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DS450

13K views 29 replies 13 participants last post by  redneck2 
QUOTE (DVXtreme @ May 5 2007, 11:26 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=1722
Will this throw the KFX450 off of its throne? I bet it'll good.

Throw the KFX450 off its throne? I didn't realize it was on a throne. The KFX450 doesn't have anymore HP than any of the other 450's. The bike weighs more than the TRX and YFZ and only weighs less than the LT because of the narrower suspension. The KFX costs more than both the YFZ and TRX and costs about same as the LT which has a better stock suspension setup. Oh ya, the KFX does have reverse. Didn't know that was a requirement in this class. I guess Yamaha, Honda, Suzuki, Can-Am, and KTM will all have to go back to the drawing board and include reverse on their bikes because the KFX is on a throne with reverse and all...
 
QUOTE (quad_runner @ May 14 2007, 07:20 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=1862
Dude, you didn't ruffle enough feathers on the other site so you come here to whine. Don't buy a KFX if you don't like it. I'm glad you happy with your LT-R purchase or maybe your not so you come on here to convince yourself that you are.
I'm just still waiting for someone to tell me why I should purchase a KFX over one of the other bikes. I still haven't gotten an honest answer (having reverse or a aluminum frame isn't a plus). I find it funny that it seems most of the KFX owners purchased their bike without ever riding one or buying one just because of the way it looks. Did you compare it to a LT or even a YFZ before you made your purchase? Seems like most buyers didn't and just purchased it because it was the newest bike or because of the way it looks instead of making a sound decision because its the best overall bike or they liked it best AFTER they compared it to riding the other bikes in this class. Ask other people who own a LT or even a YFZ and see what their honest opinion is. You seem to like Mr. Fuel ATV (Steve). I know he owns a LT and a new KFX. Ask him what his honest opinion is on comparing the LT to the KFX both stock to stock and piped to piped. I'm sure he'll say what I and most everbody I've talk to says about this. The KFX has nothing on the LT. Would have expected more from the last player to enter the field almost 4 years after the YFZ was introduced. And now with the DS450 coming out, I don't see the KFX sales doing anything but tapering off even more...
 
QUOTE (fastrnrik @ May 14 2007, 02:54 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=1868
We're not Kawasaki salesman. No one gives a damn if you buy a KFX, an LT, a YFZ, or whatever? When the YFZ's and 450R's came out in '04 no one had a clue if they were good or bad, but guess what... people bought them anyway and it worked out OK. Back then we had nothing to compare any of the 450's to. Hell, it was all 400EX's and hybrid bikes back then. Why are you on the KFX site pumping up the LT anyway? LT's are great quads, but no one cares about your opinion that LT's are better, blah blah blah. Go to an LT site and talk about your Suzuki and how Kawi's suck all you want, because I, like most people on here, are sick of you idiots who don't know what they're talking about shooting your mouth off. Have you actually rode a KFX, an LTR, a YFZ, and 450R all side by side to actually compare them, or are you going off of something you've heard from a goofball buddy or read in a magazine or forum somewhere? Well, guess what? I own one of each of the 450's, KFX, TRX, YFZ, & LTR, and I can tell you that they are all very close to each other stock for stock. Each has it's pro's and con's like any bike does, but all 4 are very good quads. Hell, 5 or 6 years ago, I wouldn't have thought there would be so many great quads to choose from. I am anxious to see the DS450, but CanAm has some fit & finish/quality issues on their bikes that I hope they address before releasing the new bike. We all know the KTM will be badass, because the Europeans don't do anything half ass, BUT, as everyone knows the price tag will be substantial.
Bottom line is, these guys on this site have just spent seven to eight thousand dollars on a new KFX450 quad that they're proud of, and are on the KFX450 website talking about it when you come on here with your smart ass "mine is better than yours" rhetoric. If you don't like it, shut your yap keyboard racer.
Did I ever say mine is betters than yours? Wasn't my original question asking all you KFX owners why I should purchase a KFX over the other 450's? Nobody has still answered my question. And for your information, I'm 36, been riding AND racing quads, three wheelers, and dirt bikes since I was six and have owned a CR80, two CR125s, a CR250, a WR400, 185 three wheeler, a air cooled 250r three wheeler, three 400EXs, a Z400, a Raptor, and a TRX250r. I currently own a YZ450F, two YFZ450s, a water cooled 250r three wheeler, a LT-R450, and am currently looking to purchase another quad. I'm not some kid on here blowing smoke and just talking wooter. I'm sure I have as much or more riding experience than 95 percent of the people on here. Also got to test ride a YFZ450 almost a year before it was introduced and also was at the TRX450 video shoot they did at Windchester Bay Oregon for the first commerical for the bike back in 03. My brother currently owns a 04 and 06 TRX450R, a KX450F, and a new KFX450R. So to answer your question, yes I've ridden these bikes and can give honest opinions on each and every bike (remember these are just one persons opinion but an experienced one at that). Also, yes I and just about anybody who knew anything about Yamahas knew that the YFZ was going to be a great bike when it came out in June of 03 as the bikes engine was going to be based on the Yamaha 400 that came out in the late nineties and had been updated ever few years thereafter (YZ400F, YZ426F, and finally the YFZ450F) until it reached 450cc during 02 which was a beast of an engine. If you ride dirtbikes then you would be able to get a good indication on how the quad conterpart might perform. Thats one of the reasons why I was disappointed with the KFX as I have ridden the KX450F as several occasions and that engine feels stronger that the FI unit in the KFX. And now that the DS is coming out along with the KTM (if you've ridden the 450SXF then you know what a beast that engine is) I only see the competion getting tougher for the KFX and would have thought they would have introduced a "stronger" bike after taking so long to enter the field. And that is all I'm really saying is that after planning on purchasing a KFX before I got to ride one and now finally spending some time on one, I'm a little disappointed in that its not above and beyond the other bikes but simple their equal (like you said they all have there pluses and minuses). The DS450 and KTM for that matter will be revolutionary as they will be bring something new to the playing field (more power less weight) which is what I was really hoping for with the KFX. So the question once again for the last time, why should I purchase a KFX over any of the other 450s?
 
Didn't mean to piss anybody off. Was just trying to get some feedback on why people chose the KFX over the other bikes. I personally couldn't see reason enough to trade up on one. But the bottom line is that all the 450's are good rides. Some have "better" features than others. Even the TRX, which takes a lot of flak in all the magazines, is a good all around quad. And with the other players getting ready to enter the 450 class, these are good times indeed for us consumers. Its been worth the wait!
 
QUOTE (quad_runner @ May 15 2007, 11:43 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=1892
If you already own a 450 and are happy with it I wouldn't invest in a new quad and have to start over in the modding dept. Personally if you ride mostly trail and dunes and want the 450 acceleration and powerband I would buy a KFX mainly for EFI and reverse. Now if you don't care to have reverse and are not riding trails the LT-R is an awesome quad, has EFI and you can get great power out of it for under 40 bucks. Suspension reacts well to a re-valve too. I would wait to see the DS450 but I will believe 50 HP stock when I see dyno runs, excluding Trinity's dyno.
Also, you may want to wait for the 08 YFZ, I'm sure there will be changes and it will be announced next month.

Good luck on your next purchase.
-Bill
Thanks for the advice Bill. I'm actually quite happy with my YFZs and LT. They deliver their power and ride completely different from one another which makes it fun to ride them both. Your right about the LT in that it doesn't take alot of $$ to get the bike up to par. Actually the only thing I've done to my LT on the power side is put on a cherry bomb, take out the sparky, and put on a Pro Design/K&N air filter system. Has great all around power (very linear) and reacts great to both dune and trail riding. Now my YFZs are a different story as I'm invested quite a bit of $$ on those bikes even though they are really good stock as well (now mainly set up for racing/dunes not great trail or casual riding bikes). Your right about Trinity. Their products are actually quite over rated and their dyno's are a joke. And yes, the YFZ is going to be "updated" for 08. I'm actually looking quite forward to the DS450 and the new KTM as from what I've heard from some "insiders" they are going to be above and beyond what is currently available especially in the power department. I'm actually looking to purchase a new quad not because I don't like what I own but because after you get some much seat time on a ride you kind of get bored with it, at least I do. I do a lot of riding and find that half the fun is tweaking the bike and learning all its qualities until you can get the most out of the bike. I can pretty much get everything out of my YFZs and LT and so its time for a new challenge. Was hoping it was going to be a KFX but after riding it both at the dunes and on some trails I think I'm going to wait a few months until at least the DS450 comes out before I purchase another quad. By the way, kind of rides do you own or have owned and what kind of riding do you do?
 
QUOTE (prey2none @ May 17 2007, 08:27 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=1962
I also race X/C and raced a YFZ450 and loved it but missed the reverse from my KFX400. When I set out to buy a new race quad I almost didn't wait on the release of the KFX450. That left the Polaris Outlaw/Predator or Raptor 700 to choose from. I finally opted to wait for the KFX450 and am glad I did. It cost me some races early in the season not having the bike set up correctly. When I get it dialed in I think it will be perfect for ME!

The KTM will be an awesome quad but should be for $8999 and it will have reverse. Rumor has it that the DS450 will have reverse also. Both will be narrower than 47" I think the domination years by Honda and Yamaha will be over and you will see alot of different colors on the starting lines. Riders will have more to choose from and will end up with the quad that suits their needs.
Sorry to inform you that the DS450 will NOT have reverse. Also, which KTM are you talking about? The 450 will not have reverse (or at least the latest test versions doesn't have it) and I was also told the target price was $8,000 list. The 520 on the other hand is being developed with reverse in mind. Time will tell what actually gets released...
 
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