Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1174582
R I D E R E V I E W P94 more we rode the '20 YZ450F, the more we liked its engine. Another thing that our testers could feel right away was weight. The 2020 YZ450F feels signifi- cantly lighter than the '19 YZ450F, even though the '20 weighs, as mentioned, just one pound less than last year's, but it feels a lot more than that on the track. Low- ering the cylinder head combined with all those frame tweaks and motor-mount changes do make a difference as to how the bike feels on the track, pretty much all for the better. The 2020 YZ450F has a slight rigid feeling at first, but that can be, if you want, eliminated by play- ing a little bit with clicker adjust- ments on the suspension, both front and rear. Our 170-pound pro tester, however, felt that the '20's suspension was set up pretty well for him right out of the crate, although he did stiffen things up just a bit. (But he always tends to do that to suit his ultra-aggressive riding style.) The Yamaha's light feeling, however, is somewhat negated by its still wide feeling between your knees, which was a concern of our pro tester. He's always been a little annoyed by this with previous YZ450Fs, however, he's always managed to deal with it just fine. The 2020 YZ450F continues to do many things well, too. It's an excellent-handling motor- cycle with great suspension that tackles a wide variety of terrain and obstacles well. The bike feels agile and has come a long way over the years in the turn- ing department. It's a lot better overall, but some still feel a little at odds with it, saying the front end sometimes lacks feel and confidence. Our pro rider isn't one of them, however. He feels the YZ turns well on hard-packed flat surfaces as well as in the ruts and loamy berms. The Yamaha has excellent brakes; they are powerful and compliant. Clutch also has a good feel and resists fading. And the handlebars have plenty of adjustment. One of our favorite things about the YZ450F is the power- tuner app. It's free, easy to use, and handy for tailoring exactly how you want the YZ's power to be delivered from your throttle hand. We were surprised to hear Yamaha reps say not as many YZ owners are taking advantage of the app as Yamaha thought they would. They're guessing owners are intimidated by it or are worried they might harm the engine, but Yamaha says that's impossible. Hey, if we haven't yet blown up a YZ engine using the app, then you won't either. So download the free app and give it a try. To get it, click here. (How cool is that?) We've only just begun testing the 2020 Yamaha YZ450F, but we're plenty happy with it so far. Power is just as strong but more user-friendly than before, and it's one of the lightest-feeling bikes on the track with one of the best suspensions. Throw in the free power-tuner app, and you have a bike that is hard to resist. CN S P E C I F I C A T I O N S 2020 YAMAHA YZ450F ($9399) ENGINE: .................. Liquid-cooled, DOHC, 4-stroke, single DISPLACEMENT: .............................. 449cc BORE X STROKE: ............. 97.0 x 60.9mm COMPRESSION RATIO: ..................... 13.0:1 FUEL DELIVERY: ......Mikuni fuel injection, 44mm TRANSMISSION: ........5-speed; multiplate wet clutch FINAL DRIVE: ..................................... Chain FRAME: ........... Bilateral beam, aluminum FRONT SUSPENSION: ............. KYB Speed Sensitive System (SSS), coil-spring, fully adjustable REAR SUSPENSION: .... KYB single shock fully adjustable FRONT-WHEEL TRAVEL: ..................12.2 in. REAR-WHEEL TRAVEL: ....................12.5 in. FRONT BRAKE: ...... Nissin, single 270mm disc, 2-piston caliper REAR BRAKE: ........ Nissin, single 240mm disc, 1-piston caliper FRONT TIRE: ........ 80/100-21 Dunlop MX33 REAR TIRE: ............120/80 Dunlop MX33 SEAT HEIGHT: ................................38.0 in. WHEELBASE: ..................................58.3 in. RAKE: .................................................. 27.0° TRAIL: ................................................4.7 in. GROUND CLEARANCE: ................... 13.0 in. FUEL CAPACITY: .............................1.6 gal. WEIGHT (CLAIMED, WET): ........... 245 lbs. 2020 YAMAHA YZ450F