Want to buy an ATV for mainly trails and maybe a dune or mx run every now and then. Debating on either a KFX450r or TRX450r. Ive been researching alot about both but want an outside opinion on reliability, upgradability and overall fun factor. I know the Kawi has reverse which would be beneficial for trails but Honda has a better faster motor. Let me know guys,

 

All the 450 are rated pretty well at the same hp since they all use a 450 motocross motor. Reverse on a trail ride is a must.

A motocross motor is not known for their reliability and will need a rebuild after so many hours. For reliability a 400ex, Z400 0r 700 Raptor would be my choice.

A 700 Raptor makes the same 42 HP as the 450s but its not under nearly the same stress doing it .
The 700 Raptor makes 46hp but it can be lazy about it.

Low displacement but high hp comes at a cost, you get nothing for nothing.

07 Can-Am DS 650 X: 48.2hp
08 Honda 250ex: 16.8hp
08 Honda 300ex: 22.1hp
08 Honda 400ex: 34.2hp
08 Honda 450r: 42.6hp
08 Honda 700XX: 53.0hp
08 Kawasaki KFX450r:42.1
08 Kawasaki KFX700:48.8
08 Polaris 450MXR:41.6
08 Polaris 525S/IRS:49.6
08 Suzuki Z400: 36.6hp
08 Suzuki Ltr450: 41.6hp
08 Yamaha Raptor 250: 18.8
08 Yamaha YFZ450: 38.6hp
08 Yamaha Raptor700r: 46.9hp

 

Both great trail machines. I have been riding without reverse since 1986, it is nice but not necessary on the light racers. The Honda has a proven motor, but the KFX is no slouch. A few parts from the dirt bike engine wakes it right up. Either quad is a good starting point. If you plan on riding my and jumping, go for the 450 over a raptor. Weight, center of gravity, power to weight ratio, seating position all greatly favor the 450s when you want to get airborne.

 

Cool HP list TLC. Thanks for posting. Zach, while I do prefer Hondas, I am also very lazy and spoiled. I still love riding my kickstart, no reverse 85 ATC250R, but let me tell you that I will never purchase another ATV that does not have electric start and reverse...unless it is a Quadzilla 500. Reverse is a really, REALLY nice feature. If you don't mind getting off of your machine to pull it out of a jam then the reverse feature is not really a consideration. Make sure you test ride both machines before making a purchase. Either way, they are both very good machines. I do agree with TLC that the Raptor 700 would be a better choice if you will mostly be trail riding. Although they no longer make them, a Honda TRX700xx is also an excellent trail machine.

 

Honestly, if it was only between those 2 bikes, I'd go with the Honda. I may be a little biased but it has been made longer, it slightly more reliable and parts are more readily available. I don't know the price of kawi oem parts, but honda replacement parts are 2-3 times cheaper than yamaha and Suzuki. The kawi is probably the better woods racer right out of the box but there are so many aftermarket parts available for the honda that it can be built for anything

 

Great input here! Might test ride some soon to see which i like better.

 

Wanted to add quick that ive been reading alot about the KFX having issues.
ppl say they are junk, slow, flimsy. Is this true or just ppl like to hate Kawasaki??
Years ago i owned an '83 KZ550 street bike and it was great!

 

How can any 450 be slower or less reliable then the other? The all use the 450 Motocross motor of their manufacturer . Read any 450 Motocross shootout and power wise they are all neck and neck or you would be out of the motocross business pretty fast, so why would that change with the motor in a ATV chassis?

Example. The KFX 450R uses the 449cc stroke, DOHC, 4-valve single just like the KX450f motocross does. Same with the others if you look it up.

These motors where made for the Motocross bikes "first" then added to the Sport ATVs.
Not the other way around because the motocross racing circuit/business is so much larger then ATV racing.

The Manufacturers are not going to make a new ground up new motor for a Sport ATV 450 when they always have a Motocross motor on hand.

When a Manufacturer comes out with a improved 450 Motocross motor you can bet it will be a year or two later before the ATV chassis gets it handed down to them.

Another example about Motocross comes first in business is Honda. Even though the TRX450R has the same 1-cylinder, 4-stroke, Unicam, 4-valve 449cc motor as their CRF450R motorcross.
The Motorcross got EFI way back in 2009 while the ATV version was still using a carb up to 2014 (5 years later) and maybe still to this days, if you look it up.

Power wise all the 450s stock are very close. If one is faster then the other then its most likely a sprocket gearing thing.

 

From what I have heard and seen, the kfx has a few small quirks that are easily remedied. They should be fairly well documented by now. There is a big Honda guy locally that runs the kawie in xc because they are fairly easy to set up and get good reliable power out of. So he says at least. I feel you would he hard pressed to go wrong either way. The kawie has been out for maybe 6 years now? Mostly unchanged too. I like them both.

 

It all comes down to what you like the best, any of them would be a good choice along with the YFZ 450 as well. They're all fast.