Ltr450 Reliability

[Rohr397]

How do these things hold up? I'm looking at 2009 Yfz450r's but the same dealer just got a 2006 Ltr450 that was an ex race bike, 75 hours total practice and race. The reason I'm considering it is this; Fox Podium Shocks, FMF full system with Mega Bomb, Pro Armor Revolution nerfs, steering stem and stabilizer, plenty more than that too. I don't want to buy a ticking time bomb but I won't get to buy any of this for the Yfz450r and I wanna race whichever I get. Anyways just curious if these tend to be reliable for anyone who's raced them. I will have it checked out for any issues and stuff but if I want to have this thing run as flawless as possible for the next few years.

[Rohr397]

Here's some pics of it

[Rohr397]

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[Rohr397]

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[bosshogg1]

here's my two cents buy it :eek2:

[gsxr68]

if you like the price and it does not have any transmission problems now then in my experience it should be ok. Buy it

[RosquistRacer39]

If it is quite a bit cheaper than the YFZ I would consider it but looking at the frame just the paint wear off looks like this ltrs been rode quite a bit. Check really close on the frame for cracks by the footpegs and around that area. If you have the mindset going in that its a used bike and theres no problem with fixing it when it breaks buy it. If you want a bike that will probably give you at least a year of no problems being rode and raced go with the YFZ. I love my 06 LTR and have an 04 YFZ. Hands down the LTR handles better, and from what I have read the YFZR has its own issues in the front end.

[Rohr397]

Yeah I like this one a lot and it's in pretty good condition. I am more concerned about engine life, I need to be able to get a good 4 years out of it without doing top end rebuilds. I know that sounds crazy but other quads have stood that test of time so I would want my next one to follow that same path.

[Jim417mx]

You can make a quad last 10 years if you only ride it a few times a year, or like mine, you can race a - class locally and a few nationals every year and a stock top end only lasted 1 & 3/4 seasons. It all really depends on how hard you ride and how long your in the high rpm's for... basically how hard you beat your bike out on the track.

[bigbad400]

from the sounds of it your asking for a miracle bike.... there is no racer that can make a motor last 4 years and expect to win:huh


what you need to think about is winning, you can build whatever you want if you can win. its 10% bike 90% rider. start winning some money so you dont have to look like a cheap skate. then you can buy whatever you feel best on and not have to worry about it blowing up.... i know a guy that rode 3 dif bikes at redbud a couple years ago, he blew up the first two bikes and still took first place on the third.... thats a professional rider. dont be so concerned with your machine if you want to win. that hesitation could cost you a couple thousand dollars on a race.

[tbru23]

i had a 05 yfz, and in my opion, the ltr is the strongest motor out there. very powerful, and i havent had any problems with my 06, not trying to jynx myself. But yes, 4 years is a little rediculous. I plan on changing oil every 5 and doing rings, if not a piston, and adjusting valves every 50-60hrs.

[RosquistRacer39]

Originally posted by Rohr397
Yeah I like this one a lot and it's in pretty good condition. I am more concerned about engine life, I need to be able to get a good 4 years out of it without doing top end rebuilds. I know that sounds crazy but other quads have stood that test of time so I would want my next one to follow that same path.

You might want to get a 400ex, thats the only bike I could think that would last that long:devil:

Are you going to race?

[bigbad400]

if you leave it a totally stock motor you might get 4 years out of a 450 even racing, but if you open it up you take away all the stock restrictions that keep it from over reving and such, even a 400ex when you put a pipe on it and open up the air intake you take away from reliability. the factory make them so you can ride them for years without doing much. soon as you do anything to them u loose that. trust me ive had between 50 and 60 machines and built between 40 and 50 of em. its more than a hobby its a lifestyle for me. leave it stock or work on it. this holds true for everything from quads to trucks, dirtbikes to cars.

[KingpinsEx]

The LTR is excellent as far as reliability. I have not raced any other 450 brand for any period of time, but I find it hard to beleive that most could compete with the LTR. On my second season of racing, the only things I have had to do was replace the front wheel bearings, clean the air filter, change oil... And that is practicing included, the motor and most importantly the frame was built for racing and it shows!

[f4iracer]

Originally posted by bigbad400
even a 400ex when you put a pipe on it and open up the air intake you take away from reliability. the factory make them so you can ride them for years without doing much. soon as you do anything to them u loose that. trust me ive had between 50 and 60 machines and built between 40 and 50 of em. its more than a hobby its a lifestyle for me. leave it stock or work on it. this holds true for everything from quads to trucks, dirtbikes to cars.

not true about the 400ex. This thing comes lean from the factory. If you put a slip on and an air filter on it, with the proper jetting you might actually extend the longevity.

A slip on and an air filter don't make it run any higher rpm, just revs a little quicker.

[Rohr397]

I'm asking for 4 years without the piston grenading. I replace stuff but I don't want the engine to blow. However, I keep hearing about tranny problems. Recently a nice 08 came up so yeah anyone know what the deal with that is.

[MR4Engine202]

I'm asking for 4 years without the piston grenading. I replace stuff but I don't want the engine to blow. However, I keep hearing about tranny problems. Recently a nice 08 came up so yeah anyone know what the deal with that is.


4 years is pretty far out...if what your asking is do they pop pistons rediciously quick...the anwser is not usually but it all matters in how you maintain your machine.....piston kits arent that much if you do it once a year between having the cylinder re plated and a piston kit and if you do the work yourself thats $300 a year. to me thats not that much or you can try to stretch it till she brakes and spend 1200 or more...a new cylinder head is 700 bucks

[f4iracer]

it's uneccesarry to rebuild you piston every damm year. unless you run it real hard racing and you're looking for peak power every season. You could race for several seasons on the same piston i've seen numerous guys do it.

my buddy has a 2006 ltr450 that's all stock never been rebuilt. he's had it since he bought it brand new in 07.

[MR4Engine202]

yeaa i forget all people that race dont put hi comp and go all out like me lol...i just seen that he wanted to race it an assumed....i had 2 yrs on my trx before i changed the stocker and it wasnt bad just wanted hi comp....agAIN IT ALL COMES DOWN TO MAINTENANCE GOOD OIL FREQUENT OIL CHANGES ESPECIALLY IF YOUR RACING, clean air filter regularly, have spares, ect....because ive seeen my fiends buy bikes and barly get a year out of them and there smoking worse than a 2 stroke lol.....rohr if it was me i would get i t but like i said if you take care of tyhings they will last a long time


srry for the caps this keyboard sucks

[Drewltr450]

I rode my ltr basically every day for 2 years in the trails and sand pits around my house with just a pipe. Then i put a 13:1 hi comp piston hot cams intake and exhaust cam a dasa exhaust and an fuel atv intake kit with kibblewhite race valves. Motor lasted a whole practice motorcross season beating the living crap out of it. I change my oil with full synthetic amsoil after every ride. Just blew the thing up a few months ago but man did i get an unimaginable amount of hours out of that motor. Change the oil frequently with really good oil and keep the valves in spec your bike will run for a very long time.