yz to wr?

[ejk450]

I recently got a 2003 yz450 in a trade. The bike is in great shape and has awesome power, but the power is right now, and it gets HOT. I will be strictly woods riding. What would i need to do to convert it to a Wr, or at least make it more of a trail machine with a wider power band?

[mharp12]

I have a crf450r and it has a different front sprocket and that seems to help some, but i'm wondering the same thing, what would make it more woods friendly?

[ejk450]

I have a crf450r and it has a different front sprocket and that seems to help some, but i'm wondering the same thing, what would make it more woods friendly?

The best i can come up with so far is just trying to copy an enduro bike, which the Wr is. Exact same bike to my understanding just under powered. Maybe different suspension. Id like to find a way to get it to run cooler, because it gets HOT. If your not goin fast its getting hot. Same thing when the motor is under a load for a period of time. The power band is a challenge at times also. An error on my part and im doin a tree climb. It just super responsive on the bottom end. Explosive is a better description. It doesnt help this is my first bike either, i got into the sport on quads.

[mharp12]

I've been reading about some different coolants for my Z400 actually and everyone is saying that water wetter and engine ice help a lot with making the bike run cooler, and a 450 would be a tough first bike, this is my 4th and its still a handfull.

[jrutkows]

I've been reading about some different coolants for my Z400 actually and everyone is saying that water wetter and engine ice help a lot with making the bike run cooler, and a 450 would be a tough first bike, this is my 4th and its still a handfull.

Everyone says a lot, if you read the specifications for "engine ice" it is no different than plain old green stuff. The heat capacity, boiling point, and thermal conductivity are all nearly the same. The only benefit is that it is non-toxic, but several other manufactures make a propylene glycol based coolant that you can by in the regular auto-parts store. I have yet to see a test that quantifies any performance difference.

[slippyfoot]

from what i understand, the bikes are very similar base setups, and here are the differences. i may be missing some:

heavier flywheel on wr

smaller diameter pipe, quieter muffler and spark arrestor on wr

different cam on wr

different ignition timing map on wr

wide ratio 5 speed on wr

some difference in carbs

stock suspension on wr is not really good for anything, wallows, bottoms and harsh on sharp bumps

the wr cooling system has an expansion tank but i don't know of any other differences

to mellow out the yz, try a flywheel weight, smaller front/ bigger rear sprocket to give you a lower 1st gear. i like mx suspension for woods, but i'm 280 lbs.

cam timing can affect how hot an engine runs so you may want to find wr cams to swap in.

good luck,

Mike

[mikeythefokker]

Yz's are made to go fast. In the hands of a good fast rider, they are a weapon, but if you are a slower, newer trail rider they can be punishing. Nothing in the way the bike is made is really designed for the yz to go slow very well. The yz is different from the wr in transmission gearing, the cams, the ignition, and the weight of the flywheel, just to name a few. The yz will be prone to stalling and flaming out when you are crawling along slowly, until you get really good with the clutch and can keep the bike alive. In the meantime, you could try going up 2 teeth on the rear sprocket or down one tooth on the front, and getting a flywheel weight. If it is still giving you problems, sell it before you get too invested. Buy a wr and you will have easier and more pleasant riding.

[zukrider]

If it gets hot easy your jetting might be a little lean.

[Leardriver]

It would be less brain damage to sell a YZ and buy a WR. That way you won't throw copious wheelbarrows full of money at the YZ, hoping for acceptable results.

I love mx bikes on the trails. It's all personal preference.

[Kx450fguy]

dude if your riding trails and you arent even getting to the rev limiter in first then you need to sell and get a wr if you are able to do that then try to get close to the rev limiter and you should be good i am like this guy^^^^ i love mx bikes on trails and woods

[jsantapau]

my opinion is to try and find someone who is motocrossing a 2003 wr 450 and trade them even up

[Squidless]

I don't have a 450 but I just bought a yz250f. I put a big bore kit on it, added a flywheel weight and put a smaller front sprocket and larger rear sprocket on it.

[Gunner354]

I would suggest an yz08 or 09 cdi. Probably get one real cheap from an 08 09 guy. The hot set up for those guys is to put an 06 yz cdi to give them more hit. This would help lessen the hit.

[MaxPower]

get a flywheel at most if you think you need it

A bigger tank too

Other than that I wish I had a YZ over my WR

My bikes weighs as much as the Exxon Valdeze and I had to tweak it to make it as fast.

In my opinion the bike became easier to ride the more power it got

When it was slow it felt slow and heavy and wasnt fun to ride

The head pipes are the same diameter betweent he WR and YZ also

[gsa102]

1 - Check jetting

2 - Adjust sprockets

3 - Flywheel weight

It will be a very good trail bike with some adjustments. The only advantage to a WR is the E-start. As you get older, the e-start becomes more valuable. A lot of guys spend a lot of money trying to make their WR's like a YZ.

[MANIAC998]

4 speed isn't it? If it is, I don't think it's ever going to make a very good off-road machine. Maniac

[gettintall]

Well I was in your boat last summer with a yz400f,bike was like brand new,I had a blast on the open trails with it.But,when I hit the woods I hated it,I looked at lots of options to make it more of what I wanted.I then came to my senses and sold it.Bought a gasgas xc250 for alot less than it would of cost me to modify the yz into something that I like.Now I have a bike that does exactly what I like.

[ejk450]

Well I was in your boat last summer with a yz400f,bike was like brand new,I had a blast on the open trails with it.But,when I hit the woods I hated it,I looked at lots of options to make it more of what I wanted.I then came to my senses and sold it.Bought a gasgas xc250 for alot less than it would of cost me to modify the yz into something that I like.Now I have a bike that does exactly what I like.

What exactly did you hate about it in the woods? What i am most concerned about is the long first gear. But, i may gear it down on the front sprocket. Where i ride theres never enough sraightaway to use the top end of 4th gear anyway. Another thing i might end up doing is a rekluse or revloc clutch. I have read they make life easy riding single track and you dont have to worry about the bike stalling.

[sledhead999]

2 of my riding buddies are in the same situation. One has a '05 CRF450R and the other is a '03 YZ450F. Both bikes won't lug going up tight rocky single track hill climbs. The CRF i looked all over finally found him a 12 front sprocket, definately helped & reduced over heating, but kills top speed. The YZ is a 4 speed, same situation, rowdy power & a blast to ride at the sand dunes. I think the cams in the YZ make it so much more rowdy than my WR.

The only thing I don't like about my WR is the suspension is super soft. I haven't tried stiffening it up, but on the small wash board bumps, just soaks them up.

[smitty250f]

The best i can come up with so far is just trying to copy an enduro bike, which the Wr is. Exact same bike to my understanding just under powered. Maybe different suspension. Id like to find a way to get it to run cooler, because it gets HOT. If your not goin fast its getting hot. Same thing when the motor is under a load for a period of time. The power band is a challenge at times also. An error on my part and im doin a tree climb. It just super responsive on the bottom end. Explosive is a better description. It doesnt help this is my first bike either, i got into the sport on quads.

Trade it for a wr250f. A 450 is unnecessary in the woods, especially for a new bike rider.