A: We had begun to think that Yamaha would never cure the ills of the YZ450F.

In 2015 Yamaha went from aluminum motor mounts to steel motor mounts. If you performed back-to-back tests comparing the 2020 Yamaha chassis with the 2019 chassis, the various differences created by the reshaped motor mounts, the frame material and the front axle would be somewhat clear improvements for most riders. Let’s take a look and find out.

Removable aluminum rear subframe constructed of square-section pipe for light weight and easy maintenance. But, if you are looking for a niche where the 2020 YZ450 is superlative, it is on top.

The 449 cc mill runs a 97 mm bore and 60.8 mm stroke with a sizzlin’ 12.8-to-1 compression ratio and DOHC with super strong and light titanium poppets. What’s best about them? The rider triangle got five mm deeper at the footpegs; a move that helps draw the rider’s weight down and keep the overall center of gravity low. There are plenty of 450s out from all over the world, so I wanted to pick a competitor that has recent race victories/ podium finishes that also made improvements on a proven design for this new year; the FC 450 from Husqvarna seems a likely candidate. Are you talking about the 450 dirt bike or the 450 atv? ", All images featured on this website are copyrighted to their respective rightful owners. It turns out that most of the characteristics that we like or don’t like about a bike’s power delivery are intangible. You never get the feeling that it’s on the verge of stalling or coughing. Let’s start at the top. With the stock seat, you feel like you are sitting in a hole—an unpadded hole. The fuel and ignition maps have 16 programmable boxes, and you can change the fuel in 2-percent increments and advance/retard the ignition in 1-degree increments. That was when it got a new frame and motor, as well as Yamaha’s truly innovative smartphone EFI tuning system. Each YZ transmits a Wi-Fi signal as soon as the starter button is tapped. The intake valves’ diameters were increased from 36mm to 37mm.

There are changes in the air filter and a few other mechanical updates. © Copyright TopSpeed. The YZ450F rolls through its broad powerband without any dips or flat spots. The 2018 YZ450F sports updated looks to go with its updated features such as the new engine, wireless engine tuning and improved suspension just to name a few. For hardcore racing, these are MXA’s recommended 2020 Yamaha YZ450F fork settings (stock settings are in parentheses). Better looking? Also, I love the ability to change engine mapping from my phone. Most riders simply can’t hold on tight enough to keep the YZ screaming all the time, and for them, the bike can be tamed with an upshift. For years it has earned a reputation as the most reliable motocross bike you can buy. A: We are not telling tales out of school by saying the YZ450F’s handling has been the subject of considerable vitriol over the last decade. On the older models, the front end never wanted to take a set.

New, close-ratio five-speed transmission provides more performance in a wider range of riding environments. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. This setup helped lessen the cramped footpeg-to-saddle height for tall riders; however, short riders hated this mod because the bars lifted their arms up. Map 1 is engaged when the button in not lit. Upgraded suspension components at both ends, including a titanium shock spring which provide great handling and ride comfort. Ergos. Riders who tried YZ450Fs in the past and felt that they were big, bulky, wide, tall and heavy aren’t going to feel those fairly accurate sensations disappear.The electric start button is on the right, while the launch control button is labeled “LC.”. Out back, a fully-adjustable monoshock tames the motion of the aluminum swingarm with 12.5 inches of travel.

In 2018 they changed to aluminum head stays and moved them lower on the cylinder and reshaped the new aluminum motor mounts. The 449 cc, DOHC, short-stroke engine aspirates through a 44 mm, fuel-injected Kehin throttle body and four titanium valves. No infringement is intended.

Yamaha uses a flat piece of foam that lays on top of the backfire screen like a piece of toast.

In the big picture, though, the Yamaha still handles essentially the same. The seat. This feature is still exclusive to Yamaha, but it’s only a matter of time before it spreads industry-wide. (2) Reliability. Almost any aftermarket grip is better than the stock Yamaha blister producers. An all-new “bilateral beam” frame is plainly visible as the dearth of body panels leaves little to the imagination with the main spars exposed alongside the engine compartment. Not fluffy stuff, but true-to-life improvements. You can score a YZ450F in the Team Yamaha blue and white or red and white for $8,699.

Lightweight 21-inch front and 19-inch rear Excel rims are exceptionally durable and reduce unsprung weight. It didn’t wallow as much thanks to stiffer mid-speed valving. 245 mm rear seem like they should be sufficient, but in truth the bite is rather wooden up front, and it leaves the bike feeling a little under-braked, even for a straight-up dirtbike.

HARDWARE STORE The bad news is that your old rear wheel won’t fit until you replace the rotor.

There’s nothing about the 2020 model that will change that. An all-new light and strong aluminum frame repositions the engine for great mass centralization and fantastic handling. A new kickstart lever provides efficient starting, hot or cold. It is also a pain to remove (two studs or three). An oil jet now directs oil at the piston bottom for increased cooling. The top rings’ tension has been increased by 10 percent to aid in sealing the increased high-compression ratio. When Yamaha redesigned the YZ450F engine back in 2010, it really struck a balance between power and control. Spring rate: 58 N/mm Caveat: I reserve the right to take that back if Team Yamaha has a crap year!”, My wife and fellow writer, Allyn Hinton, says, "The YZ450F is definitely a contender in the motocross arena. First, in consecutive dyno runs, the 2020 YZ450F was not more powerful than the 2019 YZ450F at every step on the curve.

Notes: For 2020, Yamaha has refined what were already the best forks on the market. The fuel and ignition maps have 16 programmable boxes, and you can change the fuel in 2-percent increments and advance/retard the ignition in 1-degree increments. A teeny-tiny battery and lightweight starter system eliminates the old kicker (and the peasants rejoice!) Come join the discussion about performance, modifications, classifieds, racing, maintenance, and more!

If it has a flaw, it is that the initial throttle response is too aggressive.

The current wraparound exhaust system replaced the corkscrew-like Tornado system. (1) Engine. When Yamaha redesigned the YZ450F engine back in 2010, it really struck a balance between power and control. At 9000 rpm, it moves up to the fourth most powerful engine (beating the RM-Z450 and the KX450F). (3) Combustion chamber. Yamaha is deeper into the digital age than anyone, and the 2020 YZ450F has a mixture of new hardware and software to bring it into the new decade. New, five-speed … Yamaha has responded to the interlopers by going stiffer. On the track, you would never know that the YZ450F is a high-rpm 450. The majority of MXA test riders thought the bar setup was awkward when sitting and lessened their ability to get added leverage on the bars when there were pitch issues. The 2012 YZ450F  updates included new mapping and a 42mm-longer muffler (with a 3mm-smaller core). This was the first fuel-injected, downdraft, four-valve YZ450F. This is called thrust action. (4) TP-3 map. It was fast, smooth and easy to use.

2010. Consider this the cheat sheet of things that YZ450F should know about the 2020  model. And we certainly didn’t think that a new engine would be more important than a new chassis. This can be ironed out with the high-speed compression and rebound clicker. The only changes for 2013 were a white rear fender and black handlebars.

The clutch has a great feel and an easy pull. No. The head is 10mm shorter from bottom to top, even though the valve angle is steeper, allowing more room in the ports.

In fact, the stock mapping is excellent this year. It’s not all about torque, horsepower and rpm. For now, the days of old-world mechanical engineering are still very much with us. The 2010 Yamaha YZ450 was the first model of the ten year generation of backwards, downdraft engine designs.

Yamaha is the only brand that allows you to change maps with your smart phone. Both bikes run top-notch suspension; WP on the Husky, and KYB on the YZ, but the YZ enjoys around a half-inch greater suspension travel front and rear that may make a difference to some buyers. JavaScript is disabled. 2011. The bike that started the four-stroke revolution keeps moving forward with chassis and engine refinements that ensure the five-titanium-valved YZ450F remains at … The only updates for the 2011 YZ450F were a new clutch actuation arm and two-tone white and blue radiator wings. With the new valve angles and cam positions, the combustion chamber is reshaped. Weight reduction and centralization of mass are the key design components on this ride. Lightweight front and rear brake calipers with aluminum pistons and anti-bubble front master cylinder, 250mm front and 245mm rears discs, deliver strong stopping power with progressive feel. It’s still a big-feeling bike that likes to be steered with the rear wheel. the YZ-F isnt designed to have a high top speed, and niether is the yz250 for the matter, but a stock YZ-F will probably top out in mid 70's, stock gearing ratio, its more of a matter of how f'in quick it gets there! Notes: We thought the 58 N/mm shock spring was going to be too stiff for slower and lighter riders, so we had the 2017 56 N/mm spring with us just in case. Score the YZ450F in Team Yamaha Blue or white (with a teal seat) for $9,199 with a 30-day limited factory warranty.

(3) Exhaust pipe. No infringement is intended. … Image Source: yamaha-motor.com, husqvarna-motorcycles.com, Javascript must be enabled for the correct page display. You can change maps on the fly. I was thinking a 15 on the front and a 48 on the rear to give me a top speed around 100mph on the 2015 YZ450F.