Nutty low prices for KFX450r's

[IcutMetl]

Don't get me wrong here; I really really like my 250r for a lot of reasons. Reasons I don't need to mention here. I've had other brands (check my sig.) with no qualms, but Honda's have always done me right. I've been pricing parts since my buddy wrecked the crap outta mine on Saturday (his $$$ to fix), and I plan on minor upgrades.

UNTIL I started searching around on Trader Online, and found that Honda East in Toledo is selling 2008 KFX450r's in Black, White, or Green for $4,399. That's no more than 1.5 hours away from me and an almost stupid deal.

I really like my 250r's powerband, and it's "light-ness." High compression, race gas, Techniplate oil smell, cheap parts, easy to rebuild & fix, and the fact that not everybody has one or even knows what it is...blah blah blah. I bought it for $1,600 and probably have about another $1k+/- in it with tire/rim package, motor work, bars, and all the other average fixes.

Tough decision is: A- let my buddy pay me back for what he f'ed up, replace the parts and upgrade mildly on my own buck, or B- let my buddy pay me back, part out my leftovers, and pay cash (or most of it in cash) for a brand new 'wheeler?

Hate to give up on it, but what would you guys do? My unofficial plan was to have this wheeler until Honda released their updated 450 and then make a decision then, to have 1 or both.

[jhtrx250r]

I can sell you all the parts you need to fix your quad and then some, I will pack them all up and ship them also.
dont buy a kawasaki 450 quad they are nothing but trouble
If you must buy a new quad, I just bought a new old stock 07 trx450er from honda for $4800, it has a 1year factory warranty and is a MUCH better quad than the kawi 450.

[250Renvy]

I would disagree. I think the features of the Kawi are a lot better than the Honda.

If you are not talking price - the KTM would be my first choice for a NEW quad, followed by the KFX then YFZR.

Keep in mind you will have to pay tax and title on that KFX - you are probably looking at $5000 OTD. If you were to get the good times plan and get a 4 year warranty I think you'd be laughing cause you'd get 4 years worry free riding out of it.

IF you can afford the depreciation you could easily go with the KFX.

OR another option may be to part out what you have and buy another slightly more built 250R with suspension and motor mods for $3-5K. It's hard to know what you are really getting though.

[thedeatons]

There was a guy on the Cannondale forum who test rode the KFX with Team Green. He bought one the next week. The week after that he rolled it at low speed and the frame was wrecked. The entire front clip moved over about a foot. Last I heard I don't believe Kawi warrantied it, but I may be wrong.

The frame should be the strongest part, the part you build everything around, not the weak link.

The Hondas have issues too... My good friend is the hp record holder for Cannondales, but he has been building Hondas lately for his friends. The 2006+ have been going through valves like crazy... Once they go out of warranty it gets really pricey...

It all boils down to whether one is so much more fun that you can justify the additional rebuild cost. The Dales were not any more fun than my R, my wife and I are actually faster on the R because of its weight. They cost more to rebuild and you had to do it frequently, and NOTHING can be done in the frame, the engine always has to come out. The 250R is easy, cheap, and fun.

Everything breaks, but when it does how much will it cost, and how long will the labor take? That is what you have to ask yourself. If you are racing and need to stay competitive for sponsors, then I get it, buy the latest and greatest. If it is for fun, then keep it that way. No reason to wrench more than you ride.

James

[IcutMetl]

Yea, price is an issue right now. Not that I can't afford payments, it's that I don't want to afford payments. If I can't pay cash, it's not worth havin'. It's nice being young, single, and relatively debt free...except for that pesky mortgage. Every time I think about spending a chunk of change on something I don't need, I feel guilty and think...man, that coulda been a hardwood floor in my living room; or granite countertops.

Ahhhhh....I'll probably just keep the R because it is like you say; fun and easy. I like that it's not a "me too" 4-wheeler, appreciate being at least somewhat unique. I like that it's bare-bones simple with a switch, a throttle, a kickstarter, and brakes. I think of a 250r like the '69 Camaro of 4-wheelers...it's always gonna be a bad mama jamma. Instead of dropping $5k on a new wheeler, I can add part by part...by myself and feel benefits of my hard work.

Who knows; maybe I won't be able to live w/o the new Honda 450r whenever it does come out???

[rigger]

I have not ridden any of the new 450's except for the Polaris with the KTM motor. I have also ridden the other two Polaris with the KTM power plants and I was really impressed. I have ridden a couple of 450 and 250 4-stroke bikes. They were fun but I like the two stroke a little more. For "fun factor" it is hard to beat. I like the old school stuff. I like new stuff too but I just think old school has a cool factor that the new stuff just can't get.

If money was not an option, then I would maybe get a new 700 Raptor for the way I like to ride. But since money is a major factor, I like sticking to my R project because I will have a hell of a fun machine that will cost a lot less, handle great and when it comes time to do a top end, it will only be like $150-$200. I have heard stories of modern MX 4-strokes costing as much $1200 for a new top end. That was just in parts. Some lasted a couple of years and others only made six months before they needed major work.

That is why I like just about any two stroke, and any 400EX or XR.

If you want new, sounds like a pretty good deal for a new stock 450. But I think I would take the opertunity to build the 250R that you would really like to have.

[DEERCHOOPER]

im not going to tell you, you should buy this because that is junk or this is better like some 5th grader.

what i am going to tell you is, get ahold of all your buddies and track down any bike you want to try out. ride it and let yourself deside what you want to buy.

i race and see all kinds of issues with all quads, local races. even the ktm. they all have there down falls and it all depends what ya want to put up with.

[matt14c]

I would call or check the fine print with Honda East. I live about 30 min away and refuse to do buisness with them. Everytime I have gone there its been nothing but trouble. When I was looking to buy a 450R back in 04 I had cash in my pocket ready to buy a bike and they were trying harder not to sell the bike than to sell it. They were trying to push the yfz on me. Then said they wouldnt feel good selling me a race bike because of liability. Told me that couldnt get an HRC kit for it and etc etc. Just a big hassle. Then just a couple years ago they had a sled listed in the auto trader for a good price very competitive for dealers around here so I went back and the price listed was for verterans or those who could get a military discount and you had to finance through a bank they used and the interest was almost 4% higher than what my credit union wanted. I couldnt use the credit union I belong to and get it for the same price and I couldnt get the same price because I nor any of my family members were vets. So before you make the drive you better call. I would be pre approved and have the paper or whatever prooving it and making sure they had the bike available before making the drive.

[cdrookie]

i drove from philly to there to get a new outlaw when they first came out. super easy transaction. i actually wished they would've took longer so i would've gotten more of a rest. just go to their site and "request a quote", they'll email it to you with a breakdown of the OTD price, which is about $125 for paperwork stuff, and whatever(if any)sales tax is owed.

[JIMFROMTEXCO]

i have to disagree with the guys bashing the kfx450. my buddy bought one brand new and doesn't maintain it at all. probably close to a 1000 hours on it. never adjusted the valves, tires are completely bald plastics are destroyed oil changed maybe 5 times bumpers are bent to crap heel guards fell off. the only issue he had was the roll over sensor warranty covered it free of charge.

keep the r and buy the kfx if you can. once i get back on my feet financially i plan on getting a white n black kfx, or a 09 up ltz. i like the way both bikes feel and fuel injection is awesome.

the r will always have a place in my stable tho. someone referred to it as a 69' camaro, I look at them as a 67' chevelle ss, my dream car!

[thedeatons]

I wasn't bashing! Just telling you what happened to a guy I know... Rolled it and the frame crushed. He even had pictures!