I want a 2 wheel drive WR450!

[eightarches]

Where do you buy them?

How much $?

[logansowner]

You can't, and a whole lot...

[Rip Wheeler]

I aw one on the French Yamaha site See it at: Yamaha-Motor.fr

[eightarches]

That bike is hot!

I can think of many uphills I've lost momentum on

because the rear wheel lost traction. I wonder if

it's fad or the future of dirt bikes?

To bad they don't televise off road bike races like baja 1000 or dakar. I'd like to see this bike perform next to the other bikes.

[Rip Wheeler]

It has to pull nice through the corners I bet! ?

[scott_h]

That bike is hot!

I can think of many uphills I've lost momentum on

because the rear wheel lost traction. I wonder if

it's fad or the future of dirt bikes?

To bad they don't televise off road bike races like baja 1000 or dakar. I'd like to see this bike perform next to the other bikes.

French rider David Fretigne won today's stage in snow/muddy conditions on the 2WD WR450. Speed channel will show Dakar Rally footage in one hour segments throughout the 18 day race beginning tomorrow night.

[tiout]

I was at the Yamaha boot in Paris. David Fretigné told me that the bike was 10KM/H faster than the standard WR on any type of offroad terrain because of the added traction...

He also said it was more stable because the front wheel actually rides the obstacles instead of hitting them. Yamaha Motor France also sells the WR 450 in Paris-Dakar preparation without the 2-wheel drive. It costs 10000 Euros more than the standard WR.

[Indy_WR450]

This is going to be very interesting. Can Yamaha show to the world that all wheel drive is reliable and faster? ? If it were a mud race yamaha would have an easier time of it but the Dakar is rocky and dry for the most part.

[Indy_WR450]

Yeah, Yamaha just won the 2nd stage as well! ? :D

[RCannon]

I wonder what a wheelie feels like on this bike? Does the front drive all of the time, or just when the rear slips?

[Belgian WR250F]

The WR 450 2X2 cost 12500 Euro's in Belgium.

That's 4500 more than the standard bike.

Not a bad price considering it comes with Ohlins factory forks and shock...

[CraZcanucK]

From what I have read the front wheel only gets power when the rear slips. Don't know about you, but my rear wheel is always spinning...either that or the front wheel is in the air...not sure if two wheel drive would help ?

[eightarches]

If I understand it correctly, a hydraulic pump is connected

to the gear box. A hose from this pump runs to the front

hub where it connects to a hydraulic motor which spins the

wheel.

What I am unsure of is the speed control of the hydraulic

motor, and what happens when you brake against it.

Sounds like tweeker heaven.

[JRAMBO]

That thing was pretty cool but I wonder how much it weighs I but it hooks up. ? :D

[JRAMBO]

That thing was pretty cool but I wonder how much it weighs I but it hooks up. ? :D

[AkRider]

I was told it is only 6 extra pounds. Not bad if that is true.

[sargentrab]

If I understand it correctly, a hydraulic pump is connected

to the gear box. A hose from this pump runs to the front

hub where it connects to a hydraulic motor which spins the

wheel.

What I am unsure of is the speed control of the hydraulic

motor, and what happens when you brake against it.

Sounds like tweeker heaven.

OK let me take a shot at this,

I am pretty familure with hydrostat trannys and I am guessing that they are using a very basic Hydrostat trany.

If the pump is ran off countershaft the faster countershaft spins the more oil moving to front so basicaly self adjusting for speed,the amount of oil being moved to front wheel will not be enough to keep front wheel turning at same speed as rear tire,however when rear tire is spinning there will be enough to apply torqe to front wheel which would limet rear wheelspin by pulling a bit with front,when rear wheel isnt spinning the front will basically be free wheeling it will be spinning faster than the amount of oil being moved will turn it.

If I am somewhat correct in what they are doing,this system has been around a long time just not on motorcycles.

The 2 big killers for a hydrostat are heat,and contamination in oil,since the front tire probly will not be under a hard pulling load a fair percentage of the time that should keep the heat down.

The contamination in oil comes from the system being closed and not being able to filter oil once oil gets in the loop,being on a motorcycle there is no reverse to worry about so they can probly install a filter in return line,in most applications there is a reverse so the oil changes directions and is under a very high pressure in one line for forward then the other for reverse so a in line filter is not practical meaning any crud in system stays in system,only having to work one way it realy shouldnt be to complicated to filter return oil so that kind of solves both hydro killers.

I realy dont think braking will be much of a problem unless you are locking up front wheel and trying to keep rear wheel speed high,you guys may do this but I dont,maybe just a little upgrade on front brakes and all should work well.

I realy dont know if this is exactly what they are doing but I bet my thoughts are pretty close... ?

[km98045]

Looks like Yamaha will offer a production version of it this year. Check out this website http://www.eatmydirt.com.au/press/Nov03/yamaha_wr450f_2.htm

May be just the thing for those sloppy slippery races or trails we always want to ride.

?

[5spoke]

I wonder if he has had any woodruff key failures That looks like the '03 starter gear cover ?

[TomM]

As soon as they become available, I plan to buy one.

Tom M