Ive been hearing mixed maintenence on 450's. What have you guys been doing to your pertaining to the oil changes, valve checking and adjusting, rebuilds, etc. What type of riding do you do.

 

A good read on why you may need frequent oil changes: http://www.belray.com/scripts/...1d7-b921-64a4cf6d0144


All the 450s with little slipper pistons and few rings, will experience compression blow-by. This means that your oil will get diluted out with fuel quickly. For example, you start the day with fresh 10W40, and end the day with useless 0W20!

So, frequent oil changes are necessary! We Honda guys jumped all over this one right from the start, so there is some idea out there that the Hondas are "high maintenance", but believe me....all the 450s need it!

My cutoff is 5 hrs., max. More often if possible. Oil changes are a breeze on the Honda. It doesn't even take a full quart.

These engines rev to the moon, so they can also benefit from ultra high quality ester synthetic oil. Also, the oil's additive package (like ZDDP) is extremely important! If your oil fails from dilution, you have the additives to fall back on to prevent disaster. I highly recommend Redline Motorcycle or Maxima Extra oils. Both of these have monster additive packages!

Besides that, do a valve adjustment after break in (~20 hours), then twice as often as your owner's manual suggests after that.

And keep the air filter clean, change the spark plug now and then, adjust the chain now and then....not really all that complicated!

 

I personally use my 450R exclusively for high speed desert cross-country riding. My buddies are more into dunes than I am. I do dune now and then...just to be sociable.

We have a mixed group of mostly Honda 450's, several Yamaha 450's, one Kawi 450, and one Raptor 700....and still a few old timer 2-stroke Banshee holdouts. Wives mostly ride 400EX's.

We all use high quality oil. Some of us change it more frequently than others. Nobody has ever needed a rebuild! My Honda is going on its 4th desert riding season! The Honda is the king of desert endurance racing (Baja, Vegas to Reno). This machine can go the distance!

 

great read, Thanks reconranger very informative.

 

My riding partner rides a YFZ 450 and he changes his oil about twice as often as I do. I usually go every other long ride on my 700 and he we go after every long ride.

Like recon said the oil changes are easy and dont take long. I think the YFZ holds 2 quarts. Changing the spark plug on a YFZ is kinda a pain in the a$$ since its under the gas tank but other than that.

 

Thanks bberck. By the way, were are ya located at. Maybe i can give you some leads on riding areas.

 

Another thing to consider...if us Honda guys (who have seperated engine and trans oils) toast our engine oil, at least all we are going to ruin is our engine.....

.....the rest of you, are going to ruin a transmission as well!