How Much Power Does the 2023 Yamaha YZ450F Make?

Dyno testing Yamaha’s 450cc motocross bike for horsepower and torque.

In terms of dirt bike models, Yamaha’s focus this year was on its flagship motocrosser and pair of premix-burning cross-country racers. For the YZ450F, this meant a top to bottom overhaul including a completely redesigned engine, all-new chassis, narrower bodywork, revised suspension components, and 5-pound weight reduction (as verified on the Dirt Rider automotive scales). The only powerplant-related components that aren’t different on the 2023 model are the throttle body and muffler, which brought a lot of anticipation about how the Tuning Fork brand’s new-generation fuel-injected liquid-cooled DOHC four-stroke 450cc engine would perform.

After testing the YZ450F at Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s facility in Cairo, Georgia, we returned to SoCal and ran it on our in-house Dynojet 250i rear-wheel dynamometer. With a drum roller-friendly Dunlop D404 street tire on its rear wheel, the all-new bLU cRU spun 54.4 hp and 32.7 lb.-ft. of torque—an increase of 1.6 hp and 0.3 lb.-ft. over last year’s model. To find out how bLU cRU compared to the rest on the dyno and track, check out Dirt Rider’s 450 Motocross Shootout.

2023 Yamaha YZ450F Dyno ChartRobert Martin

2023 Yamaha YZ450F Engine Specifications

Engine Type: DOHC, liquid-cooled, four-stroke single-cylinder; 4 valves/cyl.
Displacement: 450cc
Bore x Stroke: 97.0 x 60.8mm
Compression Ratio: 13.0:1
Fuel Delivery: Electronic fuel injection w/ 44mm throttle body