2007 YZ450 off road dilemma

[Bigd450]

I started a thread in the WR section about getting a WR and swapping all my parts over, but I am still contemplating keeping the YZ and setting it up alittle different. I havent ridden it that much off road yet but the amount I did I noticed the gearing is too high and I kept stalling it. I could gear it alittle lower has a 48T on it have a 52T I can try but I cant keep the wheel down with the 48T though. Also have a heavy fly wheel I could try. But the big thing I was thinking about was a Rekluse. Would that completely cure my need for e-start? On my old bike I totally rely on the e-start and having a hard time with out it. What do you guys think?

[grayracer513]

The Rekluse, of course, will not make the bike any easier to start. It will make it need starting less often, though. I've gone on several trail rides with my '06 where I've started the bike once, then shut it off when I got back. I consider my self very good with a clutch, too, but realistically, the real world is full of little "gotcha's", and the Rekluse handles 99% of all of them.

[WGP]

Depends on the type of riding you do........The YZ is a race bike, it likes to go fast and hard, the WR is a play bike it likes to take it easy and enjoy the ride. If you ride any MX forget the WR! If you like to putz around with your buddies the WR is the machine, e-start, headlight, horsepower, kickstand and Wide ratio Transmission which is a low low 1st gear.

I have had both bikes and switched from the WR to YZ a few years ago mainly because I race and go fast and hard.

Do I miss the e-start? Yes I do! But thats about it.

The YZ has way better suspension which for me was the deal breaker.

It also is lighter and easier to move around.

Yes, put in the 50-50 flywheel, this will help alot with stalling, change the gearing, ( I Run 14/50 and have a fairly low speed 1st and top out about 78mph)

I can't say anything about the rekluse because I have never used one but It seems the rekluse will only help you in tight nasty stuff where you are using the clutch alot and prone to stalling, but if you change your gearing and use a heavier flywheel you should stall alot less if at all.

Get your jetting dialed in and it will start 1st or 2nd kick everytime........the only time I wish I had the e-start is when going up steep hills when I stall or crash and need to start it quick in awkward positions.

[Bigd450]

I mainly race XC and haresceambles. I do need to play with the jetting a bit it runs really good just doesnt start the best. The Boyesen quickstart any good? Or just a JD jetting kit? I have the 50-50 flywheel so maybe I will put it in and try it. Maybe try different settings on the Vortex as well. Your right about the e-start on my other bike its a life saver, on a hill or a simple stall just touch the button and your gone again. I am thinking the Rekluse will help with this. I ran one back in 05 and it was "ok" but sounds like they have improved it quite a bit since then.

[Hurricane]

I just recently got an 07 yz450, it replaced my 01 ktm300. It was mostly stock with exception of the FWW (9oz I think), ims tank, and a gpr damper. After a couple of rides I decided to go up 2 teeth on the rear (13/51) to shorten 1st and be able to ride more in 2nd and 3rd in the woods, now I hardly touch the clutch even when brush busting my own trail.? I've heard the rekluse is great on these bikes but I personally like the clutch lever, I had a autoclutch on a kx250 and felt like I lost too much snap.

[WGP]

Oh man put in that flywheel...big difference and you have the right one....you'll love it.....

I just have JD jetting kit never tried anything else and never needed too.

[rmunch44]

I put a 9oz flywheel weight in my all stock 07 yz450 late last year and I thought that was the best thing ever, less stalling and better power control. Then just last week I installed the new Rekluse EXP 2.0. Wow, the arm pump is gone and hitting technical stuff that I would have killed it having to use a clutch. Still thinking about going two teeth up in the back (51). Just like to do one step at a time.

[Polar_Bus]

You guys keep talking such positive feedback about a Rekluse, and I keep getting closer and closer to quit procrastinating and just buy one myself ! ?

Same deal with my Scotts steering damper, I put it off for years and then what I finally had one holy crap what an amazing difference ?

[idahoexcr500]

I also have an 07 450. A friend has an 09 WR450 and we have switched bikes allot. He thinks he made a mistake buying the WR after riding my YZ. Its so much more fun to ride. Biggest differences are more power, much better suspension and the lighter weight is very noticeable. I do like the estart though. The YZ is a little tough in the tight stuff, as other have said a FWW or Recluse would probably make a huge difference if you ride in the woods allot. If I rode all woods I probably would go back to a 2T but overall I am happy with the YZ.

[Polar_Bus]

I also have an 07 450. A friend has an 09 WR450 and we have switched bikes allot. He thinks he made a mistake buying the WR after riding my YZ. Its so much more fun to ride. Biggest differences are more power, much better suspension and the lighter weight is very noticeable. I do like the estart though. The YZ is a little tough in the tight stuff, as other have said a FWW or Recluse would probably make a huge difference if you ride in the woods allot. If I rode all woods I probably would go back to a 2T but overall I am happy with the YZ.

Most of the fast NE woods guys still prefer to tame a 250cc MX 2 stroke for the woods than jump ship to a 4 stroke. It's all about nimble and lack of weight in the technical woods... ?

[Bigd450]

I got the flywheel on and will give it try tonight. I also found out the settings for the Vortex cdi so hopefully I can tame it down a bit and put on the bigger sprocket. The bike has a STM slipper clutch which works as it's suppose to but I think a Rekluse would be the ticket. I talked to Rekluse yesterday and the EXP sounds pretty slick, and so much easier to adjust then the older one and no more ball bearings to deal with!

[Bigd450]

I tried out the bike with the flywheel tonight and it did help some but the bike still has a long ways to go. I rode on my 2km course and it is insanely tight and tons of dead fall and it rained tonight so the conditions were ugly! First lap must of stalled 10 times second lap only two or three times but really had to watch the clutch. 13-48 gearing is way to tall I am gonna try the 52 tomorrow and see how that goes. Only thing left after that is a Rekluse I guess.

[Bigd450]

I put the 52T sprocket on and major difference. Actually starting to like it now. Still stalls pretty easy jumping logs but its getting better. Not quite confidante enough to race it tomorrow but it is getting there.

One thing I did notice, is it seems quite a bit taller then my KTM. Is there really anything you can do but shave the seat?

[Octanee]

i got a 06 yz450f, im a trail rider, ive ridden up some hard trails that was shale and basically you had to get off the bike and push it while somebody pulled, ive done alot of that type of single track riding, i had a 03 wr 250 before this, they are alright, but for single track it didnt have the power, so a 450 wr does the job, but ill keep my yz450f ?

[Bigd450]

Well I hate post that die with out an update.

I installed the Rekluse and got a few rides in and one race. The Rekluse so far has save this bike, there is no way I would have any fun riding this bike off road with out it. It completely cured the bike of stalling. Rode the whole race and never had to start it. There are a few cons of the Rekluse that I have to get use to but the pro's definitely out weight it.

Pro's

The bike is virtually stall proof. It starts pretty easy in gear, getting me the hole shot! The clutching action is unbelievable. I can easily from a stand still crack the throttle bringing the bike into a wheelie and either getting over logs or doing 90 deg. turns in the bush to get around obstacles. I can not use the clutch as effectively as the Rekluse there was a nasty rooty hill climb and I was able to tractor the bike up nice and smooth.

Con's

I put in six blue springs to get the clutch to stay engaged longer. Before in really tight stuff it would disengage then engage and keep on doing that. Also going down hills is would sometimes kick out. But now it doesn't want to disengage and sometime I need to use the clutch to slow it down to get over large obstacles. The worst thing is stopping on hills and it freewheel back wards. Especially if you shut it off and have to start it on a hill not fun at all. If I could get a left hand brake with the clutch and hot start that would be awesome.

Overall very happy with the bike now. I had a Rekluse when they first came out and the EXP is night and day from that it works so smooth!!

Only thing now is getting the bike to start first kick. When its warm it is pretty good but now and then it takes 10 kicks to start it, maybe its just my technique though. I have noticed that I cant crack the throttle at all or it really doesn't want to start. All my other four strokes including other Yamaha's I would crack the throttle two or three time and it would fire when its cold not this one seems like it must be giving it way to much fuel. Maybe I should invest in the JD kit but other then starting the jetting is perfect it rips through out the entire range and absolutely no bog of idle.

[Diode663]

The jd kit really helped stalling on my bike. That combined with a 51 tooth rear made the bike more friendly then I could have hoped for. But I think once its jetted right it just comes down to clutch control.

[rockieman]

I have the exact bike you are contemplating....I went from a '99 WR to the '07 YZ. I put a lighting kit on it and made it street legal. Also added the Rekluse as well as the Flywheel wt. As far as the gearing, I went down one on the counter and its geared pretty good for the tight, steep trails in CO. It would be the perfect bike if it had the WR tranny....if I ever find one on eBay I may do that when I go in to rebuild. Another recommendation is the WR catch tank inside the left fender. The bike is pretty susceptable to overheating. You'll find the YZ much more nimble and lighter, where I fought the WR and its weight I find my self fighting the YZ to slow down....which in my opinion is a lot easier. With the Rekluse you don't need the button because you'll never stall the bike.

[ttr250dude]

I primarily ride single track in the woods. I've got the heavier GYTR flywheel and a 52 tooth rear sprocket. I have no stalling issues with that setup and no need for a rekluse. I threw on the 48 tooth for a day just for kicks and giggles and she kept stalling. Back to the 52 tooth now.

Proper jetting helps with stalling issues too. Search around here and find what works for your specific bike setup/elevation/temps. No use on spending 3x the money for a jet kit when you have all the resources you need right here on TT.

[primerib108]

A rekluse would "almost" be considered a must if your riding a YZ in the woods competitively. I can make due without one (barely) but I know it would come in handy for slow technical sections with large logs and tricky hill climbs. YZee's are not very good at keeping power to the ground compared to trail built bikes like the KTM's and WR's and will easily spin the tires at the slightest twist of the throttle even with a FWW.....but I found also that they are much better at maneuvering, suspension is way better, and picking them up after a crash doesn't completely destroy you compared to the lumbering WR. Had one before and I will never go back even with the lazy button.