I have a 2004 TRX 450 I bought about a month ago. I got a decent deal on it because I suspected it had some minor problems - thought it needed to be re-jetted. It ran ok, but it wouldn't start without giving it some gas and it bogged really bad on the top end. I have now had it in and out of the shop 4 times in the last month. On my last visit, we finally got the jetting worked out - at least much closer. However, I had them check the valve clearances and in the process they said I was due for a new top end, new valves, and valve springs (you guys crack me up that keep saying "should have got a Honda"). I'm getting tired of the Honda being in the shop all the time and I'm thinking about getting it fixed and just trading the damn thing for a 05 YFZ450.

Any feedback or problems to be aware of with the 05 YFZ450's? The one I'm looking at is all stock except for it having nerf bars.

My 04 TRX 450 has:
HMF Slip on pipe
K&N Filter (this was the biggest part of the problem and reason for needing the new top end)
Nerfs
Tag bars
Twisty throttle
Full set of sand tires
6 Pack rack and front bumper
Soon to have a new top end, valves, and valve springs

What should the cost difference be between the two quads or is it just a straight up trade? This is my second experience with Honda's. The first one (stock CRF450R) had some minor problems too, but nothing this serious (and the maintenance was always kept up too). Right now, I haven't been impressed with riding red. Sorry. I've always owned Yamahas, Kawi, and Suzuki. My opinion of Hondas was pretty high until these experiences. I guess they all have problems once and a while.

Any advice on the possible trade?

sounds like u just got a bad experience man

also sounds like the guy before u didnt take care of it all its like everything else if it isnt maintained properly it doesnt matter who makes it and also u gotta figure its 3 years old even good things break down every now and again

id say the trx n yfz should be worth about the same but i dont know do u know how the yfz was take care of ? not to sounds like a d!ck but u could go from one prob just to get another

good luck

I would say it would be about even or the Yamaha might be a bit more, since the original price is a little higher.

I would also think that if the jetting was off by that much that it ran really bad, that there was hardly any maintenance done on the machine by the previous owner. I'd say the the valve train was very worn and should have been replaced a while ago. The jetting was probably good at some point and changing them was just a band aid fix. Having to re-shim usually means either the springs are worn or the valves need to get redone. The 04 is 3 years old and should be due for some maintenance like that anyway. Also if the filter was worn & dirty there must have been some particles going in & out of the engine, which just isn't good maintenance and can cause havoc in a motor.

You can't go wrong with either one really, but making sure it was properly maintained is key.

id take the honda anyday, but thats me

my 04 has had problems
but not as much as my friends with other brands

ALL of these high performance engines are a much higher maintenance than most everything else

the yamaha yfz450 honda 450r suzuki ltr450 ETC. all have to be maintained HIGHLY, and if not it will most definetly lead to problems the thing with the yfz is they're valves will last forever, great design and materials used

if you put a equally set of valves in your honda, you shouldnt ever have to worry about it again

but if you dont like honda, then get rid of it, im sure there would be someone MORE than willing to take it from you

good luck with whatever your choice

Thanks for the feedback. I've always had very high regards for Honda's. I just got hosed on the TRX450 much worse than I thought. I knew it had some problems when I got it, but knowing it was a Honda I thought it would be minor.

I'm getting the HD springs and SS valves on the Honda when the new top end is done. This should get it running right, but if I have any more problems I'll fix it and trade it. For me, reliability is more important than high performance. In the future, I'm going to stay stock except for cosmetic stuff and a pipe.

Again, I don't want to dig on Honda's as I have had bought 2 of them. I just can't believe my luck. I don't know the condition of the YFZ, but it is at a dealer and it's all stock except for cosmetics (nerfs, skid plate). I'll just have to see. Hope the guys fixing my TRX hit a home run and get the thing running right and all this is moot. One thing is for sure, I'll do the damn maintence the other knucklehead didn't.

If you plan on keeping the Honda, get a service manual and get comfortable with taking the valve cover off. Then get some feeler gages. I check my valves a lot, not there has been a problem (like the Head & Shoulders commercial, "but John you don't have dandruff", "exactly"), but it will tell what is going on inside your motor. All you have to do is put the feelers in between the shim & valves and see which one fits, then you know can tell if they are within spec. I also say this because dealerships are pretty bad for the most part. Personally, if someone brought me a quad that was running bad & needed some major jetting without any motor mods, the first thing I'd check would be the valve lashing. I say this because some of your headache and multiple trips was kind of their fault, they should have caught it the first time.

I suggest you have someone do the valves for you, then buy the HRC kit. I think the 450R was really designed to run with it. Installing that yourself is really simple, then you'll feel comfortable with checking the valves.

Good luck and keep us posted, most anything can be answered by people here. I like doing the work myself. Especially since I asked my local dealership if they could put my piston in, & install the head ( I was busy, lol) and they told me something like $750.

I agree.... It is all about maintence and what you choose to replace your broken pieces with.... So much more has to do with user care than manufacturers fault.... I don't have anything against Yamahas but Hondas can be Mr. Reliable if you maintain..... just like an outboard motor, jet ski, car, and especially the girlfriend!!! Sounds like you are getting manhandled by the stealership

buy the yamaha! your gonna like it!

on a serious note...honda has always had that "reliable" reputation...however 450s are a different world...whether its yamaha, honda or any other brand they all are high performance machines and all have their own issues...ive known of these hondas to have plenty of valvetrain and crank issues...and the yamahas have had some piston/wristpin issues etc...bottom line is even if you maintain a bike perfectly there is not guarantee that there might not be a weakest link that will let go...and that goes for both yami or honda...

as far as performance the yfzs got a head start on the hondas...the 04 hondas had weak cams, pistons and heads intakes etc...granted you can make a buttload of power out of them but after modding them...the yfz came with higher compression and better cams etc...

anywho...i dont know the mods of the two...but you wont be dissapointed with the performance of a yami..so dont be afraid if this honda has bit you...

can you tell im a yamaha guy?

yea jjones, you are a yamaha guy,

BUT WAIT, isnt that a suzuki motor your running>?

lol but he is right, except for the notciable biased stuff, all the 450's are on about the same level, if one of these 450s lacks in one area compared to the rest, it will make up for it in another area

Got my quad back yesterday and took it out today. The shop got it working perfectly (I didn't take it to a stealership, took it to a trusted custom shop). After $1200 bucks for a new top end, SS intake valves, HD valve springs, labor, valve work on the exhaust, cleaned carb, new jetting, and new FOAM filter (canned the K&N thank God) it works great. I'll make sure to keep on the maintenance, oil changes, tranny oil changes, air filter maintenance, and valve clearances (which should be less of a problem with the new SS valves, but I'll still do it anyway). But the bottom line is it finally runs perfect. I just got hosed when I bought it, lesson learned and buyer beware - my advice would be to buy an all stock bike and check it out as much as possible in advance.

Had a couple of questions, the shop said to change the oils/ clean filter about every 2 rides on trails and after every trip to the dunes - which I will do. They also said the top ends on these quads are good for only about 80 hours and then they need to be replaced. I'm sure this depends on the riding and how well it's taken care of but this still seems a little too often to me. Any thoughts on a top end replacement frequency if the fuilds and filter is properly maintained? The 80 hour replacement might be a little bit of job security from the shop. Just wanted to get thoughts from others on the subject.

Thanks in advance. And after the ass load of extra $$ spent, I'm at least very happy with the performance. The shop did a good job. Runs perfect, idles perfect, starts first kick, tons of power, just like I would expect out of a Honda.

That's great to here glad ya got it straightned out

on oil changes I do mine every 4-5hours even if its out riding a got tool box with ll the proper tools filter n oils in them just incase and mones treat me pretty good so far

and the top end im not sure I guess it depends on maintainance mine has gobbs of hours on it when my head was ported I got a new one cause of a seat crack not sure what that came from but I ran a big gun cdi in for a while and some say its hard on the valves

good luck im sure some1 with more knowledge can help ya better

peace jim

As far as replacing the top end every 80 hours, that all depends on maintenance as you stated. I have heard guys say the piston needs to be replaced every 20 hours, that of course is under race conditions.

I know people with more than 100 hours on their pistons with no problems at all. It just depends on how you use it and maintain it.



Like you I am going to keep mine stock except for the HRC kit and pipe. I prefer the reliability over the horsepower.

Good luck with your Honda, treat her right and she will take care of you.

i had 2 years on my wiseco ras gas, and my cylinder still looked great i have no idea how many hours it was exactly but it was ALOT

it is mostly about maintenance, then theres murphy's law which states some machines are going to suck right out of the factory.

i have two hondas and a yamaha [660 raptor] , the raptor is built and has been really reliable. both the honda's are 00 ex's, one is built and has been soso on the reliability ... the other is stock with bolt ons original everything and has been the most reliable machine i've ever owned.

on the yfz vs 450r question, matter of opinion. i've seen good and bad with both as far as mechanical issues. for me the yfz just feels wrong, i've ridden many friends and i just can't get myself to like the way the quad feels. my raptor on the other hand feels much better but has never felt as good as the honda, even though the power makes up for alot of that.

i'm in the process of getting an 06 450r, i can get a smokin deal on a yfz same year, with arms, bars, nerfs, and alot of extra stuff but i just can't bring myself to get it even though it's monetarily a much better deal.

are you big into mx racing... even if you are you should get a 700. You can get one for about 4k and go some suspension upgrades and a little motor work and be hard to handle. There are a few ppl on raptorforum.com that do MXing with raptors.. im not one of them so i dont know a whole lot about them.
If you do get a yfz i think you will like it better anyway.