MXA YZ450F test & question

[John407]

The latest test on the '06 sounds like a romance novel. MXA loves the bike so much it's a little scary even for a Yamaha guy (like me). My question is, the article mentions that the cylinder is tilted back 4 degrees for mass centralization. Is this something anyone has thought of or tried with their pre'06 bikes? Any opinions? The radiator on the right hand side could be an issue as well as the exhaust system, maybe gas tank clearance? What about it Yamaha experts?

[Wyatt]

Oddly enough....I think there was a mod being done at factory race level on the earlier bikes that was tilting the motor forward to get the center of gravity lower. Some folk on here talked about trying it.....but I never heard anyone that did.

[John407]

I remember something about lowering the radiators but not the motor. Tilting the motor back is a new idea to me anyway.

[grayracer513]

There's no way to tilt the cylinder of the older models back other than to raise the front of the engine, and that would not be helpful.

MXA loves the bike so much it's a little scary even for a Yamaha guy (like me).

I rode one over the weekend. It was everything they said with two strips of bacon, double cheese and a free order of fancy fries. If you ride one, you'll never believe it's the same weight as your '03. It really is quite an accomplishment.

[debounce]

I just picked one up, and I rode it back and forth down my street a few times, and it definately has the power that they talk about. I'm going riding tomorrow, and I'll let you know more about it then. It really does feel about as light as my CRF250, and it feels much lighter than my dad's 2000 YZ250. It is amazing how light this bike is. It also has no vibration at all. The bars are really low though. They definately need to be replaced.

$6899 OTD too

[Texas30]

The latest test on the '06 sounds like a romance novel. MXA loves the bike so much it's a little scary even for a Yamaha guy (like me).

What a great group of guys we have over here. I said basically the same thing you said a while back & I got flamed but you get answers.

Awesome guys ? Can't wait to get my YZF so I'll be accepted over here. Or maybe I'll just save a grand and buy a KXF & count my money everytime I pass a Yamaha. ?

[Satch0922]

oh man...here we go again.. ? Let me get my popcorn and sit and watch.....I love a train wreck!

[Texas30]

All the proof you need right here.

https://www.thumpertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=324755

[Satch0922]

I know...I saw the first wreck! ?

I would like to be the first guy on TT to have orange, blue, red, green and yellow in my garage. When my ship comes in ....I will prove to the world that is 95% bike and 5% rider. I promise you....I would be equally slow on all colors of bikes! And being a Yamaha guy, I can tell you that I have ridden a lot of fun bikes over the past year. Here is a list (in no particular order):

CR250F (if only I was 40lbs lighter....I would have one of these!)

YZ450F 03,04,05,06 (the 06 obviously was my favorite but I still have a soft spot for the older bikes)

YZ250 Smoker (my bike for the last year.....always has me smile and good for an adrenalin rush ? )

CR450F This bike is what made the06 YZF what it is. Give the bike it's due....no matter what color it is.

KTM 525 ... This bike is a mellow to dragster in one twist of the throttle.....no shifting necessary. You gotta respect a bike like this!

CR250 Smoker.....not a pig like the magazines would lead you to believe...(but of course I think the YZ has a better motor)

YZ250F (04) - One word FUN

KX250 (03) - this bike was all race....no cuddling!

Well you get my drift. They all have their own personality. All good cuz they are all dirt bikes.

How is this related to the thread.....I am not really sure! LMAO!

[mx369]

I just picked one up, and I rode it back and forth down my street a few times, and it definately has the power that they talk about. I'm going riding tomorrow, and I'll let you know more about it then. It really does feel about as light as my CRF250, and it feels much lighter than my dad's 2000 YZ250. It is amazing how light this bike is. It also has no vibration at all. The bars are really low though. They definately need to be replaced.

$6899 OTD too

THAT MUCH?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?? I got mine for$5999 OTD Raymer Motorsports Parris TN

[VETMX808]

What a great group of guys we have over here. I said basically the same thing you said a while back & I got flamed but you get answers.

Awesome guys ? Can't wait to get my YZF so I'll be accepted over here. Or maybe I'll just save a grand and buy a KXF & count my money everytime I pass a Yamaha. ?

Even a KXF guy like myself won't highjack a thread that bad!

But, I did get a chuckle.

[VETMX808]

Actually, I was very interested in this thread since I probably won't have the chance to ride a YZF (dealer sells Honda's & Yamaha's but is a dipchit ). He is just not very buisness savy. ? He will maybe sell 1 or 2 YZF's and half a dozen CRF's dirtbikes if he is lucky.

But continue as you were...

[debounce]

THAT MUCH?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?? I got mine for$5999 OTD Raymer Motorsports Parris TN

There's only 1 yamaha dealer for about 2 hours where I am so the prices suck.

[djo269]

My question is, the article mentions that the cylinder is tilted back 4 degrees for mass centralization. Is this something anyone has thought of or tried with their pre'06 bikes? Any opinions? The radiator on the right hand side could be an issue as well as the exhaust system, maybe gas tank clearance? What about it Yamaha experts?

I've noticed Honda and Yamaha did the exact opposite to tilting their engines in 2006. Honda tilted the engine forward and Yamaha tilted it back. I think besides making the weight of the engine more centralized, by tilting it back it made room for the oil reservoir in the lower front.

[Ga426owner]

All the proof you need right here.

https://www.thumpertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=324755

I fail to see your logic..............you got defensive... ?

[Open_Class]

I'm an ex Yamaha guy as well (01-426, 02-426, 03-450), and this recent MXA article still made me blush with embarrassment.

They actually may have painted themselves into a corner. How can they rave that much about the YZF and then not pick it to win their shootout? It would make the bike that beat it a fantasy machine.

I am glad however that Yamaha turned their program around on the 06's.

I also think that everyone needs to shout out a silent thanks to Yamaha every time they throw a leg over any of the current 4-strokes. Without Yamaha we would not have all these incredible machines.

Thanks Yamaha ?

Sheesh, I think I'm getting soft. Look what you guys have done to me.

[Satch0922]

I am glad however that Yamaha turned their program around on the 06's.

I also think that everyone needs to shout out a silent thanks to Yamaha every time they throw a leg over any of the current 4-strokes. Without Yamaha we would not have all these incredible machines.

Thanks Yamaha

Sheesh, I think I'm getting soft. Look what you guys have done to me.

Wow! ?

?

[grayracer513]

I've noticed Honda and Yamaha did the exact opposite to tilting their engines in 2006. Honda tilted the engine forward and Yamaha tilted it back. I think besides making the weight of the engine more centralized, by tilting it back it made room for the oil reservoir in the lower front.

Yamaha wanted to move the weight bias back and lower at the same time, which required that they change the cases. They were doing that anyway for the integral tank. Honda, OTOH, was OK with moving it forward slightly, and so simply altered the hard points on the engine to lower it in the frame by rotating it forward.

[SC_Spode]

Yamaha wanted to move the weight bias back and lower at the same time, which required that they change the cases. They were doing that anyway for the integral tank. Honda, OTOH, was OK with moving it forward slightly, and so simply altered the hard points on the engine to lower it in the frame by rotating it forward.

A little clarification to help eliminate some confusion -

I believe Yamaha tilted only the cylinder back relative to the cases which would make the engine shorter front to back, resulting in better centralization of mass.

Honda tilted the entire engine forward (as stated above) to put more weight on the front wheel.

I haven't ridden the new CRF to see how it feels, but I've been saying for years (after much fiddling with my 03 CRF trying to eliminate the vague feeling and occasional push) that I believed the CRF needed more weight on the front end. It makes for a light feeling bike but the lack of steering accuracy and feedback becomes very apparent when I ride it back to back with my 03 YZ450.

Would love to take the new YZ4 for a spin. ?