I thought the yfz450 did have a electric start?

 

My mistake it does, but no reverse or EFI

 

Bud of mine just bought a KFX, loves it so far. Wasted his friend's 450R in the drags. Dunno how the power is on low end though, kind of important for trails. Thats the main reason a 450R is a bit better trail bike. YFZ is a lot of top end, great for mx track but a bit of a handful in the woods. 450R is a little more low end. I haven't ridden the 450's yet but I know that the big bores feel a little cramped in the woods. Rappy's a great bike, dont get me wrong, just likes to stretch its legs a bit. Any of them would be a blast though, so like Bberck said, rider preference.

 

I am really leaning towards the raptor. But I want to wait until the 08 editions. Plus when do special editions come out?

 

Also I heard the yfz450 will have more mechanic needs and maitnence. Also someone on these boards said the Raptor will last longer since its not so geared towards racing. I would have rebuild and clean and re-jet the yfz more often.

 

Yes, the YFZ (or any 450 for that matter) is going to be more maintenance intensive over a Raptor in the long run. I have a YFZ, ridden a few 700 Raptors. It is really going to come down to your personal preference. If I were buying today, I would probably go with the 700, but only because I have kids just starting to ride. The 450 isn't a great choice for putting along at beginner speeds. I mostly ride play mx tracks and fast trail, so either works well in my case. Overall, I do prefer the sharper handling and lighter weight of the 450 over the softer seat and cushier 700 suspension.