it cost for these quads and how it is hard on them riding hard but that is what they are made for. also maybe he is afraid you will get hurt

[KFX450Rrider490]

i agree 100% but he was told that from our friend who races

[k4f5x0r]

lemme guess. your friend is on a honda isnt he? :p

[KFX450Rrider490]

wow ur good yea he is why would that make a difference

[KFX450Rrider490]

also on a scale from 1 to 10 how much stronger is the kawi frame over the trx or yfz because i know the trx is junk compared to others

[08mxkfx]

I would say the kfx has the strongest frame out of all the 450's. every other frame has to gusseted for racing yet ive raced mine since i got mine in early 07 and have had no problems with the frame.!

[631kfx400]

kfx is by far the stongest on my half.

[Kawi_41]

I ran SX on mine last year and haven't had any frame issues yet and I jumped some pretty serious **** and cased it hard quite a few times.

[Drewltr450]

havnt bent my ltr frame yet after 2 years ( riding same track as k4f5x0r is riding. ive have tumbled it down cliffs to.

[k4f5x0r]

^^ very true. Only person i know of c racking or bending a frame while riding MX is a pro am rider at the local track. His LTR formed a crack on one of the bottom frame rails from not running a skidplate and casing a triple. that had to hurt :eek2:

[florentino]

Originally posted by spanky101
Personally id say this is the best 450 frame out. I havent heard of any bends or anything, maybe one or two but its bound to happen. If you ride these bikes hard enough your goin to bend stuff, its the nature of the sport. I say go race it, and ride it hard!
kfx frame its strong.. but sucks .. its too stiff thats why the ds is better. it has to flex just a little..

[jigg14]

What does that picture have to do with the strength of the frame? Creamer got up and rode off (without a bent frame mind you). And if you look at the final results who was #1? A Suzuki?

[k4f5x0r]

yea that picture has absolutely nothing to do with this thread. your just asking to be flamed.


The one benefit to aluminum is it weighs about half as much as steel, so twice as much can be used to strengthen the frame furthermore.

Ive never even heard of a bent frame on the kfx. other then one guy got a frame with effed welds he rolled it and something near the steering stem happened. cant exactly remember but it was on kfx450hq.

[k4f5x0r]

uhm no he didnt buddy. he said the frames are trash and crack and break VERY often. which is true especialy in MX. He even said the honda has a more solid motor then the kfx. might wanna re read the posts a bit :blah:

[KFX450Rrider490]

hey thanks k4f5x0r but yea i will stand behind what i said saying that the TRX450R has i crapy frame, all the guys i know that race them break them 90% of their races and that pic has nothing to do with this thread
a kawi rider(josh creamer) recked IT HAPPENS smarten up my god im 14 and have more common sense than some people on this fourm

[450rJam]

I have a friend that could break a freaking titainium frame

its not that the aluminum is so light they can use more to strengthen it......................

its that its weaker so you HAVE to use larger or thicker stock to get same strength

I have not heard any weak frames on trx or kfx 450's
(the kfx/z/dvx400 is another story)

I ride honda but agree all thow the picture is cool it is pretty meaningless in this post

I will say the kfx450 is one of the best looking 450's
(in my opinion)

[spanky101]

The honda is a nice bike once in full race trim but it definatly needs beefing up for mx purposes. Even in xc it could proboly use to be stiffened up.

[k4f5x0r]

i never did like the honda's.... IN STOCK FORM. in race form although ive never ridden one im sure id love it. so no dissing on that level ;) .

then again im sure id love my kfx450 raced out even more then the honda :D

[KFX450Rrider490]

hey i know there are the different frames but why was one stronger than others or what and the only thing thats visible are the plugs on the side of the frame along with the plug on the front but is their realy a difference??

[RATPACK Z400]

The Z allway get ragged on for it first year frame issues when it was cleared up the second year but you still needed to gusset it and all frames when racing mx there all just as weak it just the Z was the most spot lighted at the time my boy,s 400ex broke just trail ridingdidn,t wreak at all, 450rs have the most gusstes out of all gusset kits so what doe,s that tell you, the kfx450 seem to be holding up very good !love to see what the new yami doe,s this year.

you sure to talk alot of crap. all you do is get on here and bash the 450r's.( prolly because u have never rided one) them having the most gussets tells you that they have some weak spots just like any other bike. when gusseted they are just as good as any other frame.the honda when bult right is a great bike. the kawi has a strong frame because of all the gussets on the frame from the factory. RATPACK. go on somewhere all you do is talk crap.

id go for the suki. if i has a seond chance

[450rJam]

just like the trx450r suffers from the early year crank bearing failures, a serious weak point will haunt a make for ever

its been 4 years since the first generation trx450r, and since 06 they dont even have the same motor

it is what it is

[florentino]

Originally posted by hondarider661
you sure to talk alot of crap. all you do is get on here and bash the 450r's.( prolly because u have never rided one) them having the most gussets tells you that they have some weak spots just like any other bike. when gusseted they are just as good as any other frame.the honda when bult right is a great bike. the kawi has a strong frame because of all the gussets on the frame from the factory. RATPACK. go on somewhere all you do is talk crap.

id go for the suki. if i has a seond chance

the 450 kawi may be strong. but its the worst 450 i ever rode. stock for stock .. a ds will smoke a kfx.

[BEARAZZ]

Originally posted by florentino
the 450 kawi may be strong. but its the worst 450 i ever rode. stock for stock .. a ds will smoke a kfx.


what are you doing here then

[k4f5x0r]

Originally posted by florentino
the 450 kawi may be strong. but its the worst 450 i ever rode. stock for stock .. a ds will smoke a kfx.

Yes the DS will smoke it. just look at al lthat smoke natalie's quad was blowing off at round two :D .


kiddding aside. if you dont like the quad, then stay out of our forum. give us a little respect.

[KFX450Rrider490]

yea guys seresly come on but can someone answer my frame question

[08mxkfx]

the newer frames are stronger right behind the a-arms where the aluminum is welded to the cast aluminum piece. That and not having any holes on the side is the only difference.

[MtnEX]

This is the greatest frame to have ever shipped on a stock quad.



Now lets take a real trip down Reality Lane...


When it comes to sport quads, Yamaha comes out swinging for the fences EVERY year. That can't be denied.

With that in mind... anyone taken a good look at the new YFZ450R's? I have... happened to be side-by-side with a KFX450R on the showroom floor.

To get to the point, Yamaha is not blind or stupid. They know when to give in and copy the competition when they have something better.

[450rJam]

after searching tons of sites I have found that the frame isnt really weak as far as riding goes but the way the front of the frame is (where the A-arms mount)
is pretty skinny which gives good geometry but does make a weak point that during a crash can be bent to left or right.

[k4f5x0r]

that area has been beefed up in the later 08 models and the 09 models.

[MtnEX]

Yeah... and look at aftermarket frames...

The best are very narrow or single spar in the lower front.

[hondaracer_34]

The Kawi frame is amazing. I had a 400ex that i flipped and it bent the frame. I have flipped my Kawi and it has not bent at all. The crash bent the bumper and grab bar to hell ( thats their job ) and i just took my bike apart and checked the sub frame and frame and they are fine.

[RATPACK Z400]

My beef is they all should come out with gusseted frames or what ever ,for the money people spend to ride and race quads and they cant get that right for 7000-11000 dollar,s is outragous and there for racing mx/xc but need gussets whats up with that?Kawi looks to be setting the standard in frames have they had problem,s with new yami ?Oh by the way I speak the truth dont need to make up crap to win arguments!

[MtnEX]

No problems with the frame, and yes it is amazing.

Let me get instantly to the point here...

It's basically an aluminum production version of the custom Roll Lobo chassis.

...and that's the bottom line!


Now my main gripe about production quads is that they should come stock with real tires and skid protection.

It would not cost them much to just deal with Maxxis or ITP and PRM or Pro Armor for tires and protection. Very LITTLE more with their bulk buying power over the cost of crappy 2 plys and scanty protection. We could pay just a little more for the quad, but save a ton that has to be spent as soon as we get it home.

[jabz400]

ok ty i think the frame sucks *** u dingle berry

[k4f5x0r]

good for you. it takes a lot of intelligence to not be able to spell YOU*. :o

[KFX450Rrider490]

dude grow up allready
sorry guys thats one of my friends ignor him sometimes he isnt all there

yea id agree 100% on the whole tire and protection thing i slit my rear tire the fourth day i had the quad (day ruiner) but i got it pulgged and is now fine

[jabz400]

dude grow up allready
sorry guys thats one of my friends ignor him sometimes he isnt all there



watever


I CAUGHT MORE FISH THEN YOU!!!

[jabz400]

ty i didn't know you slit a tire i all i knew was the stock heel guards broke INTERESTING

[k4f5x0r]

oh no a pair of plastic flimsy heelguards broke! ITS THE END OF THE WORLD.

my friend hda his stock heelguards break on a z400. so i assume that quad sucks now too?

get a life other then bashing your friends quad that you wish you had :rolleyes:

[631kfx400]

Originally posted by k4f5x0r
oh no a pair of plastic flimsy heelguards broke! ITS THE END OF THE WORLD.

my friend hda his stock heelguards break on a z400. so i assume that quad sucks now too?

get a life other then bashing your friends quad that you wish you had :rolleyes:
*kfx400

[jabz400]

wow k4f5xor go ahead say all ya want i have heard from top mechanics and top salesmen that the kawi and the honda are the cheapest built quads you can get and it is the first bike that was assembled in japan..... :macho








i hope that picture of the crash is YOU!!!!!!!!!!

[KFX450Rrider490]

the kawi is by far not the cheapest built quad on the market nor is the honda but some people have problems with their bikes for stupid reasons jermey just cause i got the one kfx with bad eletronics doesnt mean thier all bad it was a first for them anyway since the tecate so lay off

[k4f5x0r]

hey i hope you notice that in that picture its not a kawasaki at all. so im not offended at all. good try though.


so what do you ride? the 250ex your dad bought you? with spacers and flipped rims?!? you hae no right to be talking crap about anything. all that matters is the owners of kawasaki are happy with their quads.


oh and for your information genius. the kfx450 was assembled in illinois or louisiana. i cannot remember. the skill needed to weld these frames was very high, so kawasaki hired a group of workers to be specifically trained to weld these frames. i guess they did a good job because i havent heard of any bending or breaking under normal circumstances.

you might want to be able to backup your statements with information buddy.

[631kfx400]

Originally posted by jabz400
wow k4f5xor go ahead say all ya want i have heard from top mechanics and top salesmen that the kawi and the honda are the cheapest built quads you can get and it is the first bike that was assembled in japan..... :macho








i hope that picture of the crash is YOU!!!!!!!!!!
you love men.

[KFX450Rrider490]

k4f5x0r he actually rides an08 z400 thats stock but hes realy an idiot just ignor him

[631kfx400]

hes jealous. :rolleyes:

[FHKracingZ]

wow you are an idiot if you think humans weld these alluminum mass produced quad and dirt bike frames. They are all welded by robots your tard

[631kfx400]

jewish^

[RATPACK Z400]

Doe,s anybody work for kawi and really know how frame,s are welded? it pointless anyway who care,s as long as there good.My beef with the manufactor,s is there cheep! espescially honda but to buy quad that,s designed for racing and it come 45-46in wide is retarded except for XC (which is only a few to the masses that actually race for one ,two frame,sub subframe,s that break so easy for the money we spend on them is retarded/cheep for maf. to do to us they make them self,s look bad and loss future sale,s cause of it IMO,there should be a choice on width,xc or mx there also should be strong frame,s /subframe,s it doe,st cost to widen or gusset also and have two model,s that,s just being cheepIMO! you dont see them giving the 450 dirtbike weak frame,s/crappy tire,s /pogo stick shock,s!And the only difference is the frame between the two, same motor ,elect carb/inj,we pay thousand,s more for just the frame and wheels and are part cost an arm and leg to get!

[RATPACK Z400]

I just saw the Ds450 forum and they have a post ( frame),look at the foot peg that got hit and torn off the frame and how it,s attached to frame Man that suck,s for that guy, that why i always shunned away from alum,but hopefully kawi/yami do it different than that and improve steel/alum frame,s for the future.

[MtnEX]

The fact is that sport quads will always trail dirt/mx bikes.

The sport quad market has not been back alive all that long really, and has been sort of a joke in a way compared to the old days (86-92) until these 450's came out.

But as always, quads get leftovers and donor parts from the bikes... and receive advancements years later.... such as aluminum frames...

Aluminum frames are here to stay on bikes, and are just getting started on quads. They'll be here to stay on quads too. Honda, Suzuki and 'maybe' KTM will be converting in the next few years too, and Polaris will do the same but probably 5 years late.

Same goes for fuel injection... the rest will probably convert in the near future.

Nothing wrong with steel frames or carbs at all, but the industry is advancing beyond that.

[GE4x4]

I still don't see what the advantage is of a aluminum frame over a steel. Aluminum is just a strong, yet they weigh as much if not more then a steel frame quad. Yet they will be harder to work on for most atv people. The Outlaw, KTM, YFZ are steel and weigh less then the KFX. Have heard very very little frame issues with the KTM and Outlaw, so I can't see them jumping on the aluminum train anytime soon. I think people just get caught up that aluminum is more advanced, thus has to be better. But I have not seen anything yet that shows a aluminum frame is better then a simular steel frame.

[450rJam]

wheels are still round

unless your making it better then better why change it

[MtnEX]

Originally posted by GE4x4
I still don't see what the advantage is of a aluminum frame over a steel. Aluminum is just a strong, yet they weigh as much if not more then a steel frame quad. Yet they will be harder to work on for most atv people. The Outlaw, KTM, YFZ are steel and weigh less then the KFX. Have heard very very little frame issues with the KTM and Outlaw, so I can't see them jumping on the aluminum train anytime soon. I think people just get caught up that aluminum is more advanced, thus has to be better. But I have not seen anything yet that shows a aluminum frame is better then a simular steel frame.

Again, you're comparing dry weight to the wet weight of the KFX.

Spec-wise, my KFX should weigh more than my decked 400EX. But I'm here to tell you it doesn't. There is a major difference it weight between the two... my KFX is a lot lighter and you can tell it the instant you grab up either end of the quad.

The frame on the KFX only weighs 26 pounds man...

Aluminum frames are superior. They are stronger while being lighter if designed properly, and are more rigid for good handling feedback. Don't have to worry about rust either.

Dirtbikes, atv swingarms, bumpers, skids, nerf tubes, etc... these have been made of aluminum for years... but now all the sudden when a very few quads have aluminum frames.... well all the sudden it's "sour grapes".

Not sure I understand that.