It is as real as it gets. Our local Honda dealer is building a track behind my buddies farm in a coupe weeks so they can test and showcase it close to their delaership. I find it funny that people bitch about it being just another 400EX with a bigger motor. What is so bad about that if it is. The 400EX handles beautiful but it lacks some power and suspension. That is all simple to change!

Cannondale is out of business so I don't think Honda should use them as a business blueprint. More people will buy a well rounded quad than a purpose built one....it is simple economics. You will have to refit any machine on the market to meet your personal use so stop your whining!

 

I love the name Honduki, sounds like the gooey stuff that comes out of my ATC 250R's silencer.

 

To be honest, I wanted Honda to come out with two quads, a 450 for the MX/GNC/GNCC crowd and a 650R with big-time suspension for the desert/dune guys. I guess I'm still waiting.

P.S. - Cannondale didn't fail because of their quads, they failed because they tried to compete with their motorcycle.

 

Mickey,

Of course this would be pure speculation but between the Honda, Yamaha and the 2 Gas Gas models, which one would be the closest to race ready out of the box? How would you rank them 1 thru 4? Would you mind ranking the 4 in terms of which one will be the better platform to build a full race bike out of?

I'm not trying to put you on the spot, I just figured you've had your hands on three of the models already. I know you have done as much work with the Gas Gas as any of the National builders and also figured you would have had a chance to talk to guys like Bruce Ogilby about Honda's intention with this quad. [if not helped design or ridden it already]. If you do not answer this, I guess you have a non-disclosure agreement with Honda.

From the sketch, I would have guessed it was gonna be a steel frame unless it was like an LRD frame.

My guess, stock for stock is that the Honda will be more user friendly, say a cross between the YFZ450 and a Z400. That's what I would do if I was interested in making money. You could always come out with a TRX450RR that had no reverse, twin spar aluminum frame and a host of other race-only parts in limited numbers. Thanks to Cannondale, the racing market would not be shocked by a real $10,000+ race quad.

 

DuneDS,

You hit the Cannondale issue right on the head. There is no money in the MX bike market. The money is made on accessories. Very slim margins compared to other types of bikes. R&D takes alot of money EVERY year because they change every year.

 

DuneDS650,


Cannondale failed because of the price. There wasn't a big enough market for quads costing $8000+


Not all of us can throw down the cash for a quad that cost the same as a compact car.

 

Dbeck,

I am not flaming here and not tryin' to get in your face, but just because you posted it, isn't good enough for me.

A press release is an official communication to the public. In the eyes of the securities exchange commision, it must be made available to multiple news sources (Reuters, Bloomberg, Associated Press, CNN, Yahoo, etc...) so that everyone has a chance to read it at the same time. This is so that everyone has a chance to react and decide if it is market moving information or not, and buy / sell stock based on the information. Honda is a publicly traded company and must abide my those rules. Those rules are not just in the US either, it is a global standard.

I still cannot find the press release in the common company news sources. It won't be on the front page of CNN or Yahoo, but it should be listed as a news release from the corporate entity Honda and I should be able to find it by searching.

If the press release is not posted on even Honda's website, how can it be verified to be true?

And wouldn't the press release make a bigger splash and more benefit to Honda if it was widely distributed, rather than just put on an internet discussion board? Not everyone reads the internet..... You put out a press release to announce something to everyone. This doesn't seem right.

I am just as excited to see this quad as anyone, but don't need to be strung along based on unconfirmable information....

I'm sure people have had experience in not hearing the correct information from a dealer before.....

If it's an internal 'memo' to dealers only, then that is different. But it is being touted as a 'press release'. That would mean it's released to the press. All the press.

C'mon Honda, if it's true, and it's your press release, post it on your website!

 

If I was spending my owen money and I was racing MX,TT or GNCC the GAS GAS is the best ready to go 444cc race quad out at this time.For $8500 you could go to the track and win.I just built Chad Duvall a 450 YFZ to race this weekend and if I would have to pay for everything that made it race ready it would have cost $10600 with a pipe only.To make the z400 the same way plus build a motor to a 440 it would be about $10900 because the Z is cheaper in the first place. The Honda you will have to wait on but it will be close to the YFZ. That's the order I would rate them at this time and it's only my opinion.Chad may like the YFZ after this next race and each one of my GNCC rider's will get to test them all on the16th.

 

I think that thing will rip dude! i think its great honda finaly stepped up. But I dont think the HOnda rideers should say that it will tear apart a raprotr just yet. for all we know it could get crushed by the Z, but it could beat the crap out of a raptor as well.And the yamaha riders shouldnt say anything yet either.Just wait until they test it then everyone talk their sh*t.

 

MickeyDunlop (I'm assuming you're the guy from 4-Stroke-Tech and hopefully you have an inside track with Honda), do you know if 250R/400EX parts, i.e. A-arms and shocks, will fit on the 450R?

Thanks.