how do u think 450 will match up againest the 250 in handlein, speed, accelration ?

 

speed and accel will belong to the potential of the 250R.

 

Yup.. I think the legend will just go on and on

 

While you may be right, I'm guessing that the 450r will have better speed stock for stock (of course that means nothing) and the 250r will be faster if they are both modded

 

450r in all three categories.

 

It seems to me that many people are thinking that the 450r is going to handle great simply because it is a honda. The specs seem to reflect a light wieght 400ex with a taller seat height. I am hopeing that it has a very low center of gravity but seeings how the 450 engine is much lighter than the 400, I doubt that will be the case. I think that it will be a great quad and a great racer, but I think it will get edged out in most categories by the YFZ. Since this post is not about that and I have not ridden either, it doesn't matter at all. However, concerning the 450R vs. the 250R--- For racing, I think the power will be better on the 450 because fatigue is an absolutely critical factor and anyone can ride fast longer on a smooth four stroke. The actual power of the 450 is there, I have ridden the bike and regaurdless of the changes made for the quad, a racer will get the same power out of the engine with a few mods and if you pull the potential power out of the 250, it is just not reasonable to race it unless it is drag or desert racing. As far as the handleing goes, I feel that with the specs that have been given on the new 450, God himself would need to come down and personally bless it in order for it to out handle the 250R. The legend will grow.

JP

 

Here's my two cents. I have never rode a 250R. Now my brother had the 250R ATC, which I logged some serious near death experiences on. Now I own a 400ex, and am wishing for a 450R. My brother now has the CRF450R, which I have also rode. That is about as serious as it gets. I think that the 450R will out do anything that has ever been done honestly. I think the 250R is the hi-water mark that every quad is measured against, and probably always will be. But they get better every year. In regard to the dude above me here, I have ran the math, and unless the laws of physics has changed, the 450R should smoke the YFZ. Same weight+bigger carb+bigger displacement=faster. Simple as it gets.

Now as far as handling, let me tell you something, everybody rides differently, I have never felt comfortable on a Suzuki anything, and my buddy won't ride anything but. I like the feel of Kawasaki's and Yamahas, but always go with Team Red. Everyone rides different and everyone prefers different things, so that part is subjective.

 

Good post hishon. I deffinately know what you mean about personal comfort zones and this will play an important part in how an individual can make a machine handle. I also agree that the all out power of the 450R is there in full force. I have no idea as to weather it will beat the YFZ in a drag or not though. It is pretty well known in the dirtbike world that the YZ450F has more power and will rev out higher than the CRF450. In most races though, the amount of difference is so small that I would rather have the more evenly spread and torquey pull of the CRF. But we are talking about quads here, right? Although the displacement is greater on the Honda, the piston has also been altered making it heavier and with more friction as well as a longer stroke than its dirtbike counterpart. And with the fact that it was already a loosing battle for the CRF in the rev department, the larger piston will deffinately affect it even more negatively. The displacement isn't an issue for the YFZ. The old YFZ 426 put more power to the ground than the CRF ever has. Now about the carbs, the 42mm butterfly carb found on the Honda, this is just another low blow from big red. They know that the Keihin flatsides are better carbs- that is why they have one on the CRF dirtbike. The 42mm on the 450R will give us incompotent atv riders a more smooth and broad powerband- you might think that the heavier piston and longer stroke would have satisfied them, but nooooo, they had to give the 450R a sub-standard carb as well.

I love my Honda's. But Yamaha is a very ballsy marketing company and I feel that they have handed us an atv that more racers will want to own.

Your math is good, but too basic for an upper classman. I hope I am wrong though. I would love to see Honda succeed.

JP