07 YZ450F - To Trail and Track

[AndrewBrittain]

I've been reading many posts and magzine write ups on the YZ450F and WR450F and it seems like most of these folks are trying to turn their WR into a YZ. I made a huge mistake - I sat on a brand new YZ450F and fell in love with the machine - now I am hooked. While I'm saving my pennies for one, all I can do is read about it and seach the web to get any new facts and setups. The problem is that I ride mostly tight trails. Basically, I don't want a KTM or Honda X... mostly everyone in my riding club ride KTM's but I want a YZ and I want to make it work mainly for Hare Scrambles and tight trails AND sometimes play around on a track (mostly sand dunes) in Florida.

I'm curous to hear if anyone has any ideas or mods or stories of how they took their perfectly good MX YZ450F and turned it into a woods weapon. This seems to go against the norm but I believe it's worth it for this ride.

PS - in a month or two, I think I have the kitchen pass to buy the white 07 ?

[bboyce]

Revlalve the suspension, get all the off-road goodies- Skid Plate, Handguards, Quiet Pipe, O-Ring chain, and a new front tire.

Thats really about it.

[yamaha227]

I have just bought a YZ450 07 about 2 months ago with the doing the same kind of riding you have in mind (tight wood single track), first enduro i did it was pretty much stock apart from having the suspension revalved for enduro /trail riding.

I found it alot different from my 03 WR450 im used to riding in the tight stuff, it felt heaps lighter but had no where near the low down torque the WR has for climbing hills, logs, tight stuff etc.

So after spending a full weekend racing tight single track enduro's on it these are the things i have come up with that i think it needs to make it a better bush weapon...

Flywheel weight (more torque and user friendly for the tight stuff)

Bar risers ( to suit my height 6, 2')

fast way pegs (low boy position to make it a bit roomier for my height)

O- Ring chain

Good tyres

Hand gaurds

Skid plate

Radiator gaurds

Maybe a higher seat foam?

Have thought about a Rekluse auto clutch, but not sure how many pro's use them in the bush all day long and decided im probaly better off refineing my clutch and riding technique.

[black_n_blue_thumper]

Mod number 1..........REKLUSE!!!!!!!!!!

Here is the rest of the things I have done and liked

Rekluse rear hand brake

18" rear wheel

52T rear sprocket

Unabiker rad guards

Fasstco Flexx Bars

Suspension respring and set up for me

Skid/Bash Plate

IRC Vulcanduro Tires

PowerMadd Handguards

DID X ring chain

Clarke 3.2 gallon tank (on order)

And then the smaller less noticeable mods that make our bikes our own. I had a WR before my YZ and I loved it. The WR is a great bike. But.....it doesnt hold a candle to my YZ. You will love your bike once its set up how you want it. I cant imagine riding anything else. For me (not that great of a rider) this bike doesnt have a weak spot (well except big hillclimbs, but thats the Rekluse, not the bike). I love it everywhere. ?

[cardoc]

Brand new '07 YZ450, 2 teeth bigger rear sprocket, hand gaurds and ride the piss out of it. Obliterate the whoops, rail the corners, and enjoy the smoothest powerband of all time.

[Wiz636]

IMO the YZ is the way to go simply because it is 30lbs lighter than a WR. If you're going to be on tight trails I would go down one tooth on the front sprocket and see how that works. Immediately replace the stock POS chain with a good chain or you will be buying new sprockets AND a new chain shortly.

As far as the Rekluse is concerned: who gives a crap if any pro's use them or not? Pro's are freaks of nature and are so fast that they rip through stuff in second gear that we are clutching through in first gear. I have one on my 426 and it is awesome!

Must do's:

Skidplate

Handguards (don't get Rally Pro's...they bend easily)

Radiator guards/braces

Quality chain...Regina ORN6 or equivalent

New front tire unless you ride on concrete trails. Michelin S-12, Dunlop D952

Down one tooth on the front sprocket.

Re-route engine breather to airbox if you are going to be crossing deep streams.

Set your suspension up for you. Don't necessarily have to have it revalved but make sure you have the correct springs for your weight!!

Nice to do:

Rekluse clutch

Steering damper

Larger fuel tank

18" rear wheel.

Cool graphics ?

[cowboyona426]

Here's my must haves for a woods YZ:

Aluminum hand guards with triple clamp mounts- can't get any stronger than this setup for hand guards

Taller bars (Windham bend) with 10mm risers (I'm 6'2")

Skid plate- I went with WC and I'm very happy

Radiator cages- again I went with WC, no complaints

Spark arrestor- PMB, soon to be a Dr. D

Good chain- RK X-ring for me

Decent front tire- ANYTHING is better than the stocker!

The rest is all personal preference stuff, which I happen to have quite a bit of ? Next on my list is a flywheel weight, I'll probably go with the GYT-R 9 ounce over stock unit. For really tight/slow stuff, the YZ is a little high geared and likes to flame out. Enjoy the new ride when you get it!

[NorCal]

Here's my must haves for a woods YZ:

Aluminum hand guards with triple clamp mounts- can't get any stronger than this setup for hand guards

Taller bars (Windham bend) with 10mm risers (I'm 6'2")

Skid plate- I went with WC and I'm very happy

Radiator cages- again I went with WC, no complaints

Spark arrestor- PMB, soon to be a Dr. D

Good chain- RK X-ring for me

Decent front tire- ANYTHING is better than the stocker!

I agree for the most part. These are the must haves. Bars are personal preference. If you are a short little fella, tall handle bars won't work.

I have the Cycra pro bends hand guards w/ the standard bar clamp. They haven't budged an inch, so save your money on the tripple clamp mounts.

The stock 07 muffler with PMB sparky works great, too. Get a Dr. D if you want to move the power around.?

[TooFast]

Just bought a leftover 06 YZ450F for $4899 (compulsive buyer when it's a deal) for the same use. Now I'm shopping for a Clarke 3.2, GYTR flywheel, Scotts damper post and going to make my own skidplate and kickstand. Already have a 50t Stealth rear sprocket and Regina oring chain.

[Portmod7]

I have an 07 YZ450. Took it to my first Hare Scramble ever on Sunday... I had ridden it three times, probably 4 hours on the bike... Before that I hadn't really ridden in 4 years.... It is bone stock, hadn't even jetted it and I won the Open C class out of 27 riders...

So I guess it's not too bad a ride, ha ha. Bike was awesome all the way.

My chain is junk now, and a desert tank would have been a nice addition too. Other than that I don't plan on changing a thing, other than maybe a slip on muffler so I have a spark arrestor to get "legal". Hope that helps...

[G 9.5]

I agree w/ bboyce. Have an '06 that basically has tm guide, o-ring chain, clarke tank, skidder, rad braces, pmb endcap and different tires. Totally rips in the woods.

[Fed910]

This was a great thread. I have going back in forth over getting a 05 YZ250 and a 06 YZF450. I ride mostly trails some hare scrambles, an occasional moto. on the local motocross track. although I have rode in a few years. getting the itch back. Can get a great deal on both, but its sounding like the 450 is the way to go.

[grayracer513]

If woods riding is really your game, I think a serious look at the NEW WR450 is something you should not skip.

[RJB]

If woods riding is really your game, I think a serious look at the NEW WR450 is something you should not skip.

Well, that's what I did. Went from a '02 YZ426 to an '07 WR450 and did not enjoy the experience. Always felt like there was something missing/not right. I do not race on MX tracks and spend all my time riding trails. Finally had enough and went out and purchased a new '08 YZ450. It arrived at the dealer today and if it wasn't Chinese New Year, I'd be uncrating it and setting it up for the weekend ride. Instead, I'll be riding the WR. Going to order a bunch of bits per y'alls recommendations here in this thread - cheers