Transworld write up...06 YZ 450

[revolucien]

It seems pretty tough to name one major magazine or news media journal that is in fact impartial and unbiased. I'm guessing that whole part of news jounalism went away a while ago.

[INJURY_69]

They say over 300 changes in part numbers...but wouldn't there be thousands and thousands if it was only the wheels that are the same?

[adamdf]

I have a conspiracy theory ...

US bikes, testers say they don't turn too well

Australia and UK testers, that I've seen, don't have that complaint.

US bikes have a Dunlop 739 front tire.

The others do not as far as I've seen.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm

I know lots of people on here dont like the D739 but isnt it supposed to be good for dry hard pack trakcs? If so, then i wouldnt need to change the front tire on my 06 YZ250f when it gets here. If not, then what other front tire would you guys recommend for me because the track i usually ride is just hard loose dirt.

[adamdf]

Yamaha has not changed the chassis geometry much on their bikes since 1996. I imagine the new aluminum frame shares the geometry of the older bikes .

If you ever ride one of the YZ's or YZF's with 22 or 23mm offset clamps, it spoils you. The stock bikes do turn and handle, but it is much better with a bit less offset on the clamps.

If it is so great, whay does'nt Yamaha change them? I really dont understand why. I felt no bad side effects from the change. If a person was to invest in some 23mm offset clamps (much less money than valves for the other thumpers) you will probably be rewarded with a bike that can turn inside of kx 65's.

Plus, you'll have an engine that lasts longer than the first tank of fuel. Well, thats not entierly fair. My friends RMZ 250 lasted for three tanks of fuel before needing major work.

I may look into these offset clamps that you are talking about. I only ever heard about them being a popular change for the hondas. Didnt realise it was a good fix for the yamaha also. What would you recommend for the 06250f? I have got one on the way.

[MOTOMOUTH]

I'm not even a little suprised. I could have wrote this review for them weeks ago because it's exactly the same thing TW always says about Yamaha. They always trash Yamaha's turning. Even when no one else has a problem with it, TW has a gripe. For what ever reason they never like the blue bikes very well. Maybe Yamaha doesn't advertise enough with them to get a good review.

TransvestiteWorld motocross LOVES Suzukis, nothing else

[yz_for_me]

TransvestiteWorld motocross LOVES Suzukis, nothing else

Yes they do like the zooks, but they seem to be quite infatuated with the red bikes too.

[Doug.]

So TMX says the bike doesn't turn? Uh oh.

While Racer X, Dirt Rider and MotorcycleDaily.com say it does...

[Wooded]

I'm sure the bike turns!! They all turn, but the yamahas are known for being very nuetral, kind of middle of the road. I hated my CRF450 for not turning unless I sacraficed other stuff. My YZ250f turned decent and was very nuetral. My RM was extremly fun in the corners (effortless). Pick your poison!!

And as for the test riders not knowig how to set up bikes. C'mon!! Those guys are pro's most of the time. You don't go and show up to some big VIP Yamaha press release with some squid for a tester who dosn't know where the preload ring is. Not to mention there are Yamaha tech guy's there to help out and make sure the mags get jetting, suspension, and other basic tuning things right.

I personally like a little critasizm on the initial tests. Usually the first tests are always great. You go and buy the bike. Then you notice hey, they didn't mention this. Then a few months later the hot set up is offset clamps.

[RCannon]

I have not ridden any of th e06 yamaha 4 strokes yet. The 22 or 23 mm offset clamps were wonderful on the older bikes...YZ, YZF's WR's...whatever. I would give them a try for sure. The bikes dont handle bad ever. They are much more fun with slightly less offset.

Transworld blows, no doubt about it. Still, I doubt Transvestite World was alone with the bike. I am sure they get hand assembeled bikes with full on site factory support. Like it or not, the mag reviews are important to the facotries.

[letter]

Brian, how did you set the sag and the clickers and the high speed adjuster?

[biznet1]

756 - 739 = 17 (% Better turning). No bike turns good on 739's. Why do they even put them on stock? 06 CRF450R now come with 756s.

[Satch0922]

Motorcycle Daily

"The revised fork and shock give the new aluminum chassis a very balanced, composed feel. The YZ450F was very stable on the higher speed, choppy straights, but also dropped into corners well and turned predictably. The new YZ450F does pretty much exactly what you ask of it."

Don't you guys know that TWMX is just there for the chicks in bikinis?

[Satch0922]

From Dirt Rider

"It is really hard to ride the old one after then '06. Why? First thing is the new supple, plush suspension. Even compared to an ’05 YZ450F that we thought was working really well, the ’06 shines in suspension. Second is the new light and flickable feeling the new ride gives. It is way more like a 250F than you can imagine. Third is the power and its seamless delivery. Courtesy of filling all the dips and spreading the power out even better, this YZ rips and is more rideable than ever."

[Joe_Jet]

I don't see a TWMX bias against Yamaha. The YZ 125 and YZ250 won their 06' shootouts!

The 739 is one of the preferred tires out here on the West Coast. The 756 front might have been a little better for Comp. Park. I like the 756 slightly better at Racetown which is a few miles up the road from Comp Park so it should have similar dirt.

We'll find out come shoot out time when they have all the bikes fitted with the same tires and tested against each other in the same conditions on the same track.

And, guess what? I'm still gonna' get the 06' YZ450 even if it comes in last because that is what I am most comfortable on and have the most confidence in!

[djo269]

My '04 450F didn't turn with a dang either, but after getting a little professional advice, raising the forks in the triple clamps to the third groove in the fork, and setting rear sag, clickers, and high-speed adjuster correctly, it turns like a bandit. As usual, it's all in the set-up. I do plan to sell the '04 and get the '06 though!

Brian, right on bro! I did these same adjustments to my 03' yz450 and now the bike handles like a dream! Definately having correct spring rates for your weight makes a huge difference too!

[MichiganMXer]

I'm a die hard yami fan. My 01 426 has been a great and unbelievably reliable machine.

I will stick with blue; and this bike was the one. I must say that I'm a little disappointed. I was hoping that they would come out and say that its a revolutionary machine that rips and rides on rails. They didn't.

Do I wait for the 07 and pull one more season out of my 426?

BTW I'm glad Kawi's 450 is getting some great reviews. Its nice to see Honda sweat a little.

[brian389]

I weigh 170 lbs without gear, for reference.

I run 98mm sag, can't remember the number of turns on the high-speed off the top of my head. The rear compression was way too stiff when I first got the bike. Basically, I had to soften both-ends, and I run 2/3 5 wt, 1/3 2.5 weight in the fork, that allows the bike to be very balanced, and to settle into the turns very nicely, with no head shake at all. Fork tubes are at 3rd mark, so can't push them up in the triple clamps any further. I use a different triple clamp the puts the handlebars 3/4 inch forward, and 3/4 inch higher which helps with my long arms to be positioned forward over the front end. Everybody that rides it remarks about the way it turns. I built an air chamber for the forks for about $45, and that made the fork really plush.

[NOMADAK]

The first thing I would do the bike is get rid of that 739 and put a better tire on it.

Erik

I have read that the 06 Yamaha's are coming with 756's this year!

[JBM]

I have read that the 06 Yamaha's are coming with 756's this year!

They do come with a 756 on the rear, but the front tire is a 739.

[Satch0922]

They do come with a 756 on the rear, but the front tire is a 739.

that is one weird combo. I would be more acceptable to have the 756 front and the 739 rear......oh well.