TransWorld Motocross — September 2017

RIDER CODY WHITSETT PHOTO BY DONN MAEDA 085

great for what we encountered but
would be a bit soft on a true moto-
cross track. With that said, this issue
is easily fixable with a few changes.
As far as the final touches of the
bike go, we remained comfortable
on the bike from the moment we
swung a leg over it at the truck until
we pulled up after hours in the sad-

dle. The mellow bend of the handle-

bar should complement most riders,

the seat is firm yet pleasant, and it’s

easy to fine-tune the fit to a particu-

lar rider’s preference.

THE VERDICT

There’s no denying that the YZ450FX

is at its core a YZ450F, the bike that

claimed 450 Bike Of The Year hon-

ors in our 2017 shootout. The power

of the engine is more than enough

for a wide variety of riding areas, the

chassis is stable yet nimble when

needed, and the suspension can

soak up anything put in its path. But

Yamaha has done an incredible job

toning down the brute strength of

the motocross machine for the slow-

er, steadier pace of closed-course

off-road competition. In fact, a few

of our test riders entertained the

idea of lining up behind the gate on

the YZ450FX. If we held an off-road

shootout, would the YZ450FX also

come out on top? We have to think

it’d be a contender.