Posts
213
Joined
5/27/2020
Location
Las Vegas, NV
US
Edited Date/Time
5/31/2020 9:17pm
Price aside, which bike do you buy for robust reliability and overall confidence and comfort on tracks? Currently have 2 2018 rmz450's just looking to try something else for reference and see what I'm actually missing. Thanks
Fyi I'm 6'4, 259 pre quarantine, 280 currently. Mid c class skill rider at best.
Fyi I'm 6'4, 259 pre quarantine, 280 currently. Mid c class skill rider at best.
Poll
Try and ride them both and see what feels better. Being a big guy, you may like that Yamaha !!
Sorry about your back man, thoughts of injuries like that keep me slow lol. Just sold my rzr too. Haha
35 hours top end, 70 hours rod, if you're lucky to not break it first.
With the sxf you can go till 120/130 hours on the rod. Top end at 70 hours.
I better like also the sxf, which would come with clamps and stuff
The Shop
Yamaha:
Great suspension
Insane bottom end and torque in the engine, a bit too much if you ask me on hard packed/intermediate tracks. But this can be adjusted with the Powertuner app that is a major advantage over the KTM.
Very predictable cornering.
The bike is a bit wider than the KTM but it's not an issue for me.
The bike feels smaller than the KTM because the gap between the footpegs and the seat is much shorter than on the KTM. So considering that you're tall, you will want to get a taller seat if you buy the Yamaha
KTM:
Suspension is ok. The shock is good (although it gets hot and fades for really fast riders) but the fork is not for everyone. The plus with the air fork is that the front end is light (although some doesn't like that).
Engine is incredibly linear and easy to ride with lots of raw HP. It's kinda deceiving because the exhaust is not loud and the engine character is so linear that you almost think it's slow, but it's really fast.
Corners really good, maybe not as predictable as the Yamaha but it feels sharper.
Really narrow.
For me, it feels like you have way more room in the "cockpit" because of the footpeg to seat ratio that i mentioned earlier.
Hydraulic clutch is awesome.
The clutch is by far the best of all bikes when it comes to longevity. Not a big deal if you aren't a clutch abuser but still a plus!
Both bikes are fantastic in their own way!
I appreciate the maintenance schedule listed above too. I admit that I forego the factory rebuild schedules generally. The less stuff is tampered with, the better imo. I have probably 70 hrs on my one rmz and only change the oil, filters, chain and tires. It feels fresh still. Changed the fork oil when I resprung. Clutch still holds well. Can i get away with either of these brands being this lax? I'm used to hondas and Suzuki's.
I have a mate with well over 100 hours on his 20...zero problems and he is a hard rider..
check out his podcast on what 450 is best for you. He rides the heck out of both and raced both so he is a reliable source
But a friend of mine, which is a expert regional rider, on his 19 yzf 450, when he opened the cases he found the present. He was at 65 hours and probably with more 5 hours the rod would probably have destroyed the whole engine. The rod was on the way to its end. Oil changes every 6 hours including oil filter change. Bike was always warmed up before riding. Air filter done every ride.
Here's the rod. 65 hours. 65.
I told the truth, it's up to you to sell it before it blows up under your ass.
I'm on a kawi so i don't mind if yamaha and it's rods last 70 or 120 hours
Just no way I would ever go as long as six hours without changing oil.
The oil isnt just lubricating the motor like in a car...its also the transmission oil and it has a wet clutch in there too.
The transmition and clutch heavily contaminate the oil at a very rapid rate...especially with riders who are hard on the clutch and jam their shifts through without backing off the throttle
From what I've read, the Yamaha is generally regarded as very durable
Pit Row
If I was doing more supercross type riding I might consider the KTM but otherwise I dont think the mind of the weight of the yz while riding motocross. The KTM FE is a great looking bike though and probably better if you want the top of the line 450 performance.
I'm looking to get a new bike in a few months. I had seriously considered a new KTM FE but I'm probably gonna do a new yz450f instead. I'm not looking to race and I love the Yamaha suspension.
Either bike is great, i personally just got fed up with the air forks and pump every outing.....Yamaha suspension is mega right out the box.
Maybe go with the best deal & location?....as a decider option if y'all can't decide on the bike as you can not test any out?.
Good luck with what ever you decide on, enjoy!.
If you prefer a smooth roll on and linear delivery the ktm is it. If you want stronger sharper roll on, thats the yz. But with the stronger low end power comes more fatigue at times as well.
Post a reply to: 2020 yz450f or factory edition ktm 450 sxf?