About this time 1 decade ago!!!

[blacknblue#2]

http://www.atvriders.com/vbb/showthread.php?73178-official-trx450r-party-right-here!!!

Boy the rumors were flying. The industry had hit a breakthru and ppl were spending money on stuff they had never even seen in person. Its ugly, its beautiful, its slow, its fast, it handles amazing, it handles like chit.....IT DONT HAVE ANYTHING ON YAMAHA..All speculation without a clue haha. I can remember some of these threads. Im pretty sure i had an old username but maybe I was just a lurker. I was a poor senior in high school riding a stock 400EX. I could not wait to graduate and get a real job so i could buy a 450R. A guy in my vocational class bought one in may 04. Coming from an XR200, the only thing he had balls to do was hold the 450 wide open down the highway. About august it thru the crank out of the center cases and sat in the mud in the corner of a tobacco barn like that until i bought it in 2006. By that time it was my 3rd 450 already(young and dumb thinking that since they went black in 2005 I had to trade up):ermm::huh:cuss: . I see some familar names. Wonder how many of these ppl that were "Going to have one" still ride? Look what the sport has went thru in 10 years. Time flies dont it!!

[Rich250RRacer]

I got one of the first '04 450R's that my dealer had. I remember taking it, almost completely stock, to the Steele Creek GNCC. Everybody I knew couldn't wait to take a ride on it. I still have it, it's been through hell, and it's been one of the best quads I've ever owned. I rebuilt the bottom end once, not because it failed, just for the sake of maintenance. It had three valve jobs on the original head before the spark plug decided to rip some threads out. Now it's on it's second head, and going to get it's second bottom end rebuild this winter. The thing that surprises me the most, it still has the original cylinder on it.

[blacknblue#2]

The 450R like any Honda was truly bulletproof when maintained. The biggest problem with a 450R in my area was too many of them replaced a 400EX. There were many 400EX's in my area that probably never had the break in oil drained out of them and we all know the 450 wasnt quite that reliable. I was a culprit of bad 450 ownership in the early days. Back at that time i rode nothing but local trails. Stuff that had been cut with foremans and 300 fourtrax's thru the 90's. I went out "cutting new trails" on my 450. Mowing trees down and all the typical stuff i had done on a 400ex. Well with the way those things were geared i dont think i was ever able to fully engage the clutch while cutting these trails lol. Needless to say the clutch was fried but honda covered it. Never cost me a dime. It took about a year for our entire group of riders to all gather up 450's. by mid 05 we were all makeing our own money and it was time to graduate from trails and we were strictly Motocross and "never gonna ride those old home trails again". Well guess what....10 years later, only 2 of the original 15 still ride and we are back to our roots of mostly riding those old "Lynx trails" as they are known to us. Most of our 450Rs didnt survive the 5 year span of MX every weekend, heck all mine were even MXed every weekend thru the winter

[fastredrider44]

I too had to have one. I sold my 400 in January of 08 a week after buying an 05. I bet I have had 6-7 05s since then. I killed my first bike, but still have the motor. I currently have a racebike 05, a cherry bone stock 05 soon to be my next racebike, and enough pieces to build another one, which will be my winter project. I am yet to own an 06 up, but I have ridden several. I just cant seem to kick the 05s.

[blacknblue#2]

a cherry bone stock 05 soon to be my next racebike.

I often shop for mint 04/05's. I tell myself i would like to have one and keep it put up just for a keepsake and memory of my first addiction haha. but im afraid i would get the itch to buy stuff and it wouldnt stay stock. I would still ride it around the farm just not the way i rode my first 04 haha

[fastredrider44]

I know what you mean. I think it would be sweet to have a 100% stock machine, but I don't think I could justify the money/space of having yet another bike laying around, not to mention I really have my doubts of these being sought after machines since they made so many of them. I have a really, really nice 2001 CR250 that I don't ride, don't think I need another machine just sitting, unless it was an 88 or 89 250R.

[2001400exrida]

mint 04/05's are hot items, most of the guys in the race scene prefer the 04/05's for several reasons. I am hoping to keep the one i have for long time, it gets plenty of use, but you can always fix and repair.

[K-Dub]

I still have my original 04. The engine just had its 1st bottom end after over 1000 hrs of hard use. Everything was still in spec per the manual. The engine is now been fully built (Baldwin motorsports port/valve job, cam, high comp piston) and in my 09 LTR chassis for my race bike. Have a 05 motor Im planning on putting in my 450R chassis and building a woods bike over winter.

[blacknblue#2]

I still have my original 04. The engine just had its 1st bottom end after over 1000 hrs of hard use. Everything was still in spec per the manual. The engine is now been fully built (Baldwin motorsports port/valve job, cam, high comp piston) and in my 09 LTR chassis for my race bike. Have a 05 motor Im planning on putting in my 450R chassis and building a woods bike over winter.

In all honesty that has to be record braking. I wouldnt even try to push a bottom end that long in a bulletproof 400EX without at least tearing it down for bearings every couple hundred hours. If you had any log and proof of that you should have contacted honda. Coulda been like Al Bundy when the Duster hit 999,999 miles hahaha

[blacknblue#2]

Another funny new 450R owner story...When i bought my first one one of my best friends bought one the same day it was a saturday we had both got rid of our 400EX's and was relying on honda credit to help us with the rest haha. Well my mom and dad live just a few short miles on backroads from our high school. We got the bright idea to bust out early one day and ride our new quads back to school around dismissal time. Everyone we went to school with were talking about them. Even ppl that hadnt rode. Everyone wanted one and a lot of those guys had never seen one aside from dirtwheels pictures so we were proud to show our trophys off. One of the roads between my parents house and the school was gravel. My buddy gets the bright idea he is gonna powerslide completely around me. Clutch in, rev limiter, clutch out and around me he started. It looked cool as chit the first 179 degrees of the powerslide. At one point we were head on with eachother. about 180 degree of his 360 degree goal he drops off in the ditch. It threw him about 50 feet out in the field and the quad just tumbled. Not much hurt other than a junk grab bar, handlebars, a bunch of mud caked in the tire beads and a mans pride. Needless to say his didnt get the most attention in the school parking lot.....Boy it sure got a lot of attention when he rode it tho. Dude was a nut.

[fastredrider44]

I was 19 and still living at home when I purchased my 450. I had to take it over to my friends house and leave it for a week before I sold my 400 because I told my dad that I bought it with money from selling off the 400. I never told him that I went to the bank and added it to my truck loan. (I don't recommend doing that) Before that one truck was paid off, it had bought me 3 450s total. I'm happy to say that all my trucks and toys are paid for now, but good grief, There was no stopping to get what I wanted. I can remember cruising around town with the fourwheeler in the bed, or all of them on a trailer after a LONG day of riding. we used to ride sun up to sun down. Now, I've ridden three times on a fourwheeler in the past two years outside of racing.

[mxmike717]

I remember the day of the release!

I had a 400ex and a Cannondale speed all set up for MX. I was at my fastest back then,lol.

I was worried my C-Dale would no be competive anymore.

I kept my C-dale fore another year and was able to run easly with the new honda, but Cannondale went bankrupt so I baled quickly to get what I could for it.

At that time my son who was 4 at the time started racing and I retired till recently. I finaly bought a new 2013 trx 450er at the begenning of this year. Very happy with it and have been ridding it as much as possible.

I am finaly at the point where I can hang with my son for a couple laps. He races a JB 150 mod.

[trick450r]

I got my 450r when I was 14 after we decided my 250r was at the end of its competitive life, I want to say we actually took delivery Jan 04, 2004...which was insanely early (And I got the hrc kit late november 03' lol) nobody believed me online when I said I got mine that early, had to take dated pics of me standing next to it.

In fact we made a deal with a local dealer (who clearly had/has deep connects) to take one of the three 450r's that were sitting at the Indy dealer show on the floor. Some poor kid had to drive from Danbury, CT to Indianapolis in a pickup truck to get it for me, I took delivery at 2:30 AM lol.

I'll never forget that kid dropping it off in the middle of the night, with 12" of snow in my driveway, almost a month before anyone would see one in person. And the HRC kit came in a f'ed up box straight from Japan that was all taped together and bulging at the seams hahaha, was probably very early production as well.

I wonder If I gave honda the frame #'s if they would know a build date, or #.

I've still got her 10 years later, although she doesn't look much like she did then lol.

[blacknblue#2]

I got my 450r when I was 14 after we decided my 250r was at the end of its competitive life, I want to say we actually took delivery Jan 04, 2004...which was insanely early (And I got the hrc kit late november 03' lol) nobody believed me online when I said I got mine that early, had to take dated pics of me standing next to it.

In fact we made a deal with a local dealer (who clearly had/has deep connects) to take one of the three 450r's that were sitting at the Indy dealer show on the floor. Some poor kid had to drive from Danbury, CT to Indianapolis in a pickup truck to get it for me, I took delivery at 2:30 AM lol.

I'll never forget that kid dropping it off in the middle of the night, with 12" of snow in my driveway, almost a month before anyone would see one in person. And the HRC kit came in a f'ed up box straight from Japan that was all taped together and bulging at the seams hahaha, was probably very early production as well.

I wonder If I gave honda the frame #'s if they would know a build date, or #.

I've still got her 10 years later, although she doesn't look much like she did then lol.
I would be curious to know if honda could give you a build date. You could have one of the first in production. You should do some research on that and let us know. I wish mine would have lastes 10 years. 4 years was about the max of any of mine. I'm hard on chit....or at least used to be

[beastlywarrior]

I always wanted the yfz, but even after 12 years on the warrior still can't justify it

[Rich250RRacer]

Here's a pic of the extremely clean 05 I picked up last December. It was lightly trail ridden, didn't even have wear on the covers.

http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee108/rich250rracer/quads/IMG_0705_zps6694bb9c.jpg (http://s228.photobucket.com/user/rich250rracer/media/quads/IMG_0705_zps6694bb9c.jpg.html)

Here's how it looks now, after some set up for XC. I let it sit most of the summer, only taking it trail riding twice since I bought it. I finally got around to changing the plastic and tank, and adding graphics, an HRC kit, GT Thunder revalves, an 06 swingarm, stabilizer, and a few other things. Still need to change the pegs and heel guards. This was at it's first race a few weeks ago. Got the win on it too.

http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee108/rich250rracer/quads/05_zpscb4fd76f.jpg (http://s228.photobucket.com/user/rich250rracer/media/quads/05_zpscb4fd76f.jpg.html)

[beastlywarrior]

Dang rich how many 450rs does that make now

[Rich250RRacer]

Dang rich how many 450rs does that make now

Three.

[zyoung04]

I got my 450r when I was 14 after we decided my 250r was at the end of its competitive life, I want to say we actually took delivery Jan 04, 2004...which was insanely early (And I got the hrc kit late november 03' lol) nobody believed me online when I said I got mine that early, had to take dated pics of me standing next to it.

In fact we made a deal with a local dealer (who clearly had/has deep connects) to take one of the three 450r's that were sitting at the Indy dealer show on the floor. Some poor kid had to drive from Danbury, CT to Indianapolis in a pickup truck to get it for me, I took delivery at 2:30 AM lol.

I'll never forget that kid dropping it off in the middle of the night, with 12" of snow in my driveway, almost a month before anyone would see one in person. And the HRC kit came in a f'ed up box straight from Japan that was all taped together and bulging at the seams hahaha, was probably very early production as well.

I wonder If I gave honda the frame #'s if they would know a build date, or #.

I've still got her 10 years later, although she doesn't look much like she did then lol.

That's a pretty cool story haha. But id think with the way things are today or even then they would be able to give u something. I have a 68 hurst olds, its basically like a Oldsmobile 4-4-2. Anyway there was 515 of them made all together. To make a long story short I always heard that back in that time Oldsmobile didn't keep any sort of records on this stuff so there was no way to know what # mine was coming off the line in 1968. After a few years we tracked down some info and found out it was the #108 of 515. I would think honda would have sort of records to tell u something. Cuz its not the 60s anymore and they had keep record of it

[fastredrider44]

Here she is the day I bought my last one. 100% bone stock except the sweet DG bumper. :p I ride it a little bit every now and then, but for the most part, she just sits on a shelf. But her day is coming, very soon. I've been stashing all sorts of goodies for her.

17181056691718105668

Second picture is my mostly stock 01 CR. Its no museum piece, but I still kinda hate to ride it. Stock tires btw.

[trick450r]

yea they may be able to tell me something, ill swing into the dealership some time and ask some questions. The quad is nothing resembling stock anymore but I do have every stock part (including rims with original tires). It got built pretty fast so everything is in great shape too. Come to think of it, the original frame from 04' is the only thing left original (not the subframe). Which is a complete miracle considering it was raced in neatv and nationals for 5 years and I wadded myself and it up PLENTY of times (which a few members here can definitely attest to hah).

[K-Dub]

In all honesty that has to be record braking. I wouldnt even try to push a bottom end that long in a bulletproof 400EX without at least tearing it down for bearings every couple hundred hours. If you had any log and proof of that you should have contacted honda. Coulda been like Al Bundy when the Duster hit 999,999 miles hahaha

Hind sight is 20/20 lol. I wish I had put an hour meter on it, I did have gas receipts for over 20,000 miles (over 1100 gallons of fuel over the course of 6 years, threw the receipts away in 2011). If my gas mileage stayed consistent. I checked it every few months against the odometer of utility quads that I rode with, and it always averaged 19.something over the years. Luckily I work a 4 on 4 off schedule at work and avoided having a steady ol lady, and I rode a minimum of 3 days a week for those 6 years. Changed the oil every 6 rides, always checking for shavings. Once break in was complete all it saw was Amsoil motorcycle 10w40 and factory Honda filters. Now with the built engine, the bottom end will get speced out every time it gets a new top end. Like I said the engine still was in spec, if I was not building it for racing, I would have just done a valve job and rings. I am going to rebuild my other engine to factory specs and put a hour meter on it and see if I can get these results again. Bad thing is, most of the places I trail rode are shut down now.

As far as the crank/rod bearings lasting: I expect that, I have ran 2 stoke bottom ends for years and years and many many pistons without a problem. I expect the 4 stroke bottom end to last alot longer than a 2 stroke bottom end.

The other good thing is the rolling chassis is still all original except for rear axle bearings. It is worn out and needs a rebuilt stem to stern, which it is getting over winter.

[2001400exrida]

for what it's worth i've run somewhere between 300-500 hours on my 450r and it was stock everything except cam for most of it's life. Now it's getting the rebuild. What's even crazier is honda recommends changing rings/piston every like 12 hours or something ridiculous!

if maintained these motors can run forever.

[blacknblue#2]

It must depend a lot on who rides them and how they ride. I change my oils religiously every 5 hours but 95 percent of my riding is always somewhere near the rev limiter, banging between gears and clutching to keep the RPMS built up. I recently tore into a high hour 08 for a top end refresher. i was expecting to find more work than a top end but i didnt. The motor looked like it had never been ran inside. But the rider aint a high rpm rider. He aint a slow guy but he is just a rider who keeps his gear high and his rpms low all the time

[K-Dub]

I ran the HRC cam and 14 38 gearing. Trust me in the woods my 450R was 1st gear close to the rev limiter all the time. 2nd does not like to pull my 300# + butt around in the woods. 35/36 mph in 1st against the rev limiter per speedo on a ute. My engine had even been filled with creek water once, got it shut off immediately and drained. To me the 04/05 450R engine if maintained is pretty much bullet proof.

[trick450r]

I ran the HRC cam and 14 38 gearing. Trust me in the woods my 450R was 1st gear close to the rev limiter all the time. 2nd does not like to pull my 300# + butt around in the woods. 35/36 mph in 1st against the rev limiter per speedo on a ute. My engine had even been filled with creek water once, got it shut off immediately and drained. To me the 04/05 450R engine if maintained is pretty much bullet proof.

Outside of the common crank bearing failure I agree with you, the 04-05 motors are pretty much fool proof. However if that bearing goes get ready to buy a new motor, I lost the whole rotating assembly (crank,rod,piston), as well as both cases and the cylinder. Basically I was left with a good trans and a good head.

[blacknblue#2]

Outside of the common crank bearing failure I agree with you, the 04-05 motors are pretty much fool proof. However if that bearing goes get ready to buy a new motor, I lost the whole rotating assembly (crank,rod,piston), as well as both cases and the cylinder. Basically I was left with a good trans and a good head.

Agreed. No way in hell would I gamble with that right side roller bearing. I remember low hour motors back in the day blowing due to that bearing. I wanna say the total max runout on that bearing was something like .002. That's the size of a hair follicle. I will agree out of the 2 motor styles the first gen was the most reliable other than that bearing. The long skirted piston is obviously what gave them the reliability advantage. The newer motors switched crank bearings to opposite sides. The roller bearing was still an issue IMO.why honda never used 2 ball bearings has always been a mystery to me

[2001400exrida]

the major cause of the 04/05 crank failures, was the big end rod bearing/thrust washer.

i have never heard the myth that honda switched crank bearings to opposite sides???? I do know that they came out with an updated bearing kit for the 04/05's which fixed the premature failures.

[HondaRacing83]

I wish i had been aroud those days..

[rf928]

Yeah I'm with ya HR83. I remember reading about it in Dirt Wheels but I was excited to have a built LT 80 :P

[beastlywarrior]

Ya I was on a fresh 2 year old warrior, still haven't bought one lol

[blacknblue#2]

the major cause of the 04/05 crank failures, was the big end rod bearing/thrust washer.

i have never heard the myth that honda switched crank bearings to opposite sides???? I do know that they came out with an updated bearing kit for the 04/05's which fixed the premature failures.
I've had numerous of each style apart. They switched sides. I've also lost numerous cranks on each style in my mx days. So it wasn't an improvement to switch haha

[2001400exrida]

what do you mean they switched sides?

the point i'm making blacknblue is that the original 04 and some of the 05 cranks had notorious big end rod bearing/thrust washer failures....honda released an updated kit that fixed this issue that kept causing cranks to fail. By now, unless it's a very low hour 04/05, most of the machines have either failed or have had the updated kit installed.

[blacknblue#2]

what do you mean they switched sides?

the point i'm making blacknblue is that the original 04 and some of the 05 cranks had notorious big end rod bearing/thrust washer failures....honda released an updated kit that fixed this issue that kept causing cranks to fail. By now, unless it's a very low hour 04/05, most of the machines have either failed or have had the updated kit installed.

While the failures showed up with a rod bearing failure....the rod bearing was not the culprit that originated the failure. It was the roller crank bearing that was placed on the clutch side of the 04/05 cranks. This bearing wore prematurely which allowed the right side or the crank to "sag" or "waller" while in operation. The CRF motor had used the roller bearing on the flywheel side since its release in 2002. While they still wore prematurely in the CRF it was not nearly as premature as it was on the 04/05 TRX. Hondas update had nothing to do with the lower rod bearing. It was an updated collar that was a slip fit inside the roller crank bearing. In 2006 that reversed sides on the TRX and placed the roller bearing on the flywheel side like the CRF motor had used all along.

[2001400exrida]

it is the lower rod bearing/thrust washers that have been known to fail a lot more than the crank bearing. Honda did send the collar update as part of the crank update. the update is to reduce bearing chatter.

[blacknblue#2]

Obviously we both have different opinions on this so we should probably leave it at that but Ill make my theory as simple as can since ive not went into full explination. From my experience of pressing these cranks apart since 2004 the lower rod bearing never changed. The reason i point my finger at the roller bearing is obvious. When you have a crank bearing wear prematurely it causes the crank to sag. when a crank sags it causes the connecting rod to travel in a "/" motion. Basically running sideways. Your bore is still running like "l" so of course thats Putting extreme wear on the rod bearing and thrust washers. Honda has had a service check on the CRF since 2002. Put a dial indicator on the flywheel and check for "bearing play". Once again the same bearing thats used on the flywheel side of the CRF and 06+ TRX is the same bearing thats used on the clutch side of the 04/05 450R. Now Many ppl as why does that bearing hold up "better" on the flywheel side of basically the same motor. Simple explination. The clutch side of the crank on these motors is your output shaft. When your setting at a gate banging off the rev limiter and drop the hammer all that initial force travels from your wheels all the way thru your motor with that bearing taking the inital hit as that force reaches your crank. The flywheel side has no resistance or "shocking force" reaching it. Obviously honda knew there was a problem here because they went back to a Ball bearing on the clutch side of the TRX in 06. Kawasaki, yamaha, suzuki all use Dual heavy duty ball bearings in their 450 powerplants. While they do have few crank issues they dont have near the crank issues that Honda does. So in my theory that roller bearing is a serious weak point. A crank has to run "l" at all times.if it sags even .003 on either side then your rod is running sideways and wearing your lower rod bearing sideways. Thats why it shows up in the lower rod bearing every time. As far as I can remember the update never done anything with the lower rod bearing. Maybe im forgetting that tho cause i been hit in the head a bunch over the last decade lol. Maybe Rich can chime in. I know he has had a bunch of these motors apart also

[K_Fulk]

I waited until 06 to get a new Yfz. Couldn't keep up with everyone on my old ex anymore. About 2008 I got divorced and ran out of money. Been out of it since. Life has changed a lot for me since. But I recently picked up a 250r
Quads were my addiction through my 20's. Just glad to finnaly have something to ride again.

[blacknblue#2]

Glad to hear your back into it Fulk. Any pics of your new R

[K_Fulk]

Yeah just haven't figured out how to do it yet. Forums changed a lot and I guess I'm used to being on here on a computer. I haven't even had a computer for probably 3or 4 years.

Edit guess I figured it out.

[2001400exrida]

nice looking R there man. get yourself a nice set of tires and you're in business!

[K_Fulk]

Thanks already did. Somehow my last set from my Yfz ended up on this one.

[zyoung04]

Yeah just haven't figured out how to do it yet. Forums changed a lot and I guess I'm used to being on here on a computer. I haven't even had a computer for probably 3or 4 years.

Edit guess I figured it out.

That thing is sharp bud. So clean id be afraid to ride it haha.

[K-Dub]

Nice looking R, welcome to the family.

[jb500ex]

I got my 450r when I was 14 after we decided my 250r was at the end of its competitive life, I want to say we actually took delivery Jan 04, 2004...which was insanely early (And I got the hrc kit late november 03' lol) nobody believed me online when I said I got mine that early, had to take dated pics of me standing next to it.

In fact we made a deal with a local dealer (who clearly had/has deep connects) to take one of the three 450r's that were sitting at the Indy dealer show on the floor. Some poor kid had to drive from Danbury, CT to Indianapolis in a pickup truck to get it for me, I took delivery at 2:30 AM lol.

I'll never forget that kid dropping it off in the middle of the night, with 12" of snow in my driveway, almost a month before anyone would see one in person. And the HRC kit came in a f'ed up box straight from Japan that was all taped together and bulging at the seams hahaha, was probably very early production as well.

I wonder If I gave honda the frame #'s if they would know a build date, or #.

I've still got her 10 years later, although she doesn't look much like she did then lol.

I got mine early in jan also, 1 st one out of my dealer. A lot of dealers were only getting very few machines at a time. It took awhile for the people who put early deposits down to get them.

[DragonGunner]

My brother-in-law bought a new 04' with a HRC kit. I got to ride it and it seemed so light, it beat my EX after 3rd gear and top speed. Then he asked what kind of aftermarket exhaust he should get...I talked him into a full CT Racing and after jetting the thing just ripped. However I just never liked how high it felt and my EX had a ton of money in it so I decided I would start looking for a 450R motor to fabricate into my frame, found a KTM engine instead.

Brother-in-law still has that 450R, and only rides it when he goes to the dunes in MI, but he hasn't been there in a few yrs.....things looks mint and bet he only has 30 or 40 hours. on it after all this time!!!!!