Ask The Editors: Why Aren’t We Getting More 450s?

Like always, we got the short end of the stick.

This question comes up often (at least several times a month) and the answer, not surprisingly, involves unfair politics.

While our neighboring industries benefit from new race machinery often, ATVs get a bit of the ol shaft in that even our models designed, marketed and even labeled as designed for closed course competition use must still adhere to much stricter environmental restrictions as machines built for trails.

The reason for this? The government says in research they conducted, they found that even machines built for the racetrack were commonly being ridden in the forest alongside dedicated trail quads. We hate to say it, but this argument could probably be made for just about any performance powersport sector.

Anyway, this means that manufacturers have to do a lot of detuning, add heavy and unnecessary restrictions, countless reflectors, stickers, warnings and on and on. One of our favorite examples of how ridiculous this all can get takes us back to the Suzuki LT-R450 Quadracer (2006-2012). Despite making clear that it was intended for competition use, Suzuki was still mandated to go above and beyond with the factory exhaust and flatten out the fuel mapping – which they did.

The aftermarket company Yoshimura offered a $40 resistor called the Cherry Bomb that, when installed, switched the EFI and ignition timing map from the EPA mode to a more freer flowing map (added more fuel). Somehow both Yoshimura and Suzuki got in trouble by the EPA for this. Imagine that in any other industry. Some aftermarket company creates a freer flowing exhaust for your Corvette and the EPA lays down the law on GM. Once a machine leaves the factory adhering to the conditions laid out, they can’t control what individuals and the aftermarket decide to do with it from there. Sadly, that argument didn’t hold up.

In any event, most of the manufacturers, as we’re sure you are aware, decided the hassle was just not worth it and pulled out of the race segment altogether. Yamaha is the last of the major manufacturers to hold down the fort. Smaller brands making a name for themselves in other forms of racing typically look at our corner of the powersports spectrum and steer clear because of the red tape.

We’re slowly seeing a return to some performance on the smaller bore models like the Denago Daytona 250 (tested here) and the Kayo Storm 300 but the odds of seeing a return to the 450cc glory days are extremely slim. This hurts especially when you consider brands are developing 450 MX equipment in droves from the likes of Triumph, Ducati and newcomers like the aforementioned Kove. About the only consolation we can offer is that these engines and technology they’re bringing will be available to custom ATV builders as well.

Got questions for us? Ask them here!