Anyone read the most recent issue of "Quad" magazine?? It features a shootout of the 3 450's. Now, I'm not a current owner of a Honda but have been in the past, but I think it's more than obvious that Suzuki lined the pockets of the editors of this publication. They rated the Suzuki as flawless in every catagory & the Honda as terrible everywhere & the Yamaha as O.K. for most situations.

I find it very suspicious that all other ATV magazines report that the '06 TRX is very powerful throughout the entire powerband, quite similar to the YFZ450 & that the new Quadracer has a very mellow powerband, & now "QUAD" reports the Suzuki to have the most agressive power of the three, with the Honda being the weakest & slowest machine of the three.

I'm not partial to any brand ( check my photo page ) but, I'm starting to wonder if that tool Doug Meyers from ATVtelevision is writing for QUAD now also. He's the only jacka$$ I've ever heard before that brags one company as being the best (Honda) & another as being total junk (Polaris).

 

its hype man. to sell mags and bikes. its a circle.

personally, for what its worth and what it was designed for, IMO, i think the YFZ is the best 450 out there. Thats coming from a 450R owner.

maybe i missed some news articles or something and if anyone knows please list it- the 450R and YFZ were still dominating the racing circuit....didnt see the ltr in there. maybe i just missed it. the ltr is a cool bike but i dont think it will dominate its first year out. its rider preference and RIDER. Gust did good on a z400 modded, will prob do fine with the LTR once they figure it out.

look at motcross: ricky carmichael dominated with honda, went to suzuki, still dominating. chad reed likes yamaha, does fine with them. bubba likes kawasaki- he is the future champion.

 

The R dominates desert endurance racing. When YFZ's or Suzuki's start winning desert races, then I might give them a second look. Right now, they don't even dare show up!

 

lol the ltr450 completely stock is weak. i liked the 06 yfz vs 06 trx shootout the best, they said the honda had flaws in being too powerful and having a too race taunt suspension. so they picked the yfz over it

but in previous years, they appauled the yfz for having those characteristics?

 

My thoughts exactly. As much as I love Honda, the YFZ is the best all around machine. Im really surprised to hear (from both QUAD magazine and DIRTWHEELS) that the LTR doesn't have much low end power....low end power is essential to winning any race! I believe the Honda's great low end power is what lets it hang with the YFZ despite its less "race oriented" chassis. Now, the LTR is an exciting machine as it is so radical in stock trim. But I think that a fully modded LTR against fully modded 450Rs and YFZs will lose its "wow" factor. DIRTWHEELS even said the YFZ has better suspension than the LTR (which has 1' more travel). But back to what theCATman said, their comments about the 450R seem ridiculous. The Honda may fall short of the other two in some categories, but it is not a mild-mannered trail machine like QUAD magazine portrays it. I'll be purchasing a YFZ for my next quad.

 

oh, i know, recon. the 450R won its first time out! Still dominating the top 10 in the desert. great engine. one reason why i bought mine. thats why i said for what it was designed for - YFZ is a purpose built machine, well thought out and has to be yamaha's best effort ever. It still has the original intent of what the the whole 450cc class started out as- MX, racing, an ATV 'fighter jet on wheels' and yamaha improves on it every year. 2006 model is the best one yet, true 449cc, different porting, better seat, suspension etc...

where i ride, i havent seen not 1 YFZ get passed by a 450R yet. stock or modded. they are very impressive. the 450r is a good bike but as i have said alot on here, honda screwed up the handling. its not crisp, center of gravity is too high, the rear shock ridiculous, and needs a different revalving, not even close to a 250R. the YFZ is the closest thing you can buy in having that precise, balanced 250R feel, wrapped up with a package, that WITH estart, still weighs less than a 450R kicker.

besides, i thought i read on here somewhere along the way that you take that z400 on more riding trips than any other bike you have...[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

if i gathered that correctly, hey, nothing wrong with that, im thinking about getting a z400 myself. its a great all round machine and can absolutely be made to fly...


IBAD, i totally agree. lot of 'adnvances' on the new LTR and it is exciting to see all the OEMS really back in the game after so much time of complacency, and it is good to hear the QUADRACER name again! It is the machine that started it all. However, fuel injection is nice but is it really necessary? really more advantageous than a good rider? i mean the YFZ and 450r rev extremly quick and the power has always been there. FI is coming to all the quads sooner or later, though, but as i see it thats really the only true advatnage to the LTR. anyone that races will change out the shocks, a arms anyway, no matter if suzuki's are wider. Gust and jones are running FOX shocks...WTH? i thought that the stock suspension was so good that there was no need for aftermarket? apparently, they arent that good...

 

Suzuki ALWAYS has issues with a new design. I remember a recent photo of the new Suzuki 450 sitting there at a race with a BROKEN REAR SUSPENSION LINKAGE (Glen Helen, as I recall).

This is typical Suzuki (and Yamaha to some extent).........rush the product to market, and let the end users (you and me!) work the bugs out of the design. You're all "factory test riders", and didn't even know it!

 

I really don't get why people take these shoot outs so seriously. All it is, are a bunch of guys exspressing their opinion towards the bikes. When the YFZ450 and 450R were the only two out, the YFZ450 was the best quad; No questions asked and it won like 7 awards, but look how many people have the R.. To me it seems like every where i go more people have Rs than YFZs. And to me, it is mind boggling that the #1 rider in both areas are riding the worst 450 on the market Natlie and Eicher (sp). I am not trying rag on any brand, so don't get me wrong. I really like the YFZ and would not mind having one my self. I just don't understand why people weigh their choice of 450s so heavily on shootouts in magizines. GO RIDE!

 

Yeah, I am with Freeride. Shhotouts are just a few peoples opinion. Likewise I would not base a quad (or car) purchase off of race results, unless the races you are watching are with stock off the showroom floor, totally oem vehicles. I have a feeling Honda lured a lot of riders with contingency money and many were Honda loyal from the 250R days. The 450R is a good quad, but perhaps QUAD magazine got a weak one from the factory for the shootout. It happens.

 

btw the rear linkage failure was caused by a crash, he was rear ended, and it was aftermarket not stock