Seat Time
To let our test rider put this machine to the ultimate test, Wayne took us to his own stomping grounds of the Ocotillo Desert. This would give us the best mix of wide-open washes, deep whoops and rocky technical trails for which this machine was purposely built. To put it to the test, we brought along former WORCS pro racer and longtime BITD Expert Class competitor Tim Gillespie.
Tim's personal race machine is a TRX450R as well, so he didn't need too much time getting familiar with this monster. Everything you'll read from this point on is straight from his mouth.
On many race machines, one of the first modifications that people will do is bump up the compression with a new piston which can make these ATVs a little finicky to start. No problems here since he left the stock compression piston in this engine. A quick kick and this engine revved to life with no hesitation. A quick click of the shifter and twist of the throttle had the Honda rolling down the trails in no time.
What we first noticed about this quad is that it didn't have quite the low-end hit that even the stock '08 TRX450s we were riding had. The power seemed soft, but once you opened up the throttle and were in the upper portion of the powerband, this motor screams. It doesn't quite pull like an off-road or MX bike, but then again this type of racing doesn't require that type of power. Listening to this motor hum as you blast down the roads and sand washes was awesome. It was obvious that the combination of porting, camshaft and exhaust are exactly what it takes to put a rider at the front of the pack.
As far as the handling of the quad is concerned, this again is nothing like an off-road bike. The suspension on this machine is set up for high-speed action. This is very apparent when you're cruising at lower speeds because the action seems very soft and spongy. It's when you're at speed that you feel how well this baby works going through the deep whoops and rough terrain. The faster and harder you could push this machine, the better all of the components on it worked as a package.
Now desert racing isn't just about going fast in a straight line, either. Many race organizations will throw in some technical sections that can really test your machine and skill. This particular quad didn't disappoint us in any aspect. From blasting out of a berm to riding the ridge on what seemed like a very narrow shale-laden goat trail, the handling of this ATV kept us right where we were pointing the bar. The overall feel of the TRX was great and gave us the confidence we needed to run a blistering pace.
Our Conclusion
It definitely takes more than a good rider to win multiple championships in any kind of racing. The most common reason for a DNF in desert racing isn't because the rider just can't handle the distance or crashes. It's because they don't have a machine that's capable of getting them to the end. Although there aren't the gigantic leaps like you'll find in motocross racing, ATVs that are raced in the desert take some of the harshest beatings riders can give them.
The TRX450R that Matlock sits on waiting for the green flag to drop at the races is like a thoroughbred horse waiting to jump out of the gate at the Kentucky Derby. Both are built for the exact same purpose: Go as fast as you can for as long as you can. The months and months of training are equal to finding the right engine and suspension combination to drive you to the end. As long as this combination keeps working for him, the future for more championships is neverending. ATVR