17mm Triple-Clamps on 07' 450

[jasonlion54]

I went with Pro Taper 22.5 mm clamps and I couldn't be happier.The bike settles into ruts and steers much better and more quickly. Best thing I've done to my bike.

[Slinkyman16]

i have the pc 22.5 clamps on mine and i love it.. after riding with the stock 25mm for a year, it took some getting used to.. i had to relearn how to turn with the front..

as far as the front end wanting to knife on ya.. i havnt really suffered anything like that.. good rubber in the front helps alot..

[pat caudill]

Hey guys, kinda fell asleep on this topic (or for the most part anything outside my full-time job as an elementary school teacher). Thanks for all of the wonderful feedback. Just to give you more info, I've already changed just about everything else on this particular bike, except the front triple clamps. These mods include: Windham bend ProTaper bars, Dubach Racing radiator lowering kit, suspension sag set correctly along with mounting new Bridgestone 403/404s at the beginning of the summer. At this time, I think I'm going to rock back and rethink the whole YZ 450 program. My riding buddy and I are really thinking of going back to 2-smokes (KTM 300), and am not sure if I want to pour more money into my 07' or not. If I do decide to keep this beast, am pretty sure I'm going to go with the 20s versus the 17s. In closing, thanks for all of the feedback. These forums are what makes anything nowadays that much more enjoyable....Pat

[tenis24]

When I was at Race Tech about 18 months ago for a seminar they went on about how great they thought the Ty Davis 17 clamps were in the whoops and in sand. They really didn't talk much about them in actual cornering.

[cowboyona426]

Here's my experience on my 06 in a nutshell...

Stock front tire = crap handling

Maxxis MaxxCross ST front tire = crap handling

Kenda Washougal front tire = a somewhat well behaved bike finally, yay! But only for a little while

Now I've set the sag, played with fork clicker settings a bit, still running the Washougal and still having issues. I've had Windham bars on it since it left the dealership with 10mm risers under the mounts. This bike just doesn't want to behave, and I don't get enough seat time down in a year to do much tinkering and figure out how to get it dialed (my bike has a whopping 36 hours roughly since new). The one thing I have found that makes the bike behave and track like it ought to is to push yourself and ride as fast as you comfortably can. I did this on my last ride out, and it was a HUGE change. Scared the crap out of myself a few times, but it helped ? And FWIW, my bike has only seen a track 1 time in its life, it's a woods bike.

[MotoXT]

I've got an '08 and did everything under the sun to help in the cornering department, even tried the 17mm ZipTys. Nice product, but didn't really improve the cornering. The YZ is an awesome bike but requires the rider to use great form to get it to corner. The push, in the overall scheme of things on that bike, is not a big deal.

I've now got a '10 KX, and that thing corners on rails.

[sic]

At this time, I think I'm going to rock back and rethink the whole YZ 450 program. My riding buddy and I are really thinking of going back to 2-smokes (KTM 300),

In spring of 2008 I put my '06 YZ450 up for sale and bought a '08 KTM300 XC 2-smoker (based largely on the MX action review of it)!!! Wow, is all I can say. After 3 months of racing motocross with my new bike I pulled the "for sale" sign off the old YZ450 and sold the new KTM300. What a god awful MX motor. Gutless midrange and then it goes off like a stick of dynamite. Just a complete hazard on ramps. My old YZ250 smokers put it to shame too. After perfecting the KTM jetting and fooling with that stupid power valve, and also that nasty wire connector timing thingy under the gas tank, I realized it would never be a jumper and sent it on its way. Still got the '06 YZ450....

Anyway, for GNCC or trail riding the KTM300 is cool.

Sic...

[pat caudill]

Sic, thanks for that recent input....Is winter here in Alaska, and not much going on except work...Leaves too much time to ponder the already great bike a person might already own and have paid for (07' 450) Just stumbled onto what may be a huge factor in why my bike gives me fits in the steering department. Having had the bike on a center stand for the past month, I'm sure my steering bearings are toast. When you grab the bars to turn the front wheel, it feels as though it's locked up until you apply more pressure. Then, you can feel the movement through every individual bearing....Time to replace bearings and go ahead and service the front forks with new oil...Am sure that the added stiction being added by the lack of grease in the bearings is a huge factor in steering compliance....Will tear into over the X-mas break. Keep you guys posted/// Pat

[The Italian Stallion]

I have the 22s,and yeah it is better..but what worked the most for me was moving the rear wheel all the way back and raising the forks until they almost hit the bars.You can talk technique all you want but when you jump off your bike that you have been riding for three years that you have done everything to make it turn better and you jump on your buddys bike that is alien to you and in 2 laps you are going better on his machine..it is not you.

[Two-Six]

I have the 22s,and yeah it is better..but what worked the most for me was moving the rear wheel all the way back and raising the forks until they almost hit the bars.You can talk technique all you want but when you jump off your bike that you have been riding for three years that you have done everything to make it turn better and you jump on your buddys bike that is alien to you and in 2 laps you are going better on his machine..it is not you.

And I can promise you that your turning problems is not the bike. The best thing I have every done when it comes to riding is get out of the midset of blaming the bike, it won't help you I promise.

[The Italian Stallion]

And I can promise you that your turning problems is not the bike. The best thing I have every done when it comes to riding is get out of the midset of blaming the bike, it won't help you I promise.

Yeah I know what your saying..all this stuff is old hat bro..and I go pretty damn good on this bike.BUT you have to be in good form all the time and when your getting tired on a tight track with lots of different types of turns it takes a lot more effort than some other brands I have ridden that is just a plain fact.This ain't my first run around the block either I have been riding & racing for 25 yrs and owned the same amount of bikes{if not more}It can turn well,if your James Stewart:smirk:Hey I love the rest of it though..I do this for fun and at 40yrs old I beat the crap out of any bike I get on I don't care what handy cap it has and I don't get all pissy when I get passed like when I was 25 lol. Edited November 16, 2009 by jason susi

[nickeenoo]

And I can promise you that your turning problems is not the bike. The best thing I have every done when it comes to riding is get out of the midset of blaming the bike, it won't help you I promise.

Yeah yeah, it's all been said before that its all rider. I'm also sick and tired of people spewing the crap that no one except King James himself can use all the power of the 450. There are times on my 450 out in the wide open desert that I wish my bike had more power. I also wish that my bike turned like my buddies KTM 300 in the tight stuff. If you think you're YZ450 turns really well then I suggest you don't get on a properly setup 300 or you'll never be quite satisfied with the YZ turning again.

Also, I have to wonder, if the bike turns so well then why are there countless posts and several magazine articles that say it doesn't turn worth a crap. Do all these people just need to improve on technique? Saying the YZ is the best turning bike is like saying the honda doesn't have valve problems.

I'm not saying the bike won't turn, I'm just saying it takes more effort than some of the other brands.

[l_campionero]

You really need to be careful....maybe you need those factory forks too

Smartest post I've seen since I've been here!

[mikeythefokker]

I've been looking for a few dirty little tricks to make my wr450 a little bit easier to turn, especially after riding a yz250 2stroke for the past few months. The 450 will turn just fine when you get into it, and I am much much faster on the 450 overall, but the effort that it takes to turn the bike is one of the ways the 450 wears you down. I ride pretty much only offroad, and its a mix of fire roads, single track and double track. I'm think I'm going to be pulling the trigger on some of the zip ty 17mm clamps pretty soon. I will keep everyone posted.

[Two-Six]

Yeah yeah, it's all been said before that its all rider. I'm also sick and tired of people spewing the crap that no one except King James himself can use all the power of the 450. There are times on my 450 out in the wide open desert that I wish my bike had more power. I also wish that my bike turned like my buddies KTM 300 in the tight stuff. If you think you're YZ450 turns really well then I suggest you don't get on a properly setup 300 or you'll never be quite satisfied with the YZ turning again.

Also, I have to wonder, if the bike turns so well then why are there countless posts and several magazine articles that say it doesn't turn worth a crap. Do all these people just need to improve on technique? Saying the YZ is the best turning bike is like saying the honda doesn't have valve problems.

I'm not saying the bike won't turn, I'm just saying it takes more effort than some of the other brands.

I never said the bike was a great turning bike. All I said is that if you suck at corners then it's not the bike fault. The bike does take a a lot of effort to turn, but it's not to the point where it's slowing the rider down.