Just a note for you "S" lovers that also like "ES" but don't think you can have both since the foot shifter on the ES isn't really worth much. The Cycle Country <A HREF="https://atvconnection.com/editor/review/accessory/cyclecountry/electricshift/review.htm">ES-kit</A> allows you to use the buttons, or your foot. I haven't seen this in person, or heard of anybody doing it (yet), but you could put the Cycle Country kit on the "S" model, and then have the best of both worlds. But like I said, this is an idea, I don't know how well it would work. The price of the kit is similar to the price difference between the S & ES models too.

 

Rooster, I called dennis kirk about the start in gear switch and they told me it has been discontinued. I figured it is a liability issue or somthing of that nature. I have read of other's bypassing the neutral switch or realy, I just want to be certain before I start hacking on any wireing. As far as the electric shift goes I've tried to used the supplied lever to see what happen's and it shut's down the electric shift, then you must shut the key off so it reset's it's self. I think honda need's a different type of lever, the one supplied is pretty cheap.

 

HONDA 450 CHEATER SWITCH
(A switch allowing a Honda 450 to start in any gear.)

Preface: I think it beyond my ability to give adequately
detailed instructions on installing the regular modification
which allows the engine to start in any gear without adding
a Cheater Switch, and still allows the neutral light to work
normally (glows only when in neutral). Instead, this is the
easy-fix shortcut to allow starting in any gear by adding a
Cheater Switch (toggle or push-button), but the neutral light
will glow whenever the Cheater Switch is in the ON position,
no matter what gear you're in. Turn the switch OFF, and the
neutral light will again work normally. Where and how you
install the Cheater Switch is up to you.

WARNING: THIS MODIFICATION ALLOWS THE ENGINE TO BE STARTED
IN ANY GEAR! DO NOT ALLOW INEXPERIENCED RIDERS TO OPERATE
THIS ATV ONCE MODIFIED AS EXPLAINED BELOW!

Overview: When the transmission is in neutral, the CHANGE
SWITCH, GEAR POSITION SWITCH, or NEUTRAL REVERSE SWITCH
(depending on the year and model of the 450) applies ground
to a LgR wire (Light Green with Red stripe) which goes to
several places, one of which is the START(ER) MAGNETIC SWITCH,
which is simply a starter relay switch. All we're going to
do here is temporarily apply our own ground to this wire, to
enable the starter relay switch. Picture a long wire with a
switch somewhere along its length, be it a toggle switch or
a push-button switch, which I call the CHEATER SWITCH. One
end of the wire will be connected to the LgR wire, and the
other end will be connected to chassis or engine ground
(any place on the frame or engine). When the switch is ON,
ground will be applied to the starter relay, to the neutral
indicator light, and to some other places. If the ignition
key is turned on, no matter what gear the transmission is
in, the neutral light will be on, and the starter relay
will be enabled. At this point, if the rider presses the
starter button, it will function exactly as if the
transmission were in neutral. Once the engine starts,
turning the Cheater Switch OFF will allow the neutral
light to work normally again. Since this is only a
"ground wire", you do not have to worry about the new
wire or the Cheater Switch "shorting out". If it shorts
to ground, the only thing that will happen is that the
neutral light will come on and stay on, exactly as if
the Cheater Switch was left in the ON position.

Step 1: Before changing anything, read and study these
instructions all the way through until you understand
them. If you do not understand them, do not attempt
this modification!

Step 2: Remove the seat.

Step 3: Locate the START(ER) MAGNETIC SWITCH (the starter
relay switch). This relay is located at the very left-rear
corner of the electrical compartment right behind the
battery. The relay has four wires connected to it. Two
are large and heavy wires (one to the front and one to
the rear), and two are smaller wires coming out the
right side, one being LgR (Light green with a Red stripe)
and one being Y/R (Yellow with a Red stripe).

Step 4: Trace along the LgR wire to whatever point you
like, but somewhere easy to get to.
DO NOT USE THE Y/R WIRE!

Step 5: Attach a similar size wire to the LgR wire
anywhere and in any fashion you like, and then wrap the
joint with electrical tape. I suggest not cutting the
wire, but just stripping away the insulation for about
3/8", and then attaching the new wire.

Step 6: Route the new wire to your Cheater Switch, and
attach it to either of the switch connections (use a
connector, solder it in place, or however you wish.)

Step 7: Connect another wire from the other connection
on the Cheater Switch to any place on the frame or engine,
making sure that it has a good electrical connection. If
using the frame, you may have to scrape off a little paint
to ensure a good electrical connection.

Step 8: Check your work
8a: Make sure the Cheater Switch is OFF
8b: Turn the ignition switch on.
8c. Start the engine.
8d. Check to make sure the neutral light is glowing.
8e. Shift the transmission into any gear.
8f. The neutral light should go out.
8g. Turn the Cheater Switch ON.
8h. The neutral light should be glowing again.
8i. Use the ignition key to turn off the engine.
8j. Turn the ignition key on again.

(At this point the transmission should still be in gear,
the ignition key is ON, the Cheater Switch is ON, and
the neutral light is glowing.)

8k. Press the starter switch and start the engine.

If you've done everything right, it should start while
still in gear.

Now tidy up your wiring, replace the seat, and you're done.

Enjoy!

Gordon L Banks
Huntsville, AL
2000 Honda XR400R
1999 Honda 450ES 4x4
1997 Honda 300 4x4

 

Gordon,

I read your previous post from a week or so ago about the various mods you've done to your 450. I, myself have added Bear Claws, the highlifter suspension lift, warn 2000# winch and 48" plow blade. Those mods, I am extremely happy with. Some of the riding I do is in in extremely rocky terrain and so far, not a single scrape from riding over a boulder, nice to have that margin of safety.

I purchased the monster power kit and tomorrow is THE day I start installing that plus the skidplate/belly pan and their brand of floorboards. I am curious though, do you have a plow attachment on yours? As it stands now I have to remove the plow mounting bracket that mounts directly under the engine so I can install the pan. I'm wondering if it's possible to re-install the bracket as I know I will need the plow soon and I really don't feel like re-attaching/detaching it. In a pinch, I can fabricate/cut/etc the aluminum to make room for the mounting bracket but it's a bit convoluted.

Any thoughts?


thanks


Joe

 

Sorry, Joe, but if I wrote down everything I know aboout using a snow plow on an ATV, I could write it on the back of a postage stamp, using a large tip marker.

Here in Huntsville, any snowfall over 2" is a rare blizzard. We had 12" in 1963, and 14" in 1988, so we're looking for another bad one in 2013!

Gordon Banks
Huntsville, AL
2000 Honda XR400R
1999 Honda 450ES 4x4
1997 Honda 300 4x4
1947 Body (modified by Pizza Hut)

 

Gordon,


two words...HA HA. I understand. I got all the parts together yesterday but I first had to construct a home-made lift structure so I could gain easy access to the underside of my ATV. Quite impressed actually, considering it was constructed out of scrap wood laying about, plus 2 and 3 inch decking screws. Nice to be able to winch it to a vertical position to work on it if necessary

I am impressed with the results of my labor. The exhaust sounds..nice I like the deeper, throatier note to it. Air filter/hose mod: a bit goofy but effective I guess. Had to cut the breather hose coming up from the bottom so the filter would fit properly. The filter will catch the crank gases ok. Carb jetting...guess I must have gotten VERY lucky and hit it on the head the first time because none of the problems associated with carb jetting/general carb work reared it's ugly head. Excellent off throttle response was immediately noticed with a significant improvement in mid-range response. Like the manual said, I am now pulling a gear higher whereas before I needed to select a lower gear. There's so much torque now I dont feel like I am running it hard at all. Overall, an A for results, C for parts, like Gordon said, a few wasted parts in the carb kit, but oh well.
The skid plate/bellypan is well done too. Now if I can just figure a way to make the plow bracket fit and stay in place when I ram a pile of dirt or gravel, I'll be happy


Joe

 

A suggestion, Joe. Use some more hose and route your crankcase breather line high in your airbox. I also attached a K&B plug-in crankcase breather filter to mine.

When the crankcase breather hose is left low in the airbox (like it is when stock), getting even a pint of water into the airbox means it will get into the crankcase as well. By venting the crankcase high in the airbox, the crankcase will remain water-free until the airbox is nearly full, in which case the engine won't run anyway.

I recommend this for all stock 450's as well, and especially those that frequently see deep water.

Gordon L Banks
Huntsville, AL

 

((When the crankcase breather hose is left low in the airbox (like it is when stock), getting even a pint of water into the airbox means it will get into the crankcase as well.))


Excellent point Gordon. I will route an additional piece of hose and plumb it directly to the top side of the K/N filter with an inline particulate filter just to keep the heavy chunks out of it.


Thanks for the tip


Joe

 

Just trying to keep this one on the first page. Good info fellas. thanks.

------------------
Ride the "WILD COUNTRY" , South Gillies, Ontario, Canada

 

I had my Foreman up at the local cycle shop the other day for some additonal tuning and spoke with someone who mentioned the K&N's have a tendancy to hit the small plastic ribs on the inside of the airbox cover. I checked my airbox and the marks from the filter hitting the lid are plainly visible, so I trimmed them down, no more rubbing.

We discussed the filter mods and the issue with the crankcase breather hose. He suggested, and I saw the results, to just run the hose to the secondary intake hose thats installed if you use the monster power kit from Highlifter. This keeps it A: out of the way and B: plumbs it to a spot where no mositure can enter plus it provides a handy location for the breather. Makes me wonder why Honda didn't do it this way in the first place with the stock intake pipe.


Joe