I finally got a chance to ride at the Florence dunes last weekend and see the new YZFs. Everything I've heard is right on the money with these bikes. I have worked for 3 years to dail my bike in and these guys just pipe and jet their quads and I'm lucky to race to a tie. I don't see how Hondas are going to compare to these quads if they weigh the same with the Honda giving up electric start. I'm saying I'm sure they will be competitive at the track but the Yamaha seems like a better all around quad. This is the first quad I've seen that I would consider buying to replace My DS if I was in the market and I've been a Honda fan most of my life.

 

I'm very impressed with my YFZ. I ride in the dunes 90% of the time and it's the best running and handling quad I've ever owned. I've owned countless 250r's over the years and I'll never go back. The power is incredible for only 439cc. and would beat or hang with my old 350 powervale R. I'm not a hillshooter, but I've beaten plenty of big bore machines up the hill. It sits low, handles great, and jumps even better.
I'll be hanging on to mine till I see something better down the pipeline. I thought it might me Honda but it doesn't look like the machine to replace my YFZ. We'll see how it stacks up in a future test. Nothing grabs me yet except the Gas Gas.

 

I think that the only thing that could replace my DS is a Laeger Pro Trax chassis with banshee power..

 

my dad races one and I have had may races on the seat too. they are fast real fast but the suspension still suck.... even compared to the ds. its great every were except big jump and deep whoops (compared to a ds or quad with full race suspension) on a smooth tight track I could spank my ds all day, but any one who races knows that tracks don't stay smooth[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

 

Ive ridden both own the DS Baja. Everyone that I know that has ridden the YZF say the same - really quick, but my unmodified baja was faster, the yzf is lighter but the DS feels more stable (probably the weight). Not sure about in the dunes but at the desert and track we were at, the DS and its suspension were way better than the YZF and its tunable suspension. I also didn't like the fact that its so much smaller. harder for us bigger guys (6' 210#). Just my observations. Both are a blast to ride. YZF in the air, Baja on the ground.

 

Subnuke, have you opened the exhaust up on your YFZ yet?

 

those yfz's are hard to race at florence, they come off the line a lot faster than a ds, and that hill is so short that there isn't enough time to catch them. at sand mt. they really weren't much to think about. but i'd like to get the boy one it would be fun to have. then you could choose. think i'll wait and see how the engine holds up.

 

I'm 5' 11'' and 210 lbs. and I feel very comfortable on my YFZ after I installed aftermarket bars. The stock bars are horrible and have a weird bend. It flat hauls butt in the dunes. I did the cam mod and installed a full HMF pipe and it really woke up. Pulled Sand Mtn. Utah, with no paddles, at redline in 3rd gear on the valley side, which is about 700 ft. long.

 

no doubt they rock, i just feel for the guys with raptors.