Suzuki LTR450 - The LT-R Strikes Back!

The YFZ track may not be as wide as the LT-R's or the overall machine and its weight as low, but it still has serious moto prowess. After testing, it widened and comparing it to a stock unit we brought to our trail day, we realized the stock width isn't too bad, and we think the YFZ might have actually been hindered by the front end kit. No doubt we needed a lot more time to sort out the iShocks on both the Yamaha and Honda. Oddly, it seemed that the YFZ fared worse with the switch-not horribly, but enough to make us try the stock machine in comparison. In defense of HydroDynamics's front end kits, we could hammer the Yamaha through the whoops and the chassis felt balanced and the suspension did its job of soaking up the bumps. Even with the big bucks dropped on the YFZ, it too got waxed on the MX track and under the radar gun with the smaller MX tires. It also needs a gearing change to be on the level of the LT-R here, but it's not very detectable, and we're guessing most moto guys don't even mess with gearing beyond personal preferences. The chassis is good and the motor even better; the YFZ450 becomes a good bargain for most riders looking for a do-it-all quad.

Opinions
Steve Valli: 5'6"/165 lb/Intermediate
To sum this all up, each 450 had its good points. If I were to buy a new quad and didn't want to put any money into it and wanted to ride all three terrains, the YFZ is my choice. For a full race bike, the Honda is the one for me. With the simple changes, it became a good machine. The HRC kit transformed it from good power into a total powerhouse. Before the A-arm change, it was the hardest to control, but the aftermarket companies have done their R&D and can make the TRX into the most competitive race machine out there. As for the LT-R, the power upgrade helped, but it was still short on torque and I couldn't get the suspension to work well without more testing. It's hard to say what would make the LT-R a good all-around quad.

Bryan Hinson: 5'6"/165 lb/Former-Pro
All three 450s felt good. The Honda and I worked to get along because we lowered the front some, which helped cure the tall feeling. I struggled to be consistent in the corners from time to time with the TRX and certainly didn't feel the fastest on it. The LT-R handled real well in the corners and when jumping. It spins the tires on the bottom-end sometimes, due in part to the suspension not transferring the weight to the rear end and letting the tires hook up. Out of the three, the Yamaha engine felt the best. It tracked well and almost handled as well as the Suzuki. The front end was a little stiff and heavy feeling and probably made the steering feel heavy as well.

Adam Campbell: 6'0"/195 lb/Intermediate Pro
The LT-R was not the plushest ATV of the bunch. Since changing the tires obviously changed the gear ratio, I found it hard to maneuver at low speeds on the trail. The LT-R also felt extremely rigid for long rides; that's not to say it was a bad trail machine. At higher speeds is where the QuadRacer stood out. Its tight turning radius, combined with its low center of gravity, made it feel more like a roller coaster than an ATV. With a few small modifications, the Suzuki could be one tough machine to beat. As for the motor, I felt that it was the weakest of the bunch, while the Honda and the Yamaha seemed to rev to the moon. It felt like it took the LT-R a little longer to get there.

The YFZ, with its high-revving motor and low center of gravity, made for some great trail riding. It was very smooth through the braking bumps and had the most comfortable seat of the models tested. I did not like the way the front shocks were set up. I thought it could be a little plusher for the trails. However, after doing some high-speed runs through the whoops, a person can see why the YFZ is the quad to beat at the GNCCs. It felt predictable. The other thing I liked was the shifting. I never had to let up on the throttle when clicking it into gear.

For me, the Honda was the best for the trails. Unlike the '05 model, the new TRX with the HRC kit seems stronger throughout the powerband, which is nice when you find yourself getting into trouble-just hit the throttle and it's all behind you. For taller riders, I liked the leg room. My knees never felt sore after a long ride. When traveling down tight trials, it's nice to know that you can come to a fast stop with one finger on the brake lever. I wish I had brakes like this when I was racing full time.

Overall Results
Confused yet? Good, because that's how we felt after spending three very different days on the three 450s. All three are good in their own dizzying way. No, we are still not declaring a clear-cut winner for this round. It is merely a question of what do you want to do with it. Do you want to match the personality of the machine to your tastes or are you just picking your favorite color?

Racing? The Suzuki LT-R450 is the logical choice for motocross. It has all the accessories stock and only needs Yoshimura's Cherry Bomb ($40), the airbox lid removed and the cork out of the silencer to wake up the motor. If you're taking it outside of the fence, gear it down, change the wheels and tires and find a good, quiet pipe (without the end baffle, it is pushing 100 decibels). The low cost needed to make it race ready is a huge plus in our books for the R450.

To cover long distances-whether riding or racing-the Honda is a prime pick. Of course, that's after dropping some serious coin on the TRX450R. It needs even more work for track duty, and be warned, such mods become expensive quickly.

Limited on budget but want to ride everywhere and maybe even tackle a race or two? That calls for the do-it-all YFZ450. It is a performer in stock condition and only gets better with an infusion of cash. Most YFZ owners will only need to spend their funds on tires and wheels to match the application. A lighter-throw thumb throttle or a twist throttle would be the icing on the blue cake.

In the modern world of ATV riding and racing, it seems as if most enthusiasts' common goal is to obtain as much power as possible. No one wants to be underpowered, even if it's not all-usable power. In 2004 and 2005, many of us scurried to the local dealership to happily claim the new and thrilling Yamaha YFZ450, which at that time was just a 439cc machine. One of the 80-plus changes made by Yamaha on the '06 model was the eagerly anticipated 11cc gain, which meant it was finally a true 450cc machine. Now that Yamaha sharpened the edge on the '06 YFZ450, many of us original YFZ customers have been left in the dust.

We Feel Your Pain
After slapping down $7000 for a '04-'05 model-plus the high cost for all of the mods and the time spent dialing her in just how you like her-who wants to sell her and start completely over with a new machine? Well, thank God there are options. Mickey Dunlap of Four Stroke Tech (FST) can transform your sluggish 439cc machine into an arm-snapping 450cc beast of fury for well under $2000.

The Details
How do the folks at Four Stroke Tech accomplish this task? FST begins by boring the cylinder to .040 over. It's then re-nikasil-ed and a more durable high-compression Wiseco forged piston is dropped in. The higher compression improves power and torque off the bottom-end for a much-needed, snappier feel. Next, Dunlap begins his special port and flow work, which he does to better match the '06 YFZ specs. The outcome is improved velocity and better mixing of fuel and air. The port-and-flow work, along with retarding the exhaust cam one tooth, will improve power on the mid to top-end of your YFZ's power.

With all of the additional power comes a great deal of new stress to the engine components. To solve this problem, FST has installed a heavier-duty Wiseco clutch basket and clutch plates. Seven fiber plates and six steel plates replace the factory pieces to sufficiently transfer the extra power to the ground. FST clutch springs are then added to apply more pressure to the plates and to more effectively hold up to the torque. A Wiseco clutch cover is installed to replace the old boot-scratched unit and make her like new again.

Results!
Performance transformation in our pseudo-'06 YFZ? Dunlap claims the modified motor, paired with a good pipe, and removal of the airbox lid can produce up to 10 more horses over the '05 machine. The porting allows for a harder hit that pulls all of the way through the low, mid and high range. One of the key advantages of the engine is its short stroke will make it a faster-revving machine and thus produce a quicker hit. It will also lug better through tighter technical trails, resulting in less clutch action and a slimmer chance of stalling the motor. Overall, the machine will be quicker and snappier with a great deal of increased overall speed. And best of all, you can still run pump gas.

Parts and Labor Price List
Wiseco clutch basket: $230.00
Wiseco clutch plates (7 fiber): $54.51
Wiseco clutch plates (6 steel): $52.50
Wiseco outside clutch cover: $164.99
Wiseco 12:1 forged piston: $185.00
Bore and nikasil: $230.00
FST top end labor: $200.00
FST updated port and flow: $600.00
FST heavy-duty clutch springs: $20.00
Total: $1737.00