Should I buy a 2014 YZ 450

[pjblanke916]

Hey guys first off I'm KTM husky guy I'm 6'5 260 is with gear I currently have a TE 300 husky and love it just wanting to get a 4beater I m worried about the power people are saying it's very abrupt I've ridden a 450 X which is super smooth I race gncc and harescrambles should I buy it ? Give me some pros and cons I like smooth power

[flapwick]

Get a DRD pipe and the abruptness off idle is gone. Fantastic bike.

[pjblanke916]

OK how's the suspension in the woods ?

[flapwick]

I'm sorry,I'm a moto guy and I haven't ridden the bikes you're comparing,so I'll bow out.I will say that here is no finer production suspension than Kayaba SSS,PERIOD.Just spring it for your weight and probably valve it softer for your kind of riding.I think the 450X you refer to is the Honda,which is very smooth partially because it has about 10 less horsepower than the Yamaha.

Edited July 11, 2016 by flapwick

[pjblanke916]

OK flapwick thanks for your advice man I'm gong to try to pull the trigger on this once my bike get sold thanks !!

[TN Dirt Rider]

I've got the same bike, but I'm a little bit smaller than you at 6'2" and 230.  With the power tuner, and maybe playing with the sprockets a bit I think you'll have no problem with the power delivery.  The one thing I do miss on this bike compared to my other (YZ295 2 stroke) is the Rekluse.  My left hand has gotten lazy from riding bikes with Rekluse clutches and it has been a bit of an adjustment.

 

When I got my bike the suspension was set up super stiff.  Tried riding it on a 14 mile woods loop and halfway through I took an ez out back to the truck, it was beating me to death.  I have since revalved the forks and played with the clickers a bit and it's much better.  I recently rode it in a buddy race that combined an MX track, a woods loop, and several grass track sections.  I had both bikes at the race, but I only rode the 450 and had no problems with it.  The power, once you get used to it, is a ton of fun.  I'm an old slow guy and usually have a hard time passing people in races, but I blew past 4-5 guys in the grass track sections alone.  

[pjblanke916]

OK ! OK m trying my best to get ahold of it !

[grayracer513]

There are two things you must do with any of the EFI YZ450's.  The first is to take the time to get the bike set up right.  The second is to adapt your style to the bike to some degree at least.  The mass of the chassis is so centralized that it creates a higher degree of sensitivity to suspension changes than most bikes have, and if you understand and work with that, the rewards are well worth the time.  If you don't do both of these things, you're never going to get the most from the bike.  You'll either have to live with it and be miserable, or get rid of it and buy something that's more of a jump on and ride kind of thing, even though it won't be as good.

[pjblanke916]

All right sounds good they are good for us bigger guys lol

[grayracer513]

You'll have to re-spring it for your weight, and you'll need another set of handle bars, as the stock ones are too low for most people taller than 5'8", and perhaps some lower foot pegs.  Same sort of thing you'd need to do on any bike, really.