Opinions on 2008 YZ450F

[RockerYZWR]

I have a line on an extremely clean and seemingly barely ridden 08 YZ450. Stock plastics in perfect shape, engine side covers not scuffed at all ... Original owner, older guy, no reason to believe it's misrepresented at all right now. Best part aside from the price is he's got it street legal. Can anyone give me opinions on the 08? Very interested in going to see it, but it's a bit of a drive. This would be my WR450 replacement unit. Thanks!

[damnbiker94]

06-09 yz450s are very good bikes. Near bullet proof motor, aluminum frame, sss forks, etc. I love my 2006 far more than my 2012 (before i got it dialed in)

[15thumper]

08 was detuned compared to 06 power feels like a 250 more on topend, most run the 06 cdi to get more of a low-end hit great bike

[RockerYZWR]

08 was detuned compared to 06 power feels like a 250 more on topend, most run the 06 cdi to get more of a low-end hit great bike

Yeah I read that, especially in MXA's review. I have a feeling it would be head and shoulders better than my 11 WR450, and still have plenty of room to improve with cams and CDI. I actually do have an 04 450 CDI on hand that might work...

[SteveThe Snakes]

Yeah I read that, especially in MXA's review. I have a feeling it would be head and shoulders better than my 11 WR450, and still have plenty of room to improve with cams and CDI. I actually do have an 04 450 CDI on hand that might work...

The only issues to remember are it is a close ratio trans, no lights, no electric start. From what I understand they don't make a decent charging system if you wanted lights. But you might get a total loss system with LED bulbs.

[RockerYZWR]

Yeah, good call. Oddly, this guy installed a lighting stator, but apparently never ran a headlight but got it street registered. Says it has maybe 5 original hours on it - from the pictures, that seems legitimate. I'd have to install a DS kit to make FL happy. Really, my intent is to buy a new 450FX or 16 WR this year...but then I found this and the deal is really almost too good to pass up. Considering a flip...

[grayracer513]

The '08 doesn't need cams.  You could run the '06 exhaust cam with the '08 intake to get a little more juice lower in the rev range without giving up any top end to speak of, but leave that for later.  Swap the CDI for an '06 or an '04 (more bottom, maybe too much, less top), and add almost any kind of aftermarket pipe, and it's a completely new animal.

 

The big problem with lighting stators on the Gen2 YZ450 is that both sides of the thing are so overloaded that even the ignition isn't reliable.

 

If yo want complete wheel interchangeability with your other two  bikes, the '08 was the last year for that before the bigger rear axle came out.

[RockerYZWR]

The '08 doesn't need cams. You could run the '06 exhaust cam with the '08 intake to get a little more juice lower in the rev range without giving up any top end to speak of, but leave that for later. Swap the CDI for an '06 or an '04 (more bottom, maybe too much, less top), and add almost any kind of aftermarket pipe, and it's a completely new animal.

The big problem with lighting stators on the Gen2 YZ450 is that both sides of the thing are so overloaded that even the ignition isn't reliable.

If yo want complete wheel interchangeability with your other two bikes, the '08 was the last year for that before the bigger rear axle came out.

Thanks a lot for the reply and for answering the axle question, that was on my research list also. I'm not following the gen 2 lighting stator issue, though. Are aftermarket stators just not able to keep up with system demands? I'll get to searching on here, as well as find out exactly what he's got in the bike.

And the close ratio gearbox may very well limit me in some sections for where I'm at in FL, but it's certainly more of a consideration for when we eventually move back out west.

I appreciate the inputs.

[grayracer513]

 I'm not following the gen 2 lighting stator issue, though. Are aftermarket stators just not able to keep up with system demands? 

And the close ratio gearbox may very well limit me in some sections for where I'm at in FL, but it's certainly more of a consideration for when we eventually move back out west.

 

 

The problem is that, as issued, the stator exists only for the purpose of running the ignition.  There is no provision for lighting or battery charging, or any other accessory power of any kind.  The whole assembly is small and light for performance considerations, and in fact the flywheel is smaller than the gas cap.  The stock stator uses four coils in two pairs to power the ignition, and when the rewinders get hold of them, they use two of the coils for lighting, and the other two are forced to do the work previously done by four.  The lighting side barely provides 30w of DC, and is working at full capacity to run a fairly small light. Meanwhile, on the ignition side, the only way to achieve the same power output as stock is to wind the coils with finer wire and make it carry the same current.  The smaller gauge wire is more easily damaged by vibration, and has to carry the same current that heavier wire was intended to handle.  All that translates to reduced reliability, and generally disappointing results.

 

Personally, I don't recommend buying a YZ450 at all if your intent is to street ride it very much at all.

 

Whether the MX gear set bothers you, even out in the western states, depends on how and where you ride.  Your sig says you own a YZ250.  That bike has the same ratio set, roughly, as the YZF, so it should give you some idea of what I mean.  Low gear is higher, and top gear is shorter.  I modified mine by trading out the 4th and 5th gears for the ones from a WR450, and this works very well, particularly when paired with a Rekluse clutch to make the tall first gear more usable in tighter spots.  Even without that, the WR 5th allows you to lower the overall gearing while still gaining top speed over stock.  

[RockerYZWR]

The problem is that, as issued, the stator exists only for the purpose of running the ignition. There is no provision for lighting or battery charging, or any other accessory power of any kind. The whole assembly is small and light for performance considerations, and in fact the flywheel is smaller than the gas cap. The stock stator uses four coils in two pairs to power the ignition, and when the rewinders get hold of them, they use two of the coils for lighting, and the other two are forced to do the work previously done by four. The lighting side barely provides 30w of DC, and is working at full capacity to run a fairly small light. Meanwhile, on the ignition side, the only way to achieve the same power output as stock is to wind the coils with finer wire and make it carry the same current. The smaller gauge wire is more easily damaged by vibration, and has to carry the same current that heavier wire was intended to handle. All that translates to reduced reliability, and generally disappointing results.

Personally, I don't recommend buying a YZ450 at all if your intent is to street ride it very much at all.

Whether the MX gear set bothers you, even out in the western states, depends on how and where you ride. Your sig says you own a YZ250. That bike has the same ratio set, roughly, as the YZF, so it should give you some idea of what I mean. Low gear is higher, and top gear is shorter. I modified mine by trading out the 4th and 5th gears for the ones from a WR450, and this works very well, particularly when paired with a Rekluse clutch to make the tall first gear more usable in tighter spots. Even without that, the WR 5th allows you to lower the overall gearing while still gaining top speed over stock.

Evidently my reply from earlier didn't go through...operator error on my part most likely.

Wanted to say thanks a lot for the education and that my only need for being street legal is so that I can legally ride on thousands of acres of federal range land which also requires exactly one mile of transit on a public road right from my house. I don't want or need a headlight, but would need to find a way to at least look like I'm meeting the DOT requirement in the event the law is out there. I have no other street riding desires and don't even ride my WR on the street except for as described above and the occasional rip around the neighborhood to go visit neighbors.

I was tracking the same gears as my YZ250, and while the WR is honestly great in the wider open sections and miles of twisty sandy roads that exist out there, I don't think the close-ratio YZ450 would be a deal-breaker, all things considered. When I finally have the requirement and muster the courage to split the cases, WR gears would probably be in order, especially if I planned on keeping the bike for a good while. I did race my YZ250 in the desert and was limited in the 5th gear open sections, but in my trail riding or a woods hare scramble out here, I doubt I'd be as limited. I'd also definitely plan a Rekluse for it, which I also run in my 250 (EXP) and which is just awesome in the slow and tight stuff. If I don't get enough of a flywheel effect out of that, a FWW would be in order as well - which I also run in my two stroke.

So what does everyone think of $3500 for an street legalized '08 with no visible wear on it and a claimed 5 hours of run time? I'm going to call him if I can get some time tomorrow.

[grayracer513]

The question is, is it worth that to you?  $3500 seems a bit rich for an '08 year old, but maybe not in your case if if fits your search parameters that well.  Wave $3100 at him, I don't know.  

 

The stator would concern me, as I said, from a reliability standpoint, but you could easily reinstall the original ignition and run the lights off a battery.  Especially if all you actually use is the brake light. 

[RockerYZWR]

The question is, is it worth that to you? $3500 seems a bit rich for an '08 year old, but maybe not in your case if if fits your search parameters that well. Wave $3100 at him, I don't know.

Yeah, I don't know for sure either. It does fit the parameters, but still considering value of very low wear versus the '08 year model issue. It may also flip pretty well in my area. First world problems.

The stator would concern me, as I said, from a reliability standpoint, but you could easily reinstall the original ignition and run the lights off a battery. Especially if all you actually use is the brake light.

This is actually the one point kind of dissuading me from the deal. Maybe better after all to go fish and wait around for a FI model if street legality (and therefore, lighting) is a requirement for me.