First Impressions: 2018 Yamaha YZ450F 4

The 2018 Yamaha YZ450F is finally here and we got to spin a few laps on it at Glen Helen Raceway. As most of you probably know, there's a lot to talk about on this new bike...from a new chassis with much slimmer features, to electric start and even more power. Our day with the bike was short and sweet as our first take-aways lean towards an overall softer feel to the new model as the suspension and flex of the chassis seems to be a bit more forgiving, while the front-end is finally bringing in some of the feel we've been missing the past few years. Beyond that the YZ450F's already stout powerplant gets a boost and electric start is optional. Check back for some more thoughts on the bike but until then, you can find all the tech specs here - First Look: 2018 Yamaha YZ450F and can scroll down to see our walk-around video with Yamaha test rider, Travis Preston.