Pros and cons of 450 over yfm350

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heyhey

heyhey

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What are the pros and cons of going to a 450,for example a yfz450,compared to my raptor 350?Any input or comparison would be great.Rode my buddies 2012 yfz450 and it felt weird going to my 350 after.
 
no reverse but a hell of alot more power not as reliable in the long run not as trail capable but still fun
 
the warrior is reliable, durable, simple, and cheap to get parts for... the 450 has more all round power and has a lot more stock options then the warrior like suspension things, but parts cost more and they are alot less reliable.. that the way i look at it anyway, everybody has their own view though!
 
Biggest con is no reverse, really. It is going out handle a 350, out power a 350, feel better then a 350, etc... However, the 350 is still a damn good dependable bike, that likes to be modded. Also, very cheap to repair, and is great in the woods. Not that a 450 isn't.
 
I found the 450 felt close to a dirt bike.Not that it felt like riding a dirt bike,but for being a quad it felt close to that.Not sure if that makes sense.I like that the 450 can stand up in every gear too.
 
The only thing more reliable than these 350s is maybe the old 300 Hondas
You can lug a warrior motor on the trails, but the 450s can take quite a bit of clutch work to ride slowly on tight trails ( which can be rough on the clutch )
There is no comparison on power, but the 450s require more maintenance
You can run regular fuel in the warrior as opposed to premium
If you have the same tires (style, size, etc...) the 450s are just as trail capable (albeit a little more work on extremely tight trails)
I personally don't miss reverse at all when I ride my LTR. If I can't just spin around ( which isn't often) I just get off, pick the rear up, and swing it around.
 
yep you can beat the reliability of the ol' 350s. if you don't mind changing the oil every other ride and checking/shimming valves then go for a 450. If i was to get a 450 it would be a Honda. one less cam easier to check the valves and time the motor.
 
hatfield44 said:
The only thing more reliable than these 350s is maybe the old 300 Hondas
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Damn skippy! Best 4x4 ever built in my, and many others, opinions. Have 3 of them next to my warrior. Tough as nails, simple, and last just about forever. Little beasts they are. Hell, my dad's 99 still has the ORIGINAL battery in it, and will start cold, without choke, dead of winter.

headache said:
yep you can beat the reliability of the ol' 350s. if you don't mind changing the oil every other ride and checking/shimming valves then go for a 450. If i was to get a 450 it would be a Honda. one less cam easier to check the valves and time the motor.
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As much as I like Honda, the 450r is the only one that uses shims(far as I remember), so it wouldn't be on my list. DOHC is easy to time, especially on these small engines. Try doing a timing belt on a 3.0l dodge caravan, 3.0 4runner, and a few others... no fun! lol
 
I've owned both, and obviously the 450 handles better and has more power. A Warrior will never handle like a YFZ, no matter how much money you put into it.

I don't see the whole 'no reverse' thing as a negative, I personally wouldn't even want it on there. If you can ride, you'd never need it anyway. I can literally spin the YFZ around on a dime with just some brake and clutch work. I've NEVER needed reverse.

The Warrior is definitely reliable, but the YFZ isn't any less reliable. I'm really impressed with mine, I haven't had to do a damn thing to mine except put fuel in it.

Bottom line is, they're both Yamahas so they're going to be well-built and reliable. As far as power & handling though, you're talking modern technology versus 80's technology.

Love both to this day though.
 
Actually, the warrior is 70's tech. I need reverse becuase I have trails that are too tight, and I explore a lot. Need reverse when you are in boulders and stumps.
 
I actually had a 1989 honda fourtrax haha and I agree they are super reliable.Don't have the reverse lever on my raptor right now and never needed it either.I think I'm gonna try to pick up a yfz450 in spring
 
I almost bought a yfz 3 months ago. Needed too much work, and I didn't have the money at the time.
 
Gen1Pat said:
As much as I like Honda, the 450r is the only one that uses shims(far as I remember), so it wouldn't be on my list. DOHC is easy to time, especially on these small engines.
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The LTR, YFZ, KFX, and KTM use shims as well. Its not a bad chore to do, just a little time consuming: I would recommend a inch/pound torque wrench when working with the head though.

heyhey said:
I actually had a 1989 honda fourtrax haha and I agree they are super reliable.
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My dad still has his 89. You just can't kill those things.
 
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I wasn't too sure if the other 3 used shims or not. Still, nothing like a screw and lock nut. Those hondas were the best ute quad ever built, imo. We estimate my dad's has atleast 30k miles on her, and has never been apart.
 
A guy I work with has a yfz450. Its fast as hell but seems to be broken or not running right on a weekly basis. He can outrun my warrior all day but I keep crusin while hes wrenching on his!
 
yeah but if you maintain it there shouldn't be too many problems?I love the power of the 450,personally I think its worth the extra maintenance.
 
Gen1Pat said:
Actually, the warrior is 70's tech. I need reverse becuase I have trails that are too tight, and I explore a lot. Need reverse when you are in boulders and stumps.
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True, the motor, yea. The frame is 80's.
 
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