kfx450r a "maitenance nightmare"

[NHRider]

Originally Posted by Dirtjunkie85

To be honest, the "stealer" probably told you to buy a 400 because they are more maintenance than the 450. One of his ways to get you to come back for problems, parts, etc. I would trust the word of riders more than I would the local dealership.

The 400 is more maitenance?? Everyone I have talked to have different opinions on the 450 but they all have agreed that the 400 is less of a problem.

[ayovan]

Why are you so hung up on this? If you have the basic skills to change your oil, clean your air filter, and lube your chain, you should not have any problems with either a 400 or a 450. I mean, yes....you need to check a few more things, like making sure all the nuts, bolts and screws are tight before each time you take it out, but its all basic maintanence for both bikes. You have gotten the opinions from riders who either have both, or had both bikes, and so far eveyone has told you that they like thier 450's better. Like I said before, I have had to mess with the carb on the 400 a number of times (pull it ,disassemble and clean it) vs never having to do anything to the EFI on the 450. Other than that the maintanence on both bikes has been exactlly the same. Both quads are great machines. I just preffer the 450 to the 400 hands down. When you make up your mind, you'll be happy either way.

[NHRider]

ya ya I know im kindin freaken out about this whole thing but I just dont want to spend 4 or 5 thousand on a bike that ends up to be a problem then have to turn around and sell it. There is just one guy that I remember talking to that raced for like 20 years and knows his stuff and he said i guarantee you will spend a thousand dollars on parts the first year. Everytime I read what you guys are saying then I think well they have the bike and they are saying its fine so what could be the problem but then later I always think about the otherside. But after what you are saying I think I will go with the 450 and if your wrong I will tell you in a year haha.

[Punisher]

It is when you start messing around with the enjin that some 450's are not reliable. If you do the same with the 400 the result will be the same. Had a Arctic Cat 400 with a 450 big bore kit on had no problems. Currently I ride a KFX 450 also no problems. Nice for outrides and trails and not to heavy like other 450's, Only 450 together with the KTM that has a reverse. Also experienced no more maintanace than on the 400.

[Duster]

NHrider,

You can read my reply and call an end to this thing... if you will trust me... because I will not point you in the wrong direction.

The local guys are not really lying to you. Their experience with 450's is genuine. But understand they are NOT sharing their experience with you about the KFX450R. It is very much true that the Honda, Yamaha, Can-Am, Polaris and KTM 450's have required a LOT of maintenance, and SHORT engine life.

The KFX450R is not like this though if you take care of it. It's pretty much the polar opposite of the others. It lives a very long life and has without question the best mechanical life on internal engine parts. It's weak point is the electrical stuff associated with the EFI.

And if something electrical goes wrong it's a lot more complicated to deal with. But rest assured I've been through a lot in this department and can help you figure out anything you need to on the electrical/EFI stuff. And from where I am sitting now, I would much rather have learned that than how to rebuild motors frequently.

If you are going to trail ride a sport ATV, the KFX, Polaris & KTM are the clear choices because they have reverse. I liked the KFX most overall.

If all you are going to do is ride trails, all you "need" is a 400 or a stock KFX. The LTZ/KFX/DVX400 is going to be easier to ride and have a softer seat. Some of those years had weak frames though, so google that. The 400EX is even easier, but is last on the list in performance too.

It really all depends on what kind of trails you ride and who you ride with... as to what is a better choice.

For me, I find the 400's to be the better choice for the tight technical stuff, and the slow riders and slow machines I ride with sometimes. The 400EX is really good at going slow and the KFX is not so much... It's tough sometimes.

On the other hand though, I was really bored with the 400EX fast, and mods didn't cure that. But then I rode 250R's and stuff back in the day. So the 450's are a good cure for boredom of the thumb.

In the end I probably could have swapped my 400EX for an LTZ/KFX/DVX 400 and modded to happiness or gotten a 700R and spent the mod money on suspension... and been about as happy as I am now with the 450... and maybe happier on the trails.

[NHRider]

At very first I thought that I would go with a 450 but then I thought none of them had reverse so I began looking into the 400. Then I read that polaris and kawasaki had reverse, so I went back to the 450. I dont think that I would be unhappy with the 400 but like you said I dont want to get bored with it. The trails I ride are open fast trails with some technical stuff in it. I also ride at the local sand pits, and in the winter I ride on frozen lakes. The trails I think that the 400 would be fine. But when I ride the frozen lakes and sand pits I think I might want the 450.

[Duster]

For open riding, the 450's are the clear choice.

I even like them in the twisty woods. It's just that I ride in the mountains a lot and the tight steep terrain cam be a bit of work, especially when you end up following a 4x4 in some place where you don't know where you are going.

[NHRider]

I have really wanted a 450 but like I said the only thing that was keeping me from buying one is the people that said that 450s are horrible for trails and horrible to maintain (one guy said that the kawasakis are the worst). But every one that has replied has said its not a problem so I am 90% sure I will go with the 450. But if someone else has had any problems with there kfx450r can you tell me.

[Duster]

Well, you are talking directly to the guy who has had the most KFX450R troubles, and also the one who has had the most trail complaints.... as far as the guys in the online communities...

Trailing first...

I ride some of the hardest places to take a 450... tight mountain 4x4 trails... often held up by slow 4x4 riders and such. What you run won't be an issue I don't think. I think you will be trail happy on a 450 so long as you are carrying speed where you ride.

450's have extremely light rotating mass for internals and high internal trans gears, so they light fast without killing you... but they stall out just as quickly as a result. This is why the bike riders use flywheel weights. Anything easier to get moving is also easier to stop, so stuff like a 400EX has way less power and torque but is a lot harder to stall due to the increased weight of the rotational mass.

With the same final gearing, taking off on my KFX is about the same effort as taking off on my EX in 3rd gear. But this is a non-issue for the trails you will ride the way you describe it.

I've only had the most trail complaints because I ride it in a lot of tight, steep, rough wooded mountains, where it is hard to carry any speed, and often following riders and machines that don't carry any speed.

The 400EX is naturally better for that due to a heavier piston, rod, crank, flywheel... and setting the decimal point ratios aside, the trans gearing ratios... (teeth)

Machine....450R.....400EX
Primary.....62/21....65/23
1st..........29/13....35/12
Chain.......14/38....14/38 (down 1 tooth from stock on EX)

Nothing to do with power, but everything to do with physics, as my 450 has more torque than my EX has HP.

[Duster]

And I've had the most bad luck with KFX450R problems as well.
And I generally do not take such stuff very well.

I have had a lot of electrical and EFI related issues. I mean I was pretty much plagued with them. I mean I was pretty close to dropping a match in the gas tank... cause I like simple and these things can be so complicated the Kawi dealer can't even figure it out. It's got an ECU, a crapload of wires, some switches, sensors and relays, etc...

This was my case... dealers couldn't help... and I knew less than nothing about electrical stuff or EFI stuff. But I picked up a wiring diagram and sat in front of a computer, learning stuff one thing at a time. Learned it inside out, and was able to pretty simply fix all my problems.

My most severe problem was the actual ECU was bad on mine... which I proved to the dealer in time, but Kawi wouldn't authorize the warranty claim and send the part although it was still well under warranty.

So I just took the wad of cash I had set aside for purchasing the extended warranty, took $300 out of it and bought an aftermarket ECU... And I am actually glad it turned out this way... because it is a much hotter package now than it ever would have been if I had taken the common and planned road... Power Commander and Dynatek parts to handle the fuel and ignition tuning... I've got a lot better setup at a way lower investment.... So Kawi did me a favor there.

Anyways, wires, sensors, switches, etc... the more of them you have, the more fault points you have... for something to go wrong and the harder glitches are to find... that's just the way it is. And all of them will have this stuff eventually... most do already. And it will get better in time as well.

This is really no different than the progression of cars from carbs to EFI.
More complicated... yes... but there are no other negative marks.

And me, I would also rather tape a wire, change a fuse, swap a relay... or whatever... than have to deal with mechanical stuff like engine rebuilds, transmission repairs, etc...

I've done nothing mechanical to my machine yet... not even a valve adjustment.

I can't say the same for my 400's...
Had to split the cases on the one to do the water pump... and rebuild the carb... which still leaks.
And on the other I have rebuilt the carb and almost pulled my hair out getting it dialed in correctly.
And this engine will have to come down this winter for cylinder and head work, and bottom end inspection.

In my opinion it has a longer service life between rebuilds than the 400EX, and is every bit as mechanically reliable as the 400's in general. I expect it to have about the same or better service life than the Z400 and it's cousins. I just have to do a lot more oil changes, as it is way harder on oil.

I was having to change oil every ride, but found an oil that is tougher to reduce that way back.