reliability

[dwnlowx]

i think yamaha is the most reliable

my freinds hondas are allways having problems and they dont even ride em < once a month >

[orangyktmthing]

I would have to say that grey is right, I work in a honda dealership and have worked in a yamaha dealership in the past. I have seen more hondas with valve related problems compared to yamahas. I guess that the valvetrains on the yamahas are just better.

[cowboyona426]

gray's sundial comment cracked me up Another vote for Yamaha from me. I've been riding dirt bikes since I was four, and only one of them has NOT been a Yamaha. Hey, when you're 5 or 6, you think your dad knows what he's doing, okay? As far as the big thumpers go, I think gray is right when he says the Yamaha definitely has the best track record. Plus, it's been around the longest in one displacement or another. Bottom line, if you buy new you're set, if you're looking used make sure the previous owner didn't flog it, and enjoy the new blue thumper!

[Tau]

I have been green and orange, but being blue is the best. I spend so much money a my Katoom that I almost had to sell my kidneys. And when the blue monster needs new parts they are by far the cheapest of any bike.

Oh yes my 06 yz450 loves motul 5100 and regular oil changes lost my first clutch at 8 hrs using different brand and then went to 5100 my next clutch will now be changed after 50 hrs (just for preventative maintenance).

[moto867]

I have been green and orange, but being blue is the best. I spend so much money a my Katoom that I almost had to sell my kidneys. And when the blue monster needs new parts they are by far the cheapest of any bike.

Oh yes my 06 yz450 loves motul 5100 and regular oil changes lost my first clutch at 8 hrs using different brand and then went to 5100 my next clutch will now be changed after 50 hrs (just for preventative maintenance).

I always found yamaha parts to be slightly more expensive than the others. Honda usually is least expensive.

[BergArabia]

I always found yamaha parts to be slightly more expensive than the others. Honda usually is least expensive.

And here in Dubai Yamaha parts can take much longer to arrive if they have to be ordered in.

This is the thing.. you can't take the professionalism away from the Honda guys. They got a slick organisation and they move a lot of bikes. They have a quality product that more or less does what it is supposed to do. It is just that Yamaha got something really special going with the YZ. IMO..

[grayracer513]

I always found yamaha parts to be slightly more expensive than the others. Honda usually is least expensive.

That's true, but if you don't need to buy the parts, so what?

[moto867]

You always have to buy some parts.

[grayracer513]

These are the sum total of all the OEM replacement parts I've purchased for either of my two YZF's since I've owned them:

> two timing chains with gaskets for the '03 (maintenance) $44

> Two '03 fuel cocks for the Clarke tank on the '06 (not a repair) $25

> Fork seals for the '03 $40

> And I'll give you the fork seals for the '06, even though I used MSR's $40

That's under $170 for 3 years. Yamaha parts prices are not an issue for me.

[CaptainKnobby]

These are the sum total of all the OEM replacement parts I've purchased for either of my two YZF's since I've owned them:

> two timing chains with gaskets for the '03 (maintenance) $44

> Two '03 fuel cocks for the Clarke tank on the '06 (not a repair) $25

> Fork seals for the '03 $40

> And I'll give you the fork seals for the '06, even though I used MSR's $40

That's under $170 for 3 years. Yamaha parts prices are not an issue for me.

Obviously you are'nt riding hard enough if that is all you have spent on parts. You mean you havent even had to rebuild the top end. Wow!!!! I might consider waiting until I have around 80 hours on mine before rebuild.

[moto867]

No top ends? If you are just counting oem parts than most people don't spend much on their bikes considering the vast array of aftermarket parts available. About the only oem stuff you need to buy if you have to would be tranny gears, and misc bolts. And may be the air box.

[grayracer513]

No top ends, no tranny gears, no air boxes (what the hell is that about??), no part failures of any kind except those on the list I posted.

Naturally, I've bought a pile of tires, lots of oil (but only two filters), bars, and pipes, and stuff, but none of that had anything to do with either the reliability of the bike, and it was you who raised the question of Yamaha parts prices.

[642MX]

Gray- You haven't replaced the valve springs in your 03?

[moto867]

What the hell is what about? Also not replacing a top end in a 4 year old bike sounds like poor maintainance to me.

[BergArabia]

So a top end rebuild is required every so many hours.

You say around 100 Captain Knobby?

hmmmm... I have been naughty too in that case..

[00YZ426FMRCD]

What the hell is what about? Also not replacing a top end in a 4 year old bike sounds like poor maintainance to me.

You are obviously not riding a stainless steel valve 00-426. 6 years of racing and riding and I just put a top-end in 3 months ago - and on inspection, still could have gone a while....Can you say Ronco Rotisier --- Set it and forget it? I agree... Maintenance says it all...

[cowboyona426]

Calling grayracer out? Big no-no! This guy knows his stuff for sure. Not replacing a top end in four years is poor maintenance? What if the bike only had 4 hours in that time? Bottom line, like has been said many times in this thread, is that with only the very basic of maintenance and adjustments the YZ-F's will go for a long, long, long time.

[loopsrider]

I posted this in the Yamalube thread but thought I'd bring it over here.....

quoting myself.....

"I've used Yamalube on my 01 YZ426 since new. Have never used anything but Yamalube. For the first year I changed the oil at least every second ride. For the first 6 rides during break in I changed it every ride. I now do it every 2-3 rides.

VERY happy with it. Get this.....2001 426.....I have never adjusted the valve on the bike even Have never even had to get into the engine for anything. I ride the bloody thing hard also....

Yeah, yeah.......Your supposed to adjust the valves every (insert recommended hours here). But seriously....I spoke to a Yammy rep and he told me if it isn't noisy and if it starts in the first two kicks, then don't worry about it.

The bike gets ridden at least every second weekend for usually 6-8 hours a weekend, for 8 months of the year.

Needless to say I am VERY happy with Yamalube 20/40":thumbsup:

[moto867]

If you don't have any hours on it than thats fine, i was just saying if you have a lot of hours on it , over 100, i would change it. When the piston wears too much it tends to rock in the bore. The slipper pistons don't have a lot of surface area making contact with the bore, thats why they say to replace it more than an old xr 600. That and the revs, compression etc. I'm not calling any body out, but if you have tons of hours on a top end and it still runs great than you must be a trail rider. I mean a couple hundred hours.

[grayracer513]

Gray- You haven't replaced the valve springs in your 03?

Nope. It's a calculated risk, I suppose, but one that's based on the number of failed YZ450 valve springs I can find any reference to.

What the hell is what about?

The air box comment:

.. the only oem stuff you need to buy if you have to would be tranny gears, and misc bolts. And may be the air box.

I don't get it.

Also not replacing a top end in a 4 year old bike sounds like poor maintainance to me.

Maintenance. And what would be gained by taking parts out of service that are performing well, and are in good condition? The engine still only leaks down less than 2%. If I was running a serious race bike every week, I might do a top end each season, and probably a number of other things as well, but I'm not.

And 100 hours went by a very long time ago.