2010 owners - looking for some feedback

[steve_97060]

For you 2010 owners, how is the bike compared to the earlier models. I have an 06 and am looking at getting a new bike but trying to decide if I want to get another 450 or try a 250F.

My 06 isn't a bad bike but it doesn't handle the best and let's face it, they weigh alot and can wear you out. My thought on the 250 was it is lighter and might be less tiring to ride. I can get a pretty good deal on a white 2010, but could also get an 2010 250 for about 1700 less so am trying to decide on which bike to go with.

So, before I spend around 7400 for a new bike, I'm looking for some feedback on how much different (better) the 2010 450 is compared to my 06, and anyone who has also ridden a 250F for comparison.

thanks for the feedback guys..

[clutchless]

what style riding?

[drewbbie]

my advice get the 450 n if u find it has to much power just chose a sloweer map the new bike feels way lighter then it is i had the same problem and chose the 450 im glad i did

[grayracer513]

"n if u"? ?

[STROKEDIESEL]

if it was me:

1. find a dealer who has demo bikes.

2. try my local riding spot. most of the time just showing interest will get one to offer you a ride on there bike.

3. save my $ and ride the living $hit out of my 07 until it was toast.(sorry i dont lose sleep at night over not having a rear angled motor)

[honda907]

I have both an 09 and 10 YZ 450. It rides different, and I race my 09 more than the 10 I go fast on both, but prefer the 2009 if the track becomes dry. I have 51 hours on my 09 and 4 on my 10.

I talked to Will today at Enzo racing, and he said I am not the only person that feels this way. It just rides different. My take on it is like going from a yz 250 2 stroke to a yz 450 four stroke. It rides that much different. Not bad but different from other 4 strokes. It has a massive amount of lowend power. And for what it is worth, it has a serious amount of power everywhere!! This bike doesn't need a pipe . I have pulled a holeshot every time but my first moto that I raced it. Looking at the charts in MXA shows this to be true. Most pipes didn't make any significant power over the stock pipe till like 10,000 or more rpm.

The suspension seems to be good, but so was the 09.

Just my 2 cents.

[steve_97060]

if it was me:

1. find a dealer who has demo bikes.

2. try my local riding spot. most of the time just showing interest will get one to offer you a ride on there bike.

3. save my $ and ride the living $hit out of my 07 until it was toast.(sorry i dont lose sleep at night over not having a rear angled motor)

1 - show me a dealer who has a demo 2010 YZ450..

2 - haven't seen a 2010 at any MX tracks yet. let alone someone willing to let you test ride it..

3 - glad you don''t lose sleep..

[steve_97060]

what style riding?

old ansd slow MXer...

[steve_97060]

I have both an 09 and 10 YZ 450. It rides different, and I race my 09 more than the 10 I go fast on both, but prefer the 2009 if the track becomes dry. I have 51 hours on my 09 and 4 on my 10.

I talked to Will today at Enzo racing, and he said I am not the only person that feels this way. It just rides different. My take on it is like going from a yz 250 2 stroke to a yz 450 four stroke. It rides that much different. Not bad but different from other 4 strokes. It has a massive amount of lowend power. And for what it is worth, it has a serious amount of power everywhere!! This bike doesn't need a pipe . I have pulled a holeshot every time but my first moto that I raced it. Looking at the charts in MXA shows this to be true. Most pipes didn't make any significant power over the stock pipe till like 10,000 or more rpm.

The suspension seems to be good, but so was the 09.

Just my 2 cents.

thanks for the input, does the 2010 feel much lighter than your 2009? what is it exactly about the 2010 you don't like?

[almostinvincible119]

I just came off the 2006 450, about 2 weeks ago. I have 5 hours on my 2010 not including break-in.

Overall, the bike does fall into ruts much easier than the 2010, it doesnt want to stand up as much, and on flat corners the front end doesn't push near as much as the 06 (if at all)

The 250 engine, coming off of a 450, you will be throughly disappointed with. I borrowed a friends yz250f while he was overseas, put about 25 hours on it, and it needed a piston shortly after. Total of 45 hours on the bike. I feel like I had to work twice as hard to get the 250f to go anywhere. I was racing the 06, which was dyno'd pushing right around 56 rwhp, and the 250 just felt slow.

Now, comparing the 2010's 450 engine vs my 06's 450. I got off the 2010 after a 20 minute session and my first thought was this this is slow. It feels boggy on the bottom, and flat on the top. Im going to change the rear sprocket to a 49 this weekend though. Keep in mind that after putting a couple rides on the 2010, I was turning BETTER LAP TIMES than on the faster 06, so bottom end power and top end over-rev isn't everything.

If you think you want to save the 1700 bucks by getting the 250f, then by all means, save it. But I am willing to bet that you'll put the money back into it with a pipe, several top end rebuilds, and possibly some cams. Where with the 450, you can be content with it out of the box, and if this new 4 valve head holds up anything like the 5 valve head, you wont be looking at a valve adjustment for 30-40 hours, and a piston till 100!

[honda907]

thanks for the input, does the 2010 feel much lighter than your 2009? what is it exactly about the 2010 you don't like?

No, I don't think it feels much lighter. I take that back,it feels lighter, but it doesn't help the handling of the bike.

What don't I like about the handling? It is very "hooked up", even more so than an older 450. You cannot slide the rear end when finishing a turn. It just stays planted. You cannot finish the turn easily with the rear, like on a 2 stroke. That being said, you have to ride it that way and turn with the front.

Like I said it isn't a bad thing, and on moist ground it rips. On hard ground it takes a different approach to turning. My bike doesn't want to power slide easily. It also has a light feeling front end, so you don't have confidence in sliding the bike like the "old" bike.

I have ridden both of my bikes back to back, and this is my take.

Hope this helps.

[honda907]

I just came off the 2006 450, about 2 weeks ago. I have 5 hours on my 2010 not including break-in.

Overall, the bike does fall into ruts much easier than the 2010, it doesnt want to stand up as much, and on flat corners the front end doesn't push near as much as the 06 (if at all)

The 250 engine, coming off of a 450, you will be throughly disappointed with. I borrowed a friends yz250f while he was overseas, put about 25 hours on it, and it needed a piston shortly after. Total of 45 hours on the bike. I feel like I had to work twice as hard to get the 250f to go anywhere. I was racing the 06, which was dyno'd pushing right around 56 rwhp, and the 250 just felt slow.

Now, comparing the 2010's 450 engine vs my 06's 450. I got off the 2010 after a 20 minute session and my first thought was this this is slow. It feels boggy on the bottom, and flat on the top. Im going to change the rear sprocket to a 49 this weekend though. Keep in mind that after putting a couple rides on the 2010, I was turning BETTER LAP TIMES than on the faster 06, so bottom end power and top end over-rev isn't everything.

If you think you want to save the 1700 bucks by getting the 250f, then by all means, save it. But I am willing to bet that you'll put the money back into it with a pipe, several top end rebuilds, and possibly some cams. Where with the 450, you can be content with it out of the box, and if this new 4 valve head holds up anything like the 5 valve head, you wont be looking at a valve adjustment for 30-40 hours, and a piston till 100!

I felt the same way about the 2010, but the wheels are just totally"hooked up' and it is just a sensation of being slow. This bike is not slow!! The noise coming from the airbox, and the hooked up feeling makes you think it is slow. Get it on a ripped, prepped track and this machine is a wheelie machine!?

My bike is totally stock, except for the suspension settings, and all I did was play with the power tuner some. The bike flattening out on top I think is a cam issue, but I rarely ride at 10-11K RPM. Actually, most 450's that the japs have are like this. maybe a reliability thing?

Try the $2k head. I bet that cures the problem!!

[alzzaco]

old ansd slow MXer...

Most riders are faster on 250 than on 450. Unless your riding in the dessert.

Unless your at a pro level your going to have much more fun on the 250 at the track. Maybe ktms new 350 would be the answer. Get all 3 and let us know LOL

[YamaLink]

The 2010 vs the 2006: for me the biggest aspect is the turning as some others have pointed out. Especially slower ruts and flat hardpack turns.

If your riding consists of a lot of "let's take a break" after about 10 or 15 minutes I'd say get a 450. If you ride mostly track and just hammer all hot afternoon long I'd say get a 250F.

Sounds like money is a factor (isn't it always?!). Have you considered finding a leftover 08 or 09 YZ450F? In my opinion 2008 was the big Yamaha's transformation year.

[clutchless]

old ansd slow MXer...

go with the 450.

easier to ride, takes less energy and less effort.

[Troutman]

I sold the 06 for the 10 last month and could not believe how much lighter the 10 feels. This thing is a dream, I can ride allot longer on the 10 without getting tired. I love the fact that it hooks up so well ,I am sure that depends most on your riding style. The suspension is absolutely incredible it is the funnest bike I have ridden to date. However, this could be skewed because I own one so take it for what’s its worth.

[steve_97060]

Thanks for all the good input guys, I am leaning towards staying with the 450. Now it's just an issue of do I pull the trigger on this white one the dealer is holding for me or wait and see what comes up with the 2011.. and prices..

[BBrown626]

I am an old and slow MX "expert/intermediate" rider. I moved from a 450 to a 250(2s) and on to the '10 450. I rode my son's '10 250 back to back with my 450 last weekend. I weigh 210#. The 250 was fun, but definitely slower when there are obstacles out of a corner. I would worry about reliability too because you have to hammer it to turn the same lap times, making it a time bomb. The 450 does take a lot a different effort to ride, as you have to hang on tighter whereas the 250F you will have to ride harder.

Honda907 has a good description of the handling. It is very planted and you will need to learn to lean more into the corners vs slide.

Very fun to ride and highly recommended.

[steve_97060]

Well, I picked up a white 2010 a couple weeks ago. I've only got about 3.5 hours on it so far but I have to agree with what others have said, it definitely feels different than my 2006. it feels much lighter and flickable but the front end does feel a little squirrelly, the suspension is simply amazing, over jumped several times and waited to feel the jolt but there wasn't any, it just soaked it up like it was nothing, very impressive.

I finally started feeling a little more comfortable on it towards the end of the day after trying a couple of different maps. the throttle is so instantaneous in the stock map that you have to be very careful in technical sections. The track I was riding was hard pack with loose dirt on top and I always felt like the front end could let go at any time. Once I switched to the hard pack map I felt a lot more comfortable on it, but the front end doesn't inspire confidence, I'm sure the tire has a lot to do with that though.

All in all, I am very impressed with the bike, but it will take a little time to get used to it.

[drewbbie]

i just was out today playing around with different maps i was rideing on hard pack and shale . i found that out of all the maps on this sight was the "overall" power map and the agressive map worked out well for mee did you get the tumer for it?