over
VOL. 50 ISSUE 24 JUNE 18, 2013
P41
>The 2014 Yamaha YZ450F gets its first major
overhaul since going to its radical reverse cylinder
design in 2010. The big news here is its frame,
except for a few mounting tabs, it's now the same
as the YZ250F's frame. The width between the
two radiator shrouds has been reduced by 14mm
(7mm each side), giving the new YZ a slimmer
profile. To improve engine controllability, the
450's motor has been heavily tweaked internally,
including getting a new wrap-around exhaust pipe.
Other notable changes include getting a larger
2.0-gallon fuel tank (formerly 1.6 gallons), a new
airbox with easier filter access, and a new MX51FA
Dunlop front tire. Yamaha contemplated running air forks but chose to stay with their already
proven and simple to maintain Speed Sensitive
System KYB fork. The 450 will be available at the
end of the month with an MSRP of $8490.
