426 too heavy?

[JAYG]

Ive heard a lot of people on here saying the 426 is a bit heavy for mx is this true, how does it stack up compared to the yz 450, crf450, does anyone have the official figures.

Best regards

J ?

[JAYG]

01 426 ?

[Honda0001]

Hi there, Since the internet is totally unrelieable I wasn't able to fully locate wat you wanted but got a very close match. I discovered that a 2002 Yamaha YZ426 weight is 231 pounds. The 2005 Yamaha YZ 450 weight is 220 pounds. Not a siginificant difference, but enough so you would notice. As for a 2005 Honda CRF 450R weight is 218.5 pounds. I would it all depends on your riding style, size, strength etc. Try and have a ride and see what you think...

This link will help:

http://www.yamahamotor.com/sport/products/modelspeccompare/209/10/compare.aspx

Hope I could been more help

Regards

Honda0001

[offrodeo]

comparing to the newr 450's, yes the 426 is heavier, but heavy i cant say, ive never rode a 426, well ive never rode a 450 until i bought mine lol. Ive heard that the crf450 has better handling, but the yzf450 has the power. With a little effort and money, you can make them much better for the track. Comparing the the two fiddys they are heavy.

kevan

[02YZ426]

They are heavier but I think they are still great for mx racing. I have won many races on mine and the extra few pounds didnt slow me down any. ?

[cobra427]

Everyone has a preference but to say a 426 is too heavy for motocross is crossing the line. Some riders are stronger than others and more comfortable on a big machine than a little one ie.(alot of riders say they ride their 250fs just like they did their 2 strokes, the 250fs just allow them to have more torque down low requiring less clutch work and fatigue) I ride 98 400 with a host of mods like ported head, 420 big bore, procircuit system and ect. and I can ride this bike better than my 2002 yz250 and I feel very comfortable in the air on it also. Many of us are not capable of riding some our bikes to their complete motor and suspension potential anyway. I agree with the above post, ride before buy. My nearby dealer because of our dealings would let me ride whatever I wanted before making a purchase, they just have to know you aren't gaming, but are seriously buying a bike. Good luck

[Chad76]

The 426 is noticeably heavier than the 450 when you compare back to back. This would certainly make a difference on the track when going flat out for 30min. However having said that its only noticeable if you compare back to back, and I reckon you get used to what you have and adapt anyhow. Saying the 426 is too heavy I reckon is an overkill. I own a 450, and sure, I love the fact that its lighter and more slimline, however Ive had plenty of fun on a 426 and the weight wasn't a major issue.

If you are a pro rider and wanting to make a career out of racing...well thats a different issue. The lighter 450 will be a greater advantage.

[sirthumpalot]

They are indeed heavier, but some of my buddies are on the newer 450's and I still spank them all over the track on my 01'. ?

[Chad76]

Good old argument.....90% rider...10% bike ?

Having said that, put a world champion motorcross rider on a 450 and record the lap times and compare with the same rider on a 426. I'm sure they would be slightly quicker on the 450.

[JAYG]

Thanks for the replies,like has been said its more down to rider than bike, i love the low down torque of the 426, it pulls out of sweeping bends with so much thump even in 3rd or 4th gear.

I rode a 125 ktm the other day and couldnt control it at all it was too light, think ill stick with this bike and just keep on practising to improve my riding technique,if i went down to a 250 i think id miss the thump and regret it.

I dont want to win any races , just become a decent rider and maybe next year compete in a few events, for enjoyment, and stress release, ive got to admit i was stressed out bigtime after work this afternoon,but after an hour on the track i had forgot about work alltogether.

J ?

01 426 (weight= reliability)

[curtains23]

sounds like the lancashire lad needs to go to armthorpe or build up his muscles teee heee......curtains23

[00YZ426FMRCD]

Compared to other new 4 Strokes the 426 is about 11-12 lbs heavier. Not a big difference. Compared to other 250 2-Strokes it's about 20-22lbs heavier. (Big difference)

Still mostly the rider and your preference of bike, ergo's and power delivery. Since I weigh about 225lbs, I honestly don't think weight is a big factor for me. For a smaller rider, I can see that it would be. My best riding buddy has a 2001 CR250 and his bike definitely feels lighter and handles better than my 426. The power delivery and kick is no comparison though. I would rather sacrifice some of the weight and handling for the power and delivery of the 4-stroke. Other's would not. I will admit the transition to a 4-stroke has taken me longer to get the hang of. You have got to ride the thing hard and it will corner and will go up over and by just about anyone & anything. (Including many new 450's and 2-strokes I will add...)

The new 450's (any brand) are just about to turn a serious corner where they will combine weight, handling, suspension and power all in one. Until then, I will stick with my trusty 426. I rode an 05 YZF450 a couple of weeks ago and was impressed with the handling and suspension. Not a big enough difference in the motor and overall package for me to upgrade at this time. Then again I don't race for a living...I race for fun....

?

[adrian]

In 2000 up here in Canada we had the pleasure of having Doug Dubach come up and race the Canadian nationals,the guy was 37 at the time and racing a basic stock 426 that had suspension work done to it and otherwise was a off the showroom floor bike...He smoked everyone on there light little 2 stroke 250s...It seems that the weight issue is always a major point but it really doesnt account to anything except whats in your head. I have a 426 and love the bike,I throw it around like all of my 2 stroke bikes that I have had over the years.Sure the new crop of 450s are lighter but it isnt that big of a difference that you'll say on the end of the day I lost the race because of a 12 pound weight difference.If you cant hang onto a 426 then you wont be able to hang onto a 450 either...Train hard so you are capable of handling the weight of the bike......Or get a 125

[biznet1]

I'm 43 years old, and not rich, so I used the Atkins Diet to reduce the weight of my bike. ?