09 YZ450 deal of a lifetime?

[DT360]

Multiple opportunities here in Alaska to purchase the white 09 YZ 450 for $5200. Seems to me to be the best deal in dirtbike history. Can the 2010 be $3000 nicer than the 09????? I'm thinking not.

Anyone have a reason for me not to buy an 09 for off-road riding at these prices??

Unless someone chimes in with something I haven't thought of, I'm buying one tomorrow. Crazy, because I love the 08YZ250 two stroke I'm presently riding.

I just can't bring myself to pass up this deal.

When I think of how much bike I'm getting for $5K, it's almost ridiculous. That, and at that price, I believe it will always be worth what I owe on it.

Agree, or no????

Thanks, as always, for the input.

[Greg_T_M]

I needed another bike like I needed another hole in my head but I was in the same boat as you. New 08 for $4,800 otd. Couldn't pass it up and haven't regretted it one bit. Funnest bike I have ever owned. Right now I have four other bikes in the garage collecting dust while Im out on the YZ.

Buy it.

[DMauro]

my friend bought one a few months ago for $5000 , its a great bike go for it sometimes it better not to get the first year with all the changes wait till 2011 and see if the new one is all that. with the money you save i would buy a pipe the stock one is garbage. no performance.

[ReedRulz]

Multiple opportunities here in Alaska to purchase the white 09 YZ 450 for $5200. Seems to me to be the best deal in dirtbike history. Can the 2010 be $3000 nicer than the 09????? I'm thinking not.

Anyone have a reason for me not to buy an 09 for off-road riding at these prices??

Unless someone chimes in with something I haven't thought of, I'm buying one tomorrow. Crazy, because I love the 08YZ250 two stroke I'm presently riding.

I just can't bring myself to pass up this deal.

When I think of how much bike I'm getting for $5K, it's almost ridiculous. That, and at that price, I believe it will always be worth what I owe on it.

Agree, or no????

Thanks, as always, for the input.

You can put $3,000 into he 09 and I'll bet it wont handle like the stock 2010.

[Butta]

Well, far be it for me to say it's a sunk fund, but that's exactly what it is. There is a reason you can get an 09 for such a discounted price....the dealers and Yamaha itself are overstocked with them and want to clear out their inventory before the 10's hit the floors. That being said, as soon as you buy it it will be worth less, because there are lots of people getting the same deals (or close to it). Is the 10 worth $3k more?? It depends on what you value......for just off roading, I would think the 09 is better right now because of aftermarket accessories (mainly, fuel tank capacity) are more readily available.

A good deal is a personal preference and opinion.....I think you're approaching this in the right manner. Get the 09, ride the heck out of it for the next year, if you don't like it, you'll get MOST of your money back, but the market will dictate just how much. I would expect next spring to see 09's going for low $4's....I've seen '08's for upper $3's lately. Tough market, for sure....

Keep the pinger, too, they may actually start gaining value...

[DMauro]

You can put $3,000 into he 09 and I'll bet it wont handle like the stock 2010.

yea it will handle better!

[ReedRulz]

yea it will handle better!

I dont think it will, I heard the new YZ corners better than the RMZ450 and tracks as well as the previous Yamahas.

[DMauro]

every year a new bike comes out they say the same thing. like the new 09 crf450. multiple bike breakdowns trannys, shifter drums ,cluthes,decompresor pins. and the bike has stink bug handleing problems,after market co's mod the shock to lowwer it . but when it came out they all said it was the best bike ever. my friend just sold his ,he hated it. i think the 08 was the best bike. this might be rummer but JS has been seen on a 2s practicing, so you know what bike he likes to ride on his free time.

[grayracer513]

every year a new bike comes out they say the same thing. like the new 09 crf450. multiple bike breakdowns trannys, shifter drums ,cluthes,decompresor pins. and the bike has stink bug handleing problems,after market co's mod the shock to lowwer it .

Nice try. What does any of that have to do with any Yamaha?

[saccityfire]

Hey Gray, It seems that weighing the front wheel in turns (slide forward on tank, lean forward over bars etc.) is the way to get the front wheel to stick. Won't shifting the center of gravity toward the center (away from the front wheel) cause the front to want to wash out due to less weight on the front?

I do understand that getting the weight lower and unsprung is great for handling but I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around this reduced front wheel weight thing.

Thanks.

[DMauro]

I said that because mxr300 heard it corners better than a rmz. every time a new bike comes out the first people to ride it say its the best bike ever,but sometimes it is and sometimes not just like the 09 crf450

[DPW]

the '09 is a great bike especially for that price and the OTD price of the '10 will be closer to 9K IMHO. Unless you have the money I would go with the '09 and wait a year and see how the new bike holds up.

The '09 with a dubach exhaust is a good bike and handles fine. There are plenty of riders out there that have no issue turning their YZs.

The '10 handling is an unknown at this point. The magazine/web site reviews are pretty much useless in the real world.

just my .450$...

[DMauro]

the '09 is a great bike especially for that price and the OTD price of the '10 will be closer to 9K IMHO. Unless you have the money I would go with the '09 and wait a year and see how the new bike holds up.

The '09 with a dubach exhaust is a good bike and handles fine. There are plenty of riders out there that have no issue turning their YZs.

The '10 handling is an unknown at this point. The magazine/web site reviews are pretty much useless in the real world.

just my .450$...

+1 thats what i was trying to say!! thank you.

[DPW]

+1 thats what i was trying to say!! thank you.

np....I think James Stewart did OK on the '09 last year...

[DT360]

Thanks for the input.

Pretty much what I was thinking. I like the bike I'm riding enough that I know I won't need to be spending $8K+ next year. So dropping $5k right now, adding handguards, skidplate, IMS tank, 51 or 52 back sprocket, and a new muffler for that machine sounds fine. I'll drop the forks a few mm and see how she turns. I loved my old 450, so I'm thinking I will love this bike, too.

Everything seems slightly piggish after riding the 2stroke in the woods for the last two seasons, but I know I'll be gaining a stronger motor, and that 09 feels the least piggish of the newer 450's I've leaned over in the showrooms.

Guess that settles it. I'll call my man today, have it built, and be riding it this coming weekend.

I'll be riding the two bikes back to back on my usual trails, so maybe I'll throw a little 2stroke/4stroke mx bikes in the woods comparison together.

Again, thanks for the comments.

[grayracer513]

Hey Gray, It seems that weighing the front wheel in turns (slide forward on tank, lean forward over bars etc.) is the way to get the front wheel to stick. Won't shifting the center of gravity toward the center (away from the front wheel) cause the front to want to wash out due to less weight on the front?

Depends on the overall geometry.

BTW, I've seen RMZ's wash their front end and stuff the bike while trying to keep up with a '06 YZ450, so....

[Wiz636]

Hey Gray, It seems that weighing the front wheel in turns (slide forward on tank, lean forward over bars etc.) is the way to get the front wheel to stick. Won't shifting the center of gravity toward the center (away from the front wheel) cause the front to want to wash out due to less weight on the front?

I do understand that getting the weight lower and unsprung is great for handling but I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around this reduced front wheel weight thing.

Thanks.

Obviously none of us have ridden the 2010, nor seen a real in depth review, but from watching the videos of the 2010 being ridden it surely looks like the front end is biting well...almost to the point of oversteering.

[saccityfire]

Depends on the overall geometry.

BTW, I've seen RMZ's wash their front end and stuff the bike while trying to keep up with a '06 YZ450, so....

Thanks...I knew there must be more to it!

It does look to be steering fine in the videos currently out there.

[SM421]

The '09 is a great deal right now. I just traded my '08 KX450 in on an '09 YZ450.

Today was the first day at the track and to be honest, I don't see why anyone would be unhappy with the way the Yamaha handles. Right out of the box the only issue I have with the handling is with the front tire (POS Dunlop 742). The only other thing about the bike is the fact that the motor is a little down on power. Especially compared to the Kawi. I figure a DRD Exhaust and a good front tire will make this bike as good as anything else out there.

The Kawi had a moster motor but it was also a handfull at times. The Yamaha is less work to ride and it handles just as well. So I don't see any justification for spending an extra three grand on a 2010 other than you just got to have the newest model.

[Sheriff245]

Last year you could get an 08 RM-Z450, which was the same as an 09, for that same price, so I'd say that this is not the deal of a lifetime, but still it's a great price.

If you're thinking about getting a new 450 in the near future, I think it's a great time to do so!