The YZ450F is known for its
outstanding out-of-the-box suspen-
sion, so Yamaha didn't mess with
much in this department. It didn't
want to shake up an already good
thing, but it did make the front KYB
SSS spring fork easier to tune by
installing hand-operated compres-
sion damping adjusters. The shock
got updated settings to go along
with all the chassis mods.
>CLIMB ABOARD
You immediately feel the changes
just by throwing a leg over the bike.
The razor-thin cockpit is a far cry
from the YZ of old. Right away, the
rider triangle feels narrower but
more open and comfortable for
taller riders like ours. New body-
work also offers more rider contact
points to grip with the knees. Along
with this, the side plate plastics feel
much less intrusive or dramatic than
before. Right out of the gate, mov-
ing around on the bike feels easier.
This bike is fast. I'd say it ranks
as one of the fastest stock bikes
I've ridden. But don't mistake fast
for unrideable. It barks like a '19-
'20 Honda CRF450R but doesn't
have that light switch or pull-your-
arms-off power. The engine's
character is surprisingly linear and
pops strong off the bottom with
a smooth but powerful transition
through the midrange.
Top-end power is another area
of improvement. With an extended
rev limiter and a reworked trans-
mission, the engineers have almost
eliminated the need to shift. Both
our test riders could get around
the full national-style track with
QUICKSPIN I 2023 Yamaha YZ450F
P94
