Rode a 450F today....now confused(450 thread)

[bosshogg]

Also posted the same in the 2-stroke area but wanted to get some thoughts from you guys in the four stroke area....

OK, so first off, let me say that I really love my YZ250 ('05). I have never even considered another bike since I first kicked it over back in June 05. Then today, I go riding with my buddy, who just picked up a nearly-new 06 YZ450F. Holy cr*p, that bike felt awesome. The suspension felt buttery smooth, the bike turned better than mine, I was able to carve lines on the track that I cannot do on my YZ 250, I felt more comfortable doing high-speed corners on that bike than I do on mine. I've got nearly 100 hours on my YZ and I only spent 15 mins on my friend's 450.

What the heck, this left me feeling kind of bummed. I hate the thought of dropping my 2-stroke (the fun-factor is out of sight), but I sure felt smoother on the four-stroke. If I'm going to ride a red-sticker bike, I might as well be riding the bike that feels the best to me. I say that because I have considered moving to a WR450 for the green sticker.

I don't know...any thoughts? I know where I can pick up a new 06-450F for a good price.

BTW - I know this subject has been beat to death, so I don't want this to turn into the typical, "2-strokes suck, 4-strokes rule" B.S. thread.

[Yz4-me]

I had something similar happen to me with a 06 YZ250F but after a while of riding and learning how to ride my 05 YZ250 better I realized.. that I was trying to do things to fast and it was ultimately slowing me down.. where-as when I rode my friends bike I wasnt trying to go fast and was able to do things I couldnt on mine yet, such as hitting different lines and setting up for jumps. I will say though the 06 forks stock compared to 05 forks stock are definatly better.

[steve_97060]

I'll just say I was a firm 2 stroke guy until I rode my brothers CRF450, before I rode his bike I was looking at getting a 250 2 stroke,..That ride completely changed my opinion on 4 strokes, the power was so smooth, strong, and useable that I decided I was going to get a 4 stroke instead.. Within a week I had my 06 YZ450f. My son has a CR125 and likes it, but at my age, the 4 stroke was the way to go..

[slammmin72]

ive had my 00 YZ220 for over a year now (my first bike) and my brother just traded in his quad for a 02 CRF450R, one ride on that thing and i was sold, so 2 weeks later my neighbor friend was selling his 02 YZ426F....now i have 2 bikes ? love htem both, and take both of them where ever i go riding

[jamiehughes]

that's what happened to me, i was a die hard 2 stroke guy watching everyone fly by on the thumpers, so i just bought my 06 yz450 and never looked back. you can ride this thing so much like a 2 stroke,IMO, that it's not even funny, doesn't have a ton of engine braking,feels really light, in fact it's about 5lbs lighter than my 01 yz250 was. and you get used to and start to really like the way they sound. i don't ever see me going back to a two smoker.i just gotta laugh at all the two stroke guys that get a chance to ride my bike. you can just see the wheels turning in their head when they climb off of it. hate to be a 2 smoke spoiler but the 4 stroke is the wave of the future.

[YZ426F Rider]

I started racing motocross in 1979 on a YZ125 and as we all know there were no real four stroke motocrossers until the YZ400 in the late 90's. I've done my time on two strokes and I love them...but the reality of it is that I'm faster on my YZ426 than I am on my RM250. I also enjoy riding my thumper more than the zinger.

Some die hards will say that riding a big bore thumper makes you lazy. If a bike makes it easier to go faster and they want to call that lazy then it's okay by me...I also ride an RM 125 and that is definately not a "lazy" ride. As a matter of fact, I have way more fun on my 125 zinger than I do on the 250.

But if I had to pick one bike then it would be the big bore four stroke...hands down.

[steve_97060]

YZ426F Rider, I started racing in 74 on a CR125 elsinore, when those bikes came out they were awesome machines for the time. I continued racing until I quit in 87(except for 4 years in the AF), always on a CR125. I decided to get back into riding this year and was planning on getting another Honda 2 stroke. But after riding my brothers CRF450 I was amazed at how well it handled and the excellent power 4 strokes produced. All my long ago prior experience with 4 strokes told me they were toads, not anymore..

It made me do 2 things, get a fourstroke, and even harder for me to do, switch to a Yamaha after all those years of Honda, damn Motocross Action magazine and their 06 YZ450f review...I am still having Honda withdrawal pains but they are slowly diminshing over time...I am being assimilated by the Blue...

[Vibeguy]

I jumped on the 4 stroke bandwagon in 2002 with a 426 and while I liked the power I thought it handled like a WW2 Tiger tank. I used the 426 to put in track time so I did't wear out my vintage race bikes so I hung onto it and put up with it's mediocre handling.

I recently sold the 426 and picked up an 06 450 and all I can say is WOW, this is what a 4 stroke mx bike is supposed to be like. I never throught I'd find a bike that was as fun to ride as my 81 490 Maico but this is it! If you can afford it why not have both a 2 and a 4 stroke?

As far as what sounds the best.....still got to go with the 81 490.

[bosshogg]

No way I could get away with having a 2 stroke and a 4 stroke. At least not here in CA. Having two red-sticker bikes would drive me freakin crazy. But having a red-sticker and a green-sticker....now that's another story. Still working on the wife about that idea. But honestly, at this point in my life, I do have better things to spend my money on. Currently saving for our next house. Ain't like houses are cheap here in the Bay Area.

Thanks for all the input guys!!

[Jack166s]

My sister lives in Walnut Creek-You need a lot of $$$$$$ to buy a house there. Just crazy.

Jack

[dangwartz]

Age is a factor, too. I'm no spring chicken. I grew up on 2-stroke zingers. Recently, I was riding a 93 KX250, which beat me to death. The power band was pipey, the handling was quick and the suspension poor. It didn't make sense to put any money into it, so I bought a YZ450F. I wanted something with suspension that would be easy on my joints, a smooth controllable power band and no head shake. I read the reviews. Talked to people. Read thumpertalk. Shied away from the Honda just because of the valve issues. Went with the YZ. For me, the difference is night and day. At first I was a little nervous about my decision, but I haven't looked back, cause I am having way too much fun on my thumper. I don't even miss my the zinger. I'm not saying anything negative about zingers. I'm just saying that for my particular needs, the thumper is the right choice. Good luck.