Suspensionwise, the Yamie has to find a balance between the plush and very linear suspension needed for Eastern conditions and the stiffness and holdup needed for faster conditions or sand riding. Yamaha went with a more-rigid setup compared with the softer-suspended WR250F so that the 450 will work in the faster stuff and carry its weight and speed. It still lets you feel the small bumps, like most lighter-weight, larger-displacement bikes or competition-focused 450cc four-strokes, especially at slower trail speeds. But if you pick up the pace and hit stuff aggressively, the bike feels a lot plusher and doesn't dance or deflect any longer. And it has great bottoming resistance at the end of the stroke without being too springy in the middle of the travel. For heavier riders, the initial bump feel isn't an issue at all, but riders lighter than 170 pounds will notice it. This bike (or any 450cc four-stroke) will never feel as light as a two-stroke in rocks and roots, but it will stick and absorb before it will kick or deflect.
The bits and pieces are all first-rate, and we think Yamaha has found a great balance between what an off-road rider needs and the added weight that comes with that stuff. Bonus points for the long-wearing steel rear sprocket, the coolant-catch tank, the digital odometer and the lighting that really works. Nice ProTaper, too! The new airbox door makes the old one seem like a pain in the rear, and we can live with the dual oil drain plugs, even if all the oil comes from the same place. The gearing on the bike is adequate for most everything, and there's never a gap in the spacing: Top speed is in the high 80s, low 90s on dirt. The clutch stood up to plenty of abuse and isn't really needed to coax out power, just to calm it sometimes. Or it's sometimes needed for the really slow and nasty stuff, where the pull is just right. Quick-adjust, too, if you really get it hot! (Remember to readjust after it cools.) The Yamaha brakes give all you ask of them and, along with the O-ring chain and wheel spacers and bearings, have stood up to mud in the past like they are supposed to. The tank runs a little small for our tastes-getting 60 miles out of a tank on a trail ride or more than 45 in racing conditions is asking a lot-but it is narrow!
What do we really think of the new WR450F? Well, we love it! It begs the question, Which is the new king of the 450cc off-road wars? With Kawasaki coming into the game really soon, we're bound to find out in some sort of a shootout as soon as we gather all the bikes together. But if you bleed blue and have been trying to liven up your steel-framed bike without much success, this is the immediate answer.
What's Hot
The all-new WR you've been waiting for.Lighter feeling, better power, cleaner package.
All the off-road stuff a bike really needs.Yamaha four-stroke motor durability.You could ride it like the dealer sells it, corked up, which is better than in the past, but you won't want to for long.