13' YZ450 Handling & Rideability

[MikeJunior]

I have had my 2013 YZ450 for going on a year now, and I am very happy with this bike.  Basically I need advice on where my money will best be spent now.  I ride mainly trails up north MI,  ranging from snowmobile trails, dirt roads, two tracks,  open "play areas", and tight dirt bike trails.   I have only ridden on a track once, but plan on spending more time at the track this year.  I want to focus on improving my skills a lot this season both on and off the track.  I am beginning to become much more comfortable on the bike, and I have learned to manage the power, except on tighter more technical trails.  I tend to go on long rides, and the jumpiness off idle can really tire me out and make it harder to control on tighter trails.  But I  do love the strong power on more open/smoother trails, and I don't want to lose this power. 

 

So far I have put on a works connection glide plate and radiator braces, a lexx xc end cap (for spark arrestor to allow me to ride trails), primary drive x-ring chain, motion pro fork bleeders, and Emig lock on grips. 

 

I was considering the GYTR off-road flywheel +4.44 OZ, but wanted opinions as to whether or not this is the best place to spend my money.  Or would I be better off getting the GYTR tuner.  I don't have he largest budget and can only afford one thing in this price range right now.  If I were to do the flywheel, am I going to feel a loss in power, or just a "smoother" bottom end transition?  And will an "off-road" flywheel hinder performance on the track or in any other way?  Or where else will my money be best spent to improve the handling, rideability, and/or performance of my bike?

[kshields2]

@mikejunior you should notice your engine is revving slower, but that is what makes it more tractable. You also get more momentum in your engine going up hills not that should be a problem but less stalling. The top speed shouldn't be much affected momar. Might lose a tad of acceleration but nothing you should notice. I'm pretty sure they help lugging the bike and in corners

[kshields2]

I have had my 2013 YZ450 for going on a year now, and I am very happy with this bike. Basically I need advice on where my money will best be spent now. I ride mainly trails up north MI, ranging from snowmobile trails, dirt roads, two tracks, open "play areas", and tight dirt bike trails. I have only ridden on a track once, but plan on spending more time at the track this year. I want to focus on improving my skills a lot this season both on and off the track. I am beginning to become much more comfortable on the bike, and I have learned to manage the power, except on tighter more technical trails. I tend to go on long rides, and the jumpiness off idle can really tire me out and make it harder to control on tighter trails. But I do love the strong power on more open/smoother trails, and I don't want to lose this power.

So far I have put on a works connection glide plate and radiator braces, a lexx xc end cap (for spark arrestor to allow me to ride trails), primary drive x-ring chain, motion pro fork bleeders, and Emig lock on grips.

I was considering the GYTR off-road flywheel +4.44 OZ, but wanted opinions as to whether or not this is the best place to spend my money. Or would I be better off getting the GYTR tuner. I don't have he largest budget and can only afford one thing in this price range right now. If I were to do the flywheel, am I going to feel a loss in power, or just a "smoother" bottom end transition? And will an "off-road" flywheel hinder performance on the track or in any other way? Or where else will my money be best spent to improve the handling, rideability, and/or performance of my bike?

you should get a tuner because a new flywheel is pointless when you could just get a tuner there are specific maps just for the woods and I read one guy did hare scrambles (woods race) and he had 2010 Yz 450 and he added a tuner with a woods map and said was a night and day difference making the power way better and manageable in the woods making you faster and not wearing you out

[Mtrain730]

I have a fly wheel weight on my 2012 you will not regret it and it will not slow a 450 down. I ride trails and race mx. My 2 cents.

[YamaLink]

One of my YZ450 has a Steahly and it's fantastic for tight goat trails and rocky singletrack since I'm afflicted with a condition known as whiskey throttle.

[1stSSPZ]

Put the GYTR 4.4 oz flywheel weight on my 13 and it is awesome! The tuner may be more adantageous as it gives you more flexibility. The flywheel weight is not "pointless", it eliminated the irritating bark right off idle and helps keep the front end from jumping out of ruts.

Edited March 3, 2015 by 1stSSPZ

[yzdaddy]

The 13 is a good bike just wish Yam. would quit down sizing fuel capacity. I think Yam has forgotten their are alot more 450 s sold that never see a race track. Mine is on the track and in the woods and its a pisser worrying about running out of fuel lol

[kshields2]

The 13 is a good bike just wish Yam. would quit down sizing fuel capacity. I think Yam has forgotten their are alot more 450 s sold that never see a race track. Mine is on the track and in the woods and its a pisser worrying about running out of fuel lol

surprisingly my 09 does fairly well on gas but I agree with you on that its always annoying having to worry about gas

[yzdaddy]

surprisingly my 09 does fairly well on gas but I agree with you on that its always annoying having to worry about gas

I wish I would have hung on to the 09 I had that was the last year before efi. I dont care much for the efi but o well they dont call me when they decide to update tech. lol To many bugs that are ready to bite. 

[MikeJunior]

I have a fly wheel weight on my 2012 you will not regret it and it will not slow a 450 down. I ride trails and race mx. My 2 cents.

One of my YZ450 has a Steahly and it's fantastic for tight goat trails and rocky singletrack since I'm afflicted with a condition known as whiskey throttle.

Put the GYTR 4.4 oz flywheel weight on my 13 and it is awesome! The tuner may be more adantageous as it gives you more flexibility. The flywheel weight is not "pointless", it eliminated the irritating bark right off idle and helps keep the front end from jumping out of ruts.

Will I be better off getting the flywheel first or the tuner. Im leaning towards the tuner because it has other functions too such as engine run time, engine diagnostics, and I'd be able to change the mapping for different conditions whereas the flywheel weight is permanent.

The 13 is a good bike just wish Yam. would quit down sizing fuel capacity. I think Yam has forgotten their are alot more 450 s sold that never see a race track. Mine is on the track and in the woods and its a pisser worrying about running out of fuel lol

I was worried about the smaller tank size when I bought it, and was one reason I wanted the 14' since it has a larger tank, but so far me and kshields2 have not had an issue up north and we go on pretty long rides. And actually compared to other bikes the gas tank size is very comparable, except for the ktm..

surprisingly my 09 does fairly well on gas but I agree with you on that its always annoying having to worry about gas

Edited March 3, 2015 by MikeJunior

[kshields2]

I wish I would have hung on to the 09 I had that was the last year before efi. I dont care much for the efi but o well they dont call me when they decide to update tech. lol To many bugs that are ready to bite.

oh I love my 09 really comfortable bike and great running thanks to my mechanic

[Piney Woods]

I think the tuner will be a better option than the FWW. The tuner allows a much wider range of options, curing that off idle jump is huge for woods riding. The FWW just masks it a little, the tuner can cure it.

[MikeJunior]

oh I love my 09 really comfortable bike and great running thanks to my mechanic

Even if your "mechanic" drops a cam aligner shim down the timing chain hole into the bottom of your case on final assembly of a top end refresh, then takes it all apart to get it and continues to drop a cylinder alligning pin into the bottom end lol. But we got it all together in the end and running good lol.

I think the tuner will be a better option than the FWW. The tuner allows a much wider range of options, curing that off idle jump is huge for woods riding. The FWW just masks it a little, the tuner can cure it.

That's kind of what me and kshields2 were thinking. Then I'd be able to fine tune the engine characteristics across the entire rpm range to suit my riding the best, and it can always be changed. I've heard that the tuner can be used to help the bike start easier also. Not sure if this is true or not.

[YZCas27]

I had a 13 before my 14 and I really liked that 13 it had power handled well I had factory connection suspension and fmf full exaust. The bike was a great bike not as good as my 14 but close it's a very worthy bike.

[MikeJunior]

I had a 13 before my 14 and I really liked that 13 it had power handled well I had factory connection suspension and fmf full exaust. The bike was a great bike not as good as my 14 but close it's a very worthy bike.

 Good to hear, seems like people who actually own/owned the bike have good things to say about it.  I knew when I bought the bike that the 14' was most likely a better bike, considering it is an all new bike of course.  But seeing as it was my first bike of my own and I'm a poor college student paying for the bike on my own, I was willing to step back to the 13' to save money, and with some time tuning the suspension I couldn't be happier.  How did you like your fmf system? 

[YZCas27]

Good to hear, seems like people who actually own/owned the bike have good things to say about it. I knew when I bought the bike that the 14' was most likely a better bike, considering it is an all new bike of course. But seeing as it was my first bike of my own and I'm a poor college student paying for the bike on my own, I was willing to step back to the 13' to save money, and with some time tuning the suspension I couldn't be happier. How did you like your fmf system?

. I like it it just sounds better and gives it more over rev. I did change the tune to a pretty aggressive one. But ya I really liked the 13 you have a damn good bike.

[yzdaddy]

oh I love my 09 really comfortable bike and great running thanks to my mechanic

The only reason I sold my 09 was I was offered way to much to say no. It needed nothing done to it. The guy I sold it to likes it. I will say with the 13 I get bucked off  as hard as I did the 09 so there doesnt seem to be any issues with ass diggers lmao