Yammie Newby. Need advice

[4-StrokeMan]

About to purchase a Yamaha '99 YZ400 or '00 YZ426.

I was wondering if you guys could give me the ups and downs on these bikes. If there was a big differece between the 400 and 426 except for the cylinder. Thanks.

[PumpkinHumper]

id go with the 00 426. they revised the carb. way better design than the 99 400. i have a 400 and love it. but i would sure like to have the newer carb.

[Oregon_Thumper]

I would go with the 00' 426 also. I have one and love it. Might want to see if you can find an 01' though. The 00 is a great bike, but some have a weak clutch. I haven't had that problem with mine, but some guys have. If you wait for a week or so when the 03 450's come out, the prices on the older ones will probably drop and you can get an 01 or an 00 price.

[4-StrokeMan]

The '99 400 has 426 exhuast, jetting and plastics. so the only thing that would be an upgrade to the '00 would be the design. How big of a factor do you guys think that would be? Any other differences?

[Rich_in_Orlando]

There's a big difference in power between the two bikes. 26 ccs make a surprising improvement in power. Like YZman stated above, the carb design is much superior in the '00 model. I think it's also lighter and the ergos may be a little better, too. What do you have against the '00 model? It sounds like you want to go with the '99 and want to justify it to yourself. Is it just a price issue? What's the cost difference between these two bikes you are looking at? Exhaust, jetting and plastics shouldn't be a factor, considering the improvements made between the two model years, IMO. (I've got a '99 WR and the difference between it and a 426 are HUGE.)

[Rich_in_Orlando]

Oh yeah, I think the suspension on the '00 models are a lot better, too. Don't they have high and low speed compression adjustments that weren't on the '99s?

[Shawn_Mc]

Id go with the 00. What am I talking about, I did go with the 00, I bought mine used. The reasons? 00 had the new carb & shorter backbone sharpend up the handling. It has a bigger motor obviously. The only problem that would worry me now would be the counter balancer keyway on the 2000 models. When they made the piston bigger, they didnt make the keyway bigger on the balancer and it cant balance the extra wieght of the larger piston. The 2001 has the counter balancer drive gear splined. So Yamaha knew about the issue and solved it, but that doest help the 2000 without buying a rightside crank half and gear. What do you do? Keep a good ear on it and when, not if, when the keyway starts to go, tear it down and make your own keyway. I did. It cost me 80 cents. You can buy the metric keystock, but I hand fit mine to a .0015 press fit.

[4-StrokeMan]

Thanks alot guys. I think I am going to go with the '00 or try to wait it out and see if anyone will be selling their '01's in order to get a '03.