<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: bentagain

If you buy a YFZ, you are guranteed access to the best aftermarket parts available for at least 10 years. </end quote></div>

Like the aftermarket Ohlins shocks on my orange YFZ in this picture [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]


Oh, wait, the KTM comes with Ohlins shocks right from the factory. And its orange too.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

The YFZ has not dropped to the bottom of the heap, but it has moved down to mid-pack in the last year. ATV Sport Magazine did a 7 ATV 450cc shootout last month, and rated the 450s from first to last in cross country racing and/or aggressive trail riding. Here's how they were rated:

1) KTM 450 XC
2) Can-Am DS 450
3) Polaris Outlaw 450
4) and 5) Tie between Yamaha YFZ 450 and Honda TRX 450 R
6) Kawasaki KFX 450
7) Suzuki LTR-450

I would have to agree with them that the KTM and Can-Am are the best two. I'm not sure I would rate the Outlaw that high, but it does have the same engine as the KTM, which was thought to be the strongest running engine of the bunch.

DV

 

The Polaris outlaw is the best ATV Polaris never built.LOL

 

Here's my take on the situation...

I think all the 450s are at about the same level. Either one can be modified a bit to be faster than the other. A great rider that has all the 450 machines made could just pick his or her favorite color of that day, and go out and win with it. It's really that close.

I don't think any designs are out of date at this point. (One might argue that the Honda is, but that's another thread). Benefits of EFI are not really apparent over Carbs. Maybe it's just me, but I used to be a 4x4 (truck) guy back in the day, and the simpler you kept everything, the better. I'm a computer tech and network admin by trade, and I don't see glaring reasons why you need computer chips and sensors in a race quad (yet). Just more things to go wrong.

 

hebs,
how do you get that all the quads look like the YFZ?
ktm looks nothing like it
can-am looks nothing like it
LTR looks nothing like it
kawasak looks alomst nothing like it
and polaris is ugly so it looks nothing like it
and why does everybody keep posting line-ups on dirtbikes?
we are talking about quads......whole nother universe just same engines
and i read a shootout with yami suzuki and honda 450 and the LTR had the best throttle response and smoothest power

 

KTM doesn't

Can-Am Debatable
LTR Does
Kawi Does
Popo's... are ugly

I'm not saying they're identical... but just because the headlights are in a different position, everything else is very similar... Don't want to argue bout it though...

 

ktm has the most power stock they claim 49 hp and weighs 351 pounds the ds 450 is the lightest atv out there weighing 345 and has a claimed 9% more hp then the leading competitor which was honda at that time giving the ds450 47 hp following is the yami, then ltr and finally the kawi. i dont know where you guys got 360 pounds that is about the weight of it wet the the best power to weight ratio would go to the DS followed by ktm then honda, then the yfz, ltr, and kawi so yami is def about rite in the middle.

 

The yfz450 in my opionion is a lengend in the making when yamaha makes a wheeler they want it to be the best in the class they even admitted loooking at the legendary 250r for ideas when building it. Yamaha did take a blow when all the new 450s came out but then agian this is stock anybody who races them is gona put a lot of money to make them competive so really stock trim doesnt matter to much to a point. Now the KTM is argubly the best stock qaud but if you saved the 2000 extra your gona spend and put into a yamaha honda etc you will just as good of a qaud. Im sure yamaha will go back to the drawing baurd and do some modifications to bring it to the top. I bet efi will be on them but reall i dont see a differnce but more money. I have an 06 450 pipe jets kn 18 in back 20 in front and my friend has an 06 suzuki with pipe filter fuel controler we took them out to the tracker and all day i could be at his side or in front of him and i kno this all depends on rider skill etc but im 15 and the my friend is 28 and has been racing 250rs since he was 14.