Went and blew a bunch of money yesterday. Bought an '03 Foreman 450ES from Blackfoot Motorsports in Calgary. I got a red one and also got a Warn 2500lb winch and 26x10x12 and 26x12x12 mudbugs for it. It was still in a crate so hope to pick it up here in a week or two. The still have to put it together. Can't wait for the summer to go play in the mud. Will have to settle for playing on the frozen rivers for now. Anyone have any other suggestions for aftermarket stuff to purchase for this or any tips on how to break it in? I have never owned a <u>NEW</u> Honda ATV so am just wondering what other people who bought new did.

 

Also, does anyone use aftermarket filters like Napa or Fram? If so I could really use the p/n. I don't plan to buy Honda filters for it.

 

congrats on your purchase, a real solid machines the 450's are. my two cents are: break it in easy in stock condition, you won't know if your big tires are an improvement unless you try the stock ones. And the big ones do have a downside. AVOID lift kits unless you don't mind buying expensive repairs. Oil filters? I would definitely stick to Honda filters. I haven't been impressed by the aftermarket ones. I routinely take those aftermarket ones out all collapsed. your climate definitely want to put the 5w30 oil in it right away too, run it til the average temp gets above 50F.

btw, my best friend just moved to Ft. McMurray from Red Deer. Been up that way to visit a couple times and I love it there. specially your proximity to the Can. Rockies. Just awesome country.

 

you should have lots of fun on the foreman,


BTW,
you should try a uni filter or K&N............

 

You will love your new purchase, I love my '98 450s. You won't realize the difference between the 2 tires unless you try them both, but rest assurred that you have made a very wise choice in upgrading. Stick to the honda filters, they are not that much, and use synthetic oil, as it is more stable in a non liquid cooled engine. I only change the oil once a year so the extra expense of a honda filrter and synthetic oil is not a big deal. I have a K&N air filter on mine, its easier to clean, keep the stock until it gets really dirty, its a pretty good set up. I added 27" Blackwater Tires to mine 3 years ago - great improvement, stock wheels, stock suspension. Stay away from lift kits, they cause more stress on CV joints esp. with taller/heavier tires. I installed a warn 424 kit, but your machine already has 2/4wd select from the factory. Bumpers area a great idea when trail riding with others, can save expensive plastic when you can't stop, or person behind you cant either. I also replaced all 3 headlights with the projector style ones from a Rubicon. Looks Great.

Next mod will be a Supertrap IDS II silencer to reaplace my aging stock muffler, and a front differential locker from Highlifter.com.

 

hey swampdude, if you're like me, it takes some of the fun out winter riding when it's really cold and ya gotta wear those big old choppers, why don't you put a set of heated grips on and you can get by with much lighter gloves. Put a thumbwarmer on one recently also that worked really nice. One thing I don't like are those big ugly handgrips that come with most of those heated grip kits. Here's another option if you want to keep your stock grips on. Go to your local Ski-Doo dealer and buy a couple of the grip elements they use in their sleds (or at least did until this year when they went to an element in the grip itself). They are like an adhesive heating decal that you can stick on your handlebar underneath your stock grips. They have three wires orange-high heat , orange-violet- low heat , and yellow black - ground. Then buy yourself a good quality three way switch and wire up. I like to use shrink tube over the wires that will come out from underneath your grips, where they will run along your handlebar to your switch. A good place to mount the switch is the handlebar pad. Use the wheeler's accessory ciruit to power up the switch, verify this yourself but I think it's a pink wire. Put a set on my ST1100 street bike and have done for several others too. They work great, are durable and total cost here in the US for parts is less than 60 bucks.

 

Thanks for the tips guys. I thing some of you may have misunderstood my post though. I only bought one set of tires 26x10x12 for the front and 26x12x12 for the rear. Both are on stock rims and I only wen't with 26" tires so I wouldn't have to buy a lift kit. I may buy that Perfex suspension kit though to make it ride a little smoother. I can get the oil filter for free though so that is why I wanted the p/n.

 

GREAT purchase. I LOVE my 2001 ForemanES . Nothing is better , and good aftermarket products you have purchased. I suggest a lift kit and some other things that you will be able to find at Highlifter.com , that is a great website. It has everything for Utility atv's. I am jealous now , lol. Agian great buy , later. Ryan

 

Your goign to be happy. I have a 03 Foreman S. I love it. The owner of the deal I got mine from races street bikes, he told me to break in his street bikes he first rides it for about a half hour, gets it realy warmed up, then lets it complety cool down, do that 2 times. He also said after you do that don't baby it to much. I could feel my power rise till about 150 miles and about there it evens out. I hope you have alot of fun be safe.

Dudeman

 

Man I'm looking at getting a 03 Foreman 450S. Sounds like yours is going to be a killer machine. It seems like the 450 is a bulletproof machine. As good as they come in the reliability department. I also like the way they look. That red Foreman is killer.