hey guys I have a 250 raptor right now and am constantly asking for more power . i am not sure witch to get I will be riding trails, dunes, and the track about once or twice a month. I need fuel injection and reverse, so could you guys tell me some of the advantages and disadvantages and where the power is most usable out of both. thanks in advance

 

Both are solid rides, and big upgrades power wise over the 250. Not sure on your age, but either one will work well for your intended purposes. For dunes, you would appreciate the extra power of the 450. The downside is that they demand more frequent maintenance such as valve adjustments, oil changes, etc. The Zuk is likely the better ride for anyone not looking to run at warp speeds a lot or needing lower maintenance.

Curious as to why you think you need efi and reverse when the little Raptor has neither? There is little downside to reverse, but if the trails have even a little hill to them or are wide enough to do a spin turn, I can have my YFZ facing the other direction while my reverse using buddies are still going through the routine. EFI is great, but it adds a lot of expense when upgrading and they are more susceptible to dirt contamination/breakdowns than a carb.

Either way, have fun shopping and let us know what ya get!

 

I need efi because we will be riding in so many different places from glamis and little sahara to up in the colorado rockies. i also considered the yfz as I am a yamaha fanboy but they are very expensive and found kfx and z400 for good prices and good condition.

 

Fair enough. There are ways to quickly and easily alter jetting without getting into the carb, but efi is def convenient in that regard. Sounds like you are looking at used? I have always felt that a clean, well maintained machine was almost as important as the actual model when looking used. I do know the kawie has a few quirks, but with a few adjustments is a sweet ride. Also capable of some serious power with a few aftermarket goodies. I almost bought one last year, but it was hard to justify with the amount of ride time I (don't) get lately, lol.

 

I want something that I wont loose interest in for a long time and be able to upgrade as I get older and better job also found a good package deal only $500 out of my price range. if anything goes wrong my dad is friends with a shop owner only 30min from home. 2 ATVs 1 Price!!!

 

I'd go with the KFX, contrary to what everyone seems to believe, the z400 is in fact a high-compression four-valve engine. I have friends who own a z400, a 400ex and a YFZ. Maintenance is similar on the z400 and the YFZ, the 400ex has a lazier engine, thus is less prone to failure. The z400 makes more power than a 400ex for a reason folks, its a great machine, but never say it requires less maintenance than a 450. That said, go with the KFX, its the least race oriented of the 450s, more of an all around machine, or at least Kawasaki would have us believe. I would've bought one myself a year ago had things worked out.

 

Wow, that looks like a pretty sweet deal if everything is on the up and up! Heck, you could sell the one you liked least and have some cash for upgrades as you see fit.

 

The 450s (All of them) are the exact same motors that are in the manufacturer's 450 Motocross motorcycles. I,m into motocross bikes and anyone pushing over 150hr on those motors is riding on a time bomb.

The z400 is the same motor used is the on/off road endro Suzuki DRZ 400 that can go from the east coast to the west coast a few times without a issue, try that on a Suzuki RM450 and see which one needs a rebuild first.

There only 50cc apart in displacement, yet one has 10hp over the other, you do not get 10hp out of 50cc without a disavantage to be paid somewhere.

 

Thanks for all the info guys what I might do is get a loan from my dad to have some backup cash and then keep them both for a month or so and then see witch one I like the best. But will the 450 require a ton of maintenance if we do regular oil changes, air filter replacement/cleaning etc.

 

With the 450s, you really need to stay on top of valve adjustments more frequently, as well as new piston/rings/and refresh the jug earlier than the Z will likely need. The short piston design of the race motors revs fast and makes great power, but also leads to increased wear and quicker oil contamination. How long between rebuilds is going to depend on a lot of factors, but I do know it will run you 1500-2K if you blow it up real good. Better to rebuild it before that point.