Well the articles that I have read said that the crf450r engine produces 55hp. I could be wrong but the specs of the motor I feel could or should easily be able to produce that amount of power.-
Eddie

 

4x4 golf cart/mini ute type thing

with the rubicon motor, and gearbox

 

i dont think honda will come out with any new bigger cc sport quads, until the 400ex is out dated. its a great selling quad, and people simply love the quad. i dont think honda will make a trx450ex its too close to the 400ex. if they make a new sport quad it will be a 500+ in my opinion. i would love too see a trx600-650ex with reverse, and better features all around.

 

I spent some time on a friends 400ex a while back and to me,
The Honda 400ex is an outstanding performer, but in a small nitch. It realy shines if the rider is not very big, and the rideing environment is close quarters. In the dunes or on fast fire roads you feel the lack of power and short wheelbase. You can feel the quality and handling (in close quarters) but also feel a slight twitchy feel when all out flyin.
Honda would do very well with a more powerful and slightly larger frame on there top sport quad.
Keep it close to the 400ex but with a brand new honda 500 liquid 4 stroke that is purpose built for it. If it was done right it would be fast as the Raptor and DS, but with the 400ex woods racer feel. Keep the price enough lower than the other race quads, and they would sell oodles of um. Probably one to me.

 

Mudman-Actually, the 400 and 450 would not be that close. The 450 is a high tech water cooled screamer, where the 400 is a lower tech air cooled powerplant (but bulletproof reliable!).

 

I'd like to see the new 450 motor in an aluminum spar frame like the Cannondale. I bet they are working on this now but it'll be a very long time before we see it and it'll cost about $7000.

 

You have an obligation to fully read and understand things before you go passing on information.The CR450F produces (accoring to Honda) 55 HP AT THE CRANK, which would put it in the high 40s at the rear wheel, the hypothetical ATV version would use a detuned version of that motor which powers of deduction conclude......Probably low 40s bone stock.

 

Gary-Good advice, BUT you also have to consider the power curve of the engines. The new high reving 4-stroke are STILL MAKING POWER AT HIGH RPM long after the older powerplants are falling off the curve! So, just looking at horsepower numbers can be deceiving. Manufacturers are going to quote the horsepower at the top of the curve (and they may not tell you what RPM that is). Consider two engines: One makes 40hp at 10,000 RPM and the other makes 40hp at 5,000 RPM (and 20hp at 10,000 RPM). Which one would you rather ride???

 

All i want is a Brand new 250r.

 

No Doubt YZ guy, the new 4strokes make power over a wide spread(usually less peak, but wider HP and more weight).But to be honest, I don't really need an "Easy" powerband, I'm ok with the idea of high RPM HP, so with your scenario there are too many variables to answer your question.If the motor made 40 HP at 10,000 RPM and slowly decreased HP as the RPM decreased, With proper riding technique a person could fly on it, but if the power dropped dramatically then the terrain where the power could be utilized would be decreased.I know there will not be a new 250R, so as far as Honda, the TRX450R would be the best bike they could make, I don't really like 4strokes but I would consider that bike.