yamaha or honda

[russellsroost31]

hey everyone i can not decide between a yamaha yfz 450r or a trx450r i will b usein the quad for mx and it will b my first 450 i am riding a 400ex right now but everyone plz just give me feed back on both quads so i can make my decision

[traitor08]

Yfz is faster, trx is more reliable. What do you want?

[backwoodsracer]

They're both the best. You cannot go wrong so no fear, I have had the best of luck with both brand's and ive put them thru hell, flooded them in pond's drained em and done it again. you need to ride both, which ever sit's more comfortable is what you need to go with.

[finsteratv]

06+ TRX450er will be faster..TRX is cheaper to build also..I'd say TRX. Easy parts.

[OldGuyonaQuad]

Go big red!!!

[Drfat400ex]

Go red!! Especially for your first a yfz is sooo much harder to mod than a trx. Much cheaper and reliable also and I belive it holds it's value better than a yfz most of the time.

[YFZ-FoFiddy-TC]

I don't understand why everyone says the YFZ requires so much maintenance... Any of them are just fine if you take care of them, I've yet to have any major problems with my YFZ in 4 years and I ride the piss out of it. Just do your routine maintenance and take care of it. The best machine is going to be whatever one you feel most comfortable riding. I went with the YFZ because it sat the lowest and felt the best to me.

[CJM]

I personally prefer the power the trx has over the yfz. Both are equally good but the trx has better torque, but of course the yfz has more hp. Me, I personally like hondas. The fact they dont often change up stuff for eons means parts are much easier to come by and cheaper.

I also prefer the hondas simplicity over the yamahas but thats just me.

Ride them both, then make your call

[JBENSON]

Honda

[quad2xtreme]

I kissed Yamaha goodbye long ago due to the support I got with all the problems of the 2001 Raptor. However, I've been having a change in opinion the last two years. Yamaha is the company out there actively involved in trying to save our riding areas, etc. I've been a Honda fan but would have to say if I were buying new, I'd give Yamaha a 2nd chance due to their overall involvement in the sport!

[rollie]

If you ever seriously get into MX, you will wish you got the honda, with that being said i don't see any negatives with the yamaha, i would just prefer a built honda over a built yamaha

[brian76708]

Why not Suzuki? If you plan on doing mx, you have to ask yourself how much your going to get into it. If you Plan on doing long travel one day then I would go for the Honda but I'm biased. If you want a good budget racer get the stock 50inch wide yamaha or Suzuki. All are equal In reliability with my experience.

[bencasey217]

Not trying to take over this thread, but what's faster Yamaha or Can Am? I've heard good stuff about both, I want something to ride the dunes and mx tracks.

[russellsroost31]

ehh ive ridin suzuki and the frame sits way to low and i wouldnt get a yfz 450 i would be getting the yfz450r
the prob with honda is i love them but after owning my 400ex and having stupid little design flaw problem im just not sure
i think i might want to ride a yfz b4 i come to my final decison

[finsteratv]

Theres a reason you see tons of built trx's..and not so many yfz's..coincidence? i think not. haha

[sexysilverado45]

Originally posted by finsteratv
Theres a reason you see tons of built trx's..and not so many yfz's..coincidence? i think not. haha

Its certainly not because their winning on Sunday. I would say it because they are cheap. If it was up to me id get the yam. because its already widened out and power isnt a huge deal unless your racing nationals. If it's a toss up then go with the yam just so your not riding what everyone else is.

[russellsroost31]

but i would prob b racing nationals because my top goal in racing is to make it to the top and i need a 450 to get me there

[Tommy Warren]

you'll notice a pattern here where people often suggest the same brand that they own....not many people will admit a honda is better when they own a yamaha and visa versa. judging by the results of this thread I'd say its six in one and half a dozen in the other

[CJM]

Heres another reason why I like honda: Yamaha in thier infinite wisdom somehow or another decided the first gen yfz shouldnt have that nice little wristpin oiler that EVERYONE else uses. So therefore eventually it grenades.. That flaw really irks me b/c its a HUGE flaw if anything. Im not saying hondas perfect but from day one they have such things on the quad. Course honda has crank failures as well-but I ant ever met anyone who had that issue myself.

[Derrick Adams]

All the first generation 450s have their issues for sure. I think they both finally refined the engines around 06. If I were buying either I would look for an 07 or newer Yamaha and/or an 06 or newer Honda.

That being said, if your wanting to keep moving up it will probably take a Honda to get there, but be prepared to switch to something else once your ready for support.

Yamaha has race support at all nationals this year. Can-Am offers alot of incentives. Just saying.

[mx Eli]

it's a never ending argument, some people say the yami's handle better and the honda have more power.

weather one is better then the other is mostly personal preferance, build either one right they will hold there own

[blaster12s]

if your going to race. buy used. what ever you can find for a good price an isnt beat. get that. what your riding means very little if you dont know how to ride. once the quad is holding you up. wont really do that till the top of B class or A then you have to look around and see what everyone else is running. I love my yam. Never had any serious problems. Same with a honda. aslong as you take care of it it will take care of you.

[russellsroost31]

thats my plan is to find a used built quad and go with it and id look for a 04 or 05 honda cause my i got a couple buddies with a 04 and a 05 and we beat the piss out of the 04 and the 05 gets its oil changed like once a year and it goes through prob 20 plus races a year and that thing is still goin strong since 05

[SRH]

id get a yfz, WAY more reliable

the honda has better front suspension

the yamaha has better rear suspension

the yamaha is faster and more reliable stock vs stock

the honda can be built to be much faster the yamaha your stuck with what you got basically

there is prob more parts kicking around for the yfz than any other race quad, on the national A or pro levl the honda would be a beter choice, but local races and the slower national class the yfz would be my choice

i personally like the ergos of the yamaha over the honda

[Wiz49]

If you are just getting into racing and you want to buy new go with the CanAm or a Yamaha. I saw a bone stock Yamaha 450 hang with upper level A riders at races. Honda would put you in the poor house trying to build. If you are buying used look for the best deal. They are not few and far between as so many people build a quad...race one year and sell it because their lifestyle changes.

[outacontrol]

well my .02 would be go look on ebay or on here for used aftermarket honda bolt ons, suspension, arms, motor parts compared to yamahas. the market is flooded with good deals on 450r parts, so its not gonna take as much money to build up as everyone claims. no question the yfz is a better choice if you want to buy something and keep it stock and race. if you still plan on upgrading shocks, arms, and want a quick motor, honda i would take all day long! take a look at last yrs race results in the a,b,c classes, more hondas than anything! These are kids that can ride anything they want, but want a reliable, good handling, and fast quad. its why i switched with zero regrets!

[russellsroost31]

if honda made a 450 race ready like ktm
so a arms longer shocks killswitch better handle bars built up factory motor axle and tires it b honda hands down but yamahas still need some work to compete
really to be fast you have to ride whats comftorable
ive got friends who were fast on hondas hoped on a yamaha and were even faster
i really need to find some one who will let me ride their yfz450r so i can c if i like it

[440racer66]

i had john natalies old bike and i still prefer a yfz. and if you have a good builder a yfz can be just as fast. there both great. see what feels better to you.

[chronicsmoke]

I have an 05 450r and my buddy has an 09 yfz and we have similar mods (13:1 Piston, cam, exhaust, Long Travel) and his bike rips.. Takes some getting used to but they are both fast and capable. We've never went head to head before though.. he rides the 40+ class(has been racing for 20 yrs) and would still probably beat me haha. It's more about the rider than the bike..

He has more money into his YFZ than I do btw, my excuse and I'm sticking to it :p haha

I don't know what I'd buy if I was starting over again.. whatever deal came along I guess.

[Hondamaster5505]

It all comes down to comfort. Comfort prevails all. Let's face it, the bike is only as good as it's rider, and having a faster/better bike doesn't make a bad rider pro. If you feel more comfortable on the YFZ, you will be faster on it. More comfortable on the TRX, you'll be faster on it.

Comfort = Rider Comfort = Better Lap Times

They're both awesome bikes and both have their pros and cons.

On a side note, 04-05 YFZ's are trash. Oiling issues, suspension issues, etc. In 2006 they straightened them out a LOT and became one of my favorite 450's.

[HondaRacing83]

IMHO I'd go with a YFZ. That's coming from me with a 400ex. I'm just not big on Honda 450s. So awkward feeling. I like Kawis to. If I got a 450 itd be a kawi or yfz. Not a fan of any of the others, ive never seen a can am or ktm in person though so i cant judge those

[russellsroost31]

thts the prob with can am is they are rare to find
ive personally never seen one
and heres the other thing with the yfz from what i hear its a smooth powere like it hits but its like a smooth hit ar with honda it hits instantly but its a lil rough in my opinion
i just dont know cause i really want to stay away from efi if i can

[CJM]

FWIW:

I rode a friends mostly stock 07 or 08ish YFZ. It felt FLAT, the power was there but it didnt have the umph, my 400ex has more power it seems. The bikes totally stock besides the exhaust and jetting I think.

VS

Friends 05 TRX450R. All it has is the hi-comp piston, cam, and exhaust. It has BALLs.

The YFZ just felt "meh". Maybe its the very smooth power delivery or maybe if I had drag raced it woulda been better, but it just honestly feels like it has no torque.

[tbrackman84]

I can tell you one thing, i have buddy that races pa state, and he used to ride yfz, but he got so sick of them he sold both and now rides a bad *** trx, and he likes it ALOT more. I've ridden both and I like the honda, but the honda I rode was a beast, the yfz was someone's beat up garbage...

[chronicsmoke]

There are so many Can-Ams up here, and KTM's now that I think about it.. Why don't you see them more at Nationals?

My buddy has the 505SX and its a BEAST. But all he can ride is the Open class. (the 450 is supposed to have comparable power with less TQ)

I'd REALLY consider getting a KTM if you can do your regular maintenance, they are a good quad.. (my buddy isn't so hot on maintenance and blew it up while leading a feature as a result)

The Can-Ams are nice too, I've ridden a couple of them. I kind of like the way they feel, but I'm 6'3". Not nearly as nice as the KTM stock though..

[russellsroost31]

ktms arent at nationals because they have no factory backing which is y i would try to stay away :uhoh:
id love to have a ktm to save money but if i cant get factory support then ill stay away from them
im really considering honda tho because my neighbor has 3 layed out trxs the one he has is a pro level quad and the first time i raced it i took 2nd so i think ima go with a honda
now the only way id buy suzuki or yamaha is if the yamaha was the 450r or if i got a good deal on the suzuki

[Hondamaster5505]

Originally posted by CJM
FWIW:

I rode a friends mostly stock 07 or 08ish YFZ. It felt FLAT, the power was there but it didnt have the umph, my 400ex has more power it seems. The bikes totally stock besides the exhaust and jetting I think.

VS

Friends 05 TRX450R. All it has is the hi-comp piston, cam, and exhaust. It has BALLs.

The YFZ just felt "meh". Maybe its the very smooth power delivery or maybe if I had drag raced it woulda been better, but it just honestly feels like it has no torque.

Alright, normally I wouldn't reply, but come on!! You can't compare a bone stock piped YFZ to a 450R with a high compression piston, cam, and exhaust. High compression and the cam are where the 450's make all their power, no wonder it feels faster.

And with your mods on your 400ex, you should be right on par with stock 450's. Plus since yours has work done, worked smaller motors always feel more "aggressive" compared to larger stock motors.

I've ridden my friends YFZ which was a 2007 or 2008 I believe, which had a full HMF, CDI, the cam mod, and an intake. And in my honest opinion, the motor was much more aggressive and powerful feeling then both 450R's ive ridden. (One of them having a cam also)

They're both great bikes but you have to compare apples to apples.

Honestly even though they're one of the slowest stock, the KFX450 is THE most comfortable, best-feeling ergonomic 450 I have ridden. The way your legs hug the tank, the seating position and pegs, the bars, it all felt so comfortable and perfect to me. And in my opinion comfort>power when it comes to this class.

They're all great in their own aspects and all have their strong points. It's really a matter of riding each one.

[CJM]

But still man, the piped YFZ just felt totally meh and slow. I mean really I have honestly never ridden a bone stock 450r besides that one, usually its someones worked stuff.

Another guy has an 09 with just a pipe and power commander and that thing hauls arse. Guess the power commander did it.

I honestly dont like the powerband the yfzs have, too smooth and it likes to drag out. Maybe with gearing it could be helped, but in stock form even the trx feels better.

just my 2 cents tho.

[russellsroost31]

ok my 400ex only has a pipe and rejet with a K&N which im switching for a uni
the problem is that it canhold its own on fair cross but when it gets out in the open like outdoor tracks it just doesnt have the power to keep up with the 450ss in the strait aways
now im running stock gearing and stock rev box what should i change first to give it more speed to keep up with te 450s

[chronicsmoke]

450r Carb, bore, HC piston, Cam, headwork..

[russellsroost31]

im not gonna do motorwork because i plan on racing it in schoolbboy sr class at the sunday creek national and i want full reliability
so sprockets or rev box which should i change

[chronicsmoke]

Sprockets or a rev box won't really add power.. Your engine isn't modded enough to see gains through a rev-box, and sprockets don't make more power, they change how it's delivered...

If you want to get some speed for the straights, you'll loose TQ for the corners and short run in jumps..

[russellsroost31]

im debating a high comp piston

[ALAMX37]

Originally posted by traitor08
Yfz is faster, trx is more reliable. What do you want?

I would strongly suggest not listening to half of the crap your have been told. It really comes down to what suits you best, you should test ride if possible. They are two very different machines. Honda is a flat line power starting down low, sits a little higher, has a different style turning. Same for the yamaha more of a two stroke like power curve, peg to seat ratio is small, bars are super low. I have owned both, honestly I will never own a yamaha again even if you gave it to me. I am anal about up keep but both my yamaha race bikes had electrical issues,sub frame issues, and reliability issues when they are built to run with a decent race motor. That is my opinion not the golden rule but if you take a look at results from national you see a lot more honda than any other brand, there is a reason.

[mxpimp2000]

I wanted to try a honda but here lately seeing 90% of the guys that race MX have had nothing but pure trouble out of theirs. Tranmissions/cranks/dropped valves/etc. I will NEVER get rid of my yfz they are pure TANKS and they are fast. I have adapted to it pretty well and the honda just isnt a good comfortable feel to me.

YAMAHA>HONDA

Honda is fine until you make them fast then they go BOOM!

[russellsroost31]

if i could have any duad itd be a 400ex frame with a trx450 factory race motor
i love the 400s frame and the 450 power

[HondaRacing83]

im glad this kids parents love him.

[HondaRacing83]

Originally posted by russellsroost31
if i could have any duad itd be a 400ex frame with a trx450 factory race motor
i love the 400s frame and the 450 power do a hybrid? lol get a crf motor. or theres a guy that put a 450r motor in a 400ex. theres a recent build thread in the 400 section, where you should be

[russellsroost31]

yea i want to but just way to expensive might as well just buy a 450