i have been looking into buying a 450 quad for some time now. i noticed in the paper today. there was a 04' TRX450R for $5,000 obo. so i called the guy up. got directions. and went to check it out. he says it has a "power up kit" im guessing thats a HRC kit? or what? seemed like the quad was in pretty good shape. he never raced it. never rolled it. he said he was going to take it up to northern minnesota for the 4th of july weekend and he is gonna be back tuesday.
(hes probably going to beat on it to death) this is one thing i worry about in buying used quads..u dont know the "true" history of the quad. im seriously thinking of buying it. but i still have the worry about what good of shape the motor is in. and how worn the clutch is. he says he mixes race fuel with 92 octane gas. is that good for them?

what are your guys opinions? would you buy it?

thank you

 

Just ask him what the power kit consists of. Ask him about any mods he has done to it. The air filter and exhaust you can just look at and tell. I'm sure he will let you ride it before you buy it, so take it on a test drive and feel it for yourself. That's where I would start.

 

well i know for a fact is has a different cap at the end of the pipe. the hole seems alot bigger then a stock one...but it has a stock exhaust. i guess ill wait until tuesday when he gets home. ill test ride it....i never drove a 450 before...ekkkk might kill myself.

but i still worry about how it was treated. i hate buying used quads when u have no idea how badly it was treated. even though people say they take care of it. what if i buy it and the engine blows...then what, im screwed.

another thing. people always say they are geared very high... how high? like a 400ex in 2nd gear? cuz theres lots of woods trails where i live too

 

I know what you mean about buying used quads and it is a risk. The best thing to do is inspect it everywhere and this will give you a pretty good idea of how its been treated. Check frame joints for cracks, check oil condition, air filter, etc. Ride the quad and check for abnormal engine & tranny noise, how the tranny works, steers, rides, etc. Doing all these things will pretty much insure your decision. The 450r is a good, reliable machine and can withstand alot of abuse so the chances are if you don't see or hear anything abnormal you will probably be safe on purchasing it. Just make sure you ride it before you buy it..
As for gearing its probably about the same as a 400ex. You can just put a smaller counter sproket on and you'll be good for the woods.

 

well if its the same os a 400ex. then it really isnt to bad. 400ex 1st gear is a little high. i guess if the 450r's 1st gear was even more a little higher i still wouldnt mind... as long as it isnt TOO high.

maybe i can talk him down to $4,800... which seems like a pretty good deal.

and i did some searching.. and i found out. when most people say "power up kit" or similar terms its refering to the HRC kit.. now im not 100% sure what this kit does, what exactly does it do to the 450R? i noticed a different end cap on thr exhaust. ( hole seems alot bigger) will this make the quad loud? what else does the HRC kit do?

 

From what I have been able to find, the HRC kit comprises a cam, a special airbox lid, a freer-flowing pipe insert and jetting. I'm guessing it is just a little hop up kit for the 450r. So I am thinking you are on the right track with finding the modification to the pipe. When you get there, give the airbox/air filter a look. See if the air box lid does look "special".



$4,800 would be a good deal. As said before if you find the gears don't suit you you can always work on that with sprocket sizes. Just get out there and see how it rides. If you notice anything wrong ask him about it. If it isn't too bad, such as a bearing or something, see if you can use it to talk to price down more.

Before you ride it do a quick and close inspection of the bike. Check the frame for cracks or bends. Check the A-arm bushings and bearings. The bushins will crack and wear out after a while, but aren't too big of a deal to replace. Mainly, check for everything you would expect to see wrong. After you've given it a good once-over, take it for a ride. Do more than just cruise, do some doughnuts and wheelies. Treat it like a performance quad. This will help give you an idea of the power it has and how well it is tuned.

Either way, it all boils down to what you think. As I said, just give it a lot of inspection. That's the only way you can be as sure as possible about what you are buying.

 

im not sure if im gonna go wheelie with it...i never drove one before. im used to driving a 300ex... lol

i guess only thing i worry about..is the engine and tranny. other stuff is usually simple enough to replace. but i seen how people treat them 450s. especially around where i live. its crazy. halfthe time there hits the rev limiter, and just overal...beating them to death. i sure hope this guys took good car of his..and i hope he does over the 4th... : / probably come back on tuesday and it will be all messed up.

 

Yeah, I understand. And the wheelies aren't all taht important. You know waht I meant [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img] I doubt he will do aynthing different to it this trip than any other. Either way, you just have to be good with your inspection and evaluation.

 

yea ill have to wait and see on tuesday. how loud is a 450r with the HRC kit? just wondering

 

No idea, but I wouldn't think it would be much louder than stock at all. I doubt that insert/tip thing does too much in all, therefore probably doesn't increase decibels too much.