Got $1000 to spend

[twosixtwo]

I have an 04 YZ450F and have about $1000 to spend to get it close to race ready, it is pretty much stock except an IMS desert tank, I know that the suspension would be a smart investment. But what else can I buy to help me out, also any advice on gearing.

Albert 262

[nickeenoo]

I have an 04 YZ450F and have about $1000 to spend to get it close to race ready, it is pretty much stock except an IMS desert tank, I know that the suspension would be a smart investment. But what else can I buy to help me out, also any advice on gearing.

Albert 262

Suspension would not only be a smart investment, it would be the first investment IMO. Nothing I did to my bike helped me go faster than the suspension.

What are you going to race? This makes a big difference on what you do to the bike.

[schwint11]

suspention first no madder what. i geared mine down (up two teeth on the back sprocket) or one down in the front. it helps alot you never have to use first gear and dont have to worry about shifting into nuteral. hope this helps you

[twosixtwo]

I race D38, which is desert, whoops, some mud hills, open lake beds, long stretches of whoops, I was thinking about gearing it at 15-44/45, its a four speed.

[grayracer513]

I ran 15/49 on my '03 for the desert. I never ran it in any of the D38 races while I had it, but I think I would have wanted just a little more from the top end, especially on days when the lake bed is involved. The problem gets to be with low gear in some of the tight stuff on the back of the Superstitions and the rocks over near Painted Gorge and such. I think 15/48 or 15/47 would have been workable, but less than ideal, certainly.

In considering suspension, give Dave Johnson at Smart Performance a call. The '04 fork is the last of the old, single chamber, open bath KYB forks. I have seen people spend $1000 on these and not end up with anything better than a stock '05 CRF. Dave made a project of making them work, and his current good stuff for that fork design is not short of amazing. Surprisingly affordable by comparison, too.