how are yz426f's??????

[milk]

I'll put it like this... I may be a Suzuki guy, and I love my DRZ400 dearly. But if I would sell. I would opt for a 01 or 02 426. even though its 2010 next year. If that doesnt convince you... then I dont know what will.

EDIT: people keep saying there heavy... honestly, where do you guy's come up with this stuff? My 400E has a 285lb curb weight and I dont really have a problem with it, but I am 5'11 198lb's and I work out everyday, so that may be why.

? i just traded my 2005 drz250 for a 2002 yz426f and man did i get GREAT deal!!! i'm very pleased. especially since i've been struggling to race harescrambles on the drz for the past season... oh and it weighed 251lbs dry!!! now comparing that to the 231lb weight of this 426 this bike feels like a feather weight!!! hell even my buddy's ktm 450xcw weighs 450+ lbs. yeah it's mostly because of the e-starts on both the bikes but this 426 makes sick power. i've ridden his xcw and think i'll have very little problem keeping up with him now. oh, i'm also 5'11" 194ish pounds and work out 3 times a week to stay in race shape(not to mention turning laps on my 9 mile hare scramble practice loop that's out my back door ) i get to race this yz this sunday and see what kind of fine tuning i need to do to get it set up. i'm also anxious to see how i place now on this thing. i'm currently about at the bottom of c class it's my first season

[GENE426]

I loved mine

[DR-Z250rider]

i just traded my 2005 drz250 for a 2002 yz426f and man did i get GREAT deal!!! i'm very pleased. especially since i've been struggling to race harescrambles on the drz for the past season... oh and it weighed 251lbs dry!!! now comparing that to the 231lb weight of this 426 this bike feels like a feather weight!!! hell even my buddy's ktm 450xcw weighs 450+ lbs. yeah it's mostly because of the e-starts on both the bikes but this 426 makes sick power. i've ridden his xcw and think i'll have very little problem keeping up with him now. oh, i'm also 5'11" 194ish pounds and work out 3 times a week to stay in race shape(not to mention turning laps on my 9 mile hare scramble practice loop that's out my back door ) i get to race this yz this sunday and see what kind of fine tuning i need to do to get it set up. i'm also anxious to see how i place now on this thing. i'm currently about at the bottom of c class it's my first season ?

Nice:thumbsup: I have a DRZ250 and a 400E, so I could practically tell you anything about either. I'm seting up my 400E to race harscrambles next year, I'm mainly concerned with my suspension seeing how I'm 198(200lb's) and My super restricted stock pipe. other than those two things I love my 400, and I dont really feel the weight while i'm riding only when I have to pick it up, its stuck in a rut, or when I accidently stall it and come to a dead stop and loose my balance:blush:

[mxmaddman]

Banshees vrs 426 stock to stock??

The 426 will walk the dog on that thing.

I would put cash on it any day all day.

Assuming it is stock.

All banshees do is spin on dirt and stock they are nothing to brag about.

I have rode banshees, zillas, 250rs, and all the different size motocross bikes.

A 250f will stay side by side with a shee until the 250f gets into 5th then the shee will pull off slowly. So a 426 hands down will beat it.

Modified shees/cheetahs/cubs are insane on concrete if they are built right. On the dunes my moneys on a DR Q built 540 hybrid.

[witdogg]

i just traded my 2005 drz250 for a 2002 yz426f and man did i get GREAT deal!!! i'm very pleased. especially since i've been struggling to race harescrambles on the drz for the past season... oh and it weighed 251lbs dry!!! now comparing that to the 231lb weight of this 426 this bike feels like a feather weight!!! hell even my buddy's ktm 450xcw weighs 450+ lbs. yeah it's mostly because of the e-starts on both the bikes but this 426 makes sick power. i've ridden his xcw and think i'll have very little problem keeping up with him now. oh, i'm also 5'11" 194ish pounds and work out 3 times a week to stay in race shape(not to mention turning laps on my 9 mile hare scramble practice loop that's out my back door ) i get to race this yz this sunday and see what kind of fine tuning i need to do to get it set up. i'm also anxious to see how i place now on this thing. i'm currently about at the bottom of c class it's my first season ?

Congrats on the new bike and let us know how you do in that race.

Hey...happy birthday by the way.

[Zakrad_u]

On my 450 I get my friends banshee till hes in 3rd, and when im in 5th he can go to 6th

[milk]

Congrats on the new bike and let us know how you do in that race.

Hey...happy birthday by the way. ?

dude i'm filing a restraining order it's NOT my birthday yet i'm gonna start calling you tiffany...

[crf7212]

howd you do in your race with that 426?? im really wantin one i was gonna trade for that 1 yesterday but he called me up and told me he couldnt get it started that he thinks the coil whent out so i didnt trade him. im still lookin for one though.

[kjwarren]

Love it, love it, love it. Dont think ill ever get rid of it hell i just rebuilt the top and bottem end, I could have gotten a new bike for the money I spent on that.

[milk]

howd you do in your race with that 426?? im really wantin one i was gonna trade for that 1 yesterday but he called me up and told me he couldnt get it started that he thinks the coil whent out so i didnt trade him. im still lookin for one though.

i had problems starting and keeping it running today. i have to replace the clutch cable too though and i'm sure that's part of the problem. when i'd try to start in gear it was a no go. before the race though i fired it up no problem in gear and all. but when we lined up and i warmed the bike up, as the green flag dropped i was last out of the start... and i mean dead last. it just wouldn't start. then when i finally got it started it didn't want to stay running, this is where i think part of the problem is the stretched cable. it's completely out of adjustment and with the clutch pulled the whole way in if i'd give it some throttle it'd still pull. even if i didn't give it throttle and i'd pull the clutch in to try and get through a tight spot it'd just die like i didn't have the clutch pulled in at all. once i get this thing straightened out though i think i'm going to really like this bike. it's got ballz!!! bottom line and if i have to do some work on it then so be it. today's race just pretty much let me know what i need to work on. that being the cable, valve check/adjustment and as gray has suggested in another thread here checking the jetting.

so yeah, today was a learning experience on the 426 and i got me a big fat DNF

[Sider_steve]

propper jetting is the key to an easy starting and smooth running YZ thumper.

Sounds like you might be due for a wee bit more than just a clutch cable though.

From what I have read it seems the 426 starts easier in gear when cold.

You might look into the rekluse clutch as an option also, some people swear by them.

Sounds like when you get a rekluse you will never stall your bike again.

Also have you done the neutral switch wire mod yet?

[rundell]

I was in that same boat not to long ago torn between the 426 and the 2502t. I got the 2502t instead and love the 2 smoke, although they are cheaper to maintain I still want a 426... I would trade today if I could. I still want the 426 for desert racing. I am 6'4 235 lbs and the bike weight is no issue unless your talking about the KTM 920 or the XR 600. Glad to see you got it. New bikes are always challenging at first until you learn how they are all adjusted and run.. Have fun with it and hope I can join the 426 club soon..

[fastfreddie78]

jan'00 426 here..still have it, still love it.

i've raced it, trailed it, dropped it from very painful heights, smashed it into the wall of an arizona desert washout from wide open(hence the new pegs, bars and levers), did a frame up clean/inspect/lube including fork internals, swapped out a couple tires, got a second air filter, did the accel.pump mod as described on this site, replaced a faulty internal shift lever and that's about it.

the valves have never needed adjusting, never rejetted, still using the stock bodywork, still pulls like nobody's business.

brings me to a question...

where do people get the idea that 2strokes cost less to maintain?

[milk]

Also have you done the neutral switch wire mod yet?

umm... not to my knowledge... mind kicking(as opposed to pointing) me in the right direction? ? or i could just search for it huh

[grayracer513]

The "blue wire mod" is one of our own little urban legends. The blue lead in question is the one coming from the neutral switch to the CDI. It's function is to create a ground on that circuit in neutral, in response to which the CDI retards and remaps the timing to make the bike less likely to kick back, and also lowers the rev limit to 7000. As long as the switch or wire does not become faulty and create a ground at any other time, it has no effect on performance.

But, the story is that if you disconnect the wire, it makes a hotter spark, and the bike starts more easily. That is frankly not true. There are some bikes that do start more readily with the wire disconnected, but that's because of the change in the timing, and nothing to do with spark strength. Again, if the bike has its idle circuit correctly jetted and trimmed, and the right technique is used, it will start better without this mod than with it.

But you can try it if you like. Just don't cut the wire or damage the terminal. That way, you can restore it to its original configuration.

[Sider_steve]

umm... not to my knowledge... mind kicking(as opposed to pointing) me in the right direction? ? or i could just search for it huh

It is located in the free mods,which you can find in the FAQ.

grayracers explanation of it is spot on,but being as it is a new bike to you someone may have done that mod already.

[milk]

yeah i did find that thread and i came to the same conclusion as you two have. that it's not necessarily true. i will however check to see if it has been done and will be reconnecting it if in fact it has. i'd personally rather have the bike set up as close to stock as i can and don't want to be chasing problems with other problems lingering if that makes sense... thanks guys

[02WR426Cali]

I love my 02 426 and it has been a super reliable bike. Never had anything go bad on it. I have replaced many parts but have never needed to, I just do it for mods and preventative maitanence. I will go to my grave with this bike if all things work out that way.

[OldenPhatt]

I really like my 02 426, in fact I can't wait to get back on it (I've been sidelined with an injury for way too long). I've added a Rekluse and a 450 cam to mine so it starts easy, can climb anything, never stalls and is still plenty fast for me. In fact, in a lot of situations it's faster than it was before the Rekluse as the traction is so amazing. I do what I'd call medium fast play-riding, but I also putt around with the kids so it's really the perfect bike for me.

[Florida_426]

Another happy 02 426 owner here, absolutely stone reliable and the handling is so nice, to me, it is hands down the best handling bike I have ever ridden and owned. I did go for weight matched fork and shock springs from Race Tech and did the 450 DCM using an 03 YZ 450F exhaust cam. I replaced the stock bars with Renthal YZ bend 7/8" bars and went to a 50 tooth rear sprocket using a Renthal R-1 chain, Renthal aluminum rear sprocket and a 14 T Renthal counter sprocket.

I also agree about the blue wire / neutral switch modification. I ran both ways and have absolutely no problems starting mine with the switch installed and operational.

Bill