06 Problems?

[mxbuz]

What problems are anyone having with their 06 yzf450? Should I buy a 06 or wait for 07's? Any honest info would be great. Thanks!!

[06_450 Rider]

I just bought my 06 last week, and it has been absolutely great so far...not a single problem. I was gonna wait and buy an 07,but i couldnt wait until September. Im very happy with it, and i think u will be too. i would go with the 06!

[stock510]

Ive had an 06 since may and not had a single problem. (touch wood)

[02YZ426]

If you can wait, I would get the 07.... but the 06 is awsome too. I've had mine a few months now and its been perfect. Either way you can't go wrong.

[NYMXer]

You can get a new 06 YZ450F now for about $5K so why wait for the 07's to come out in Nov? Buy it now and ride it now. The price savings alone make his an awesome deal. A new 07 will be at least a grand more than the leftover. ?

[motorhead2825]

I have had my 06 for about 7 months and it is the sweetest thing I have ever ridden. But the newer the better I always say

[grayracer513]

Well, on the '06, the chain is junk, but you knew that. The '07 chain will likely be junk, too.

The bike is delivered lean (mine came jetted 42/165, I changed it to 45/165)

A very small number of the '06's have lost oil gallery plugs from the ignition cover. This can be insured against by staking the plugs in. Haven't heard of it since the first few came out.

The timing plugs are frequently not tight enough to stay put as delivered.

The bars are too low for most people.

The forks need to be pulled up to the first scribed mark, and the bike is fussy about rear sag (it likes 95-98mm)

The front tire is OK only on HARD surfaces, and the rear goes away quickly.

Some people have had clutch trouble. I haven't, and I tend to think it's been user error, but watch the free play.

The dip stick knob is subject to rare damage by flying rocks. I built a light plastic shield and zipped it to the front of the frame.

Beyond these horrible, outrageous flaws, it's a completely fabulous bike.

The '07 is said to come with taller bars, increasing its real value by about $80. It also has a slightly steeper head angle, so it will probably turn as delivered as well as the '06 does with the forks pulled up. If the built in radiator braces are effective, that makes it worth another $100 for stuff you won't have to buy. And the brakes are very cool.

[T H O R]

grayracer513 covered most of the flaws.

Only thing I have done to my '06, that it NEEDED, or at least, should have done when you get it...Change out the stock chain right away (this way you can use the stock sprockets, save you some cash), raise the forks to the first line, even though I liked it how they came (flush with the triple clamps), with them raised it is even better. Go through the bike before it's first ride and completely grease the steering stem bearings, rear linkage bearings, and front & rear wheel bearings. I myself, and many other '06 owners had to re-jet, no big deal, just a $5 dollar pilot jet (I went to a 48, kept the main jet stock @ 165). I have not had any problems that some people had, that Gray mentioned in his post, I check my valves every 20 Hours, and I change my oil every 5, oil filter every 10, air filter each ride. Also, set my sag, and the regular prep stuff. Other than buying some stuff for the bike, that is all I did, and all it needs.

Here are some links to help with the greasing, even though you already may know how...

http://www.transworldmotocross.com/mx/how_to/article/0,13190,1012822,00.html

http://www.transworldmotocross.com/mx/how_to/article/0,13190,663693,00.html

[Budlite]

This bike is targeted for heavy riders. If you are in the 165 # or under expect to re-spring AND revalve the forks and at least a lighter spring in the rear. Main jet seems to be alright for most but the pilot seems to vary. I'm at a #52 with the air screw at 2 1/8 turns. When it starts to cool here in Arizona, I expect to go even higher. The stock guide plate broke in the back so I put on a Works Connection. The radiators are the easiest to bend I've seen in the last 10 years but the Unibiker guards will take care of that. One other thing we've had problems with and have not got a handle on as of yet is that it doesn't like to shift to 3rd. It jumps back out quite often and is scary as hell. I've replaced the shift forks but it didn't help. Everything looks good but ..??? The bottom end power is a little light but that actually helps on hard pack. It doesn't respond to taller gearing though.

[grayracer513]

Interesting that your experiences with your '06 are different than mine. For one, I have no trouble shifting it or with it staying in gear. In fact, it's unnervingly easy to shift compared to my other two YZF's, and very like a CR in that regard. I find it shifting before I expect if I forget which bike I'm on and load the lever too much.

Stock, the power feels soft, but it's a little deceptive. Regardless, the Dr. D exhaust system we added make the most noticeable difference in the lower half of the power band, and snapped it up quite a bit.

Your pilot seems way too big. We run a 45 with no issues. Might maybe go to a 48 later in the winter for the desert, but I'll wait and see.

All full-sized YZ/YZF models are built for riders in the 175-185 pound range.

CRF radiators are notoriously much easier to damage than these are. Baron von Beard speaks well of the new Works Connection braces.

[kyle450rider]

I read something about the new 2007 having built in radiator braces.Has anyone seen these on any photos?I guess i should wait to buy braces if there already on it.

[mxbuz]

Great information, not just the RA-RA Yamaha is best and everything else is junk. I like all the bikes but the reliability of the YZF is what is drawing me to it. The only thing I've heard is some gear box trouble and some clutch problems. The 07's are said to have a upgrade of the clutch. All said I think I should go get a great deal on a 06.

Thanks Again!

[Budlite]

Actually, the powerband is very well suited to the hard packed Arizona tracks. My son has no issue with the power of this bike, which is why we are still running a stock pipe. You're absolutely right about it shifting very easily.. in fact, too easy. This may be the problem since my son is a very aggressive rider. As far as the pilot goes, it seems to vary from bike to bike. I've run a 45, a 48, and a 52. I've lost 2 needles because I had to turn them out too far to get the bike rich enough. The 52 is working for us now but it hasn't cooled off here enough to see if I need to make a change. Currently, a hand injury has put everything on hold. We'll see which bike he wants to ride as he's been feeling the love for his 05 Y250 this summer.

I can't agree with you on the suspension though. I thinks it set up stock for heavier riders than 175. At 165, getting it around a rough flat turn is a nighmare on stock forks and it is arm pump city after just a couple of laps. I tried just springs, .44 in the front and 4.9 in the back before revalving. I just didn't compare with his 250. I put the 250 suspension on it and he loved it so I used the 250 as a baseline for modifications. We're using .44 in the front and 4.7 in the back with radically different valving. He's liking it so far but we haven't been back to So Cal to test it on some rough tracks like Glenn Helen yet. Arizona tracks are just not rough enough to tell.

We hope to be in Cal this winter, maybe we can get together and compare notes. Later.

[chrisl609]

I've had my 06 for a few months & have had no problems so far with it. The only things I have done to the bike were to put an o-ring chain & gytr guards & devol radiator braces on it before riding it for the first time.

After riding it a couple of times I threw on some taller bars as well as a +1 50T sprocket which gave the bike much more bottom end snap & really woke up the powerband.

I also greased up everything super good before I rode it the first time. I highly recommend doing that as the bike was super dry from the factory!

[chrisl609]

Regarding the suspension, I agree that it is pretty stiff. I am around 185lb & on a rough track it beats me up pretty good. I'm hoping that it just needs to break in a little more, but at the 10 hour mark I am thinking about going to some lighter fork oil to see what happens before I start thinking about $$$ revalving.

[grayracer513]

I read something about the new 2007 having built in radiator braces.Has anyone seen these on any photos?I guess i should wait to buy braces if there already on it.

You should wait. If the OEM radiators have anything structural built onto them, the ones you buy for an '06 probably won't fit.

[grayracer513]

Regarding the suspension, I agree that it is pretty stiff. I am around 185lb & on a rough track it beats me up pretty good. I'm hoping that it just needs to break in a little more, but at the 10 hour mark I am thinking about going to some lighter fork oil to see what happens before I start thinking about $$$ revalving.

Try this first. Remove 10cc from each fork and ride it again. If you get the same results that MXA did, you may have to put 5 cc back in. Apparently, the fork is sensitive to minor oil level changes.

[Ga426owner]

The best bike I have ever owned - once you fix the flaws Grey indicated -

[SurvivorMan]

You'll have to tweak the 07 for your style, size etc...just like the 06. There aren't that many huge changes from 06-07, so I would save the $1000 and buy the 06...I love mine. oh yeah, reroute the breather tube off of the top of the engine into the air box.