I was thinking of getting a 450R, but I ride slow with my kids alot and mostly in the sand. I do ride hard and fast when the kids aren't around. Will the 450R be a decent choice for this type of riding. I've riden the 400EX, it is a bit on the sluggish side for my riding style without kids. I currently ride a 85 250R. This is not the right bike for riding with the kids. Thanks in advanced.

 

I've heard good things and bad things about the 450R. I absolutely love my 400EX. Have you ever changed your geering on the EX to see if that helps anything? I have a couple of different sprockets that I switch around depending on what type of riding I am doing. I have never ridin in Sand being I'm from the Midwest, but I hear the 450 really rips but I'm still partial to the 400.

 

I own a 400ex and a 450R. I would not recommend a 450, for cruizing with the kids. The 450r hates going slow. I would say get a z 400 type quad. They have alot more poop than the EX, but will still putt.

 

The EX is my friends. It is completely stock. It was great riding with my kids, but hitting the dunes with guys it did not have the power I was hoping for. I heard the Suzuki LTZ 400 was better for that, but I can't see buying non-honda.

 

"I cant see buying a non Honda" I couldnt have said it better[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img] The 400ex is the better trail/ slower cruising quad. But you can ride the 450R slow if its geared right. We have an 05 and I dropped a tooth in front and added one in the rear. Its a decent trail quad now,you can ride the slow nasty 1st gear trails but it still rocks when you want it to. The top end is down some,but it will still do 65-70. And you could always swap back to the stock sprockets if you wanted too,i didnt change the chain length.

 

Why can't you putt a 450R that is stock. I thought all 4 strokes could be putted. What problems will it have from putting? Does it foul plugs like a 2 stroke? I know my 250R can't putt, I go through plugs like crazy. I should own stock in NGK. I swear it is the reason for my last rebuild. Thanks for input.

 

I can't either. If life changed and I had to sell a quad, I would sell both. I would then go buy a z typed 400. I feel it is the best all around quad. They left too big of a hole betwwen the 2 choices, IMO.

 

Below about half throttle it chugs and won't run smooth. I have been on 5 04/05 models and they all have done it, stock. I hear the 06 and newer is a little better, but have never ridden a new stocker.

 

This is exactly why Honda needs a big bore sport quad. Take something like the Raptor 700R. Its a non racing motor so its not high strung and more than happy to go slow (especially with its low gearing)...........but at the same time, will run with the racers just because of its size and torque. I understand your a Honda man (I was too) but sometimes you just got to get what you need no matter who makes it..................[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-cool.gif[/img]

 

Idle speed in first gear on a 450R is 25 mph! They are geared tall, and the engine just does not like to be lugged down at all. If you want to go slow, you have to do the clutch work, just like on a 2-stroke. I went down one tooth on the front and it helps, but no way would I want to spend a day trail riding it.

The 400EX on the other hand doesn't mind being lugged down. I can put it in first gear and it will idle through a tough technical section, just fine. Not as fast as the Z though, and way behind the R, but dead solid reliable.

The Z falls somewhere in between the R and EX. It likes to rev, but will lug down some when you need to go slower. The engine has huge hop-up potential with just a few mods and it is considerably faster than the EX, but still pretty far behind the R. In time, this one may prove to ultimately be just as reliable as the EX......