2018 Yamaha YZ 450

John250

John250

PR Founding Father
Yamaha is bringing out a whole new 450 for 2018. New frame, new motor. Tuner controlled by a phone app. And electric start for all us old dudes! I've been riding my bike for a while now, but man this is the first new 450 Yamaha that has really got me wanting a new bike now. Someone buy one of the first ones to try it out (Crute) and I will buy it when you go back to a Husky or KTM from you for 2/3 the cost. $9199.

Guess I need to sell a 125 and a 450 to get two new bikes this year!!

2018 Yamaha YZ450F.



Top Features
1. New Machine for 2018
With an all-new engine, new frame, new bodywork and more, the 2018 YZ450F™ is ready to take the MX open class to a whole new level. So pick your view for 2018: behind the handlebar of YZ450F, or well behind the rear fender.

2. New Power Tuner App
Yamaha breaks new ground with the new Power Tuner app, putting the flexibility and precision tunability of the GYTR Power Tuner into your smartphone. Make fueling and ignition timing changes instantly and upload them to the bike via the onboard WiFi system for the ultimate in track-side tuning.

3. Electric Starter System
Utilizing a compact starter motor and ultra-lightweight lithium battery, the YZ450F brings the convenience of push-button starting to the racetrack, for effortless restarts under pressure, and relaxed riding when the clock isn’t ticking.

4. New Engine
An updated cylinder head, piston, cam profiles, cylinder geometry and much more work together to give YZ450F riders the best balance of open-class power with controllability.

5. New Frame
Yamaha’s bilateral beam frame features new main spars, engine mounts and engine mounting position to further centralize mass and provide an ideal balance between cornering feel and straight-line rigidity.

6. Class-Leading Suspension
Yamaha continues to use spring-type forks with refined, speed-sensitive damping to give industry-leading suspension performance straight out of the box. 2018 brings updated settings to match the updated frame and engine layout.



Got to love he Dave "Hershey" Smith addition with the Blue Wheels. And they even have a Jared Meister addition in white and teal.

18_YZ450F_White.jpg


18_YZ450F.jpg
 
MxFreedom33 said:
Congrats Yamaha, you made a blue KTM .... with 20lbs of extra weight lol.
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I was reading about this. The true weight is not that much different. The Japanese weigh their bikes "wet" with a full tank of fuel for true race weight. KTM weighs their bikes dry. So while the KTM is still lighter, it is not near as much as the 20 lbs.
 
John250 said:
I was reading about this. The true weight is not that much different. The Japanese weigh their bikes "wet" with a full tank of fuel for true race weight. KTM weighs their bikes dry. So while the KTM is still lighter, it is not near as much as the 20 lbs.
Click to expand...


5-6lbs difference doesn't sound as bad
 
Difference is really about 10 pounds between the two.

I love the idea of electric start but at the same time I normally start ahead of the ktm bikes when I do dead engine starts.
 
Yeah,
tank166 said:
Difference is really about 10 pounds between the two.

I love the idea of electric start but at the same time I normally start ahead of the ktm bikes when I do dead engine starts.
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but when you fall, and are hot, sweaty, and muddy, I bet they start and are gone long before you find neutral and restart.
 
Nope. When I fall and hear the bike still running because I have a rekluse I think it was worth every penny. That is about the time the ktm guys run me over.

Don't get me Wrong, I cursed when I first heard this for buying my bike a year too early
 
The only 2 downfalls i see..... 1. no back up kick start. 2. that app is gonna cause alot of people trouble


reason for #1. If the battery is dead while your hot, sweaty and tired, you just got yourself a DNF b/c we all know your not always gonna be somewhere convenient to bump start it. Plus i have seen numerous KTM riders carrying around a battery jump pack to be able to jumpstart their bikes (especially in arenacross)

reason for #2. Little Johnny thinks he knows everything about tuning a bike and really screws it up (possibly even grenades a motor) then he is gonna be upset and blame it on the bike. Not to mention all the electronic components that could fail. coolant temp sensor is something new as far as i know.
 
Trickle charge bike night before race you're good. I've went two weeks without touching mine and it fires right up on the button. Kick starter just adds weight. And yamahas are fat enough.
 
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KTM has no kick starter on it. That's a non issue in my opinion. Look how many ktms are at the track.

As for the app. That's a non issue too. I have a app on my phone for my Harley. I can change the mapping of it, throttle senor, auto tune, etc. I can also check about anything imaginable to be checked with the app. It's actually pretty cool. So this technology is out there, and is being used. Vance and Hines really started it, and it's grown from there.
 
There are better batteries than stock. Lighter with more cranking power. Mine sat for three weeks and starts like a champ.
 
A KTM guy had to borrow my jumper cables just last week but nonetheless that Yami looks sweet. I need to wait until someone buys me a white one and rides it for about 10 hours to get the price down. This is a job for Forest I think.
 
I like the blue rims. How about teal rims on the other one...
Some reason the hidden gas cap still freaks me out. All that tech and they cant figure out a better way to vent the fuel tank?
LOL. I have looked at the pix 10 times and never noticed the missing kick starter. So it saves 1/4 pound there but have a 50 pound catalytic converter for a silencer. Wonder how it would sound with a Pro Circuit shorty?
 
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