I generally don't expect to compare a fixed-up older bike to the newest batch of MX stallions. I have always believed the factories wouldn't change a model unless it was for the better, so I never really gave it a second thought. By doing that, I had overlooked the many aftermarket companies that make a business out of upgrading MX machinery. You can pretty much make a bike feel however you want. So when Race Tech put together its 2006 YZ450F, I was interested to try it out back-to-back with a new 2009. I wanted to know: Can you make an older bike just as good as a new one?
One of the first things that any pro notices about an older bike is how tired and loose the motor feels and sounds when you start it up. They usually have that sorrowful murmur-you know, like that of an old workhorse ready to be put down. Now, I didn't get a chance to ride this bike before the motor had been rebuilt (so I'm not sure about its exact murmur), but I can tell you that after the Zip-Ty Racing full motor rebuild, this bike didn't have any symptoms of a three-year-old bike with countless hours of MX/off-road abuse on it. The motor felt tight and was without a doubt up to par with the latest '09 Yamaha 450. Many riders feel that the 2006 YZ450F was the best of all the YZ450F engines, since they were more snappy and responsive than the newer ones but more civilized and tractable than the steel-framed '03 to '05 models. I can see why.
The motor was strong, pulled just as hard and revved just as quickly (if not a little more quickly) than the '09. Also, thanks to the FMF Factory 4.1 exhaust system, the bike had great power character while still keeping the sound down. One thing that really stood out about the older motor was the amount of engine-braking. A little too much for my preference at first, but after getting used it, I had no complaints. It just allowed the rider to charge harder into the turns and not have to brake as much-not a bad thing, by any means, just takes a little getting used to not chopping the throttle so hard on jump faces.
The next major problem on an older bike is the suspension and linkage; it breaks down, the parts wear out and you end up with some sloppy handling. Luckily, since this is Race Tech's project bike, the company knew exactly how to take care of those problems. With a complete rebuild featuring Gold Valves and Race Tech springs, they had the suspension working better than new. Then throw in the fresh shock and linkage bearing kits from Pivot Works and this puppy felt as tight as it did rolling off the showroom floor.
Can an old motor be better...
Can an old motor be better than a new one? If you know what you want, then yes.
Although the suspension was a little soft for my weight and speed, it was still very predictable and very tractable. It worked exceptionally well through all sizes of braking and acceleration bumps and was really a blast to ride. The only problem I had was when I jumped into the braking bumps. Since it was on the softer side, it blew through the stroke a little easily, which I expected, but what surprised me was that after bottoming, the suspension didn't have any sort of nasty kick. It just soaked it up and kept you moving forward with a smile on your face.
It seems that every year, the handling of the new bikes gets quicker. They turn sharper, faster and are just getting easier and easier to turn. So when you go back three years, you are guaranteed to feel a difference in handling. And I was definitely curious to see how the '06 and '09 YZs compared, especially since this '06 had some Zip-Ty 17mm-offset triple clamps installed on her. First off, as expected, the '06 wasn't as good as the '09 through the really tight turns. It was a little harder to lay over and took just a bit more effort to throw into those tight hairpins. However, this bike really impressed me through fast sweepers. It was more stable than the '09 and was very easy to keep in line. This bike was right at home in any fast, rutted turn and always had a great planted feel. I usually like faster-handling bikes, but that still wasn't enough to make me want to get off of this puppy. If you're a working pro, perhaps an old bike as a primary race weapon doesn't make perfect sense, but as a practice bike it does. If you aren't a pro, this bike is everything you need in a cheaper, more personalized package.
After all the dust had settled, I was quite impressed with what Race Tech had done to its project bike. It took a three-year-old bike and made it feel just as good as a new one, if not better in some ways. I had a great time riding Race Tech's '06 YZ450F, and it definitely changed my outlook on older bikes. Hey, it has even inspired me to pick up my own beater (a 2004 CRF250R, for $500) and see what I can do to fix it up and compare it to the newest batch of MXers.
Race Tech: www.racetech.com; 951.279.6655
Fork rebuild: $110.00
US-1 Light (pt) fork oil: $29.96
Fork oil seal, pair: $39.98
Shock rebuild: $100.00
US-1 Light (pt) shock fluid: $14.98
SK shock oil seal: $11.99
Shaft bushing: $10.99
Shock Gold Valve: $169.99
Fork Gold Valves: $169.99
Fork springs, 0.48kg/mm: $109.99
Shock spring, 5.4kg/mm: $109.99
The front end on this '06...
The front end on this '06 YZ was a target Race Tech fixated on.
Pivot Works: www.pivotworks.com; 515.402.8000
Shock bearing kit: $39.99
Linkage bearing kit: $79.95
Zip-Ty Racing: www.ziptyracing.com; 760.244.7028
Total motor rebuild: $1354.40
17mm-offset triple clamp set: $499.95
Chain adjuster block kit: $98.95
Front axle handle: $21.95
Cycra: www.cycra.com; 740.929.0188
Alloy H.G. replacement hardware: $34.95
Powerflow intake radiator shrouds: $59.95
Cycra-Lite vented front fender: $39.95
M-2 Recoil Hand Shields: $44.95