How to match CRF power?

[CrusRuss]

Hey guys I'm a bit depressed.

I love zook's and I got a 06 450RMZ... my brother bought an 06 CRF450R. Anyway, whenever I ride his it has loads more torque... and stacks more top end horse power. It also has stacks stronger brakes and the suspension feels nicer (although I think I just need to tune mine better, its not bad).

I love my bike and the way it feels and if I never rode my brothers CRF I would be content... but every time I throw a leg over the CRF I realise the ponies I dont have.

BTW both bikes are stock.

What can I do? All I do is cop shit off my brother "because I ride a big yellow DRZ" (thats what he calls it).

Back when we had 250s my zook handed his ass to his CR.

Help guys... I have pretty much unlimited money to spend - however I want value for money mods that really boost power. What mods have people done and how helpful were they? (When I do rebuild ill be going to 490 athena big bore, but that wont be for a while).

Thanks for the help.

[Paul061]

Look at Motocross Action online. They have an article about building a Yoshimura RMZ450. They can supply you with the same motor Sebastian Tortellis is racing.

[kitplummer]

They can supply you with the same motor Sebastian Tortellis is racing.

Umm. The only problem is that the motor that ST _was_ racing fits in an orange bike.

I don't know. I've ridden the 06 CRF450 - and the only thing I thought that was any different was that the Honda couldn't turn. I couldn't tell a single difference in engine pull. Now that you mention it...the Honda's front brake was better.

I'll still take my RM-Z, if for no other reason to never have to step foot in a Honda dealership.

[Grizzly600]

Add a tooth to the rear.

The CRF doesn't have more power than your bike...twist the throttle harder. The 5 speed also is a little closer spaced so the honda feels like it has a little more snap each gear. But your bike hooks up better.

Slap a PC or Yoshi pipe on it and a boyesen quickshot...call it a day

[CrusRuss]

Well this isnt exactly true... Yes you are partially right.

I rode these bikes back to back the day we rolled them out of the shop.

Its true the RMZ is geared wider and taller, which means less snappiness, better hooking up and (supposedly) more top end.

However the CRF (even if it is geared "lower and closer") actually pulls faster on the top end over-rev. So its actually better over all (more top end HP and more top end torque and more top end speed).

I just put on a PC stainless slip on, so I will see how that goes, however I have dinged my header pretty bad near the exhaust port.

It is actually true, the CRF engine pulls at least 3-4 horse power more all over the powerband and its NOT just the gearing, I know what different gearing feels like and its not the gearing. It actually has more HP. Significantly so.

[sia20]

the crf may have more Hp and seem more snappy but i have owned both bikes and the RMZ power is a lot more useable i rode the 2 back to back and i was faster on the rmz even though i didnt feel faster, i used to have a 250 2 st so i know how to ride a snappy bike just the rmz is more user friendly and after 20 min riding the rmz is not half as tireing

[Lemay427]

I have pretty much unlimited money to spend

i am sure with enough money you could cop rc's or hot sauce's bike. unload the money truck at suzuki

[walent215]

do you ride on the track or trail?on the track my zook is much more user friendly than my old honda.i rode my buddys honda out trail riding back to back with my zook and felt the same thing you did but the gear box is part of that.try an fmf exhaust and some u4 ,those 2 alone are worth atleast 5 horse,and as it breaks in youll notice it running better.stick with the zook imo.

[raulico]

vertex sold a 490 kit, if you need more try a nos....but 2500$ on yoshimura could be first approach

[Paul061]

It's right here

http://www.motocrossactionmag.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=news&mod=News&mid=9A02E3B96F2A415ABC72CB5F516B4C10&tier=3&nid=7CDE7B80B2714EF79C56E33C1C8BC7C8

[johntt4]

Add a tooth to the rear.

The CRF doesn't have more power than your bike...twist the throttle harder. The 5 speed also is a little closer spaced so the honda feels like it has a little more snap each gear. But your bike hooks up better.

Slap a PC or Yoshi pipe on it and a boyesen quickshot...call it a day

The CRF does have more peak HP by about 2hp. The rest of the powerband pretty much shadows all the 450s. I think it's the Suzuki's 4 speed, with it's wider gear spacing, that gives that impression of less power.

[racerxx276]

Throw a 13:1 wiseco piston in and a PC pipe and you'll be very happy....

Best hop up and simple too!

Don

[LRM]

Do you two brothers race each other? If so, race him riding your bike and then riding his bike. Make your own comparison! But get ride of the stock exhaust! LET IT BREATH!!!! Put one more tooth in the rear and race him corner to corner, not just the straight aways. I've been racing CRF's since 02. On the track, corner to corner the Zook is just as fast and you get to do longer than on the Honda.

[vanhalen]

Dude, you crazy?!!!

Don't take this too personally, but the Horse power IS NOT the problem. I relay this back to the Dirt Rider article that had Ryan Hughes race DRZ's, 125's, etc. against a hopped up RMZ 450. It didn't make much of a difference in the results category.

I have a buddy with an '06 CRF with a White Bros. exhaust. I'll take my '05 zook any day.

Do some more cardio, brake later, excellerate sooner. There is plenty of horses in that thing to make anyone a winner.

[Grizzly600]

The stock pipe on the RMz in very restrictive.

If you ever mess up the slip on, go with a FULL PC, Yosh, DMC system...

[gregghealy]

I thought my bike felt straonger than my buddies 05 CRF. He kicks my ass anyway though...

[crazycracker]

add a tooth to the rear if you think you need more low end and if your rich buy a pipe.lol

[cranky]

The EVO-R pipe opened up our motor across the range and there are probably better/more expensive units out there. The Big Gun EVO-R is under 600.00 for the whole system new. A pipe is most likely all you will need, the RMZ has the best motor/3rd gear combo out there for riding tracks.

[CrusRuss]

Hey guys,

I just put on a Pro Circuit T4 slip on (came free with my new bike purchase)... and I am now rather happy with the power. It has a lot more pull especially in the mid range and up top (which is where it was lacking). Now all I need to do is get rid of the big ding in my Ti header (which I will do with the freezing technique).

I am going to put a 50t on the rear as well because I can feel its geared a bit high.

Hopefully with that combo I will have the power that I want.

Thanks for the help guys. Now the only thing thats really pissing me off is the brakes! 3-4 rides and they are soft, spongey and faded. Same thing as with my RM250 06. My brothers CRF brakes are insane I cant believe it. And apparantly they are almost identical units.

Do you think this is due to the disc guard that honda's run? How do you guys keep your brakes hard and strong? I stripped my master cylinder screws on my 06 RM250 from bleeding the brakes every 4-5 hours

[raulico]

i saw the test of yoshi rmz and i see:

We also added Yosh’s $19.95 aluminum crank and $17.95 aluminum top-dead-center inspection plugs, CNC-machined rear brake clevis ($50), oil filler plug ($18.75), axle blocks ($48.95), steering stem nut ($14.95) and billet clutch cover ($199).

i can buy only these