Posts
35
Joined
11/19/2020
Location
Hitchcock, TX
US
Edited Date/Time
10/17/2025 3:53pm
Ping starting with the 4 Japanese manufacturers and taking the top 2 that will then go against the top 2 of the European manufacturers.
Japanese manufacturers
1st - Yamaha
2nd - Honda
3rd - Kawasaki
4th - Suzuki
https://youtu.be/5XNqAT2keY4?si=YuL8sgUnV_slpSI2
Shocking. Yamaha won the shootout that is recorded in the Blu Cru studios in Temecula, CA. If Pulp did a shootout it would win his, too. “Bike of the year” every year. 🤦🏻♂️
Once sponsorships get involved, it’s really hard to believe there is true objectivity.
I can see where the Yellow bike would end up last with every rider. I’m not sure about all riders picking the in same order. I’d have thought a vet C rider would have like the KX the best but who knows. Kinda seemed choreographed a tick to me. If not balance is the new buzz word.
This is the same as believing a 1/2 ton truck shootout sponsored by Ford, saying a Ford is the best truck.
Objectivity on these shootouts left the building many years ago.
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Yamaha is the only changed bike and improved over the 25 so I don't see a problem with it. This coming from someone who really likes the current KX 450.
You can't go wrong with any new 450. Shop for a fair price and a parts deal. Find a dealer that "speaks MOTO".
People still care about shootouts?
It’s 2025, buy the color you like that has the best local dealer and respring that shit for your weight
and it was unanimous… shocking
I tend to focus on the feedback on each bike that they give more than the actual order of finish when it comes to these shootouts. I don’t think there are any bad bikes, especially when it comes to vet riders.
I can say the few people I’ve let ride my 2026 YZ450F have been blown away with the power and stability. These guys ride Kawi, Honda and KTM’s.
I’m coming off a Kawi and I feel it’s a bigger upgrade than I expected. The bike feels glued to the track.
Ping lost any and all credibility several years ago. 😎
I thought the same thing and watching the videos the Vet C rider was no way even using half the power which I thought he would of picked green as well..
You don’t have to be wide open to use the power to your advantage. He’s also a big dude and doesn’t carry his momentum at all.
And the Yamaha isn’t just fast, IMO it’s the most stable and predictable bike out right now, and tips into the corners better than the previous Yamaha chassis.
So we actually rated all the bikes separately and I had the KX450 as my top pick, if you watched the video and listen to my breakdown of each it’s clear why, I didn’t need the most power and I enjoyed how useable the power was, plus how comfortable the bike was.
Thanks for checking in.👍
Have you ridden a good RMZ before?
I remember back in the days when Dirt Rider picked the Yamaha 450 as the winner in the 2017 edition. After that, i have taken everything that moto media (expecially certain people within in) says about products and bikes with a large scoop of salt.
Yes, the 2014-2017 wasn't as bad as the first gen tilted engine YZ450 but nobody could claim that the bike was the best on the market for year 2017. The 2018 was a different story, there i could see arguments that it was the best overall bike.
I don't buy that at all. I bought a 2019 Honda crf 450, rode it 3 times. Rode some randoms guys 2020 yz450f that i met in the pits and traded the Honda the next Monday.
Shootouts can absolutely tell you which bike sucks and which is good
Pit Row
I don’t doubt the blue bike is a good ride, especially for the fast guys. I had a guy at the track yesterday ride over and ask me if my KX450 was a 24. He was riding a 24 or 25 YZ450F. He said those KX450’s are Cadillac’s, easy to ride and do everything right. His brother had one and he’d ridden it. He said the Yamaha has the power but felt the KX was better all around. Said he felt the KX handled better. Said the Yamaha had the power, he could real wheel the whoops with his Yamaha. He pulled on the track rear wheeled a shot section of whoops big time. Wish I could do that lol.
This new KX in stock form is a little buttoned up, but once you put a pipe on it and do a little ECU tuning, it rips while still being rideable.
A built RMZ is such a good bike, it doesn't really need anything but an electric start without getting heavier. If they do that, I'll buy one.
Have you guys ever read reviews for Products or Bikes that you currently own and use? It funny how much different the media opinions are compared to mine.
Also seems like they fill a ton of space re-writing the press releases and carrying-on about things that don't matter or are soon replaced to meet rider preferences, graphics, grips, tires, etc.,
Just ready for all these manufacturer's to get serious about the weight of these bikes..Why can't we have a 222lb 450? Heck my 23 KX450 weighs 232 without gas and it's basically what the manufacturers were offering 5 years ago! Now all these bikes are closer to 240lbs without fuel.. that sucks!
because weight affects handling and rideability. lighter isnt always better
Yeah keep buying up what they tell you🤣🤣🤣
The only shootout worth considering was ML’s when he purchased all the bikes…of course the OEMs shut that down in a hurry…
I’ll bite.
If they made a 150 pound 450 would that be best? What’s an ideal weight then? Is there a specific range you need? Why is lighter automatically better?
Ride you're bike back to back with a 19-22 KTM 450, pretty big difference.
I don’t get it, how can they shut it down if he’s buying them?
I had the 350. I thought it was light and quick, but it also was not very stable and required a lot of input. Twitchy. Obviously this is a combination of things and 15 pounds isn’t the only reason for that. I never gelled with that motorcycle very well honestly.
The RMZ will also lay over and pivot better than my YZ250. Idk maybe I’m in a Suzuki cult man.
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