Didn’t take long to figure out I’m not a 450 guy……bet I’m not the only one.

I'm 66.  Been racing since I was 11.  Since 1981 I've always been an Open class guy...even when I was only 135 pounds back then.  But since I turned 55 and can tell my skills have diminished and my endurance has pretty much left the building I'm not enjoying riding my 450 nearly as much as I was when I was in my 40's.  

My next bike won't be a 450.  It may be a 250, 350, or even an electric bike...but my days of wrestling more power than I'll ever need are over.  I'd rather have a slower bike I can push harder than a runaway train I'm trying to catch.  I guess my ego is losing the battle with my brain.  Finally.😂

I’m lucky enough I can afford both.  Best of both worlds 250F and 450 sitting in garage side by side.  450 just sat collecting dust never took it out. Sold it. 
250F just more fun period and plenty fast.  

I'm definitely not a 450 guy... because they're all 4-strokes. But then again, I probably wouldn't ride a 450cc s-stroke, either. 

Honest question- Do you guys just ride in first and second gear wide open? I love riding 450s I ride a tall gear and grunt it. Too much power has never been a problem. Riding 250s is fun but for me it wears me out more.  I guess I'm weird or something...

I ride in 2nd and 3rd and rev the little bitch to the moon.  It’s fun.  I’m not just along for the ride.  Can boss her around a little.  250F is a vet rider’s 125 on steroids. 

I've always ridden 250 two strokes and still have a vintage 250 and a sort-of modern bike, an '05 250.  Just bought my first four stroke since the 70s, a 250F.  I've ridden friends' 450s and while the torque everywhere is great, I don't like the spinning mass inertia and weight of the bikes.  I've always felt that I was just along for the ride on 450s.  OTOH, my 250F feels great to me.  Plenty of low-end torque, instantaneous throttle response and it doesn't much seem to matter if I'm in 2nd or 3rd most parts of the track.  I can torque it through most turns in 3rd carrying enough speed or let RPMs pull me through in second.  The bike feels light and flickable (except when I low-sided in a muddy turn last week and had to pull it back up -- not fun with the opposite grip stuck in the mud)!  E start is an added bonus for sure, especially for us "upper division" vet riders.

Only track near me that has a jump that needs a 450 is Big Gulp at Budds Creek. Other than that, everything is near me is jumpable on a 250f. And I don't really have interest in massive jumps anyways. I have work on Monday I can't afford that kind of accident lol.

Had a couple i did moto on.  3rd everywhere and used the handy dandy clutch to keep it the rpms in tight turns.  Made me a hero out there for 5 laps.

It took me 1 lap at Glen Helen and I knew the 450 was not for me. 

I'm too big for a 350 but I've ridden a friend's a couple times and get off wondering if I could make it work and did I make a mistake.