What broke: Over the duration of the test, there were no major mechanical failures. The only problem worth noting was the rims seemed to take more of a beating than any other machine's rims, despite an equivalent number of flat tires. East Coast Editor John "Doogie" Howell provided us with the best flat tire of the session on the 450R-you could put your hand through the hole!
| The Chart |
| Here's how we scored the winner. The lower the better. |
| | Honda | Polaris | Suzuki | Yamaha |
| | TRX450R | Predator 500 | QuadSport Z400 | YFZ450 |
| Billy Bartels | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| Chris Borich | 1 | 3 | 2 | 4 |
| Pat Brown | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Traci Cecco | 1 | 4 | 2 | 3 |
| Jason Dunkelberger | 1 | 4 | 2 | 3 |
| John Howell | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Len Nelson | 2 | 1 | 4 | 3 |
| Matt Smiley | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Dustin Wimmer | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Durability | 2 | 1 | 4 | 3 |
| Total | 13 | 22 | 29 | 36 |
Mere Mortals
Sure, we're not pro riders, but we're probably closer to the average rider than the MX and GNCC elite we included in this test. Want to read some real-world thoughts and opinions? Here's how our staffers rated the machines.
Billy Bartels, Editor
Skills: Advanced trail rider, novice motocrosserBoy, what a difference a change of locale and a whole lot of seat time make. In last year's 450 sport test, I ranked them 450R, YFZ, Predator, Z400. This year, much has changed for me.
Catapulting right into my first-place spot is Polaris' Predator. While I applaud Suzuki and Yamaha for making the modest upgrades on their machines that they did for '05, I feel no sport machine has gotten better in such a short time than the Predator, tested here in TLD form. In two years, it has gone from having bad ergonomics, a misfiring gear shifter and a loose rear end to having a very positive-shifting transmission (with that sweet close-ratio box ... can you even buy that for another quad?), much-improved ergos and handling that gives you all the traction you need. With its killer durability and good mix of comfort and performance, it is the only winner of this shootout.
Second was a close race for me between Honda's 450R and Suzuki's Z. On one hand, the Honda is lighter and more powerful; on the other, the Suzuki is geared better, is suspended plusher, requires less maintenance, is lower priced and has a nice powerband. What tips the scale in the Honda's favor is the adjustability of the suspension, the greater durability of its components and the outright performance advantage.