YZF450 VS CRF450 Which is better?

[bdstansberry]

I have the opportunity to purchase an in the box YZF450 for under $5K... Is the CRF450 really as good as the mags pump it up to be? Or, rather, is it that much better than the YZ450? All I've heard is how potent the YZ's engine is, its low weight, and yet the CRF always comes out on top. Could somebody please share some wisdom?? ?

[Vick115]

blue is always better!!! ?

[Hank]

Idealy if you could ride both and decide the setup that feels best, and one of them will.... But for the price you listed on good old blue how can you go wrong... Sick bike for a great price... ?

[bdstansberry]

True... ? indeed...

[Flattracker60]

I love my Hondas, but a couple weeks ago I also bought an 04 YZ450 for a great price. If they are the same price, I'd buy the Honda...but their NOT. If you are slow, you'll go slow on either bike. The Yamaha is a great bike, without an alloy frame(I like the alloy).

[bdstansberry]

I'm thinking along those same lines. I would like to think I'm fast, but I'm not in all reality. I will probably only a dew a few HARE's and maybe a race or two. Other than that, it will just be shredding trails and dunes. ?

[revolucien]

neither is better than the other by any great amount in one area. the only real noticeable differences are going to be in the way the bike feels to you. you can win or lose races on either bike. the yamaha just feels more comfortable to me and my wallet too.

[Jeffro426]

I personally think the Yamaha has the better motor...it flat out rips...everywhere! The honda has plenty of grunt but for me, it falls a little flat up top. The CR definetly wins in the handling department...it turns very effortlessly and feels better balanced. Suspension is pretty much a tossup between the two...the Honda seems to be slightly more plush, but not enough to give an advantage. Styling goes to the honda...the aluminum frame looks great, the plastic is high quality, comes stock with Renthal bars(at least 04s and newer), and overall seem a little better built than the yamaha. I dunno...either way, your going to be fast on either machine, and where one lacks, it can be improved upon by aftermarket parts.

[bdstansberry]

Since most of you own a YZ, what would you/did you modify first? Jeffro426, where are you stationed? I am currently in Iraq ?

[Jeffro426]

Spent some time over there a couple years ago...not fun!! ?

Warren AFB - Cheyenne, WY

First thing i would do with the YZ would be have the suspension properly setup for your weight and riding style...then ditch the stock pipe and silencer and get a Thunder Alley.

[bdstansberry]

Thanks. Good advice. Suspension first is probably my best bet, because these bikes are never set up for my fat 6'2" 200+ pound booty

It's not fun over here ?, but the $$ is helping pay for my new YZ.

[Lunchbox8922]

Yamaha, ive heard lots of people say that theyre crf450s are blowing up on them and what not

[Ga426owner]

They both stink buy a 525 KTM......... ?

[thumperslider54]

Neither the 426 with 5 speed tranny is better.But if you must have A 450 blue is true.

[thelimey1]

i guess stuff changes, but when i was looking at both bikes, the honda was not coming out on top at all. theres a lot of opinion in magazines, and it isnt always objective. when i was buying my 450, say 6 months ago, the yz was doing better it seemed. the hondas motor isnt as rock solid. ive had yzfs for some years, never had to adjust valves. i love to tinker and check it once in a while, hoping for a little project, never been out of spec. even after 3 years on the same bike. valves have been an issue on the hondas. the tester in a magazine isnt going to take that into consideration. there is good and bad in all things, im not saying hondas arent good, but do your homie work. rent/ borrow one of each if you are unsure. try them out for a day. and the claimed plushness of suspension isnt going to mean they will come set up for someone outside the weight range for the spring setup. either bike will need re springing if you want to ge the best out of them. yamaha has been the innovator in 4 strokes it seems to me. maybe im high (again) it just seems to me that they are ahead of the competition when it comes to advancement.

[crf450f]

The YZ has the punch, I made the desision to go for the YZ.

[AnthonyRohde]

I just got off a CRF450'03 and onto a YZ450'04. The CRF was giving lots of valve clearance issues, even after I changed

to the Kibblewhite stainless values. I rode the CRF for about 15 months, been on the YZ for about 2 months.

I prefer the YZ motor. It's power delivery is softer in the

row rpm range which helps get the bike moving out of corners. It also revs out better at the high end. I prefer the Honda head geometry. It was more forgiving than the YZ when turning, especially under brakes. Both are great bikes in my opinion, but I got off the Honda primarily because of its poor reliability. I'm not saying they are all unreliable, but I am saying it was easy the worst Honda I've owned in 20 years of riding MX.

[grayracer513]

Since most of you own a YZ, what would you/did you modify first?

On an 03 or 04, immediately (as in before you even ride it down the street) trash the chain. Buy the Regina Gold O-ring or DID X-ring when you pick up the bike. The stock bars are a poor way to hold the levers in place, too.

As far as the CRF goes, having only 700cc of engine oil on board would worry me so much I could'nt have any fun on it. My son's 250F lost that much in a 30 minute ride once when an engine cover sprung a leak.

[bdstansberry]

Thanks for the awesome advice Grays! I didn't even consider the oil issue. This is my first post on this website and I am sincerely impressed with the quality of responses and the knowledge of its members. Thanks ?