My 2008 Yz 450f Review

[twenty34]

Overall I would give up a powerful motor for good cornering capabilites because I know someone can help me get this motor working and this bike will be perfect.

I have a slightly different take. For $7K, I'd like to have a bike that doesn't require a significant investment in aftermarket goods and engine enhancements. By 2008, you'd think that most of the top brands would have done better in this area.

[Ga426owner]

I have a slightly different take. For $7K, I'd like to have a bike that doesn't require a significant investment in aftermarket goods and engine enhancements. By 2008, you'd think that most of the top brands would have done better in this area.

I totally agree - if a 08 was 4999 OTD that is one thing but at 7k and approaching 8 =10k the next couple of years....it just aint right. Why can we not get a bike that only needs suspension work......I guess I am dreaming and I guess I wont be spending 8-10k period for a damn dirt bike

[grayracer513]

Why wouldn't you want one that didn't need suspension work?

[Ga426owner]

Why wouldn't you want one that didn't need suspension work?

I am saying that I wish jap bikes came ready to race.....with the only thing needed being personalized suspension work. It was one thing when you and I bought dirt bikes for 700- 2000 back in the ole days..and it was exceptable to me to spend up to 4000-5000 for the same routine. But now that bikes are at 7000 and approaching the 8000 - 9000 price point, I think that all maufacturers should supply top quality components that truly mandate a race ready platform to start with...bars, chain, skid plates etc.....

[adamdf]

I have a slightly different take. For $7K, I'd like to have a bike that doesn't require a significant investment in aftermarket goods and engine enhancements. By 2008, you'd think that most of the top brands would have done better in this area.

Just for the sake of arguing. I have a silghtly different take on your slightly different take:p ....You can't knock Yamaha for jumping on the "quiet" bandwagon and trying to provide a quieter bike, with all the riding areas being shutdown today it is good to see that Yamaha is taking it seriously. The only problem a racer will have with the 08, is that very same exhaust, go figure. The truth is, Yamaha could have left the 07 exhaust system on there and had a near perfect bike, but instead they decided to try an break the mold and it bit them, it's not as if the previous exhaust was crap and they kept supplying it to consumers, it's more like they actually thought they were making a positive change. Now if you want to talk about the crappy stock chains, then i can promise you i wont have a "slightly different take" on that one.

[grayracer513]

Thats just not happening ever. If they can come up with a bike that you can dial a factory suspension in for 120 pound rider to say a 300 pound rider then it will cost alot more than 10k:applause:

Don't say never. It's within the scope of current technology to replace metallic springs with air, and to make the sizes of the the air chambers variable, even dynamically variable. It's even with the scope of current technology to have springless, fully active suspension systems (they already exist), although with that one, your price estimate may be closer to the mark. But after seeing it work on Honda's F1 cars, it would be the ultimate, and might even be worth 10K. In fact, it worked so well it was declared illegal.

Just for the sake of arguing. I have a silghtly different take on your slightly different take:p ....You can't knock Yamaha for jumping on the "quiet" bandwagon and trying to provide a quieter bike, with all the riding areas being shutdown today it is good to see that Yamaha is taking it seriously.

I support you in that thought, to a degree at least. But what I do find fault with is, IMO, for what it's worth, their complete failure to find a technology with which to accomplish such a lofty goal without sacrificing so much power, and without using a method that's been used in cheap aftermarket custom mufflers for 50+ years. "Punched Cones"?! Give me a break. off

[917 rider]

95% of bikes sold never see the race day.5% percent do.if they did put all the best stuff on it your talking 12000 for a bike.I like the fact i can make my bike all my own, some stuff i need some i dont.My 08 was pulling holeshots all night in the b-class with the stock exhaust system:p