My YFZ has let me down 1 too many times, and I am turning my back on yamaha. I went to a lot of dealers today and the 450R just felt the best to me sitting on the floor. I totally intend to imediately turn it into a woods racer. I was just wondering on everyone's opinions, thoughts, reliability reports, and just things that they tweaked to make it a great woods racer! Is the kick start a pain in the **** at times? The kick start is really my only hessitation at this point, becasue as always, "Honda" is japanese for "bulletproof"...maybe not literally, but kinda?!?

 

I love my 450R. I don't woods race but I ride mainly trails. I have not had a problem with the kick start. I usually starts on the first kick every time when it's warm. It's really easy to kick too. I would suggest going to a 13 tooth front sprocket. It is geared a little too high stock for the trails.
If you get one have fun with it.

 

what has gone wrong with your yfz?

 

i love my 450R, wouldnt trade it for any other atv. mine hasnt had any problems, whats wrong with the YFZ? one of my friends got a new YFZ and he wishes he would have got a 450R. i recomend a 13 tooth front sprocket ASAP! im getting the HRC kit and the HMF ballance full system carbon fiber pipe for mine. i also recommend a good set of skid plates, i love my DG fat series skids. also keep in mind that changing the oil frequently really helps with reliability and longivity. i change my motor oil every 3 to 4 tanks of gas, i also change my tranny oil every other motor oil change. dont over tighten any bolts either, this motor is all aluminum.
if you get a 450R you wont be dissapointed, cant go wrong with a honda! good luck with whatever you decide to do

 

I like Rod's 450, also. I like mine way more though.

 

Joel's 450R is pretty cool, but my shifter feels better.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

The 450r is a great bike. This is coming from a person who races in the woods, i stalled my banshee more times than my 450r with stock gearing, that is good. Handles sharply through the woods.

 

This bike has won Baja and Vegas to Reno, what more do you need to know? I am building a desert racer, but this machine (with some gearing changes and maybe a heavier flywheel) will make a great trail bike, right out of the box. Only complaint I have is the rear shock. I have the damping all the way in (slow), and it still bucks me some in the big whoops. I will be getting the shock revalved ASAP. As far as electric start and reverse, I don't miss either one.

Once you get the starting technique down, it is no big deal. For COLD STARTS, put the choke on full, kick it over, then decrease the choke slowly to idle it down. Nurse the throtle for a minute or so until it starts to run smooth.

For HOT STARTS, never touch the throtle before or during a hot start. Just hold the hot start button, and it starts on the first kick. But, if you stall it, you will have to kick it over a few times to clear the fuel out of the carb, but again, don't touch the throtle until the motor is running. If you make the mistake of touching the throtle, you will have to kick it 20 times to clear the carb, and you have nobody to blame but yourself!

 

i rode one in the dunes for a while i liked it much better than my old raptor. Most comfortable bike ive ever road it fit me very well except the seat was a little hard.

 

pudljumpr, I know somebody in Burlington, IA who may be interested in some sort of trade for your YFZ. He has a 450R and is sick of trying to hang with his buddies on YFZs and full out 250Rs on the MX track so he's looking for a YFZ now.