DIRTBIKE

HARD

RUBBER

Dunlop AT81s are a great

wearingtyre but don't offer as

muchtractionas the

motocross range.

THE ONLY THINGS UNIQUE TO THE YZ450FX

ARE ITS ENDURO SPEC SUSPENSION

THE ECU AND NON ANODISED RIMS

STOPPING

POWER

The rear brake is straight off

the YZ-450F andprovides

excellent stoppingpower. It

will be interestingto see how

theyfare on long trailrides.

TORQUE MONSTER
Changes to the ECU have transformed the engine
from that of the YZ450F motocrosser. The FX
produces similar torque to the WR450F, but with a
little more fi re. This does require more throttle and
clutch control than needed for a WR450F, but the
reward is a bike that you can leave in one gear for the
most part of your riding.
Third gear is like autopilot for the YZ450FX.
Plenty of torque for long climbs (although you’d be
better stomping on the gearlever and fi nding second)
and a long enough tooth to hum on singletrack and
fi re roads.
The YZ450FX runs the same internal setup as the
YZ450F and WR450F, with four titanium valves plus
the same piston and ring as the YZ450F.
LESS BULK: The WR450F carries a bulky, heavy
headlight for ADR compliance. It makes the bike feel
a little fatter around the handlebar and can give you
the feeling that it is heavier and less agile in the
front-end. The instrument cluster and other ADR gear
doesn’t help either.
The YZ450FX has a slim, better looking headlight
available as part of the optional lighting kit that does
not protrude as much as the WR-F one does. But this
“extra-terrestrial” headlight, which is also used in the
lighting kit on the YZ250FX and YZ250X has divided
enduro pundits because of its odd look.
Some have written to us saying they hate the UFO
Stealth headlight and think it looks alien, while
others prefer the more contemporary look it has
thanks to the LED strips. I much prefer the look and
feel of the UFO headlight over the WR-F one, just
don’t plan on going night riding.
STOP PRESS!: That’s exactly what the YZ-F brakes
fi tted to the YZ450FX did, they stopped the press, or
journos. The brakes front and rear are straight off the
YZ-F, including the 270mm front disc. The stopping
power is excellent.

ENGINE

Type

Displacement

Bore × stroke

Cooling

Compression ratio

Fuel metering

Fuel capacity

Transmission

Clutch

DIMENSIONS

Wheelbase

Seat height

Ground clearance

Dry weight

SUSPENSION

Fork

Shock

BRAKES

Front

Rear

RUNNING GEAR

Handlebar

Front tyre

Rear tyre

PRICE & CONTACTS

RRP

Distributor

Warranty

YAMAHA YZ450X

Single-cylinder, DOHC

449cc

97.0mm x 60.8mm

Liquid

12.5:1

44mm EFI

7.5L

Constant-mesh, fi ve-speed

Wet, multi-plate

1465mm

965mm

325mm

112kg

KYB 48mm closed cartridge,

speed sensitive, 310mm

KYB monoshock, 313mm

Nissin, 270mm wave disc

Nissin, 245mm wave discc

Yamaha tapered

Dunlop AT81F 90/90-21 54M

Dunlop AT81 130/90-18 69S

$12,499

yamaha-motor.com.au

Three months parts

http://www.adbmag.com.au APRIL 2016 | 73