All states have there own special rules about issuing street legal plates. The Baja Designs web site has some info that may be of help. California, for instance, has changed the rules so that now I cannot convert my 98 XR400 to street legal.

 

Well, I have been MIA from this thread for about 3 months now....
And I have to say that this says it best..........

I'm just not brand loyal like some people.
I like what I like regardless of the brand logo on it.
And although this is in a Honda forum, it's still my thread too, and not a "just Honda" one.
So I must say the truth is....
The YZF has proven to more easily fit the bill.

And I say that including the good and the bad. I immediately felt at home the minute I first got on the YFZ and when I rolled off on it the first time, it was all over after that. It's got that same level of exhilaration and rip to it. Plus the quick and high reving engine coupled with the OMG close ratio trans has proven to give me that same rippin-thru-the-gears effect that was present on the quick-reving 2 stroke. And man it shifts GREAT!

Like the old 250R, it's easy to ride fast, and the whole time you are on it, it's like it's just begging you to RUN.... like a hyper dog just dying to be unleashed. It's a thriller on open trails, and a stunner on tight cornered courses. The power, aggressive rate handling and cornering ability are really something. Shames the stock 450R's.

But it also inheirits some of the 250R bad side too. Just like the 250R, in really tight woods, it's a lot of work to ride... and riding slow is hard. I don't want to say it is really too much bike for the really tight woods because mostly it's just that I haven't worn off enough of my personal "rust" yet.

But it is harder to ride than it needs to be there. I wouldn't suggest it to anyone that's riding a lot of longer sections of UTE trails where you are squeezing between the trees. It's just too much work. That's not rust on my part or it being too much machine either. I put some time in on a new bone stock Raptor 350, which is narrower, less powerful and more of a woodsy bike... and I felt the same about it... as it's nearly as much work because it's geared to high for that stock.

However, in the open trails it's a lot easier to ride and a lot less work than most sport machines. The only way I think you could shift less would be to have a 600cc or 700cc or an automatic... LOL. You can run the higher gears on it quite a bit, and you can slow up and just get back into it without gearing down.

I don't mind to be straight up about it though.
I'll say what I like the least about it too.

1) I don't like trying to take off EASY with it from a dead stop OR from a dead stop on hills. I'm looking for a lower gear for that... or maybe more rock bottom grunt from the engine. I stall it now and again. I guess it could be re-geared lower at the sprockets, but this trans is already so close and I'm not sure it could afford dropping a tooth for what it would take off the top end.

2) The handling effect of the suspension is SHARP... but so is the ride quality at times. Love the ride height and handling, but it does not have the plush ride quality of the 450R. Might be I need to dial the shocks in for a better ride with me on it, but that's pure speculation.

3) Obnoxiously loud aftermarket pipe. Yeah it's like cool rumble at first. But on long rides it does get old. But more than that, I'd rather not have it be that loud for the sake of others and out of respect for them. The stock 450R pipe is quiet. Myself, I prefer just to be able to hear where I am with the RPM's and that's all.

4) In fairness to the 450R... while it is indeed at a disadvantage (neither highly modified) in any sort of normal ordinary rider competition such as drag racing, ripping a track or trail... I do believe that if I was running alongside a 450R at a pretty good speed (like in 5th gear) and the rider wanted to pick a race... I do believe the 450R could pull off on the top end speed. Atleast that's the way the 450R gearing feels to me compared to the YFZ. I think in that situation I might find myself wishing for a 6th gear.

[b]Aside from this whole thread being about "R bikes"... what is more the new-age 250R, etc...

Remember that even if you are a die-hard brand guy.... keep an open mind.

Besides the 450R, there is also the YFZ450, QR450 and that new KFX 450 that's on the way.

And all of them are worth a ride... to me anyways... and all of them with have their give and take.

I'd like to spend some more time on a 450R in the future, and also get my feet wet on the QR450 and that KFX 450.

 

 

if the 250r is your bread and butter just get one on ebay or for like 9 grand get a brand new one from www.servicehonda.com. they are a 400ex framed and plastic with a honda 250r engine and exaust. Supposed to be great bikes.