Posts: 394
Joined: 6/17/2016
Location: Ogden, UT USA
I have a chance to buy a decent 2006 CRF450 for $1,000 says he hasn't used it in 5 years, took it to the shop had it service and they said the top end was gone. If I'm breaking into it, I figure I might as well run through the whole motor.. I've never done a full rebuild on a 4 stroke, but doesn't seem like it would be a bad deal with that Wrench Rabbit kit being $699.... Anybody have any advice or opinions? Thanks!
Posts: 4646
Joined: 6/6/2010
Location: Nanton Alberta, CAN
Never used one, not a fan of the whole product line, although Vertex seems to have a decent rep, from what I’ve heard.
Here’s my thoughts. If the crank is decent, buy a ProX kit, and rebuild it. Go with a good aftermarket piston, or OEM, and OEM or known quality products for everything else. What is a prematurely grenaded motor worth, rebuilt with cheap parts? That’s what I would do.
Posts: 1731
Joined: 8/25/2015
Location: Mansfield, OH USA
Its tempting but not as good as choosing higher quality stuff. Thats why i havent bought one.
2009 Kawasaki KX450F
2009 Kawasaki KX250F
2002 Suzuki GSXR 600
Posts: 712
Joined: 10/29/2007
Location: Yorba Linda, CA USA
scooter5002 wrote:
Never used one, not a fan of the whole product line, although Vertex seems to have a decent rep, from what I’ve heard.
Here’s my thoughts. If the crank is decent, buy a ProX kit, and rebuild it. Go with a good aftermarket piston, or OEM, and OEM or known quality products for everything else. What is a prematurely grenaded motor worth, rebuilt with cheap parts? That’s what I would do.
Good ideas here! Saw one go in a 2008 CRF450 last week and I'll never run one in any of my bikes. First and foremost, the main bearings provided felt terrible. Secondly, the HotRods crank simply isn't comparable to an OE Honda assembly.
I've ran ProX rod kits and bearings with good success and OE Honda is always a safe bet. If you're going into it that far, best to do it right the first time 
Posts: 4110
Joined: 6/30/2014
Location: New York, NY USA
I'm a mechanic at a Honda shop and have installed a few wrench rabbit kits on customers bikes and never had any problems, me personally I'm an oem guy if it was my bike
If you like uncle tony's meatballs, you'll love his sausage
Now that's Italian
Posts: 394
Joined: 6/17/2016
Location: Ogden, UT USA
Posts: 2642
Joined: 10/20/2011
Location: Marlborough, MA USA
ive probably installed 25 or so, i always thought they were good put one in a yz 250 two stroke last year fifteen hr later the rod spapped it was ugly OEM only here now
Posts: 2121
Joined: 8/17/2006
Location: The RTF/Amboy, WA USA
I will never put anything Hot rods into any motor I work on. Just used a connecting rod kit on OEM since I got it free from a friend in one of our KTM 85's. Lasted less than ten hours. Cranks was properly shimmed for float. Stuffers never got hot bearing just disappeared. So pissed right now..............
