My 400ex isn' cutting it for me on the dunes anymore and I am looking for a 450. All of my buddies ride either YFZ's or 450r's, so I have no experience with a Suzuki 450. How do they dune? What setups work good for the dunes (bolt ons, like pipes, intakes, programmers, shock revalves, etc)?

You should really look into buying a Raptor

they handle great from the factory, in box stock form. friend has one for his wife. i have rode it a couple times. not alot of seat time on it though. but like i said, it handles great.
i was not impressed with the power on a hill climb. fourth gear it fell flat on its face.
i have heard that they take a little love to be more receptive to engine mods. (pipe, efi box, air box, etc)
search through the quad forum, there is some discussion on it. thumper talk has some good information too...

$60.00 "Cherry Bomb" and a pipe are enough to get you out there. I spent 2700.00 on the front end of my raptor 700 and my friends stock 08 ltr feels better to me... Very stable machine, my next ride for sure. (unless the KTM's keep growing on me)

I love my ltr. Its got a Dasa pipe, fuelatv intake, cherry bomb, and a dobeck programmer.
It is consistantly the fastest 4stroke in camp. We have raptors/yfz's/trx's/banshees and 250r's
The stock suspension is valved a bit stiff for me duning, but I'm used to it. Great quad.

I rode Mestoy's LTR, which is stock, except for a Cherry Bomb. It handled great, and was stable as you'd expect. Everything I've read about the pre-08 LTR's states that the stock suspension is overly stiff. The spring rates were perfect for me, and had I played with the dampening, and rebound, I may have liked the shocks even more. Bear in mind though, that with gear, I'm pushing 280lbs.
If I was an average sized person, I bet I wouldn't have liked the ride as much. I would have to sink money into aftermarket shocks.
As for power, it was ok, but it had nothing on my 07 YFZ. I only had a slip on pipe, cam mod, and no lid with jetting at the time.
Just on a side note, If I was going to buy a second bike for myself, it would be a 700 Raptor.

Get the LTR if you ever plan to ride anywhere else besides the dunes. The Rappys suck on the MX track.

I've heard the shocks are a little rough. I weigh in at around 185 with riding gear, so I am sure that a revalve (or new shocks) would be in order. However, I am used to stock 2001 400ex shocks, so a new LTR would ride liek a Caddy compared to what I am used to. As for power, does anyone have any legit dyno numbers for a bike with a full exhaust (Dasa, Sparks, etc), aftermarket intake, cherrybomb, and programmer? How about the gearing? I know they come with 18's and I would want to run a 20inch Hauler on the back. Just drop a tooth on the front, or ???

i love my ltr it's 06 with cherry bomd , changed gearing and took air box lid off , took out the pea shooter in the pipe i really like it oh the other thing i did was put a inline fuel filter

Check out ltr450hq.com and ltr450central.com there are some dyno runs buried in there somwhere. Yes
drop one tooth on the front for 20" tires. Also pm FUELATV for more info and prices.

Any known issues out there with them? The only one I have heard of is the shift pin issue.

the Ltr I must say is the best bike stock to take to a track, duning however, ive only seen a couple fast ones. I think there are better duner's out there. if you trail ride, they are a little low and have heard of chain derailments happening. my internals on my yfz are stock but everything else is not, ive raced several ltr's in the dunes, only one had killed me consistantly. Myself, If I rode mx tracks id like to have one, but I ride everywhere and just isnt for me. arent they heavier then most 450s?

Guy with the Truck,

Thanks for the info. I do a lot of trail riding, but I plan on keeping my 400ex for that. However, I am sure that the LTR would see plenty of trail time. Maybe that will be a big factor in my decision.

I know some people were having trouble with 3rd gear going out, but not many, and
I have added the fix for the shift pin on both my ltr's. Not too hard, the new ones may have
the issue resolved. Dont know. No other probs with mine and they get worked. I will probably
have my shocks revalved this summer. Mines an 07.

well my cousin has the 08 ltr and it hauls major booty!! he only has the CB and the sparky taken out and lid gone with a proflow intake with knn filter. he consistently beats on yfz's and 450r's(modded or not) especially my other cousins 450r his has the yoshi full ti ehaust bored carb hrc cam boyesen quick shot and dyno tune. i was impressed with it. plus it rides really smooth and with the 20inch (stock gears)extremes there is now a somewhat controlable bottom end. my cuzin weighs 190 pounds with gear and is 6'3" and with my butt on it it still pulls and wheelies thru the first 3 gears lol {i wiegh around 250 with gear}

Click to view attachment

Sell ya mine.

I don't care what anyone else says, they are a great all arround bike with just a few mods.

I run 20" tires, and a 13T sproket, basic slip on/PCIII? with I-shock revalves. I'm big and heavy and still beat my share of bikes.

It is great in the dunes, and with 20" knobbies, and just a skid plate it is great on the trails. Overall is very comfortable on all but the longest rides 70mi+.

It out turns everything, and jumps very good. I have an 06' bought new, and have had zero problems. Absolutely no regrets with this bike. How many people who own them complain about them - very few. Alot of hearsay from die hard honda/yamaha fans - just cause a piped/cam mod yfz pulls a stock ltr on the hill doesn't make it a superior all arround bike.

oh yeah and the "cherry bomb" is about $35 bucks not even $60.


Some people who mod them who have no knowlege of fuel injection, or do stupid mods like remove the fuel filter, or put on a pipe without a FI controller are the only ones who have problems.

LTR450 =Great bike.

Hater

if you do any serious trail riding, it might be kinna wide. that would be the only drawback.

other than that, i love mine. there is no other 450, that you can put $35 in, and have it even come close to the LT-R's power. im geared stock with 20" paddles, lid off, exh. restrictor out, and can walk up china upshifting the whole time. the power on this thing is awesome.

as for suspension, i never rode mine stock, the shocks went to TCS as soon as i got em, so i cant comment on the stock suspension! all i know is mine totaly kicks ass as it is now. couple of weeks ago, i launched off a 5ft drop off i didnt see comin up, and it soaked up my mistake quite well.

so if you want something you can ride the crap outa, without having to spend a ton of money on it, the LT-R is the best quad for you!

these are the shocks on my bike...

Click to view attachment

the YFZ would be my next choice, if you dont want somthing so wide. sparks pipe, intake and their jet kit, and that bike really wakes up nice! and you can do the same thing with the shocks.

I have 3..an 06 and 2 08's for my boys (15 and 17)...ZERO issues with them...

The 08's are MUCH better than the 06's and 07's...I believe there were about 100 changes for the 08's and it shows. I hear alot of stories about these piped and jetted this and that beating them? In the 2 years I have been running mine around Glamis I have not seen it...The LTR's are always consistently handing other bikes their asses out at the hill...and with minor mods...DASA pipe, Power Commander and FuelATV air box eliminator...thats pretty much all you need...

For handling they are incredible out in the dunes...they are lower than any other quad and handle like they are on rails...as near as I can communicate it's like your "IN" the bike and not "ON" it...

Shift pin mod is more about piece of mind and should be on your "to do" list....the trannies do whine but thats because of the gear cut and not anything to do with durability...

Yes they weigh a little more than other bikes but thats what makes them track so good...there is a couple of guys out there on the circuit racing them and when they shed to much weight they start to float around on the track...personally I have never felt the weight...

solid choice...

Any 450 will kick that 400's arse & will be a major improvement over it. Just make sure you pipe it. YFZ shocks are a bit stiff, make sure you back the springs up and setting is soft. the Trx gives you a smoother ride, the suspension seems more springy. Can't go wrong with the new ltr either.. It has a wide stance so you han hug those huge bowls nicely on 5th gear! Get a Banshee for the best ride of your life!

Heard they had a chity design on the air box. Goes through top ends alot. Had a couple of friends who have a filter kit and they go through a top end almost every season.
Love the way the bike rides but just not into spending loot every year. I would stick with the honda but thats my .02

That statement is not true in Rivermobster, sand junkies , or my case. Yeah if you never clean the filter, running a K&N without an outer wear at glamis yeah I'm sure any Hi-po bike will have problems.

Come- on Honda's never break when modded, YFZ's too??? Oh I forgot Honda's don't need maint.

JK...

ANyhow they don't burn through top ends - not true.

we need to ride sometime together as for handing asses over, there were 4 Ltr's at olds friday night that saw nothing but roost, ask Yarder, motoxdad, pixie rider, astars 450, pinkyfz450. oh, reason for probably winning is i can ride, so if were to get on an LTR, i could beat them while they rode my yfz. (sorry for highjack thread) with a honda, yamaha, kawi, you have to spend more money for the track width. if you really dont plan on racing, the LTR is probably a good choice, trails can be a little tight but we dont have the woods like the east coast so trees are rare, 20" will give you more ground clearance for sure. cherry bomb and pull the cork, add a stabilizer probably be very satisfied. I do race and ride everywhere, at the time, when I bought my 06' the LTR's were out of my price range, and they were having tranny issues at the time. but like all bikes, it takes a few yrs for them to get it right.

He he he...I knew SOMEONE would bite at that...^^^^^ yea I'm not saying they are unbeatable by any means...I think there's alot more fast ones than there are slow ones I guess is what I'm trying to say...

GWTT...for sure bro...I'm always down with cruisin the dunes with someone who can ride...

And as far as "going through top ends"...I'm a sponsor & one of the original 733 members on a LTR site since before the LTR was launched and I have NEVER heard of that...your boy must be doing something drastically wrong for him to be losing top ends every season...there's no reason for that unless he's operating way outside the parameters...I'm still on my original top end and we go out at least once a month for a weekend of riding...

As for the trannies going out? If you are jumping and you land with your foot on the shifter? You will bend the shift forks and there goes the tranny...Again...I have never had a single problem with mine and we do alot of duning...

Take care of your stuff and it will take care of you is what I guess I'm trying to say...

ANd if you DO get one feel free to PM me with ANY questions about the LTR...if I don't know I will find the answer for you...

Thanks for all the quick responses everyone I think there might be an LTR in my near future

Sell you mine. PM for details.

^^^ what he said.

also, no mater what you have there will always be somebody faster. but with that being said, there is no 450 out there today, that is faster than an LT-R with $35 in it!

the YFZ's make great power, but it's gonna cost you close to $1k to really bring it alive. (full pipe, intake and jet kit)

honda? after you spend the same $1k that you did on a YFZ, you HAVE to tear into the motor to get close to what what everyone else has.

IF you decicde on a new LT-R, check this review out first...

http://quadmagazine.com/article.jsp?ID=21018032

Good luck!

Just get a shee

Here is my 2 cents.
First, all are very good bikes. Can't go wrong with any of them.
I will give my take on power at the hill. Now I don't sit there all day,
just stop on the way to the big dunes and race 5 or 6 times.
The bikes the give me the best race are Yamaha 450's and other Raptors.
Honda,s. not much of a race.
Ltr,s-all most always last place. I race one yellow LTR that kicked my butt bad.
If you have seen it it is bad ass. The guy has a lot of money into it.
Like I said, they are all good quads.

lets get back on track... like stated the LTR is a good bike... not my favorite but no mechanical problems or anything "majorly" wrong, they are very low and on transitions drag the carrier OWELL..... like stated powerbomb and slip on your good.... i recommend just getting the PC anyway.... so many ways of tuning a bike stock.... I have tuned a stock LTR with a pee shooter removed and it was beating piped LTR's.

I will comment on the remark by Mobster..... LTR's make good power but then run into tire spin issues IMHO, 18's are WAY to small to dune with. The TRX is not the slouch everyone makes it out to seem... they are geared WAY to high, drop the front sprocket to 13 and watch the difference. However I will break it down like this

LTR-great all around power, very snappy MX powerband NO top end
YFZ- amazing top end pull, good mid range
TRX- torque monster good mid range, ok top end.


these all change with a few things done to them
LTR-pc, dasa, remove lid, k/n outerwear/ COMPLETELY different bike, alot more torque, it really "pulls through gears" $855
YFZ-jet kit, Nmotion or Dasa, FCI, Cam mod (free) $735
TRX-Jet Kit, Sparks, FCI, HOT Cam Stage II or III -$875



thats what your looking at to have a great running dune bike....

HOWEVER, when the three line up... the LTR WILL not be in front... thats all I am saying

thats pretty much jus how i ride right there. thats why this bike works for me!

thats parts only right? would would those prices look like if you added in your labor to install and tune?

no labor, however most of that can be done in your garage in less then 4 hours.