Dunerider650,

You must be making a general statement that you believe the 2005 450r isn't as quick as a YFZ. It certainly doesn't have any trouble keeping up with the YFZ in any type of organized racing event. I carefully watch the positioning of the top 10 finishers in every class and can tell you that the 450r holds 50% of those 10 spots and very often the top couple of spots. I am not talking about Natalie and a few other pro riders. I am talking grass roots local racing to the nationals and the various baja races. While it might be true that a stock 450r can't drag a stock YFZ, it manages to keep up or surpass it when it comes to the racing it was designed to handle.

The only thing I can't tell you is how many 450r are entered in the race versus the YFZ.

/Jon

 

[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-confused.gif[/img]I've never had a problem keeping up. Maybe the YFZ is gonna be third inline behind the LT450R and the TRX450R?

 

They also shortend the stroke and gave it a bigger bore which will also help lower center of gravity.

 

I should of explained what i said better....i was just refering to speed/power(drag). I would rather take a 450r in everything over the yfz450 just not the track.

 

honda made some very nice changes to the 450r.this is the way the trx450r should have been like in the first place.think that with the compression raised and the new fcr carb think the o6 honda going to be faster than the yfz.and throw in the hrc cam in it will be bye ,bye yamaha.but then again if rumor on the 07 450 yfz is true yamaha is going to be saying bye ,bye to everyone in 2007

 

I am hoping it is quicker in the drags too with all the changes. I am so damn excited about the announcement. I have been waiting 2 years to upgrade 2 of the 400exs with a more powerful factory solution that is still quiet. I've always had the option of modifying the 400ex for more power but didn't want the noise. I just hope they don't develop any 2001 Raptor-like problems. It will be hard to wait for everyone else to buy one and test it before I get mine.

I am also wondering if the new headlight is going to be easily removed for those who race. I noticed Yamaha made it easy to take the emergency brake equipment off the Raptor without having to change the clutch perch and thus losing the safety switch.

/jon

 

what's the rumor? Kawi rumors are that the 2007 "KFX450" is going to be really impressive as well with some "all new" features. I love watching these quads improve by leaps and bounds when all the companies are pushing the envelope.

 

So Yamaha develops a NEW quad and pushes the envelope towards high performance, the other manufacturers get on board, and then Yamaha gets out of the game? Have you noticed the number of Yamaha 450's on the trail? I bet at least 1/3 of the sport quads I have seen on the Hatfield / Mccoy trails lately have been Yamaha 450's. Yamaha is selling them as fast as they hit the showroom floor. I do not see the 450 leaving the lineup anytime soon. Most rumors are started by people that know very little abou what they are speaking of.
Honda will sell more 450's now since they have upper the 450's performance. I do like their approach of going conservative on their initial year before upping performance though. Glad they left a kick start version as well for the new year models. Electric start is not necessary and something else to break imo.

 

with the shorter stroke its going to have a yfz mid range power hit .the kaw is going to be more xc racing quad and a 450efi or efi500cc.the rumor on the yamaha is in 2007 their not sitting down and let anyone take the top 450 spot away from them.rumor is that the 2007 yfz will be all new from the ground up aluminum frame and efi.and by me saying yamaha will be saying bye, bye .i meant the 2007 yfz450 will be saying bye ,bye in the performance in the 2007 yfz compared with some other and everyone will have to step it up again

 

It'll have to be all new 'cause that jug don't have much room left in it. That's the deal with the YFZ, it came close to maxed out from the factory except for timing. Yes there are some being built up but they can't go much further with them IMO.