Rode a 450 for the first time today, not what I expected

[Oic0]

I guess its ALL a matter of perspective. Compared to my normal rides it felt small, low, light, and high strung. Didn't feel like it had much torque at all and the powerband that peaks and then rides a long plateau is different. Feels like my ninja when my injectors were jacked up and it had a neutered top end. Build building building, then just more of the same, more of the same, more of the same. I'm used to a steady building powerbands that peak just a bit before redline. Granted, the one I rode was geared up higher to be able to ride on the street without blowing up. Felt like a fun little bike though. Wouldn't mind having one. Would definitely be easier to throw around off road than my KX500 or KTM690. 

[Chuck.]

It is all in one's frame of reference. I've owned four different open class dirt bikes and they are fun to ride but not good for the terrain that I currently ride.

Edited September 10, 2017 by Chuck.

[Weezer the Geezer]

I have no problem with your post, but do not appreciate T.T. posting it randomly in SENIOR DIRT RIDERS BLAB.  i am getting sick of them randomly posting stuff in threads they were not originally posted in.

[Oic0]

2 minutes ago, Weezer the Geezer said:

I have no problem with your post, but do not appreciate T.T. posting it randomly in SENIOR DIRT RIDERS BLAB.  i am getting sick of them randomly posting stuff in threads they were not originally posted in.

yeah is kind of weird, I replied to a different post and after I replied it showed me my own post and suggested I help this person lol. Guess I'll help myself... to some... rum and coke I guess lol. 

[seer]

450s are fast dirt bikes. Pulling street gearing really nueters them. 50hp  isn't much for a street bike.

[usedtobefast]

What 450?  What mods?  Some are very strangled from the dealer/factory.  

[Oic0]

On 9/10/2017 at 2:35 PM, seer said:

450s are fast dirt bikes. Pulling street gearing really nueters them. 50hp  isn't much for a street bike.

On 9/10/2017 at 2:41 PM, usedtobefast said:

What 450?  What mods?  Some are very strangled from the dealer/factory.  

CRF450X with tall gearing. The fact that the KTM is 60lbs heavier and according to the Dyno charts I can find on Google makes 50hp to the rear wheel just 900rpms sooner made me think they'd be pretty similar. They aren't. Not at all. I can see the 450 picking of a lot of snap with shorter gearing though. It's cranked up to 15like45, which let's it  cruise without exploding but with only 5 gears that leaves them all pretty tall. I think the dyno charts for the KTM seem awful conservative too. The KTM feels way too fast to be just 50hp. I do want a 450 now though. Seems like such a good woods bike.

Edited September 12, 2017 by Oic0

[Diamond-Dave]

Not ALL 450's are equal, the X is a good bike but takes a bit of work to really wake it up. What year X? I had a 2006 X and it didn't come alive until after I basically turned it into an R by doing head, carb, cam and exhaust, Typical JCR/Precision Concepts set up. Then she was a ripper good for 114mph Baja or Vegas to Reno style. Sold it to a buddy and moved into KTM's in 2010. I now have 2 450's 1 SX-F FE and 1 EXC-F 6 Days and while the 6 days has really come alive with mapped ECU and exhaust she is still nothing like the FE. An still no comparison to my 185hp (174bhp to the pavement) R1 or a KX500 but they are a lot easier to ride and more predictable especially after racing for a 100 miles or more you are not as beat. But I also have a 300 XC-W that will run with any 450 but at higher speeds does take a little more to catch up since it will not build as fast as a 500. 

Edited September 12, 2017 by Diamond-Dave

[seer]

I think a 690 is around 70hp.

[Oic0]

14 minutes ago, seer said:

I think a 690 is around 70hp.

Is what I thought too. Maybe the magazines Dyno test em with knobbies or something.

[seer]

1 hour ago, Oic0 said:

Is what I thought too. Maybe the magazines Dyno test em with knobbies or something.

I remember some saying the SM690 would out accelerate a SV650 which is around 70hp. The off-road versions may well be tuned down a bit.

[Oic0]

12 hours ago, seer said:

I remember some saying the SM690 would out accelerate a SV650 which is around 70hp. The off-road versions may well be tuned down a bit.

Nope. Identical. Same for the Duke, though it gets new versions of the motor a year or two sooner.