hate to add fuel to the rumor fire but...

[Juggalo]

well..i have another account of a dealer saying that honda is comin out with a 450. its kind of a friend of a friend story but i kinda know both guys so lol yeah i think he mighta been tellin the truth (at least that the guy said it, not that its comin for sure). anyways my friend who is friends with a big honda dealer around this area was talkin to the owner of the shop. and he pulled him off to the side and told him honda was comin out with a 450 at this time next year. yep thats the story, believe it if you wanna. we'll see what happens.

[Sporttrax400ex]

hmmmmmmmmmmmmm.. companies these days.

They just like ****ing with us

[Flip)(stick]

prolly gona happen

[batgeek]

friend of a friend of my cousin's uncle's sister who knows this guy that lives under a bridge that is the son-in-law of someone that thought the knew someone at a Honda dealer, but was mistaken because it was actually a Yamaha dealer, who's uncle went to high school with...told me Honda is coming out with a 450 sometime this year.

[Quad18star]

I was told by a VERY credible source that frequents these forums that both Yamaha and Honda are releasing new bikes. This is what he told me about each bike . He did not reveal too much information to me but here's what I was informed about . The Yamaha will be using the WR 450 motor because it has a wide ratio tranny and it would be more reliable in an ATV chassis as compared to the YZF motor . The frame is all new design and tests so far show it to be holding up very well . He said he is a little concerned on certain points in the frame but that they look to be an easy fix .

As for Honda , he did not reveal too much info . It will be the CRF 450 motor and it will be detuned , which he said will result in major power losses. He told me that Honda has been very weary (?) about releasing high horsepower machines ever since the lawsuits involving the TRX 250r . He did not have any info on the frame at the time we spoke , but believes it will be similar to the design of the 250r and 400ex.

Like I was saying , this person is a very credible source that is on this site . He has asked me not to reveal his name , for fear of being black balled by these companies and in fear of losing his reputation . He told me a few weeks ago to expect the new Yamaha in the first week of June ( this was even before the Yamaha website had their little thing up) and to expect the release of the new Honda in the late fall / early winter . Theres a reason why I'm holding off on buying a new quad . He talked me out of buying something and told me to wait and see what they have instore . This is gunna be the longest week of my life:mad:

[Bretmd94]

What about the honda website??? They have a 400ex on there stated as an 04 model. The carb is bigger to on the spec sheet.

Go to www.hondamotorcycles.com if you dont believe me.

What are they going to do? Have both a 400ex, and 450ex? If so i want the 450ex to be stricktly race. No reverse, no electric start, and 6 gears.

[joedif]

Yes the new honda will be kick start no reverse race bike, and it will not replace the 400EX, this is from my local honda dealer in Australia who has been given a memo about this a while ago. It will be released to your dealers in the USA in September at their yearly dealers meeting, I supose after that we will all see it, guys this is for real.
And I forgot that it will be a 450 based on the CRF450, it will be called the TRX450R detuned of course.
Hope this helps.

[Nausty]

i doubt we will see anything from honda for a long time and if they were they wouldn't put in the bigger carbs if they were gonna drop the 400ex to replace it with something just a little bit better. They really have no need to either $$$ wise.

[Juggalo]

Originally posted by Bretmd94
What about the honda website??? They have a 400ex on there stated as an 04 model. The carb is bigger to on the spec sheet.

Go to www.hondamotorcycles.com if you dont believe me.

What are they going to do? Have both a 400ex, and 450ex? If so i want the 450ex to be stricktly race. No reverse, no electric start, and 6 gears.

ummm the 04 model 400EX is this years model...

[RED121572]

I enjoy hearing stories like these. Someone claims that there dealer knows more than our dealer.

Last november, I visited a Honda dealer about 40 minutes from here. The salesman had no idea what a Predator was. Three weeks ago, my dealer couldnt tell me the bolt pattern of the Predator. I got my Predator registered in the state of Pa a month ago. The owner of that Suzuki dealership asked me what make and cc size the Predator was.

Also, My dealer was not aware of any problems for that one recall on the polaris either.

So, your dealer is telling you that a 450 honda is coming out next year. That dealer is full of shet.

[FastByDesign]

My freind siad they were comin out iwht a 450 too, at least i think that is what he said:ermm:

[Quad18star]

Ok who wants to lay down the money and bet that it will be a 450 motor with raptor style frame that has been tweaked a little bit? Smooth looking design on the front as compared to the Raptor front grill. Any takers?? I'll lay down $100 US , that this is what it looks like. God I love insiders info . MUAHAHAHAH:D

[dabombdale]

my boss(i work at a dealership) said that there will be a new yamaha quad released and a honda quad also, lets just hope

[toby400ex]

Well, i think ill wait till that new John Deere quad comes out :rolleyes:

[300exTJjeeper]

Geez,

whatever it's gonna be, it's gonna be a awesome and a reliable quad but I'm going for a predator sometime in the mid year, hopefully honda will be out by then and maybe change my mind

[racerx573]

I was up at John Natalie's house last weekend, and this guy who was riding there on a Walsh C-dale said he's on the waiting list for Hondas CRF450 based quad. That's what he told me so I sh1t you not.

[trailburner]

I belive honda is going to put out a knew quad,[SOON] If you think about it with the new quads that are out now they are going to have to just to keep sales up in the sport quad class[my honda dealer here is having a hard time selling 400ex's].....:(

[tazdevil27]

I have also been told about the 450 by my dealer here in Australia. Could it be some down under espionage actually giving us poor relations the info first. Still didn't convince me to wait. Got my 2003 400ex and happy to keep it.

[Sick0]

I've only heard bs about the honda450 but I did heard thats yamaha is close to being ready to being released. Its coming out this summer from whats heard. But I could full of chit too. n

[bsb64]

<<<I enjoy hearing stories like these. Someone claims that there dealer knows more than our dealer.

Last november, I visited a Honda dealer about 40 minutes from here. The salesman had no idea what a Predator was. Three weeks ago, my dealer couldnt tell me the bolt pattern of the Predator. I got my Predator registered in the state of Pa a month ago. The owner of that Suzuki dealership asked me what make and cc size the Predator was.

Also, My dealer was not aware of any problems for that one recall on the polaris either.

So, your dealer is telling you that a 450 honda is coming out next year. That dealer is full of shet.>>>


You are making the assumption that all dealers are the same. Some dealers are in it for the $$$ and thats it. There are other dealers that are or were riders and are very passionate about the sport, these dealers are usually more informed just because they are interested in the sport.

Within 2 miles of my house I have 2 dealers that are like night and day. One sells Kawasaki and Yamaha, runs his business like a car dealership, no one there knows jack about bikes or quads, you walk in and they don't remember you from one week ago.....

The other dealer is a Suzuki dealer, who I know. He and his parner started off 20 years ago as a little motorcycle repair shop, eventually became a Suzuki, Ducati, and Sea Doo dealer. The same 3 guys run the show for 20 years. One in parts, when you come in he knows your bike, what you have and what need. One in repairs, a guy who races, knows how to tune and repair stuff. And one in sales, he always has some scoop on whats coming out(at least with Suzuki) , knows what kind of rider you are, what you may be looking for in your next bike.

With the explosion in ATV sales there are dealers all over the place, they are not all the same. I believe Honda and Yamaha are probably coming out with 450s. It makes sense, Suzuki has put out 5 different models in the last 2 years, all of them are designed to out do what Honda and Yamaha have. The Z400 was a direct hit to Honda's 400EX sales, think of how nice for Honda to release a 450 and put a hit on Z400 sales. Also, the Z250 just released from Suzuki appears to be directed at doing everything the 250EX does, but a little better, for the same price. Honda better make a move soon.

[GETSOME]

I think honda will drop the XR650 motor into a frame similar to the 400EX. They have done the XR swap before.