10+ YZF and top pros..

[ah665]

Hey guys, many of you have probably seen a few of the pros bad-mouthing this bike. What's the deal? Do the new bikes have inconsistant handling issues? Any owners on here experience anything out of the ordinary? I remember a few fast local guys raving about the thing when it first came out, now it seems like everyone wants to dog the bike. It seems odd that now Hahn can be added to the list of riders complaining about it. On the flip side, I don't know if Pourcel counts cause hes still sitting out and complaining about his Kawi. Also, the JGR guys seem to be having great years on theirs. I was just hoping to have a good discussion about the bike with the guys that know the bike best (actual owners). Hopefully we can keep the 'Yamaha sucks' responses to a minimum. Thanks.

[tjg53]

Well the top gncc riders seem to doing ok on them. Any bike has to be settup right for what your going to us it for. Or it won`t handle the way you want it to.

[CaptainKnobby]

It took me awhile to get my 2010 to where it is at so it would work for me. I had issues of it not wanting to turn when I got it. Seemed like it just wanted to climb out of the ruts and stand up tall around turns and not squat thin the rear around turns.

After getting a SPI kit for the froks and 2 sizes smaller rear shock spring (stock 5.6) went to a 5.4 ......... It finally started turning for me. Now I dont lose any time around turns and the front stays planted in the ruts now.

However though! the 2010 and I guess the 11 is the same about,You have to sit kinda at the front of the seat when going around turns,this helps the front tire really bite down into the turn and stick.

I think the 2010 IMO is the best bike I have had as far as handling goes once I got the froks and shock done.

[CRF100biker]

Seemed like it just wanted to climb out of the ruts and stand up tall around turns and not squat thin the rear around turns.

i always thought people bought yamaha thumpers understanding this, lol.

while i'm not sure how any of the newer bikes are (new to me is 03+) i've always felt stock yamaha exhausts are too loud and cause the power to taper off far too early. its a good thing if you like to keep it in the middle of the power band and just cruise along, but bad if you like to scream. this is only going off an assumption that the new yamahas are like this. however, it seems yamahas have been having this issue with other vehicles since the late 80s/early 90s, so maybe i'm right.

[ah665]

For the record i am a fan of the bike (although I do not own one). It almost seems like a great bike until it's pushed to it's limits or until the rider makes a mistake. I just find it odd to hear pros complaining when it seemed like most locals and ppl online seem to love it. This is especially weird when you see the mixed reviews about the new CRF450, yet at the races, there are so many A riders and National Pro privateers racing them.

[clutchkowalski]

What did Hahn have to say. It seems that most of the complaining is just keyboard jockeys speculating. I have never seen any pro actually complain except pourcel, and now he isn't happy with his Kawi?

[ah665]

about Hahn (from Racerx )-

TOMMY HAHN IS MAD, AND HE'S GOING HOME: Or at the very least, to another team. A different team with a different bike. Whatever the reason, it's not working out with Hahn and the Yamaha. The merits of the machine can be debated, but not every rider seems to mesh with the motorcycle. Hahn's frustration was palpable – and verbal – after he lost the front end (for reasons unknown to him) and crashed hard in the first moto. The usually mild-mannered Tommy threw his helmet, and a little bit of a tantrum. He said he was going home! Instead Hahn came back out and soldiered to a strong eighth place second moto. Hahn has proven he's got podium potential by putting it on the box in the past. His future likely lies elsewhere.

about Pourcel and the Kawi (MXA)-

The on and off Christophe Pourcel is off again. After racing the German Motocross Grand Prix last weekend (although only doing five laps in moto one and ten laps in moto two), Christophe Pourcel has decided to sit out this week’s Latvian Motocross Grand Prix.

Team priniciple at Team CLS/Monster/Pro Circuit Kawasaki Jean Jacques Luisetti said, “It has been a tough decision, but we’re convinced that it was the best one. Since he has been back on a bike after his terrible accident four years ago, Christophe is very demanding about the bike settings and we still have work to do. Many people will comment this decision, but if we come to Latvia and retire in both motos that would be worse. It is better to work during private sessions than at a GP.”

“It was important to ride Germany to know in which direction Christophe wanted to go, and we already made some changes on the bike, but the work in not yet finished; our rivals worked all winter long to set-up their material, we didn't due to Ben Townley’s injury, and we need time. We already found solutions in connection with Pro Circuit in the USA, and made several improvements this week, and we’ll continue during the next two weeks to work hard. The goal is to be ready for Lommel, we all know that it’s a tough race but Christophe will be back there.”

[Yamiryder]

i'm real curious to see what Yamaha does with the next generation. Go back to conventional, or continue with what they have and improve it.

[YamaLink]

It's a bit of a marketing/pr "issue" for Yamaha combined with the age-old concept of What Wins on Sunday.... + frustration among a few Yamaha YZ450F riders for their own personal season.

[ah665]

i'm real curious to see what Yamaha does with the next generation. Go back to conventional, or continue with what they have and improve it.

Ya, same with me. For the investment that had to be made for this bike, my guess is that they just refine. It's almost like they are in too deep to turn back at this point...and who knows, if there is a problem, that might be all it needs to be great...just a bit of tweaking. But if the pros are struggling with the bike, hopefully they are collecting all of this information to turn it into a positive and fix whatever is wrong (if there is anything).

[Yamiryder]

Ya, same with me. For the investment that had to be made for this bike, my guess is that they just refine. It's almost like they are in too deep to turn back at this point...and who knows, if there is a problem, that might be all it needs to be great...just a bit of tweaking. But if the pros are struggling with the bike, hopefully they are collecting all of this information to turn it into a positive and fix whatever is wrong (if there is anything).

Yeah, but you would think they would have refined it more in '11 and '12 than they did??

[ah665]

Might not have the money. But I am pretty shocked that they did nothing on the '11 and next to nothing on the '12.

[grayracer513]

What would you have done?

[SEOINAGE]

Yeah good question, I like everything about the bike, minus the front springs need to be heavier. I put a 116 chain on mine, and a bigger rear sprocket, with changes to ignition and fuel mapping, it doesn't lock up and wheelie over, and I am either more used to it or it feels better in turns, cause before the front just wanted to lift and the bike stay upright no matter how far over the tank i was. I love it though, definitely an awesome bike, but this is coming from a purely recreational rider at this point.

[SurvivorMan]

So what, who cares. There are always a few people who complain about every bike. On a bad day, I guess it must have been the bike's fault?!

I race pro in Alberta and just finished the national round here this last weekend and got my best result yet and I have raced pro for 6 years on 5 different bikes/brands. I finished 6th overall and I have not been riding as much as i normally do, so I was very happy. I guess I was really impressed with how smooth and balanced the bike was. That turned into a good result. How many brands offer their own battery operated power tuner? That's one of the big reasons as to why I purchased the yz, plus my local dealer support. So much better then packing a laptop around.

My biggest issue is a few stalls (with Rekluse EXP) and then the bike is hard to start...especially in gear. Otherwise, awesome bike. But who out there thinks there is some sort of perfect bike anyways. If you do, then you better be rich and even then you will be disappointed.

[motoman808]

love mine,front end is so much better then my 06 honda.still playing with suspension but still love it.agree with the rekluse stalling and its a carp shoot if it will start in gear but ill manage .i turned the idle up a tad and stalling is almost gone happens most at +6000' if i ride anywhere lower almost never stalls.

[ah665]

What would you have done?

It'd be tough for me to say, cause I don't own one. On the surface, I'd like to see it weigh less. 450s are big for me and I like how the Honda is so light (relative terms). Other than that, seems like an awesome bike. But obviously I was curious if there was a handling issue or something, since pros complaining about it has been somewhat of a hot topic, as of late.

[jcm3]

What would you have done?

Seems like if they got rid of the off idle jerkiness, worked on an exhaust that gave it more top end, and found a way to make the front brake stonger that they'd be getting rid of most of the complaints or weaknesses on the bike.

I know they have sound requirements, but don't most of the aftermarket exhausts that we'd put on our bikes also pass those requirements now?

Easy to say for me, I know, but these don't seem like deal breakers.

Edit- I'm referring to the production bike and the average user, not fixes for the national pro, since their bikes are not going to be like the ones we ride anyway.

[Quernix]

On my 2011 I would like to ease the shift from 2nd to 3rd - if it doesn't get better with more hours. I did change the mapping to the "smooth" map and will slightly optimise the valving...that is the '12 right?!

[dc182]

Ryan hughes isn't complainting. He beat the "King" at Mammoth on a semi modded yami. Mc had a full out factory bike. Point being, set up correctly, the bike is awesome.