Posts
104
Joined
12/13/2011
Location
NY
US
Edited Date/Time
5/24/2018 5:55pm
Hey guys. Looking to get some input and advice here. So I currently race vet B on a 2017 YZ250F and am considering if I should get a 450.
A little background first: I am 180 pounds and 6 foot tall. In the past I have rode a variety of 250F's, 250 two strokes and even 450s. Late fall of 2016 I got on the yamaha 250f and since that time I have continued to grow and progress at a much better pace than before. In the past I had a point and shoot two stroke type of riding that didn't really work well on the 450's as I would be hard on clutches ( yes I know on a 450 I shouldn't be slipping the clutch but it was a bad habit form my two stroke days that carried over and I struggled to get rid of on the 450's where I would use the clutch to meter out the power rather than the throttle) but I have since gotten a lot better at being smooth, driving through the turns and not abusing the clutch and using the throttle to control the power delivery so I think I may have broke those bad habits.
Believe it or not I usually get pretty good starts on the 250f even against the other guys in the class where usually all but one is on a 450 so I'm not really looking at the 450 for the starts. Where I am wondering if a 450 would be helpful is in rebounding from those small little mistakes us vet guys make. Those little mistakes a lot of us make that rob momentum and speed. When I make those mistakes compared to the guys I'm racing they just twist the throttle a bit more to get out of it and seem to recover with ease and barely lose any time. Where as I tend to lose that speed and have to work much much harder to make up for it and it costs me a bit more time than it costs them. By that time they open up a bike length. Compound this a few times each lap through out the whole race and it makes for a bit of a gap.
I know the 450 will be harder to ride fitness wise but I do a lot of off the bike stuff so I'm not worried about that. Basically just wondering if getting on a 450 will help me rebound from those little mistakes quicker like the guys I'm racing against seem to or if I would be better of sticking with what has got me to this point and not messing with success so to speak as like I said I have progressed more on this bike than any bike I have ever owned.
A little background first: I am 180 pounds and 6 foot tall. In the past I have rode a variety of 250F's, 250 two strokes and even 450s. Late fall of 2016 I got on the yamaha 250f and since that time I have continued to grow and progress at a much better pace than before. In the past I had a point and shoot two stroke type of riding that didn't really work well on the 450's as I would be hard on clutches ( yes I know on a 450 I shouldn't be slipping the clutch but it was a bad habit form my two stroke days that carried over and I struggled to get rid of on the 450's where I would use the clutch to meter out the power rather than the throttle) but I have since gotten a lot better at being smooth, driving through the turns and not abusing the clutch and using the throttle to control the power delivery so I think I may have broke those bad habits.
Believe it or not I usually get pretty good starts on the 250f even against the other guys in the class where usually all but one is on a 450 so I'm not really looking at the 450 for the starts. Where I am wondering if a 450 would be helpful is in rebounding from those small little mistakes us vet guys make. Those little mistakes a lot of us make that rob momentum and speed. When I make those mistakes compared to the guys I'm racing they just twist the throttle a bit more to get out of it and seem to recover with ease and barely lose any time. Where as I tend to lose that speed and have to work much much harder to make up for it and it costs me a bit more time than it costs them. By that time they open up a bike length. Compound this a few times each lap through out the whole race and it makes for a bit of a gap.
I know the 450 will be harder to ride fitness wise but I do a lot of off the bike stuff so I'm not worried about that. Basically just wondering if getting on a 450 will help me rebound from those little mistakes quicker like the guys I'm racing against seem to or if I would be better of sticking with what has got me to this point and not messing with success so to speak as like I said I have progressed more on this bike than any bike I have ever owned.
I think the 250 is just too much of a disadvantage for a guy of your weight if you want to be up front. I have both a 350 and 450 in the garage and right now I prefer the light weight and higher rev HP of the 350 on long high speed tracks, although on a rough tight slower track it is great be able to lug the 450 a gear high through square edge and rutted corners.
The Shop
Imo with cost in mind, you can't go wrong with the 350, although you do have to rev it to the moon. I dropped a tooth on the drive sprocket and that made it a lot easier to get the top of the rev's. These bikes just keep pulling, so you can't really short shift like a 450, but they won't toss you off like a 450 either.
I think that what you lose in a moto to the 450's due to them pulling you a little, can be made up for handing wise and will also keep you from getting as tired by the end of a moto. That being said, if you ride wide open tracks where you are getting into 4th a lot on long straights, the 450 is gonna be tough to run down. Conversely tighter 2nd/3rd gear tracks, advantage 350.
Don't know about you, but I don't really care about a trophy , I ride/race more for fun and for me 450's aren't nearly as fun as the 350. But I am also in better shape than most vet's so that helps in a race
If a mix of fun and challenge are in the discussion, at the possible expense of finishing positions, then you have lots of options. The absolute most fun option of course imho being a 125,( just dont expect to get out of the regionals right?)
I do get the idea of 250f, theyre getting really good, almost to the point of being perfect for everyone, but, theres the disadvantage off the start in short races that puts it at a handicap. Add deep tilled up dirt at some races, and it pulls the power out of the bike just like it does a 250 smoker. Have mama park the car outside, and fill the garage with one of each?
I ride KTM’s, both 250F and 450. On tighter and harder pack tracks the 250F is a weapon. Anything deep, terrible. The Yami’s love a BB kit, so that would be fun.
Having said that, hard not to advise a 350. Riding the 250F really taught me how to get the most out of a bike, but I can’t see racing it on deeper, faster tracks at my size, 5’ 10”, 185. I’m not that good, one mistake and you’re done. Considering getting a 350, 98.5% sure I will. Almost as fun as a 250F, but won’t let you down. Keep 450.
Technique will do more good for starts than horsepower will.
Pit Row
So I vote 450
Honestly the starts are just my lack of gate drops since I hadn't raced in 12 years prior to last September. The subsequent 16 motos have just taught me I need to work on my starting technique again. Unless you are in excellent shape, or over 200 lbs, I still feel the 350 is the best vet weapon.
Post a reply to: 250F or 450 for Vet class