Ride report -- New 05 YZ 450

[Butta]

Picked up the bike on Friday, took it out Saturday for a nice break in day. Never got on the motor much all day (with a wife and two kids that ride my time at the track is divided between riding and watching/teaching...it's awesome to see them ride!!) Anyway, I changed the oil this morning and we went back out. Finally opened her up..... HOLY COW!! Don't let anyone say this bike is slow.... I'm not a great rider, but I can hold my own (probably a middle-intermediate rider). The motor is smooth, with power everywhere. Clutch is much better than my '98's (no doubt, huh?), and the brakes are excellent. The handling is incredible, as I can finally rail a berm (until the limits of the stock tires put me on my side, busting the little ball off the clutch lever..... ? ) And the suspension.....well, I need to upgrade the spring for my weight (220), but I have to say right out of the box it never felt uncooperative. The front works so well with the rear. Jumps, whoops, braking bumps, etc....had no complaints with any terrain.

The only thing I have found more difficult to get used to is sometimes during landing if I'm not on the gas it wants to stop dead in it's tracks when it hits the ground...until I get a handful of throttle. I started hitting the jumps in a lower gear, forcing me to be on the gas when I landed and that fixed it. Anyone have similar experiences?

Anyway, I'm in love with this bike. It's everything I wanted and more. They've come a long way in 7 years.

Oh yeah, I had to adjust the chain this morning.....gonna have to replace that.

[machoman_#618]

Butta congrats! Yes i have had the bike kinda stopping when hitting after a jump. Kirtwell told me to blip the throttle in the air while jumping......cured it. But If I ever get faster it wouldn't be a problem.I just on the bubble for jumping,lol. He also said I need to wait to adjust my susp. until it breaks in,fyi

[Butta]

yeah, I was thinking the same thing about the suspension....not sure how much time it requires to be broken in, but I'm in no hurry. It treats me well so far.

By the way, which chain did you switch to??

[DPW]

It took my suspension about two good rides before I noticed it being a bit on the soft side. I'll probably stiffen it up once I balance the check book after the holiday season. Great bikes, yeah slow never entered my mind when I rode machoman's bike or the one I ended up buying ;-).

As far as a chain most guys run the DID X-Ring, myself included. I didn't want to risk the stock chain breaking so I ended up buying a DID ERT from a local shop.

[Thumper38]

I bought the DID ER black and gold, it seemed to have the highest tensile strength. It is different than the ert!

[machoman_#618]

DID 520V O-RING, and to let you guys know DPW AND Satch rode the poop out of my bike.......kinda. It was the first time I met DPW TOO! Satch told me not to worry,lol. Them boys can ride! Seems DPW really liked it. Can't wait to ride again with you guys.

[JohnnyOfast]

The only thing I have found more difficult to get used to is sometimes during landing if I'm not on the gas it wants to stop dead in it's tracks when it hits the ground...until I get a handful of throttle. I started hitting the jumps in a lower gear, forcing me to be on the gas when I landed and that fixed it. Anyone have similar experiences?

Yeah, dam near killed myself the first lap I rode My '03. Just real slow speed rolled some small jump when I landed the bike just stopped dead, barely saved it as I was catapulted forward from the compression braking. After the bike broke in it was fine, but still can't get over how strong it stopped. (That was worth a good racking or two.) ?

Good luck with the bike, two years later I'm still gettting mine set up right and learning how to go faster on it. (But yours has all the change's it took me two years to make.) ?

??