05 Wr450 VS 05 CRF450x

[PrivateIdaho]

I am in the market for a new bike... and was wondering which bike is the better bike. Main uses will be off road riding with hopefully a few Hare Scrambles and enduro's thrown in. Which one would you pick for the Idaho City enduro? I can get either one for about the same money. I don't need no brand loyalty crap either. I have owned both Honda and Yamaha. Give me why you made the choice you did. Thanks Mark

[Indy_WR450]

The honda handles tight terrain better and has awesome front forks.

The yamaha is superior in high speed & rocky terrain.

Both are great bikes.

[ARin]

both are excellent, i happen to prefer yamaha engines.

[N7SLC]

Our local shop loves to change valves on the Hondas...did Honda change the

450 for the X model to keep them from eatin' valves?

Seeing Indy's and Ddialogue's experience, I'd go WR over the CRF anyday of

the week.

[Indy_WR450]

Good point Dan!

Your brother Dave and I have had wonderful reliability with our blue steeds! Honda still has the same valve design with a milder cam on the X model.

Almost as reliable as your DRZ440 ?

[SPDFRK450]

Hey Indy do you have your exhaust cam set to YZ spec?

[PrivateIdaho]

Well, It comes down to this... The out the door price for the CRF450x is 6280, and the price for the WR is 6106. Is this a good price? both are 05 models.

[tony1970]

Thats a good price for both. I have owned and ridden nothing but Hondas for the last 18 years. I , like you, was torn on which one to get. What swayed me to buy the Yamaha was my friends brother had a 1999 YZ400F. Now if you met this guy and saw how he took care of things it would make you sick. All he did to this 400 was change the tires and oil and I think he might had lubed the swing arm once. He just sold this thing and it still ran fine with no major motor problems, and he rode the crap out of it. It was a little hard to start but that is from the fact he NEVER CHECKED THE VALVES! When he sold it and I asked him if he checked the valves or ever had problems with them his reply was " Why would you want to check the valves?". That to me is a testament to Yamahas motor reliability. I also have guys in a club I am in riding '98's with the same piston and valve train with many miles and no problems. This is not to say that the Honda is not a great bike, but a few of my ridding buddies have already done the valves in their 450R's. My last bike was a XR 400 so you can imagine I do not want to tear into my rides too often. I just checked my valves for the first time and they are in spec after 200 miles. Whatever bike you choose you will come out a winner, they are both awesome.

[fyrbolt]

Hi. First post here. I just bought the WR and reading mostly good things about both bikes, it came down to price. I bought the 05 WR450F for $5700 out the door. I'm not sure where you are in Idaho, but it might be worth while driving to Ely, NV a bike.

[dman450f]

I will offer my opinon once again on this subject . When I went shopping for a dirt bike I did 3 weeks of exstensive research and bought the yamaha...understand that I have always been a honda fan....I really wanted the 450x and almost bought it...the valve issue and steering geometry decided the matter for me and oh yeah...the wr beat the x in the 05 shoot out... I love my wr..see ya...DC...

[poffer]

Tuning company Eric Gorr says:"The Yamahas are the best-engineered and longest lasting 4-stroke dirt bike engine. That’s the biggest reason why owners let them go so long without servicing"

In my opinion all the wr's are VERY reliable but I would not have drove 1000 of miles without checking the valves. I checked the valves on my 04 when it had aprox 500miles on it and all intake valves was out of specs, exhaust was ok. But when you have done the valve job first time, I think it would be some 1000miles to the next time you have to do it. But check the valves often. A guy here in Norway has 12500 miles on his 03 and he have had to shim valves only 2 times!

[Indy_WR450]

Hey Indy do you have your exhaust cam set to YZ spec?

No I have the stock WR cam with good jetting and air box / pipe mods it has plenty of off road power. I do like the YZ cam for a longer power band. The WR powerband makes you short shift a lot.

[Jim_bo]

Tuning company Eric Gorr says:"The Yamahas are the best-engineered and longest lasting 4-stroke dirt bike engine. That’s the biggest reason why owners let them go so long without servicing"

In my opinion all the wr's are VERY reliable but I would not have drove 1000 of miles without checking the valves. I checked the valves on my 04 when it had aprox 500miles on it and all intake valves was out of specs, exhaust was ok. But when you have done the valve job first time, I think it would be some 1000miles to the next time you have to do it. But check the valves often. A guy here in Norway has 12500 miles on his 03 and he have had to shim valves only 2 times!

Why do yo need to check the valves?

I have an 03 WR 450. I checked the valves once and they were right on. After that, I figured... if the valves close up, the bike will tell you. However, my bike starts easily, idles smoothly and transitions perfectly. I'd submit that it would not do this if the valves had closed up.

Jimbo

[PrivateIdaho]

Well, I am leaning to the yamaha right now. My nephew just bought the Crf, One good thing about the Yamaha is they have the 2.9% intrest program right now. This would give me a low payment through the winter and with my job I make much more $ in the summer months.

The Price of 6105 includes Tax. I don't know if Nevada has any sales tax. I could get it without tax delivered to my house in idaho, but I am planning on licencing (street plate) and I would have to pay Idaho tax anyway. Plus this is my local dealer and I have bought from dealers for a few $ less, and it always seems to get eaten up in driving and my own time/hassles.

One of my good riding buddies wants me to check out the KTM 525 on Monday. I will see if I can get a good deal on one of those... If not I am bringing home a Yamaha.

[poffer]

Why do yo need to check the valves?

I have an 03 WR 450. I checked the valves once and they were right on. After that, I figured... if the valves close up, the bike will tell you. However, my bike starts easily, idles smoothly and transitions perfectly. I'd submit that it would not do this if the valves had closed up.

Jimbo

Dont know what you meen about "the valves close up" but if you think that that the valves closes due to poor maintance your wrong! If there is no clearance between cam and valve the valve will stand open. In this condition you will have the risk that the valves meet piston at high rpm... Thats one of the reasons I sheck the clearance often.

[minkkinen]

I bought new WR in -98 and just sold it couple of months ago. All I ever did to it was regular maintenance and I did check the valves twice. It probably had like approx 150-200 hours on it, and was still running strong. I was thinking about the Honda too but, ended up getting -05 WR 450. Main thing for me is reliability and Yamaha has been making these allready seven years.

[ARin]

a friend of mine purchased a 1998 wr400f from another friend of mine. THat friend had also purchased that bike second hand.

I knew for a fact that friend #2 had never checked the valves in all of the years that he rode it hard and put it away wet.

I warned friend #1 when he bought from #2 that he had better spec the valves...because who knows what they look like...this bike had been to week long mexico trips numerous times...aside from just generally having the snot ridden out of it.

Well, #1 went ahead and checked the valves. ONE valve needed to be shimmed 1 size.

This bike was just recently sold again, to owner #4

That damn bike will still be pulling hard when owner #7 purchases it.

Long live Yamaha.

[RC81]

I also was looking at both bikes. The deciding factors for me were...

#1 The yamaha won all the shootouts in 05 with the exception of one (Dirt Rider).

#2 Price. The Yamaha was quite a bit cheaper.

#3 Reliabilty. I had heard mainly good things on their motors while the 450X was a first year bike.

#4 Power. Dirt Bike magazine tested them both on a dyno and the WR was almost three hp. greater.

I really like the looks on the Honda with the aluminum frame, do a little research on their forum and see what they say as well as look at some af the past years reviews. For what its worth I also would consider the KTM 525.

[CraigW]

I just sold my WR450 (03 model). It was a great bike and I will buy the 07 model when it arrives. However, dont think that they are unbreakable.

1)The valves do wear out. I had to replace my ti inlet valves after 2 years (they were noticeably worn, although bike was still starting). Dont quote the YZ/Wr400 as an example of Yamahas having no valve issues. These bikes had stainless steel valves which are a lot tougher than the later models and their ti components.

2) My starter motor clutch wore out. Plus I had to install the 04 upgraded slipper drive gear. These were both expensive repairs.

3) Lighting regulator blew and needed replacement.

Bottom line is all these bikes require $$$$ and maintenance time thrown at them if you want them to run at the top of their performance game. Honda - Yamaha - KTM. Choice your colour and pay your money.

[rtrolli69]

Let Me Put My Vote In For The Yamaha!ive Owned & Raced Hondas All My Life As Also My Olde Brother.in 2003 Honda Didnt Make A 450,4stroke,electric Start..he Jumped Brands.after Riding His And Me Being A Brother I Wanted To Buy The Honda Not Only Because We Always Rode Them But To Stick It In His Face.valve Concerns And Tranny ????? Caused Me To Change My Mind.damn Am I So Glad I Did!! Heres The Best Part Take The $$$$$$ You Save On The Yamaha... Use It To Buy Some Aftermarket Pwr.the Yamaha Is Such A Sleeper In Stock Form!!!!almost Disappointing.indys Jetting Charts,jd Jet Kit,all Free Mods And Air Box,&pipe The Blue Loafer Will Turn Into A Fire Breather,and Its Reliable.good Luck,i Would Definately By The Yamaha Again..no Question.my 05 Has 600 Miles About 40 Percent Trails And Sand Dunes.the Rest Racing At The Moto-x Track.its The Most Fun Ive Ever Had..russ