The bike does look completely
di erent to last year’s — even yournanna will be able to tell them apartFEATURE:
WR450F LAUNCH REPORT
ENGINE THE MUMBO ROOM
Gone is the old fi ve-valve engine and
in its place is the current reverse-
cylinder YZ450F four-valve DOHC
engine using the same cases, cylinder,
conrod, piston, head and camshafts.
Its compact design allows for the fuel
tank to be mounted under the seat
and the air cleaner to be placed in
front of the rider, reducing the amount
of dirt an air fi lter would normally
see and increasing its resilience to
deep-water crossings. The WR450F
also has a larger stator and a revised
decomp mechanism to help reduce
the load on the starting components.
The engine mounting plates have
been decreased in width from the YZ’s
8mm to 6mm for a little more fl ex. A
wide ratio 5-speed gearbox replaces
the close ratio 5-speed motocross
version. The clutch has been modifi ed
for the demands of enduro with
specifi c friction plates and lighter
springs for greater feel. There’s also
a larger-diameter clutch cable as well
as a simple but effective modifi cation
to the clutch basket to help it retainoil, aiding with cooling and durability.
Engine cooling hasn’t been left out
either, with new radiators and a
thermo fan for those deep jungle runsCHASSIS IT’S BEEN FRAMED
The frame is the same version used
by the YZ450F but with a side-stand
bracket. The forks are (arguably) the
class-leading KYB, speed-sensitive,
closed-chamber model fi tted with
4.5N/mm springs. Out back is a KYB
shock — it was a gold colour on our
60th anniversary test bike — that is
fi tted with a 56N/mm spring coloured
yellow... fancy! The valving has been
updated to suit the majority of WR
riders, with plush initial travel and
a controlled mid-range leading into
superior bottoming resistance. A
set of triple clamps with a 25mm
offset helps with rider feedback, as
do the handlebar mounts. There’s a
2mm spacer mounted between the
headstem locknut and the top triple
clamp to help increase weight onto the
front end. Brakes haven’t been left out
either, with the front-brake rotor beingTHINGS I LIKED
x Spacious ergos
x The power/torque
x Reasonably quiet
x Straight-line stability
x Brake feedback/feel
x Smooth suspension actionTHINGS I DIDN’T LIKE
x Stock tyres
x Induction noise (wear ear plugs)
x I’d change the grips (No waffle)