Yamaha WR450F

We are sick of e-mails asking when this bike is coming, when we are going to test it and if their dealer is lying about the delay in production. Finally, the bike is here, and it is a serious piece of off-road machinery. Like the YZ450F before it, the WR450F may be too serious for some riders. This engine makes a lot of power, and even with the exhaust meeting (barely) the 96-decibel level California requires, it can be a handful when the power hits. With the plugged-up exhaust, the power is a little soft off the bottom, but as the revs climb, the power builds suddenly and is a bit of a handful in slippery conditions. Now, compared to the YZ450, the WR is a model citizen. The engine will pull at very low rpm, has, oh, 90 percent less tendency to stall and is much more tractable. In addition, the five-speed wide-ratio with the low first requires far less attention paid to the clutch and rpm than the stall-prone YZ.

Unlike past WRs, the riding position is every bit as modern, flat and slim as the current YZ. The larger tank angles out a bit more from the seat, but for the 2.6-gallon capacity, this is hardly noticeable. That's a very nice improvement. The lights and mechanical, resettable odometer work fine, but there are no hand guards! The kickstand seems like an afterthought. It holds the bike up better than many Euro stands, but serious riders simply won't leave it on. It will hook in ruts and catch your boot in tight woods riding.

Handling is typically WR quick with precise steering. The seat, despite having very little foam, is pretty tall, and that tall feeling and the bike's overall weight are all that keep the 450 from feeling as nimble as the WR250F. KTM's 450 has a longer, more calm feeling at speed and in whoops, but it steers a little slower than the Yamaha. Both handle well, so the difference comes down to preference. The frame has identical geometry to the YZ450F, and that has proven a winner in fast desert races already so there is no doubt it can be set up for good high-speed manners.

If you are already a Yamaha four-stroke fan, the $6399 WR450F will be a gift from heaven. It is more comfortable, more powerful and, finally, vastly easier to start. In fact, now that the WR has the electric starter, it really doesn't need one. It kickstarts with no WR400/426F-type drill, and it kicks even easier than the YZ450. Just kick it and go--just like a KTM. Starting is no longer an issue.

These bikes have always had excellent reliability records, and the WR should continue that tradition. It will be priced below the KTM 450 E/XC, and you may not have to have your name on a list in advance to get one. Or maybe you will.

I like the WR450F far better than the YZ450F. This flywheel, cam timing and transmission are better for me. The suspension is plush, and there's no bulbous tank. It feels tall and carries the engine weight a little higher than the KTM, so it feels a bit heavy. How can it feel tall and have so little padding in the seat? And KTM, Gas Gas and Suzuki make quiet mufflers that don't feel like a potato is stuck in the pipe. I wish Yamaha made it green-sticker-legal. Karel Kramer

I felt some of the same problems with the WR450F as I did with old 426F. The bike feels top-heavy, and the motor is not easy to ride. It felt mellow on the bottom, then hit with a little too much torque, making it somewhat difficult to ride in the rocks. The electric start was nice. Tom Carson

Too loud! And the suspension was moto-oriented more than enduro. Thank God it has a magic button; it's the only bike I stalled all night! The motor is too violent for less than ideal conditions, and it was the only bike to tire out my arms. The geometry demands concentration. It would be hell on the East Coast. The seat had no foam, either. John Bumgarner

Any former WR400/426 (or YZ) owners are going to love this bike and its electric starter. The bike climbed easily and went through the tight stuff well, though it felt a bit heavy. The suspension was soft when riding fast. I would have to set it up to race comfortably. The high ground clearance makes it feel heavier than it is, but it's a nice ride. Elmer Symons

The last bike to make my podium is the WR450. I really like the changes Yamaha made while turning YZs into WRs. The five-speed transmission's added top speed and better gear ratios were a blessing on the trail. The added flywheel weight along with muffled exhaust system made the power delivery much smoother and controllable for good tractable power. Jason Webb

I prefer the feel of Japanese bikes, so I felt really at home on this WR. Comfy ergonomics and pretty good suspension helped, along with good handling characteristics. The electric start is like cheating. The bike did feel a little tall in the saddle and would stall easier than you'd expect. The rear suspension felt a little dead, making the back end seem sluggish. Ed Tripp

I liked this bike the best. It has great power and can be ridden slow or fast. The motor is deceptive, though. When you get on it and take off, you feel like you're going to have trouble keeping this thing going anywhere but straight, yet it actually turns quite well. Suspension was decent and the WR had no real quirks. It's a little too choked up, but that's the way the laws are. Kris Keefer

I was at home instantly on the Yamaha WR450F because I ride a YZ450F. I thought this bike would be a chugger. Boy, was I wrong! I'm buying a flywheel for my YZ to try to imitate the smoother and less stall-prone WR. I only hit the power's sweet spot a couple of times. This thing rips! Ray Gibbs

I like the WR450F far better than the YZ450F. This flywheel, cam timing and transmission are better for me. The suspension is plush, and there's no bulbous tank. It feels tall and carries the engine weight a little higher than the KTM, so it feels a bit heavy. How can it feel tall and have so little padding in the seat? And KTM, Gas Gas and Suzuki make quiet mufflers that don't feel like a potato is stuck in the pipe. I wish Yamaha made it green-sticker-legal. Karel Kramer

I felt some of the same problems with the WR450F as I did with old 426F. The bike feels top-heavy, and the motor is not easy to ride. It felt mellow on the bottom, then hit with a little too much torque, making it somewhat difficult to ride in the rocks. The electric start was nice. Tom Carson

Too loud! And the suspension was moto-oriented more than enduro. Thank God it has a magic button; it's the only bike I stalled all night! The motor is too violent for less than ideal conditions, and it was the only bike to tire out my arms. The geometry demands concentration. It would be hell on the East Coast. The seat had no foam, either. John Bumgarner

Any former WR400/426 (or YZ) owners are going to love this bike and its electric starter. The bike climbed easily and went through the tight stuff well, though it felt a bit heavy. The suspension was soft when riding fast. I would have to set it up to race comfortably. The high ground clearance makes it feel heavier than it is, but it's a nice ride. Elmer Symons

The last bike to make my podium is the WR450. I really like the changes Yamaha made while turning YZs into WRs. The five-speed transmission's added top speed and better gear ratios were a blessing on the trail. The added flywheel weight along with muffled exhaust system made the power delivery much smoother and controllable for good tractable power. Jason Webb

I prefer the feel of Japanese bikes, so I felt really at home on this WR. Comfy ergonomics and pretty good suspension helped, along with good handling characteristics. The electric start is like cheating. The bike did feel a little tall in the saddle and would stall easier than you'd expect. The rear suspension felt a little dead, making the back end seem sluggish. Ed Tripp

I liked this bike the best. It has great power and can be ridden slow or fast. The motor is deceptive, though. When you get on it and take off, you feel like you're going to have trouble keeping this thing going anywhere but straight, yet it actually turns quite well. Suspension was decent and the WR had no real quirks. It's a little too choked up, but that's the way the laws are. Kris Keefer

I was at home instantly on the Yamaha WR450F because I ride a YZ450F. I thought this bike would be a chugger. Boy, was I wrong! I'm buying a flywheel for my YZ to try to imitate the smoother and less stall-prone WR. I only hit the power's sweet spot a couple of times. This thing rips! Ray Gibbs