2013 YZ450 Offroad Setup

[Wiz636]

Just bought a super low hour 2013 that is completely stock. I ride/race off road (40+ A) and rarely moto.  I have done lots of searching on here to see where most people seem to be ending up with their settings and other things. A couple questions:

 

- I've seen lots of write up about Lightspeed and Dubach engine relocating for '10-'12...is this something that Yamaha had not fixed by '13? In other words is this something that the '13 could benefit from?

 

- Looks like some people are raising the forks 5-7mm on the '10-12s...same for 2013?

 

- I read about some people using a different link on the rear suspension but never saw why or what problem they were trying to solve.

 

- Looks like people have settled on 107-115mm of race sag.

 

One last thing, does anybody know if the '13 clutch is similar enough to the '06-'09 clutch that I could pull my Rekluse zStart Pro out of my '08 and install it in the '13?

[mikedabike]

I have an 11 and friend has a 13.  To me they are the same bike.  Not sure if there was any small changes. 

 

He has the relocation kit an seems to like it.  My bike still seems to turn as well as his.

 

I run the forks up in the clamps a bit but closer to 100-105 sag.  My friend has had race tech do his stuff.  My suspension seems to work as well as his.

 

Not sure about the Rekluse but I was able to run my slipper from the older bike in my 11.  Many of the part #'s are the same and they seem interchangeable to a point with the proper clutch pack.  Check with Rekluse to be sure.

 

I spent a lot of hours trying different things to get my bike dialed in and my buddy threw money at his with similar results.  Point is that the bike is ultra sensitive to set up and the stock stuff can work if you put the time in.

 

I am sure the aftermarket could improve on my setup but at this point it is good enough that I am content and it is not any aspect of the bikes performance holding me back.

 

One mod I am doing is to install a damper.  It seems a bit more nervous in high speed stuff than the older generation and I think it would benefit.  Nothing horrible just an area where I think the dollars spent would provide a real improvement.

[grayracer513]

I would try the clutch.  The main shaft on the '13 is listed as a replacement for the '08, so I'm pretty sure the Rekluse boss will fit without any trouble.

 

The "problem" with the '10-'13 models is that people perceive them as having a "light" front end.  I seriously doubt that moving the 70 pound engine 3mm forward is going to really help more than moving your 180+ pound butt forward half an inch, but people say...

 

The sag thing seems to settle around 110-115 somewhere, but that's with the forks all the way down, flush with the clamps. The '13 was designed to turn more willingly than the Gen3 bikes, and raising the forks tends to exaggerate what Yamaha did. 

 

Lowering links are a waste of time and money.  There isn't a linkage rate problem to be resolved, so changing the linkage geometry isn't effective in any real way.  You can't do anything with a lowering link to the bike that can't be done by adjusting sag and working with the shock.

 

IMO, the real issue is simply that the bike's mass is even more centralized than on the '06-'09 models, and this creates challenges to the suspension.  The bike's attitude is more easily changed by the rider because so much of its weight is in the middle, away from the wheels.  That's a good thing, but it also means that the bike's attitude is more easily changed by the ground surface, so the suspension valving and settings have to be very well dialed in for it to work well.  It isn't the simplest thing in the world to get the suspension set up so that it's supple enough to keep the bike tracking solidly, but still stout enough to handle the big hit or the hard landing.  Those who have put the time into getting it right are the ones saying how great the bike is. 

[rdefonce]

I have the GYT-R FWW for my '10 (which should be the same for '13) - that helps.

The Injectioneering throttle body mod might be the total hot setup off-road riding . . . I've read great things about that but haven't tried it yet.

[Wiz636]

Had my first ride on the bike today...finally!  The area I rode is in eastern Washington and offers just about every type of terrain with the exception of rooted woods. Have some dialing in to do...mostly suspension (rear suspension in particular) but I have to say that this bike rips.

 

Coming off an '08 YZ450 that is perfectly set up for offroading (FWW, Rekluse, 18" rear wheel, tuned suspension, BRP riser/submount with Scotts damper) I have to say that this bike is way different and way better.

 

Reading through this forum I have seen lots of complaints about an overly touchy throttle and too-light front end. All I can say to this is: Really? 

 

This thing carves through ravines like a 250, I can dive into tighter lines mid-corner, freaking rails through whoops and high speed chop (the faster the better). Light front end? The front end bites better than any '06-'09 that I have ever ridden. On steep hill climbs the front end was not unusually willing to come up (turns out there is a lever on the left handlebar that helps with that kind of stuff). Having a bike that is too willing to turn is a nice problem to have BTW.

 

Yes, the fuel injected motor is very sensitive to small throttle modulations at low RPM, but as it turns out there is a lever on the left handlebar that helps with that kind of stuff. Yes, I will put a FWW weight on it, yes, I am going to change the mapping to smooth it out...but just a little. At this point I see no reason to ship the throttle body somehwere to de-sensitize this badass motor.

 

The only major complaint I have with the bike is the rear suspension. In rocky or hacked terrain the back wheel was all over the place. That said, my sag is set at 90mm...once I lower it to 110mm it may be a little better. Also, I have not laced up an 18" rear wheel yet and the 19" still has the stock tube (not HD or UHD) so I was concerned with pinch flatting and was running higher air pressure than I normally do with an 18" and UHD tube  I was running 16psi when I usually run 10-12psi.  Still, for offroading I plan on sending the suspension off to TBT and have them work their magic.

 

Overall I think this bike is a badass platform for creating a sweet offroad machine.

 

On a side note, I installed the Rekluse zStart Pro that was in my '08 (and my '06 before that) into the '13 and it works flawlessly.

[atomic410]

The "problem" with the '10-'13 models is that people perceive them as having a "light" front end.  I seriously doubt that moving the 70 pound engine 3mm forward is going to really help more than moving your 180+ pound butt forward half an inch, but people say...

 

Couldnt agree more put a bump in the seat call it done