New to forum and YZ450's

[450_gal]

So...let's put it out there. I'm a girl, and I'm picking up my new 05 YZ450F on Friday.

Well, I may be inheriting my husband's (thumpyz) 04YZ450F, so he can get the new bike with the new pipes and the Excel rims, and powder coating, etc...lol.

I am one of those who came kicking and screaming off a 2-stroke CR250, but after racing in a desert race this weekend, and getting hands down smoked by a lesser rider in the washes (on a CRF450R) I am making the switch.

So, what's the best piece of advice for a new 4-stroke rider, especially a YZ450F rider?

[ben_suhard]

So, what's the best piece of advice for a new 4-stroke rider, especially a YZ450F rider?

Keep a finger over your clutch lever, and hang on! A steering damper is a nice thing to have on 4-strokes, if you haven't already got one.

[Ga426owner]

Best advice would be - the 4stroke will make you change riding style. Get used to not fanning clutch or much use of it at all(Clutch use = Clutch abuse on 4strokes), you now have "roll - on Power" vs instant 2smoker power. Get used to using throttle to corner faster. The weight will feel heavier, get use to getting up on tank to make it turn better as the 03 -05 feel tall.

And welcome to TT....we need more women

[WB450]

Welcome to TT!

[450_gal]

Thank you for the welcomes! I've been riding my husband's YZ450F and fell in love. The platform just feels incredibly stable and it handles whoops way better than my CR250.

I know exactly what you mean about the "roll on power". My husband rode my CR250 against me in a drag race the other day and he was in the bottom of third (and 60 feet behind) when I was getting ready to shift into 2nd. It was pretty amazing.

I'm working on the clutching thing. It is my habit to slow down and take a berm or a turn with the clutch and then power out of it. I'm learning how to handle it on the 4-stroke. Also, I'm learning that shifting down has a much better effect than clutching and/or breaking sometimes.

[kristylynn9598]

Hello 450_gal.

I am a female that rides an 08 yz450F. Glad to have some company here Not too many of us girls ride the bigger bikes. I too came off a 2-stroke 250 many years back and I just love the big thumpers I feel much more comfortable and faster. The only problem I had the first couple times out was I kept stalling it in turns but once I got that figured out I have a had nothing but good times. Come visit us in the Thumpette forum too I hang out there the most. I check in here for any technical issues and to keep a heads up on issues so I can take care of them before it gets me.

[grayracer513]

Since it's not at all outside of reasonable possibility that you might be able to kick my butt, let me stress that I am generalizing a bit here. The steel YZ450's can be rough on smaller riders with less physical strength, especially if you try to make the bike do things your way instead of adapting to its characteristics a little. Learn what it does best and easiest, and don't try to force it to be a 250 2T ('cause it never will be). It won't do stuff a 2T will, but it can do some stuff that the pingers can't even dream of.

The two biggest shortcomings as a desert bike that the '04 has are its lack of rotating mass and its transmission. The first is easy. Add a DRD 8oz flywheel or an weight from Steahly to help smooth out the low speed power and control traction better when you rip into it.

The trans is more of a problem. When the gearing is such that the low gears match, the 4th gear in the 4 speed falls in between 4th and 5th of a newer 5 speed. That leaves some people faced with a compromise between overall gearing that is low enough in the rocky washes, but high enough out on the flats. It's got more top speed in standard form than the CR250 did anyway, though.

And a steering damper IS a wonderful mod for the desert. It's one of those mods that you won't appreciate until after you have one for a while and then try to ride without it.

And welcome to TT.

[ben_suhard]

I'm working on the clutching thing. It is my habit to slow down and take a berm or a turn with the clutch and then power out of it.

I'm not saying anyone's right or wrong, everyone rides differently, but I'll just add that I personally still use the clutch a lot in corners(and pretty much everywhere else), and especially when trail riding to keep the bike from stalling. If you study any of RC(it's just not the same without him!), Stewart or Reed's MX or SX races on 4strokes, you'll notice that they still use the clutch in corners more often than not. I feel like I abuse clutches on bikes, but they still last for ages. You may class this as trivia and you've no doubt already worked out your own method, but: If I'm slowing down and going into a corner I like to use my first and second finger on the clutch lever because it's easier, and use just my first finger(for shifting or fanning the clutch through whoops or whatever) when I need to hang on under power.

[grayracer513]

In low gear at low speed in tight stuff and on climbs, I'm pretty tough on the clutch, too. But after that, once I get going 15 mph or so, I never touch it except sometimes running into corners to avoid stalls, or when brake tapping over a jump. Never saw any reason for it with all the grunt the big YZ has.

[Ga426owner]

It helps to gear up higher in corners and roll on that throttle......4stroking

Explanation:

Approaching a specific corner on the 2smoker if you normally use 2 to 3rd after braking, try coming in to the same corner faster on the 4stroke and brake later then immediately roll on throttle in 3 to 4th......after practicing this you will find much faster corner speed and the sweetspot that the 450 will deliver...it is "poetry in Motion"..as the Canadian MX announcer say's so often....after Hole SHIAT

[r1rider871]

I highly recommend the Rekluse clutch too:thumbsup: You will get a lot less fatigued and for the most part you will never stall again:ride:

[RJB]

So...let's put it out there. I'm a girl, and I'm picking up my new 05 YZ450F on Friday.

Well, I may be inheriting my husband's (thumpyz) 04YZ450F, so he can get the new bike with the new pipes and the Excel rims, and powder coating, etc...lol.

I am one of those who came kicking and screaming off a 2-stroke CR250, but after racing in a desert race this weekend, and getting hands down smoked by a lesser rider in the washes (on a CRF450R) I am making the switch.

So, what's the best piece of advice for a new 4-stroke rider, especially a YZ450F rider?

Welcome to the YZ forum. Tell your husband you are having the new bike. Only bit of advise I can offer is don't chop the throttle going over a jump like you might do on a 2-stroke, unless you want the front to drop. You can probably ride better than me, but they can be quite a handful when you are tired and worn out, especially if you have to pick it up.

[hillclimbguy]

Welcome and go kick some male butt! The female riders bring class to the sport.