Dezert_Man, on 11 January 2013 - 03:27 PM, said:

+3

This bike steers beautifully, scrap that MX51 and get a Maxxis.

I will say that the WR is a little heavier and, with anyone over 170lbs, is under-sprung so the front end stacking up over high frequency bumps could be easily explained by suspension setup.

I think the 07-11 WR's are much more suseptible to this due to super crappy valving and soft springs, I haven't ridden the 2012+ WR's so I can't say for sure but suspension setup will most likely fix this.

Running the skiddish MX51 sure as he11 won't help! Get a Maxxis Desert IT

Dezert_Man, on 11 January 2013 - 03:27 PM, said:

At speed and with big hits, this is the most stable bike I have ridden.  At a slower pace with smaller rocks and ruts it may feel a little harsh but you can soften up the compression damping if you like.

I agree, once I removed the stock tires it made a huge difference. I went with Bridgestone ED77 in the front and the Michelan enduro in the back when I'm not running a trials tire for single track. I did put a GPR on it because I already had one on my YZ I kept before sale. And it's mainly for the gnarly rock gardens at this new place we started riding last summer. But now it's been below 20 degrees for last two weeks and I'm really jonesing to ride.

Interesting hearing no one likes the stock mx51 up front, what exactly don't you like about it?  Still have the stocker on mine, run 12psi most of the time without any complaints. Also have the forks raised in the clamps to match the machined groove.  Headshake has never been an issue but deep loam on turn in is sometimes vague.

mc1hd, on 15 January 2013 - 10:44 AM, said:

I felt the MX51 was always skiddish and tended to "let go" with little warning. terrain and riding style have a lot to do with it but I never loved the 51.

My experience with the MX51 ( a lot of hours) is that even when new it was sketchy and had a tendency to wash out without warning or reason. It did not get worse with wear, until the side knobs started tearing, at which point it became horrible!

Dezert_Man, on 15 January 2013 - 11:57 AM, said:

+1 Totally agree

BoiseBee, on 11 January 2013 - 03:58 PM, said:

I purchased my 2012 WR450 in December, have done quite a few mods, but won't be riding till the snow/ice clears the roads (southwest Montana). I have seen suggestions for going with a better tracking front tire such as Maxxis. Has anyone ridden the Dunlop 952? Just asking because this guy recommends it : http://bestdualsport...-yamaha-wr-450r

drdanbozeman, on 27 January 2013 - 12:38 PM, said:

The 952 is my favorite tire for the rear.  It tracks straight in the sand and has nice traction.    It hooks up really well.  

Form the front, I kinda like the mx71 when I can't find a Pirelli scorpion pro

mauricedorris, on 28 January 2013 - 03:45 PM, said:

I have a race and about 8 hours of desert use on an MX71 front, love it!

Getting my suspension built soon. I'll let you guys know how it turns out. Sending it to Recon MX in Vegas