Posts
360
Joined
9/20/2017
Location
CA
Edited Date/Time
7/27/2022 10:49am
Looking for any possible information on a new model for 2023. Would love to see a factory edition one as well.
NOTE: I have also ridden the 2019 Kawi 450, 2021 Honda 450, 2022 Kawi SR 450, 2020 KTM 450 multiple times for comparison and they are all fantastic bikes as well. So, whenever you people start attacking me for my opinion, keep this in mind Haha
The Shop
Free shipping: VITALMX
Luxon 4-Post Bar Mounts
$189.95 - $239.95
DeCal Works Huge Plastic Inventory of UFO and Polisport kits.
I think they did this to solve their perception problem of being a ‘blue pig’. The smaller seat makes the bike look smaller and feel cramped, and also makes it less cumbersome for shorter riders. You have to assume than any obvious defect that would be easy to remedy only goes unaddressed for that long if it’s deliberate. Buyers and media people have reeled in the complaining about the bike feeling big, so I think the ergos will get some good changes.
Did y'all bitch about new bikes this much this much in the 70's and 80's? Wanting weight reductions, better rider triangles, better this, better that, new this, new that or were you all happy with what you had and content with even having a bike to ride in the first place?
I hear my pops tell me all the time that we are spoilt/spoiled and complain too much with what we have today compared to what he grew up riding. I always heart that he was just happy his bikes held together long enough to get through a full year and that kids today have no idea how good they have it. I can't say I disagree.
Not looking for any rider triangle changes either. For guys 6 feet or so it seems like the ultimate bike.
We were so poor we had to milk the dog to feed the cat.
Back in my day rode bikes with no wheels and never complained , kids these day
Pit Row
It wasn't all rosey....those old bikes really were pieces of shit that wore out very very fast.
New bikes today are incredible and resilient...most seem built to last..70's and 80's bikes certainly weren't...they got sloppy and saggy very quick due to cheap and shoddy engineering ,especially in areas like footpeg pivots, brake pedal pivots, useless drum brakes, kick starter pivots, poxy floppy clutch and front bake levers and brackets, wimpy spokes, flexy frames that stretched so much it caused stess on your engine cases that caused air leaks that could lead to engine seizure...
As far as machinery went at least...they really werent the good old days!
But yeah...dont remember anyone moaning about rider triangles , but certainly if a model was known to be significantly lighter it got your attention .
When I rode Hondas, it was mainly because the build quality was so much better, much tidier engineering and simplified fasteners instad of castle nuts, washes ,split pins and those awful phillips head screws...8mm hex heads were a real leap foward!
Some bikes were so irritating and time consuming to work on
So yeah..we had our gripes, but all new bikes nearly every year took your mind off the negatives
Oh, wait. You guys are talking about a YZ450F. Never mind.....
The current era represents refinement of a mature technology. We’re splitting hairs because there’s so much parity in the technology and the manufacturers are optimizing vs innovating. We haven’t seen a technological leap since everyone went to 4 strokes. Even the E-start is a minor innovation when you look at jumps like twin shocks to mono shocks, twin spar to single spar frames, etc.
It’s funny this topic came up today because I was looking through old mags the other day and found the 2015 Dirt rider shootout. The YZ450F won that year and has seen relatively minor updates and refinements between then and it’s 2022 shootout winning YZ450F. I’m willing to bet the 1982 publication favorite was substantially different from the 1975 favorite.
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