Considering going from a WR 450, to a YZ 450.

[CanadianWR450]

I usually lurk in the WR forum, but I figure I would give you YZ guys a crack at this....

First, what I got now:

2004 WR 450, all free mods done.

Second, what I know:

Nothing! The 04 is my first dirt bike, and I have nothing to compare it too.

Third, why?

I have it my mind that I will get a brand new bike once fuel injection comes out (or maybe the second year of fuel injection). It will be a Yamaha for sure.

I was in at the dealer, picking some things up for the WR, and sat on a brand new YZ 450. I could NOT believe how much lighter it felt...just sitting on it!

Next - I would not have to do anything to a new YZ at all for "manditory mods" (grey wire, AIS, exhaust....etc..etc...).

Then, there is the fact that I'm 240 pounds, without gear, and again, I would not have to touch the YZ suspension for trail riding. I have to think that the stock YZ suspension is probably better suited to my weight then the stock WR suspension.

I should mention, I only trail ride, no track/racing.

Conditions? All over the map, rock, beaches, mud, dirt, tight stuff, fire roads, secondary dirt roads, everything except baja/desert (I'm in New Brunswick, Canada, on the Atlantic coast.

There does not appear to be any WR's (or CRF-X's for that matter) around here, but lots of YZ's, and CRF-R's on the trails.

E-start, side stand, light, not high on the "must have " list.

Is there anything I don't like about the WR?

No, but, I have nothing to compare it too.

The 2 BIGGEST factors are weight, and absolutly no need to mod.

Do my reasons make sence to you guys?

[Unibomber]

Here are some things to consider.....

If you are use to slower, tight, tree trails hair and hound technical sections, jumping onto a YZ may be a challenge, the gear ratios are designed for track racing. Changing the sprockets will only do so much (the torque is still there). You will without a doubt have to ride more aggressively, (even if its a little bit) ?

Having ridin both, you are more apt to stall on a YZ in anykind of trail environment. If your lookin for a fun, high flyin track jumpin beast, then the YZ is the choice over the WR, if your more of an open trail, tree, tight stuff guy, might want a new WR, the 07-09 will feel lighter than your 04, I guarantee.?

Good luck !!!!

BTW i made a yz450 into a trail racer, it can be done, but theres only so much you can do with the yz tranny.

[cmd]

i've had a few wr's also,and honestly like the yzf's better in the woods.slap a fww or rekluse on em and they are great:thumbsup: they are definitely lighter,the button's really not worth the added weight since they start so easily,and yes the susp works better,you can play with the clickers enough to get it dialed in....the harder you ride,the better the yzf really shines.don't get me wrong the wr's are great trail bikes,but personally after owning 2 of each,i'll never go back to a wr...unless ofcourse it's to make another street legal sm out of it:lol:

[grayracer513]

Then, there is the fact that I'm 240 pounds, without gear, and again, I would not have to touch the YZ suspension for trail riding. I have to think that the stock YZ suspension is probably better suited to my weight then the stock WR suspension.

The 2 BIGGEST factors are weight, and absolutly no need to mod.

Do my reasons make sence to you guys?

Well, you're wrong about the suspension to start with. At your weight, either bike needs springs to make the suspension work right. $240, DIY.

The YZ also has a close ratio MX trans in it, which means a much higher 1st gear, and a significantly lower 5th. This means you'll need to slip the clutch a lot in the tight stuff, or gear it down and give up some cruising speed.

The YZ engine also has a very light flywheel and a highly tuned engine that doesn't run as well at very low speeds as the WR, so they stall more easily in close-in areas.

All this can be mitigated to some extent, but it's a long way from "no need to mod" IMO.

[WGP]

Grayaracer is right on........

I switched from a 05WR to 06YZ

You will have to mod the YZ possibly more than the WR.

18" rear, flywheel weight, re-valve suspension, skid plate, bigger tank, handguards, kickstand, jetting kit, sprockets and chain, maybe a pipe?

In return you will have a faster and more agressive machine

[CanadianWR450]

Yeah, I'm aware the YZ doesn't like the slow stuff....could go to a rekluse...but as you said, there goes the "no need to mod".

Suspension though, I was really thinking that the stock YZ would work for me trail riding, as I won't be hitting any "big air"?

What I REALLY need to do is try out somebody's YZ here where I live, which I think can be arranged....

[cowboyona426]

Not sure in Canada, but in the US you have to have a spark arrestor to ride off road also, so there goes your "no need to mod" idea again. However, I ride an 06 YZ in the woods and I wouldn't have it any other way.

[KAS]

Suspension though, I was really thinking that the stock YZ would work for me trail riding, as I won't be hitting any "big air"?

Here's the deal with the suspension.

Don't think that because the YZ is set up "stiff" for MX, that it will work for a heavier rider off-road. That is not the case.

The stock YZ springs would be too soft for you. What this does, is just sitting on the bike, the suspension will sag too much, and it will be riding around past the initial (most soft) part of the suspension travel.

So now you're riding around right where the suspension starts to stiffen up. Couple that with the YZ's MX-oriented valving, and you will end up with suspension that will beat the snot out of you in the woods, yet still bottom on big hits due to insufficient spring rates.

At the least, you would need to add stiffer springs. Which you should really have on the WR as well.

[Family Man]

One of the main things about a four stroke in the slower sections is they over heat, fast. They dont like it.

[CanadianWR450]

Cowboy - no spark arrester needed here (But certainly good idea...)

KAS - What you said makes perfect sence, and yes, I was thinking exactly how you said not too...

Family Man, another good point, which I knew, but didn't consider. The WR does not over heat though, due to overflow bottle, and more oil in it I asume, but I suspect the YZ would be a different story......

[cowboyona426]

One of the main things about a four stroke in the slower sections is they over heat, fast. They dont like it.

Any water cooled bike will overheat in slow conditions w/o air flowing through the rads. Since 00 I've overheated my bike once, and that was following a youngster on a TT-R 90 who was just poking along.

[WGP]

You just need to jet it rich (cooler) and run Zip-Ty racing coolant?

My YZ has never overheated with the above and can idle all day long:banana:

[grayracer513]

Richening the jetting does not reduce engine temps.

[RENNER]

it hits harder. i ride 90% woods/open desert and could not ask for a better bike. if you are an experienced rider, feathering the clutch in tight stuff is no big deal, if it is then spend the 600 for the rekluse. My bike never overheats, or has any prob in tight woods. the wr is tamed and you need a wild beast. DO IT

[CanadianWR450]

Well, after the bike show that is here this weekend, the KTM 300XC-W is now also in the mix....

I'm on really good terms with my Yamaha salesman, and he will let me try out a new WR and YZ this spring, and so KTM dealer also offerd me a test ride on the 300 XC, or XC-W, which ever they have for a Demo

I LOVE yamaha, and the WR has been good to me, but for the type of riding I do, I think the 300 might be hard to beat

Guess I will decide this spring

[jvgallo282]

i just came over from 07 ktm 450xc and bought a 08 yz450f. it is my first yamaha and i love it. At 6'2" and 225 the springs need to be changed. i ride a lot of woods and some mx. In the woods i go 3 clicks softer on the compression in the front and two clicks softer on the shock. My buddy had bought an 08 300xc, which I rode and hated the suspension and can not ride a 2 stroke anymore. I mainly switched from ktms because of the price of everything. the one thing i love about the yz is the suspension.

p.s. i put a probillet end cap and it mellowed the hit of bottom which i like in the woods.

[wr400schek]

Screw all the mods ride it and have fun

[KAS]

Screw all the mods ride it and have fun

There's nothing fun about trying to ride a bucking, snorting, stalling, beat-the-tar out of you MX bike in the woods. It only takes just a little tweaking to calm them down.

As for the KTM 300, I say definitely try one out if you get the opportunity. You just might love it! I'm not so sure there is a better bike for when the trail gets REALLY gnarly.