need good advice

[magicbananas14]

I am looking to buy a new quad i am selling my 2003 honda 400ex great first quad. I want to move up i am not an inexperienced rider. Looking at the honda trx450r/er the kfx450r the ltr450 the yfz450r the can-am ds450 and i am seriously considering the kfx700 i don't want to break the bank so i want to buy a tough reliable quad with papers maximum price 3800$ i will be doing hill climbs wide and kind of tight trails going through sand and doing the occasional jumps i need some help with my decision so i can look for that specific quad any advice will help thanks. Also i am considering big utility quads and other quad suggestions.

[chronicsmoke]

Originally posted by magicbananas14
I am looking to buy a new quad i am selling my 2003 honda 400ex great first quad. I want to move up i am not an inexperienced rider. Looking at the honda trx450r/er the kfx450r the ltr450 the yfz450r the can-am ds450 and i am seriously considering the kfx700 i don't want to break the bank so i want to buy a tough reliable quad with papers maximum price 3800$ i will be doing hill climbs wide and kind of tight trails going through sand and doing the occasional jumps i need some help with my decision so i can look for that specific quad any advice will help thanks. Also i am considering big utility quads and other quad suggestions.

Well, you're kind of all over the map..

What type of riding do you do the MOST? Do you ride MX style tracks? do you like the mud?

There are BIIIGG differences from a 450/700/Utility.

Are you happy with your 400? why are you selling it? (lack of power/sucks in the mud/not good for jumping)

There's alot of factors that determine what quad will be right for you..

[dxcody]

Based on what you just said, I ( IIIII <<< MY OPINOIN) i think the TRX450R (or ER i dont like elec. start) would be perfect.
Or maybe the YFZ450. You could find either one, in great shape, decked out for 3500 easy.

Since you are used to a 400ex, you will at first like the 450R better, it sets up higher, has a overall more comfortable ride.

The YFZ sits low to the ground, and feels more like your riding on the front end, where the 450r feels like your riding with your front end higher.

Thats what the one i rode was like anyways, but the reason i did not say to go with the LTR is, when you buy them, they are set up for MX, 48-49 inches wide STOCK! and you have trouble squeezing through tight sections on them. They also come with 18" tires and have like 4" ground clearence.

The KFX i know nothing about. Im not a Kawaski guy. Can AM is great but good luck finding one in your price range.

Also why you should get a YFZ or honda is because parts for those two machines are about 1/2 the cost of the LTR, Can Am, kAWASAKI and KTM

Your choice tho. But I would DEF go YFZ or 450R

[CJM]

Ive ridden most of them. Id pick the honda 450r over the yami, the YFZ is a nice and fast bike but the honda imho runs cooler, better and is simpler.

Otherwise if you got the cash-can am DS450 is the one to get if you have a dealer nearby. Parts are $$$ but they are FAST bikes. Stockt hey got about 45 hp or better. Me, I like the XC version they have. Full skids and everything.

[dxcody]

Def. agree with CJM.

Honda still uses UNI Cam, (if you get a hot cam you only spend $150 instead of $350)
Kick start means Not as much Electrical stuff, which means less stuff to break IMO. The only thing you will hate about a 450R will be that you have to take EVERYTHING off to get to your spark plug lol.

Hondas are VERY smooth through their power range.

Hondas have the Best XC (woods and trails) rating there is.

YFZ will freaking slam you around all day. And then of course you have to deal with the near endless Yami Carb problems.

Seriously, it is sooo hard to get a YAMI carb to dial in right.

Mine that i had never did reach full potential.

[HondaPohl]

If you love Hill climbing, dont think you will be better off with the 700. The 450's will fly up hllclimbs with plenty of power. The 700's are heavy and dont think they handle as good.

[magicbananas14]

since i was asked i few more questions i will answer them to help others i am a fan of mud and running through a deep sloppy puddle its just fun i plan to try some mx riding soon on the track to see how it is. i am selling my quad because i want something with papers and something that is a little newer with a bit more kick but those are the only reasons i have not have any problems with my quad great fun first quad papers really are not to much of a problem where i am police are very chill about them usually. and thanks to the people who have replied already signed up yesterday thinking no one was going to help but i was very wrong thanks. :D and i also love to go 4x4 over stuff.

[CJM]

Cant have mud and sport quad, just dont work to well b/c of what its designed for. The air intake is way to low on anything sporty-if the puddles deep or long or whatever and you suck water into the air intake or box your not gonna have a good day. its also much lower so that puddle scenario is easily only a 2-3 ft feet puddle in some cases. I absolutely wont even go into a puddle until I know how deep it is.

A utility is sealed pretty much 100x better and usually the snorkel is up very high and they have extender kits. They can do the sloshing/mud boggin quite well

You could buy a 4x4 crossover like the can am renegade but they are still $$$$

2 different types of riding and 2 very different machines. a utility means slower more technical go anywhere riding, sport is all out speed and power and flying around.

[dxcody]

pretty much. I mean dont get us wrong, its not like you have to avoid mud. Sports will go through alot, but like you were talking "Mud Bogging and sloppy stuff" that just wont be fun.

If you are planning on mudding, DANG SURE DONT GET ANY KFX700, they are heavy with low ground clearence,
i have seen them get hung up on rocks and stumps and logs that a 4X4, or sport quad would climb right over.

IMO the 700 sport quads are a waste of money. Also i only had one friend that had one, and it was total junk. 450's blew by it. Fields or trails.

On hillclimbs you dont want some big topheavy 4x2 machine. You either want a 4x4 with good throttle response, or a little sport quad that can haul asZ up it lol

Everyone is welcome here, New or Old, all the members kinda look out for eachother.

Some people you may not get along with at first if you are hard headed, No one i have met is rude, but a couple are known to be Brutally Honest LOL but trust me LISTEN TO THEM! They are here to help and everyone i have talked to seems to know every bit of what they talk.

WELCOME TO THE FORUMS!!

[magicbananas14]

thanks for the advice:)

[dxcody]

let us know what ya get

[Speed37]

Trx's are also very reliable quads. Lowest power out put in the 450 class but i think its the funnest to ride. If you need rear ground clearance, get a sprocket and rotor guard. Swingarm plates hang lower. But a nice raptor 700r would suite you fine too.

[MidnightBlade]

I don't know why you guys think you can't mud a sport quad. I had mine in a pond that was easily 3' deep, I found out the hard way when I got off to push, the quad never sank any farther than about 2" over the nerfs and I sank up to my chest. Last weekend I proved to my buddy with a 99 Polaris sportsman that is lifted, snorkeled, stacked,:macho that I can go more places than him, just needs more thought to do it :cool:

[CJM]

Originally posted by MidnightBlade
I don't know why you guys think you can't mud a sport quad. I had mine in a pond that was easily 3' deep, I found out the hard way when I got off to push, the quad never sank any farther than about 2" over the nerfs and I sank up to my chest. Last weekend I proved to my buddy with a 99 Polaris sportsman that is lifted, snorkeled, stacked,:macho that I can go more places than him, just needs more thought to do it :cool:

Because the snorkel is right under the seat, if that spot you were in dropped suddenly you suck up water and hydrolock the engine-which is NOT good.

[MidnightBlade]

Not wanting to start a pissing match or anything with anyone but the Foreman has the snorkel in the EXACT same spot. And the reason that I AM NOT worried is because it was floating, and it never sank more than the tops of the tires, tried it a few time getting a little more adventurous each time until the last time I tried it I was almost up to my shoulders :eek2:

[CJM]

Id say its a couple inches higher due to tire size and better sealed.

But there is always the one time you go thru a mud or water hole and sink. Can even be the same hole, just one bad day and its all over.

Really cool it floated along for you, Id never attempt it myself.

[DnB_racing]

I have worked on and rode and owned most of the 450s you've mentioned,

depending on how fast you like to ride you might hate all of them.. none of then like to go slower the 20mph in the tight trails,

if your going from a 400ex which in my opinion is one of the best trail quads made, you will be clutching any of the 450s until you get used to it,

as far as e-start on the 450er its really bullet proof with duel batteries, and as long as you DONT touch the throttle, or else you eat up starter clutches.

the yfz can be modified very simple just bu retarding the exhaust cam one tooth, but the FI you will need to add a power commander and any of them needs to open intake to wake them up

the ltr is a much more technical quad to work on then the rest, but with that work comes some good performance, aside from the multiple error codes that need to be pulled and cleared now and then

the kfx 450 takes more work then the rest to be a beast, but in stock form is a VERY comfortable trail machine, but a little too soft for any real hard riding

Ive rode them in stock and full race modded, and the only one that I NEVER saw any overheating ever was the 450r,

but for trails the yfz has more engine breaking and a better slow bottom end

and actually the 450r is the only quad you can get the spark plug out without removing the plastic it just a little tight, but still accessible

in my opinion they each have there strengths and weakness, it all depends on what you want to do for work and what type of riding your planning on

for fun comfortable trail riding the kfx stock will be the closest to the 400 as far as trail riding, just with more power

if your looking to make a full race then it only depends on how deep the pockets are, im more comfortable on the Honda platform, but its far from a stock machine,

for fast hair scrambles, id pick the yfz with a stroker and cam mod, and good exhaust and intake (off course)..

but everyone is different

[DnB_racing]

Originally posted by CJM
I absolutely wont even go into a puddle until I know how deep it is.

not me, ill be the first to blast through, before my buddies try to slowly power thru and make ruts and holes, yes occasionally i will have to let it float out so I dont drown it, but you just have to know when to keep full throttle or jump off and keep it above the water, a full poly skid and paddles helps a lot to keep it skimming on top..

I say on a hot summer day bring on the ponds, Ive got over 50 feet so far, across deep ponds, and looking to try further

[CJM]

Ive done that before lol ^ I almost drowned it

Now I get off and test the depth with a stick if possible or avoid it. Then again I also dislike mud/water so much I avoid it on the trails if possible. Just not my thing.

[DnB_racing]

you have to make sure you lean back enough that you dont nose dive, but not so much to make it dive once you start to loose momentum, and as long as front doesn't dive it will keep going, but the second you feel the back start to sink push yourself backward to bail

[MidnightBlade]

Yea, make sure you lean back, made that mistake the first few times I tried it:uhoh:

[dxcody]

i like trying to race in the mud

I guess im the only one tho because my buddys HATE mud. I like it because i ride better in the mud, it slows everyone else down but i am from Tennessee, I grew up on utility quads, just seeing how muddy we could get. So i know more about riding mud then dirt i guess you could say.

I never even considered buying a sport quad until i rode my buddys 450R and its been all speed since then.

Now they just dont make then fast enough. Ok ok i know thats a lie but i definatly wish i was faster!

I wanna CAN AM DS 450 X XC!!!! They look seweet! Never rode one tho.

[magicbananas14]

want honda because i like the reliability and just because they r awesome but still liking the kfx450 for reverse what to choose narrowed it down to the two. :confused:

[DnB_racing]

ive spent time on both the kfx and the trx... the gears on the kfx are better for tight trails, but the trx is lighter in the front, and just more responsive... not to mention the trx is so much easier to work on, Honda engineers seam to put more thought into ease of operation

also there are so many trx for sale that already have some nice aftermarket equipment..

but if you plan on 90% trail riding then you will like the kfx... the trx takes more work to handle the tight trails... but that being said the trx will force you to become a better faster rider

[magicbananas14]

Just sold the 400ex now i got some lookin to do

[dxcody]

they are both good quads.

if your about going for the cheaper one tho, you can find a decked 450R
for the same price as you buy a stock KFX

If you are planning on doing the decking out yourself, and your on limited funds, go 450R.

You can turn a bone stock 450R into a PRO 450R for half the cost of any other ones.

[piejazz96]

hey magicbananas14, I think you would really like a trx or kfx. I know I did. in the case you wanna buy either, I own both and i'm actually tryna sell my 08 cuz im focusing on mx more than xc and converted my trx to an mx quad.

so I just put up my 08 kfx450r for sale and wondering if you were interested: http://www.exriders.com/vbb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=472744

If ya want pics, ill be glad to email them, i think theyre too big to put on here

[lilholt7]

if your going in water get honda, my buddy had his 300 utilty upside down floating in a river we flipped over put it on its back bar and started right up. my friend has a kfx700 once a drop of water gets sucked up it smokes and wont run right till you change the oil. the kfx700 is automatic and will run 78mph. he can put up big hills because he doesnt bog or shift. its very heavy but with good tires and wheel speed does good in mud. i prefer my 400ex over his. 450r are great but not as reliable as the 400ex. not fact but my opinion. the 700 is more just go when clutch for wheelers are more fun.

[finsteratv]

i'd go for a 450r or er. i love mine! i dunno what they're like stock since mine already had stuff when i bought it..aha but i got it for wayyyy less then 3800 or whatever

[HondaRacing83]

450r or a raptor 700 seems like it would suite you, i know im gonna get flamed on for this but maybe an outlaw or predator to if you havnt thought about it