2013 YZ450F

[Biscuits]

Anyone heard any news / rumors on if there's going to be any changes to the 2013 model and if so what they are ? I know it's still a bit early but if there's not going to be any significant changes then one might be able to get a good deal on left over 12's ?

Any thoughts and thanks in advance for replying..

[DC_Excitement]

bold new graphics. i wouldent expect any changes in the new bike

[rottenrooster4]

Haven't heard much, I would agree that graphics are all that are in this bike's future. Yamaha just doesn't seem to care about R&D anymore about the full size bikes. I imagine them ditching this rear-slanted cylinder in the somewhat near future.

[grayracer513]

Yamaha just doesn't seem to care about R&D anymore about the full size bikes. I imagine them ditching this rear-slanted cylinder in the somewhat near future.

I see no basis for either statement.

[rottenrooster4]

I apologize, I should have clarified that to me it seems that they will eliminate the rear-slanted cylinder. From people I know that own the bike it simply hasn't worked out well and it doesn't sell like the older yamahas used to. In terms of R&D, it seems to me that much hasn't happened lately. Again, my bad for not saying it was my personal opinion! Hahaha

[HRC]

Transworldmx just posted some pics from the japanese nationals...

The Yamaha seems to be unchanged , only thing you could see was that the radiatorshrouds were slimmer , looks like the cycra shrouds but with no rivets.

[HRC]

[grayracer513]

I apologize, I should have clarified that to me it seems that they will eliminate the rear-slanted cylinder. From people I know that own the bike it simply hasn't worked out well and it doesn't sell like the older yamahas used to. In terms of R&D, it seems to me that much hasn't happened lately.

And the rear slanted cylinder is the cause of everything wrong with it, isn't it?

You can't say that the totality of the sales slump is related to the bike itself as much as a reflection of the whole market in general; nobody's selling anything as well as they used to right now, and the unfounded bad press about the bike having some nebulous, undefined "problem" hasn't helped. I've ridden the bike, and I know several people who have them, and all but one is pleased with it. The fact that bothers a number of people is that the new bike does not handle at all like the old one that so many of them complained about, and it can't be ridden the same way with the same results. Now that it's nature has changed, those riders can't adapt to it. Oh well.

Work on the '10 began in '06. when it was released, it was 95% new from end to end. The bike it replaced was also a complete revision at the time of its release, when it replaced the Gen1 450 that had replaced the YZ426, which replaced the 400, but you haven't seen any R&D to speak of lately? This year, Yamaha is introducing an major revision of the WR450. I'm not sure what you expected. Compare the evolution of the CRF450 during the same period, or for that matter, most any of the other big names.

Not one of the big 5 MX bikes handles perfectly out of the box. With any other bike, that's just something that needs tinkering with and adapting to, but because the YZ is different than the others, it somehow has an uncorrectable flaw that none of the others do, according to "people"? And how much of the rumor is founded on the continued inability of one star rider to transfer his skills from the 125 two-stroke that made him famous to the big bikes?

A lot of this is just so much "product assassination", like what was done to the iPhone 4 and the iPad 3.

[brentn]

I apologize, I should have clarified that to me it seems that they will eliminate the rear-slanted cylinder. From people I know that own the bike it simply hasn't worked out well and it doesn't sell like the older yamahas used to. In terms of R&D, it seems to me that much hasn't happened lately. Again, my bad for not saying it was my personal opinion! Hahaha

Really? Sounds like the people you know are in a tight knit community that has no contact with the outside world, the bike has had rave reviews and is superior to the 09 and previous models in many many areas.

Yamaha is not going to change the engine design, if anything they are going to tweak it, and any other large changes will be to suspension if something better comes out. Suspension and weight IMO is far more important to the yamaha R&D than changing a motor that has already proven itself to be exceptionally strong and reliable.

[rr558]

Really? Sounds like the people you know are in a tight knit community that has no contact with the outside world, the bike has had rave reviews and is superior to the 09 and previous models in many many areas.

Yamaha is not going to change the engine design, if anything they are going to tweak it, and any other large changes will be to suspension if something better comes out. Suspension and weight IMO is far more important to the yamaha R&D than changing a motor that has already proven itself to be exceptionally strong and reliable.

I for one will take the 09 with 22 triple clamps any day over my 11. I do like the motor with FI but that's about it. Too big feeling for me. Ive ridden them all and this thing is going for sale soon. You sure don't see a lot of them that's for sure.

[phiderman]

i see plenty of them at local races and track practice days. Glen Helen, elsinore, and milestone.

[moto278]

personally i believe that one thing with the new yz450 is that it seems to be well built nd a great bike in the hands of a larger rider (height nd weight). around here, i had one (sold for other reasons, not the bike) and loved it once i got new springs. a friend who has one hates it but loves the new yz250f. hes a smaller rider. we r the only 2 around here who ride the new 450 on a mx track. as far as pros, the 2 most notable riders js7(small) cant seem to do well with it for bike/personal reasons. dm18(big) seems to b continuing to improve with it, especially this year. just my personal opinion

[rdefonce]

and my 2cents worth:

I'm on the light side (165) and I generally like my '10 better than my '08.

- FI I like better.

- Suspension better (after rear spring change)

- Handling about the same, but feels a little bit lighter, more like a 250 than my '08 did. That said, I notice front end was not quite as "planted" as my '08. I added FLEXX bars so I could hang on longer, but I think their slight extra weight helps keep front end more planted than stock . . interesting.

- Reliability same as my '08, very good.

[arel451]

I would think that they would address some of the smaller concerns maybe narrower shrouds some slight geometry changes, mapping, weight and of course bng. There's no way they'd reconfigure the reverse cylinder that would be admitting they were wrong plus they have a lot of money invested in that design.

[Biscuits]

Thanks everyone for your comments !

[Swapper265]

Transworldmx just posted some pics from the japanese nationals...

The Yamaha seems to be unchanged , only thing you could see was that the radiatorshrouds were slimmer , looks like the cycra shrouds but with no rivets.

I do also think that the new YZ450 will only see small updates for '13, but you cant use the Japanese nationals as a guide with the Yamaha's like you can for the other manufacturers, as Yamaha pulled full factory support from the Japanese nationals a couple of years ago. That is only a supported team out there running bikes, rather than a factory using it as R&D for their next years bike.

@ Grayracer, You are so right about the product assasination, and the James Stewart thing. Even though James has not once bagged on the bike, it has all been speculation from fans and industry types, and his crashes on that model bike have by no mean been all front end related, which is where the complaint around that bikes seems to be based. That being said, I still see a lot of new YZ 450's being ridden at all the tracks that I ride at.

[grayracer513]

I am and always have been a fan of Stewart, but he doesn't walk on water without getting his shorts wet, and he really never has performed on the big bikes, even the KX250, at the same level that he did in the 125. Thinking back, you'll recall he had the same consistancy troubles with the Green stuff as he has with both models of the Blue he's ridden, and of those, I can only lay the whole problem on the bike the one time the KXF locked up on him and turned him into a lawn dart.

But regarding the bike, note that the current model is the second of two efforts by Yamaha to increase the centralization of themass of the machine. When this is done, what appens is that the bike becomes easier to rotate around its center of gravity. To understand this, take an egg carton and put 6 eggs in it, three at each end. Holding it by the middle of the box, turn it back and forth quickly, noting the perceived inertia and resistance to changing direction. Now put all the eggs in the center and repeat. You'll see the effect immediately.

In practice, this provides two benefits and two problems to go with them. The first benefit is that you the rider can easily change the position or direction of the machine with less than the usual effort, especially in the air. The down side of that is that it's easier for everything else to change the attitude of the bike, too. Suspension tuning suddenly becomes even more important than it was, and can be quite a challenge, because while the suspension has to be tight enough to be stable in corners and capable of sustaining big jump landings, it also has to be supple enough to take a hit at either end without pitching the bike excessively.

The other thing that centralization does is to make the rider's position on the bike have a greater effect on its handling. Some are touting the benefits of relocating the engine 3mm forward; think what moving your butt an inch does.

That, and as I said before, there is a whole set of loyal YZF riders out there who have mastered the habits of their '06 or '08, or whatever, and some of them are having some trouble with the fact that this new bike is not the same as the old. For years, a good many of us have bitched about the general reluctance of the YZF to turn when we want it too. Now it does, and a lot of us are having trouble with the concept. I recall at least one poster of this board who said he didn't like his '10 very much at all until he stopped riding his '08 for a month. Something to that.

[BBrown626]

I don't know about R&D, but there are some flaws that would be very easy to fix and remain unaddressed since the release of the '10.

The riveted plastic side covers are easily broken. Why not use a one-piece platic side cover?

The radiator shrouds are too big and the split design adds weight and cost. The aftermarket one-piece shrouds address cost and weight.

The improvement everyone wants is a quality exhaust system. No special R&D needed there. Why don't they work with an exhaust company and deliver a great exhaust system from the factory? It is no secret that the '10's muffler chokes the bike.

While they are at it a bigger front brake would be great.

It wasn't long ago that everyone warned to change the stock chain as soon as you got the bike home from the steelership. Now they have DID chains.

Yamaha is using some great pegs, bars, grips, wheels, tires and other components. Supsension remains tops.

[honda907]

I am and always have been a fan of Stewart, but he doesn't walk on water without getting his shorts wet, and he really never has performed on the big bikes, even the KX250, at the same level that he did in the 125. Thinking back, you'll recall he had the same consistancy troubles with the Green stuff as he has with both models of the Blue he's ridden, and of those, I can only lay the whole problem on the bike the one time the KXF locked up on him and turned him into a lawn dart.

But regarding the bike, note that the current model is the second of two efforts by Yamaha to increase the centralization of themass of the machine. When this is done, what appens is that the bike becomes easier to rotate around its center of gravity. To understand this, take an egg carton and put 6 eggs in it, three at each end. Holding it by the middle of the box, turn it back and forth quickly, noting the perceived inertia and resistance to changing direction. Now put all the eggs in the center and repeat. You'll see the effect immediately.

In practice, this provides two benefits and two problems to go with them. The first benefit is that you the rider can easily change the position or direction of the machine with less than the usual effort, especially in the air. The down side of that is that it's easier for everything else to change the attitude of the bike, too. Suspension tuning suddenly becomes even more important than it was, and can be quite a challenge, because while the suspension has to be tight enough to be stable in corners and capable of sustaining big jump landings, it also has to be supple enough to take a hit at either end without pitching the bike excessively.

The other thing that centralization does is to make the rider's position on the bike have a greater effect on its handling. Some are touting the benefits of relocating the engine 3mm forward; think what moving your butt an inch does.

That, and as I said before, there is a whole set of loyal YZF riders out there who have mastered the habits of their '06 or '08, or whatever, and some of them are having some trouble with the fact that this new bike is not the same as the old. For years, a good many of us have bitched about the general reluctance of the YZF to turn when we want it too. Now it does, and a lot of us are having trouble with the concept. I recall at least one poster of this board who said he didn't like his '10 very much at all until he stopped riding his '08 for a month. Something to that.

I am and always have been a fan of Stewart, but he doesn't walk on water without getting his shorts wet, and he really never has performed on the big bikes, even the KX250, at the same level that he did in the 125. Thinking back, you'll recall he had the same consistancy troubles with the Green stuff as he has with both models of the Blue he's ridden, and of those, I can only lay the whole problem on the bike the one time the KXF locked up on him and turned him into a lawn dart.

But regarding the bike, note that the current model is the second of two efforts by Yamaha to increase the centralization of themass of the machine. When this is done, what appens is that the bike becomes easier to rotate around its center of gravity. To understand this, take an egg carton and put 6 eggs in it, three at each end. Holding it by the middle of the box, turn it back and forth quickly, noting the perceived inertia and resistance to changing direction. Now put all the eggs in the center and repeat. You'll see the effect immediately.

In practice, this provides two benefits and two problems to go with them. The first benefit is that you the rider can easily change the position or direction of the machine with less than the usual effort, especially in the air. The down side of that is that it's easier for everything else to change the attitude of the bike, too. Suspension tuning suddenly becomes even more important than it was, and can be quite a challenge, because while the suspension has to be tight enough to be stable in corners and capable of sustaining big jump landings, it also has to be supple enough to take a hit at either end without pitching the bike excessively.

The other thing that centralization does is to make the rider's position on the bike have a greater effect on its handling. Some are touting the benefits of relocating the engine 3mm forward; think what moving your butt an inch does.

That, and as I said before, there is a whole set of loyal YZF riders out there who have mastered the habits of their '06 or '08, or whatever, and some of them are having some trouble with the fact that this new bike is not the same as the old. For years, a good many of us have bitched about the general reluctance of the YZF to turn when we want it too. Now it does, and a lot of us are having trouble with the concept. I recall at least one poster of this board who said he didn't like his '10 very much at all until he stopped riding his '08 for a month. Something to that.

That would be me that said that , although it was an 09 model. The bike is just a different animal, but once you accept it for what it is, it is a great, great platform to race. I think Mathias on Pulp MX started all this YZ bashing, but hey, I like it that nobody rides the bike because it gives me SUCH an unfair advantage to the other riders riding against me in the vet class! I have since bought two more bikes since my original 2010. It has been a cheap bike to operate too!

[HRC]

I really like Steve Matthes work with the Pulpmxshow and his podcasts but man ! His bitterness against Yamaha is so obvious ! There isn't almost one show where he's not bashing the yz450f ! (Matthes used to be a Yamaha employ , but that deal ended on bad terms....apparently ! )

So yeah... Mediatalk like that sure has alot to do with the bashing of the bike.

And sure James Stewart bad results on the bike has alot to do with it aswell. It all went bad after JS7's attempt to race Unadilla national in 2010. Stewart said the bike handled bad after that race ( referring to that the suspension wasn't dialed in for outdoor mx) but those words stuck with the mxindustri and was turned in to " James hate the new generation Yamaha"

And after that the wheel has been spinning and rumors and gossips have been grown bigger and bigger. Then mr primadona C.Pourcel left Yamaha on bad terms last summer making the bad talk even grow bigger. ( he is really going so much better on the kawi now...NOT ! )

On the positive side, on the other side of the pond Steven Frossard, David Philippaerts and Gautier Paulin have been winning GP's on the bike and has nothing but good to say about it.

Edited April 15, 2012 by HRC