Perhaps you can take into account that the yfz was the best selling atv, raptor number 2. If there are more bikes there are going to be more problems. The 04 models were also notably less reliable than the 05, as were the early 04 vs the mid and late 04's. Now the 06 has just over 80 changes to the bike and a few more cc's. The 450R was made a turd from the factory to keep things "honda safe and reliable" and they paid the performance price for it. Now they release a more direct pull from the motorcycle and something they should have included from the beginning, a better carb and electric start.

 

I used to love my Honda.....but I've owned more Yamaha's than anything since I started riding 4 years ago.......and I have a YFZ 450 that I've been racing the snot out of for over a year and half. Up until a couple of months ago, I raced it the whole time with stock suspension. Now, at 135 pounds, you'd think if the shocks were too stiff that I would have a problem with it......well, the YFZ shocks are awesome for stock suspension!! The upper a-arms are not weak - I don't know ANYONE that I race or ride with that has bent a stock a-arm. I even crashed and bent my stock shock into a "U", but my a-arms were perfectly straight. I race motocross, with some WORCS races thrown in......dune riding......a little desert racing........the YFZ is an all around awesome quad. I'm 5'10" and it's not too small for me.

As far as the engine issues Mr. Moore pointed out.......I've seen more Honda's being towed off the track blowing out smoke than I have Yamaha's over the past year. If I have my information correct, Keith Little's engine's are BUILT engines, so are Kory Ellis's.....once you start boring/stroking the engines in any quad, you can't point to the manufacturer as being responsible for any engine failures. It's the engine builder's problems at that point..........Stock for stock, you can no longer say Honda is more dependable than Yamaha anymore........times have definately changed.

As far as how many old Yami's I see around??? Banshee's, Blasters and Warriors EVERYWHERE!!! Locally - YFZ's pretty much dominate the MX tracks........and I can't count how many Raptors I see on the trails and at the dunes.

I say don't balk on the YFZ - just get it. You will love it !! Get the cam mod done, open up the intake and exhaust and it will fly. It's got amazing handling, it's light, and it has all the power you will need when you need it. You can soften up the stock shocks considerably - like I said, I raced mine and was doing VERY well on stock suspension!

Just my .02

 

I will add this to elaborate on what exracer131 was saying about comfort and ridability. AtvRider's Torture Test:

http://www.atvrideronline.com/tested/

they did a 12 hour torture test on the 4 performance quads with riders of all skill levels including pros that race the YFZ. The overwhelming consensus winner was the 450R for prolonged riding comfort thru varied terrain. The YFZ actually came in last for being the most harsh and fatiguing thru long rides. I'm not knocking the YFZ. I think it's awesome but I feel this study by ATV Rider is worthy of attention.

 

to 450grrl repley, i take it you race mx. if so you do want a stiff shock. if i am not wrong he does mostly trail riding. who wants stiff shock in the woods. yes i see that you race the worcs series,but the terrian is a little differant on our side of the planet. you go to anyone of the gncc races and check out some of the pro or pro am riders and bet their suspenion is nice and plush. to the remark i made about the yfz aarms are weak. there are serveral guys that run in the xc series i race in that had hit a tree with the front tire and the a-arms bent. all the guys this happened to had the same remark( this aarm should have never bent, i didn't even get thrown over the bars)

 

Yes, I'm mostly an MXer....with some desert and WORCS racing thrown in. I try not to hit trees, so I have not had the issue of the bent a-arms! [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img] I have, however, nailed a few HUGE rocks with my front wheels - enought to taco my rims but still never bent an a-arm. I can understand if you want a plusher ride in the woodsy type riding......I guess there is alot more sitting involved in that type of riding? I know there are quite a few desert racers that also switched over to the 450R because they said it's just a more comfortable, less fatiguing ride for long distances......so there are more 450R's, and Bombardier's in the longer desert racers these days than anything else.

I just had to argue about the weak a-arm comment and the reliability comment in the Yamaha's behalf. From someone who has tons of experience owning, riding with, and racing with YFZ's, as well as having a husband who also repairs/replaces/restores engines for a living....I wanted to be sure to clear up a few misconceptions.

 

I know that some racers who do XC racing prefer the TRX450R because its powerband is a little bit more mellow.
Im 5'11" tall and I love the way the YFZ fits me. The handlebar, shifter, and foot brake fit me just right.
My brother has an '04 Predator TLD and I feel stretched-out on it. I have to reach for the handlebars, shifter and foot brake.
The YFZ does have a really stiff suspension though. When you sit on a Raptor or Predator the suspension has 2" of sit-in, but when you sit on a YFZ it sags MAYBE 1/2". I personally like the YFZ's firm suspension.
As for whats faster, I think its more the rider than the machine. Ive seen TRX450Rs smoke YFZs, Ive seen YFZs smoke TRX450Rs and Ive seen Predators smoke both of them. However, it seems like the YFZs win more often than not.
It seems to me that you cant really go wrong either way.
Cap'n