SHOOTOUT I 2023 450cc MOTOCROSS SHOOTOUT
P100
>
Finishing just off the
podium is the 2023
Yamaha YZ450F. The Yamaha
is in a similar predicament
to the Husqvarna, an all-new
model year, and various rider
opinions. One of our vets
rated it his favorite, while our
novice rider ranked it last.
We had high expectations
for the new Yamaha as the
previous generation dominat
-
ed shootouts for the past few
years. The blue crew is on the
right track with its new bike,
but a few new-model bugs
held it back.
No doubt, the Yamaha has
the strongest motor in the
group. This new engine is fast
-
er, revs higher and still main-
tains the tractability we liked
from last year's bike. It has a
torquey bottom end that pulls
wheelies out of the inside rut
and transitions seamlessly
into a meaty midrange. The
rev limiter was bumped up
500 rpm, which puts the Yami
on par with the Austrian bikes
as you near the engine redline.
Two maps are available via
the handlebar switch, and all
options we tried, including
traction control, were well
received. There isn't anything
to complain about here.
Yamaha virtually eliminated
that "wide" feeling that many
complained about with the
previous generations. Now the
bike is sharp and narrow while
maintaining the front-facing
airbox but redesigned to be
>>FOURTH PLACE
YAMAHA
YZ450F
