Posts
10670
Joined
1/4/2014
Location
FI
Motofinne
5/23/2018 3:23am
5/23/2018 3:23am
Edited Date/Time
2/6/2019 4:05pm
My build of a new 18 YZF 450. It will be like my 17 SXF 450 a build that progresses continually.
I'm still waiting on a lot of parts(plastics, graphics, wheels, exhausts, internal suspension upgrades etc). But i have installed a set of Pro Taper EVO bars with the Carmichael bend, Moose branded ARC brake lever(i'm still waiting on the clutch perch), seat bump(yeah i'm bringing those back), TM designworks case saver and a blue Superprox 50t sprocket.
I'm still waiting on a lot of parts(plastics, graphics, wheels, exhausts, internal suspension upgrades etc). But i have installed a set of Pro Taper EVO bars with the Carmichael bend, Moose branded ARC brake lever(i'm still waiting on the clutch perch), seat bump(yeah i'm bringing those back), TM designworks case saver and a blue Superprox 50t sprocket.
Is it to have a new bike in garage...or just because piston change approaching?
On the other note...did you/do you sell the cone valve forks?
I didn't plan to get a new one for this season but i got the opportunity to ride several Yamahas with different set ups and i really, really liked it. So i pulled the trigger!
I'm going to sell everything from my 17 KTM, yes.
The Shop
It turns way easier than my old KTM and it is incredibly stable in the corners. The only thing that is worse than the KTM is the weight. The extra weight is noticeable if you crossrut or hit a jump that is in bad condition that kicks the back end out. But that doesn't bother me. The turning capabilities, the suspension and the engine makes up for that.
But i have to get more hours on the bike, it took about 5 hours to break in the KTM.
The amount of torque and power that this bike has in the low to mid end is absolutely amazing. The KTM had its power higher up in the RPMs compared to this Yamaha.
The engine is way easier to ride and manage compared to the YZF 2017 that i tested one year ago.
I only have a little over 1 hour on the bike but i'm very, very happy with the decision that i made.
I got the ARC clutch perch, the plastics/graphics and the Talon wheels.
I was tempted to get the blue Excel/Kite wheels that are available through the Yamaha dealers but they would've been too expensive.
What's the reason for the arc levers? Asking since I always use stock and see no reason to change the ones on my new Yamaha.
I've also always used stock levers. But the bike that i got to test before i bought mine had ARC levers and i really liked them. The biggest difference is the grip. The stock levers are pretty slippery in my opinion!
Pit Row
Gotcha, I always put hockeygrip tape on my levers so never notice lack of grip. Will see if I do a build thread on my new bike, have a few things planned for it.
And i'm definitely getting blue Excel rims once the black Talon rims are in bad shape, probably next season?
But all i know is that it wont be a FMF pipe. A friend that rides the local track has a full titanium FMF pipe on his 18 Yamaha and it is the loudest pipe that i have ever heard. It would never ever pass the sound test in a race! I'm leaning towards Akrapovic or HGS at the moment.
I had round 3 of the series i race in Finland this week. The 2 previous races have been disasters. I got 22-dnf in rd 1 and 16-dnf(broken chain) in round 2.
Round 3 was at one of very few real hard packed tracks here in Finland.
I qualified 6th. Won the first moto(first ever win in my "career"). Crashed hard in moto 2 on the first lap when a rider fell infront of me on lap 1, i got up and was last but managed to finish in 9th(15 min + 2 lap long motos) despite the track was really difficult to pass on. 2nd overall on the day with 1-9 finishes (yeah, i got a bit lucky there but speedwise i was clearly the 2nd best rider on the day).
It really was an amazing weekend for me. The bike is incredible. And this result means that i will probably ride 2 of the Finnish MX1 championship rounds later this summer.
My best result ever before this was 7th in a moto (a mudder) 2 years ago(11th overall that day) and 9th overall in a race last year.
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