I'm looking at buying my first quad soon, and I'm torn between two different bikes. I'm 23, 6'3" 185lbs, and though this is the first quad I'll buy, I have taken 4 dune trips in the past, riding a friend's yfz450 (though it's been about 2 years since the last trip). I feel like I caught on quickly, and have just been itching to make enough money to buy one of my own. Well, now that time has come.

Bike #1, quoting from the craigslist post: "2003 Yamaha Raptor 660R Alba Edition with a 727 kit installed, 13:1 comp, stage 3 hot cam, with kibble-white black diamond valves and seats ... Has upgrades rear suspension, Team Alba Exhaust, Air filter upgrade, Durablue X-33 (adjustable) rear axle with billet drag hubs. Monster Coil upgrade. New Chain. I just put on a new full petcock assembly."

Bike #2, quoting: "For sale is my 06 Honda TRX450R. This quad is in EXCELLENT condition. The quad has never been in the dirt, sand only. It has many upgrades and is very fast. The engine had the jug milled to raise compression. Custom cam, Racers Edge CNC ported head. Carb was converted to E85. The head pipe was custom built with a step header design. The quad made 55 horsepower at Racers Edge in Tucson."

Honestly, though I am a quick and eager learner, at the moment I don't know that much about auto-mechanics; but I know you folks do, so that's why I'm asking. Whichever bike I buy will be used almost exclusively out in the Imperial Dunes in Yuma. I plan to own/take care of the bike for a while, so though it may be a bit fast for me right away, I still want to buy a fast bike so as my skills improve, I won't be limited by a slower ride.

Any advice, thoughts, suggestions, concerns are very much appreciated.

 

Honestly, I don't know a ton mechanically either. I would stay away from heavily modified quads, personally and try to find a fairly clean quad with original equipment if possible. Heavily modded quads are typically used to race and wind out quite a bit. It can be tough finding parts if the owner doesn't give you all the paperwork. Just my own .02 worth.

 

for a first quad, I would try and stick with a clean, used, relatively stock quad. They are plenty, plenty fast for most folks....a hopped up quad will usually require more maintenance (they are made for racing) and, generally speaking, are not for beginners. I would venture to say that 90% of the people out there cannot ride a 450 race quad (stock) anywhere close to the bike's potential

 

I was thinking the same thing Moose said about modded quads being raced and ridden hard.

 

If i were limited to those 2 choices i'd go for the 450r. But like they said both are going to be high maintenance.

The reason i shyed away from the 450r i could've bought (or any 450) is because of the high maintenance/cost issue...
I think it wouldn't hurt to start out on something like a z400, kfx 400, 400ex, etc,etc... I don't think a 400 is going to limit you any more than a 450.
I know lots of people with 400s that are satisfied, but If you outgrow a 400 then i'd consider a 450. With a bike like that your not going to lose much on resell.

But thats just me.

 

In the dunes I would think you would be better off with the 450r. The 2 machine seem to be comparable as far as the work. But the 450r running on the e85 just seem like the right thing to do when you really mod a motor. The first thing I would do is bring them to a good shop and get it checked out. Whats the compression on the 450?