Looking to buy another quad soon, mostly for trails, dunes, light mx. Considering the honda 450 and yfz 450 as well as a raptor. Want something reliable but easy to ride and maintain, which of these best fits the bill?

 

Alot of guys will tell you 450's require more maintenance. I don't feel that way. Oil changes sure but, that needs to be done on anything. I recommend the 450 over raptor if doing any MX as they much more at home on the track and I get around trails fine with mine.

Doing a search will show many, many recommendations and differences between the two.

 

Well, the 450s will need more maintenance than a Raptor, mostly oil changes, filter maintenance, and valve adjustments. Either is a capable dune or trail machine. Unless you plan on hitting the mx track more than a few times a year the Raptor is probably a better all around ride for many. Throw in a little more mx time and the scale quickly tips towards a 450. Just know that they don't like extended slow running. A 1st gear family ride can get the coolant boiling. Personally, I prefer the 450s and am willing to live with some extra maintenance.

 

Give me a raptor or a 400CC quad any day for play and a 450 for race. Not only do the 450's require more maintenence most (Exept for the Kawi ) don't have reverse and for a trail/play quad reverse is a great thing to have! If I were in your shoes I would take a good hard look at a Raptor or a Suzuki Z400!

 

I feel like the 450 would be your best choice but if you chose a raptor pick the 700 don't bother with 660 and the reverse is not that big of deal it would be nice but they are light to move and when you break the tires loose they has a small Turning radius. And the 450 yfz are slightly faster but if you around 6 foot or taller the 450r seemed more comfortable to ride for me.