I have a 05 450r that I do alot of trail riding with and riding this thing in the trails is rough and I was wondering if trading it for a 03 predator would be a even trade.

 

For rough trail riding i definitely would not get a 450r. Look at the z400. Or look at the outlaw 525 with IRS. I don't know if your predator has irs or not but the 525 outlaw is pretty sweet, the z400 is a bad quad as well

 

Do not trade for the Pred. You will be losing out big time. What about the 450R is rough on the trails? There is probably an aftermarket fix for whatever ales it/you.

 

Going from a 450r to a Pred is a big step down.
I ride my 450r on the trails all the time.
What is rough about it?
Have you dropped the front sprocket from the stock 14 tooth to a 13 tooth?
This makes a huge difference.
Sure, kick start and no reverse makes the trails a little more chalenging, but also makes you a better rider.

 

i have a 13 tooth front sprocket and its still geared high i just got a 12 tooth today and i hope it helps. and yea reverse in the trails would be nice

 

I have an 06 trx450r and i ride on the trails a lot too, it is kinda bumpy but hell i figure im out in the woods so its to be expected. I just got a 13 tooth sprocket but have not rode on the trails yet with it. My husband gave me a little help by adjusting my rear suspention, making it softer. But yeah irs is really nice to have, as far as trying to get a smooth ride. Try the honda 700xx they are BEASTS and if you get one used, you can find it for a decient price and they do have irs. I dont know where you live but there are a couple of used 2008's for around 5000, which is not bad at all. Although if you jump a lot the irs can mess you up, if your not hitting the jump str8 because your back tires go off the ground at seperate times... just some things to think about

 

Id stay wit the 450 all day. i had my rear shock resprung for my weight and it made a hell of a differnce going thru the trails. Plus i got the +2 a arms, if the trails near u are wide enough grab a cheap pair

 

Wat are some things I could do to make this bike a better trail bike

 

Suspension revalve/rebuild can make a world of difference in comfort level. Use a reputable shop and be honest with how you ride and what type of terrain.

Higher compression piston/cam can all add power. Again you will need to research what works best with the 450R. Sounds like you are looking for more of a low/mid range setup for tighter trails. The HMF is a great system for low/mid power so I would stick with that.

 

I would stay with the 450r without a doubt. like it was said the predator is not nearly as good as the 450r. also it was said about the outlaw 525 with IRS they are a good quad for sure but not for tight trail riding they are the tanks of the sport quad market.