Front Master Cylinder Options for YZ450F?

If you want strong brakes, in my opinion you need to change the caliper too. The stock Yamaha one is small and so are the pads.

I have a Honda master and caliper, stock Honda pads, Galfer line and 270 floating rotor on my 13 YZ250. The brakes are excellent.

JBecker 72 wrote:

If you want strong brakes, in my opinion you need to change the caliper too. The stock Yamaha one is small and so are the ...more

JBecker 72 wrote:

If you want strong brakes, in my opinion you need to change the caliper too. The stock Yamaha one is small and so are the pads.

I have a Honda master and caliper, stock Honda pads, Galfer line and 270 floating rotor on my 13 YZ250. The brakes are excellent.

I can see how the Master Cylinder would be a direct swap, but how about the caliper? Did you have to machine or drill the relocation bracket?

Throw a brembo on there. I've done this with a couple Yamahas. You can find them on eBay.

Deetsmx wrote:

Throw a brembo on there. I've done this with a couple Yamahas. You can find them on eBay.

Deetsmx wrote:

Throw a brembo on there. I've done this with a couple Yamahas. You can find them on eBay.

Definitely thought about that too, just haven't known anyone to do it. Yeah, used master cylinders are all over eBay cheap. I just rode a stock '17 450 SX-F with only Braking pads and the front brake was awesome.

I just don't think the 270 kit alone will be enough. I need some serious bite.

I put a tusk 270mm rotor on my 14 and I have no problem stopping. She stops on a dime. Couldn't imagine having more braking power.

mattyhamz2 wrote:

I put a tusk 270mm rotor on my 14 and I have no problem stopping. She stops on a dime. Couldn't imagine having more braking ...more

mattyhamz2 wrote:

I put a tusk 270mm rotor on my 14 and I have no problem stopping. She stops on a dime. Couldn't imagine having more braking power.

I'm pretty quick, plus I weight 225 & 6’2”. I need a really strong front brake. I've only ridden two bikes that had strong enough front brakes for my liking, one was a '17 KTM and one was a CR125 with a Motostuff 280mm kit.

JBecker 72 wrote:

If you want strong brakes, in my opinion you need to change the caliper too. The stock Yamaha one is small and so are the ...more

JBecker 72 wrote:

If you want strong brakes, in my opinion you need to change the caliper too. The stock Yamaha one is small and so are the pads.

I have a Honda master and caliper, stock Honda pads, Galfer line and 270 floating rotor on my 13 YZ250. The brakes are excellent.

twotwosix wrote:

I can see how the Master Cylinder would be a direct swap, but how about the caliper? Did you have to machine or drill the ...more

twotwosix wrote:

I can see how the Master Cylinder would be a direct swap, but how about the caliper? Did you have to machine or drill the relocation bracket?

It’s a direct bolt on. Uses the same bracket (stock or aftermarket).

I came off KTMs and went back to Japanese bikes. So I needed to get the brakes on par with what I was used to.

mattyhamz2 wrote:

I put a tusk 270mm rotor on my 14 and I have no problem stopping. She stops on a dime. Couldn't imagine having more braking ...more

mattyhamz2 wrote:

I put a tusk 270mm rotor on my 14 and I have no problem stopping. She stops on a dime. Couldn't imagine having more braking power.

twotwosix wrote:

I'm pretty quick, plus I weight 225 & 6’2”. I need a really strong front brake. I've only ridden two bikes that had strong ...more

twotwosix wrote:

I'm pretty quick, plus I weight 225 & 6’2”. I need a really strong front brake. I've only ridden two bikes that had strong enough front brakes for my liking, one was a '17 KTM and one was a CR125 with a Motostuff 280mm kit.

Weight we were right about the same. Speed though, couldn't tell ya haha

No idea if the pads are compatible or not, but here is the difference in size between the brake pads. Sorry they aren’t off the bike and easier to compare, but you can clearly see the size difference. More pad area = more bite.

The stock Yamaha caliper is tiny and so are the pads compared to the other 3 Japanese bikes.

2011 YZ250F



2013 CRF450R on my YZ250

Kawasaki same master cylinder as Honda just has the banjo bolt on the front side not the back. I like it on the front opens up lever adjustments. Honda with it on the back bottoms out into the handle bar limiting lever placement.

Avoid floating rotors as well if you want the best bite. Honda and ktm doesn't use a floating rotor setup.

JBecker 72 wrote:

It’s a direct bolt on. Uses the same bracket (stock or aftermarket).

I came off KTMs and went back to Japanese bikes. So I ...more

JBecker 72 wrote:

It’s a direct bolt on. Uses the same bracket (stock or aftermarket).

I came off KTMs and went back to Japanese bikes. So I needed to get the brakes on par with what I was used to.

That is really good to know that it is a direct swap on the caliper. I had ruled out changing the caliper just assuming that the positioning and bolt spacing would naturally be different. I believe a Honda mc and caliper can be had on eBay for $100. If it's a direct swap, that would be simple.

SmokinJoe439 wrote:

Kawasaki same master cylinder as Honda just has the banjo bolt on the front side not the back. I like it on the front opens up ...more

SmokinJoe439 wrote:

Kawasaki same master cylinder as Honda just has the banjo bolt on the front side not the back. I like it on the front opens up lever adjustments. Honda with it on the back bottoms out into the handle bar limiting lever placement.

Avoid floating rotors as well if you want the best bite. Honda and ktm doesn't use a floating rotor setup.

Great point on the line location. Thanks. Yeah, that's why I'm going with the fixed 270mm rotor vs a 280mm floater.

I rode a 2017 CRF450 for a session again this past weekend and while the modulation was awesome, the sheer power still wasn't so great.

twotwosix wrote:

I can see how the Master Cylinder would be a direct swap, but how about the caliper? Did you have to machine or drill the ...more

twotwosix wrote:

I can see how the Master Cylinder would be a direct swap, but how about the caliper? Did you have to machine or drill the relocation bracket?

JBecker 72 wrote:

It’s a direct bolt on. Uses the same bracket (stock or aftermarket).

I came off KTMs and went back to Japanese bikes. So I ...more

JBecker 72 wrote:

It’s a direct bolt on. Uses the same bracket (stock or aftermarket).

I came off KTMs and went back to Japanese bikes. So I needed to get the brakes on par with what I was used to.

twotwosix wrote:

That is really good to know that it is a direct swap on the caliper. I had ruled out changing the caliper just assuming that ...more

twotwosix wrote:

That is really good to know that it is a direct swap on the caliper. I had ruled out changing the caliper just assuming that the positioning and bolt spacing would naturally be different. I believe a Honda mc and caliper can be had on eBay for $100. If it's a direct swap, that would be simple.

That’s what I did.

SmokinJoe439 wrote:

Kawasaki same master cylinder as Honda just has the banjo bolt on the front side not the back. I like it on the front opens up ...more

SmokinJoe439 wrote:

Kawasaki same master cylinder as Honda just has the banjo bolt on the front side not the back. I like it on the front opens up lever adjustments. Honda with it on the back bottoms out into the handle bar limiting lever placement.

Avoid floating rotors as well if you want the best bite. Honda and ktm doesn't use a floating rotor setup.

I actually prefer the line behind the master like what Honda does. Just looks cleaner to me.

Deetsmx wrote:

Throw a brembo on there. I've done this with a couple Yamahas. You can find them on eBay.

Deetsmx wrote:

Throw a brembo on there. I've done this with a couple Yamahas. You can find them on eBay.

Care to share more info abou this?

Put a honda master cylinder on my 18 yz450. Definitely helps a lot! Probably going to do a stainless line as well. Ive got a 06 kawi 450 brake caliper that i need to rebuild that ill also try but haven't got around to rebuilding it yet.

billyg371 wrote:

Put a honda master cylinder on my 18 yz450. Definitely helps a lot! Probably going to do a stainless line as well. Ive got a ...more

billyg371 wrote:

Put a honda master cylinder on my 18 yz450. Definitely helps a lot! Probably going to do a stainless line as well. Ive got a 06 kawi 450 brake caliper that i need to rebuild that ill also try but haven't got around to rebuilding it yet.

Nice! What did your Honda MC come off?

twotwosix wrote:

Nice! What did your Honda MC come off?

twotwosix wrote:

Nice! What did your Honda MC come off?

I believe I got mine off an 07 450. My buddy had one so I figured id try it, It works awesome no more spongy brakes! If you look at Webbs bike through the years, thats what he uses. I know thats what we used when I was with him in 13 on his practice bikes. We tried quite a bit of different ones

I know this topic has been dead, but don’t see the need to start another topic. I know there’s the MOTOSTUFF over size setup for 18 Yz450f but I was curious if there are any others that work also? When you look on other sites they say they don’t work on 18 Yz450f

I have been searching a lot and here are the options:
-steel braided line
-270/280 (MS or Braking) rotor
-KTM, Honda or older Yamaha master cylinder
-Motostuff or Ride engineering caliper

I tried KTM m.cylinder, but the biggest improvement was from the 2.5mm or 2mm line from motostuff. Would like to try different caliper, but never got chance to do that. P.s. Motostuff is preparing $600 factory caliper that apparently factory honda is using.

There is an article on Pulpmx that Keefer wrote about the top 5 upgrades for 2019 YZ450. One of which is a KTM (2009) master cylinder and an older YZ 450 (2007) caliper. I did this to my 2019 and it made a world of difference. Border line best modification that I have done to it. Stock rotor just had to swap the hanger over.

adams189 wrote:

There is an article on Pulpmx that Keefer wrote about the top 5 upgrades for 2019 YZ450. One of which is a KTM (2009) master ...more

adams189 wrote:

There is an article on Pulpmx that Keefer wrote about the top 5 upgrades for 2019 YZ450. One of which is a KTM (2009) master cylinder and an older YZ 450 (2007) caliper. I did this to my 2019 and it made a world of difference. Border line best modification that I have done to it. Stock rotor just had to swap the hanger over.

Thinking of doing this also, what is all needed to work the Brembo master, older Yamaha Caliber, and ktm banjo bolt. It didn’t mention changing the hanger where ever I saw it posted? Figure go this route and get a ARC for that year ktm master as well?

bennett59, yes that is exactly what I did. I found a caliper on eBay, got a new master chclinder from Rocky Mountain and a lever from ARC that has a small adjustment on sensitivity. I used the hanger from my 19 with the 07 caliper. Works perfect!

adams189 wrote:

bennett59, yes that is exactly what I did. I found a caliper on eBay, got a new master chclinder from Rocky Mountain and a ...more

adams189 wrote:

bennett59, yes that is exactly what I did. I found a caliper on eBay, got a new master chclinder from Rocky Mountain and a lever from ARC that has a small adjustment on sensitivity. I used the hanger from my 19 with the 07 caliper. Works perfect!

Do you just need the one banjo ktm bolt for The Brembo and then the stock one for the Yamaha caliber

adams189 wrote:

bennett59, yes that is exactly what I did. I found a caliper on eBay, got a new master chclinder from Rocky Mountain and a ...more

adams189 wrote:

bennett59, yes that is exactly what I did. I found a caliper on eBay, got a new master chclinder from Rocky Mountain and a lever from ARC that has a small adjustment on sensitivity. I used the hanger from my 19 with the 07 caliper. Works perfect!

Bennett59 wrote:

Do you just need the one banjo ktm bolt for The Brembo and then the stock one for the Yamaha caliber

Bennett59 wrote:

Do you just need the one banjo ktm bolt for The Brembo and then the stock one for the Yamaha caliber

Yes. You need the KTM banjo for the master cylinder and Yamaha one for the caliper.