08 or 09 yz 450 ?

[rr558]

Hi guys there are two bikes near me one is an 08 with 12 hrs. 2700 obo or an 09 with 20 hrs. 3500. The 09 is a little nicer looking with some levers but mostly stock the 08 has a slip-on but thats it both are white. Is the 09 that much better. Also an 08 honda for 2800 with about 50 hrs. decisions decisions . What say you wise men ?

[250premixer]

Hi guys there are two bikes near me one is an 08 with 12 hrs. 2700 obo or an 09 with 20 hrs. 3500. The 09 is a little nicer looking with some levers but mostly stock the 08 has a slip-on but thats it both are white. Is the 09 that much better. Also an 08 honda for 2800 with about 50 hrs. decisions decisions . What say you wise men ?

09 has fuel injection which is nice but if you don't care about that get the nicest bike from the bunch

[etuke]

no fuel injection on the 09,it came out in 2010

[250premixer]

no fuel injection on the 09,it came out in 2010

ops

[grayracer513]

If you have a wheel set you plan to use from an earlier YZF, get the '08. Otherwise there isn't a lot of difference between them.

[Treeyz450]

If you have a wheel set you plan to use from an earlier YZF, get the '08. Otherwise there isn't a lot of difference between them.

Are the 08 wheel sets not good? Sorry to highjack

[grayracer513]

No, there's nothing wrong with the older wheels. The problem is that the '09 uses a larger rear axle and the older wheels don't fit.

[rr558]

My biggest concern is I know they updated the swing arm and shifting forks. Does any one have trouble with the tranny on 08's ?

[MotoAce51]

I have an 09 and it's an awesome bike. I would check it out and see if you can get the price down any. If you can get it for $3000 - 3200 it would be a no-brainer. The one big down side for the 09 is the exhaust. It hurts the power. My dad has an 09 as well and it's still a sweet bike but the pipe on mine makes it feel 100x more powerful.

[SparksXR426]

My biggest concern is I know they updated the swing arm and shifting forks. Does any one have trouble with the tranny on 08's ?

Not generally with the trannys but it ALL depends on how they were ridden and maintained. I don't think you would even notice the difference in the swingarm if you rode an 08 back to back with a 09. I would lean towards the 08 if they're both comparable and see if you can knock the price down some more. Those hours seem ridiculously low to me though.

[grayracer513]

YZF's have always been tagged for having "notchy" shifting.  In fact, they shift fine, and the only people who really seem to notice anything are those who have previously had a lot of seat time on Hondas.  The CR/CRF's did used to shift more smoothly and with less effort.  The revision to the shift forks was an attempt to address that, and it helped a little.  It wasn't a big change, or a durability issue.

 

As to low hours, it happens.  I found mine used and almost a year old, but literally only ridden twice.  The spokes still had that new wheel sparkle to them and the OEM tires were still on it.  I corrected all of that.

[rr558]

Thanks guys I might lean towards the 08 as it is a 1k difference in price and the 09 guy will not budge. I don't think I will be able to tell the difference in swing arms either.

[RockerYZWR]

No, there's nothing wrong with the older wheels. The problem is that the '09 uses a larger rear axle and the older wheels don't fit.

Didn't they change the front axle in '07?

[grayracer513]

Yes, but the bearing ID remained the same, so the wheel fits if you use the front axle and spacers native to the bike.  The rear is another matter.

[Rocky739]

For what it's worth I just picked up an 08 yesterday for 2700.00. Bike is like new with only the very edge of the clutch covers paint worn off and all looks like a wrench was never turned on it other than a FMF slip on exhaust.

[RockerYZWR]

Good score! Seems like people are finding some legit deals on here lately.