450 Off-Road
Readers have been requesting that we include an off-road session in our Dirt Rider shootouts, so we bolted on FMF Q4 quiet spark arrestors and headed for the trails. In alphabetical order:
Honda CRF450R
In any full-load situation (hills) it is clear that the Honda motor is the most powerful of the five, and the boost and "carburetion" was barely affected by the quiet FMF muffler, but the motor remains easy to ride in the slippery stuff. First gear is tall, and the light-flywheel feel makes the engine fussy in technical riding. The stiff clutch pull is a genuine weakness away from the track. The light feeling, accurate steering chassis is great in tight trees and rocky sections. The front end is a little busy at higher speeds. The best seat and good comfort are a plus.
Kawasaki KX450F
The Kawi motor even barks off-road, and the EFI handled the quiet exhaust just fine. The spark arrestor mellowed the power just a little helping the bike get traction. But it still has bottom-end grunt and torque for when you can use it. This chassis is stable and planted in high-speed whoops, yet it's plush and handles well through loose rock and sand. This has the best and most effortless standing riding position, which is a huge plus for Western off-road. Team Green's off-road guys will be happy, but not with the seat; it blows out quickly.
KTM 450 SX
Big climbs, tight trees, creeks or sand-the KTM motor rips with the broadest power of the five bikes. This machine has rear traction all the time. While the FMF Q4 didn't hurt the power, it did make the response fluffy off the bottom before a fuel screw adjustment. The bike was awesome in the high-speed areas, and it has good control and is stable in the whoops and rollers. The front end lacks traction in tighter sections and in the rocks. The electric start, adjustable rider position and narrow engine all rock. Overall, the KTM works well off-road, but KTM makes the XC, so why bother off-roading the SX?
Suzuki RM-Z450
Suzuki gave its 450 midrange grunt that is awesome through tight uphill sections and holds steady over sketchy little rock waterfalls where calm power and traction are needed. Of all the EFI bikes, the Suzuki had the most trouble adapting to the Q4. Response off-idle was gurgly, and stalling was chronic even with the idle turned up. The bike is very nimble through the trees, is balanced and is controlled in the whoops. The chassis and the suspension do seem edgy off-road, however, and you feel more of the terrain than on the other bikes.
Yamaha YZ450F
Yamaha stepped up off-road. It was the only bike that actually seemed to have more power and response with the Q4. Response was immediate, and the bike ran cleanly and crisply all the way through with precise jetting. The motor worked great everywhere and was easy to ride. It's a great off-road motor. Suspension action is another plus. It's plush and provided the most comfortable ride, especially over rocks and tree roots. Leaning the blue machine over in the turns still takes more work than the others.