KX450F or YZ450

Holmboyz

Holmboyz

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I've ridden a 06 KX450F for several years and loved that tank-like feeling over my son's mountain-bike-like 2011 KX250F ;) I've decided to update but don't want to drop the $ on a brand new bike unless it's a left over 2015 and don't want to go any older than a 2014. I think I've narrowed it down to a '14-'15 KX450F or a '14-'15 YZ450F. I think I'd prefer to stay green as I have a bunch of aftermarket parts I can drop on but I'm a bit concerned with the air forks (a buddy of mine has a 13 KX and has had nothing but problems with his). I've never been on a YZ but I think I'd feel more comfortable with the reliability and maintenance of the "antiquated" forks. Anyone have any experience with both bikes they'd like to share?
 
SSS - KYB. YAMAHA.

My last 450 was a 13 yz. Suspension was phenomenal. Best stuff I've ever ridden on out of a showroom with no revalve. I weigh 165. Bike was an animal. Couldn't handle it!

That is all.
 
I've had both. I get my forks done at Factory Connection. And if you choose the KX I would only use them for the air fork. I weighed 250 and cased everything and never blew a seal in my 13 KX. I never had an issue with either the YZ or KX. The KX hits a little harder but the YZ still packs a punch. I feel like I have to ride more forward on the YZ. Also the 14-16 YZ is much easier to service. And the tuner is the best feature of all. You can't go wrong with either.
 
I had a 13 kx and the dampening rod snapped 3 different times in the 6 months I owned it. Had a 07 yzf 450 I rode until 2013... I never had to adjust valves or anything, all I had to do was put new rings on the piston, and for the hell of it I put a new cam chain in since it was there. So I ran this piss out of that 450 for 6 years every weekend... And she held up like a dream. I say go blue, kawajunkie
 
I had a 2014 kx and a 2014 yz. Really no comparison at all. The kx did everything better. Yamaha still has its die hard sss guys like Georgie, but I couldn't disagree more. I have never hated a bike more than that 14 Yz and that had a lot to do with the suspension. I guess this is why they make different brands though, people like different things.

For the record, I never had an issue with either bike breaking. Air forks can be a bit of a pain if you don't like messing with your suspension because you always have to adjust the pressure, but I think they work well when you get them dialed in.
 
My son has had 14 and 15 KX450F and we have had no problems from either bike, the air forks work great and I set them up the day he rides and check them mid day and the air pressure stays the same. I had him ride a yz450 and he said the tank felt wide.
 
Ryan598 said:
I had a 2014 kx and a 2014 yz. Really no comparison at all. The kx did everything better. Yamaha still has its die hard sss guys like Georgie, but I couldn't disagree more. I have never hated a bike more than that 14 Yz and that had a lot to do with the suspension. I guess this is why they make different brands though, people like different things.

For the record, I never had an issue with either bike breaking. Air forks can be a bit of a pain if you don't like messing with your suspension because you always have to adjust the pressure, but I think they work well when you get them dialed in.
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Are you one of those guys who likes harsh hits ? What was bike doin that you didn't like ? Just wondering.
 
Honestly, I shouldn't blame the suspension. I am just fat lol so stock suspension never works for me. I sent it to Factory connection and they made it too harsh. I love my suspension plush. That is the only bike I have sent them that they did not get right though. I just did not like anything about that bike. It did not handle, it was too stiff, and it was way too fast. I was just not comfortable with any part of that bike. After about 25 hours on the bike I finally gave up on it.

For me, the 2014 Kawasaki felt like my bike on day one. Factory connection nailed the suspension on that bike. I would still have it except I had to have the 2016 KX450 when it came out (love it too).
 
Same feeling here on my 13 except that the suspension was perfect. I never touched it except for clickers. I just couldn't hold on. It was so fast. So I gytr detuned it to MXA "less hit"MAP. That helped a lot. But still couldn't stop the bike from climbing out of ruts. My problem is I ride all bikes likes 2 strokes.

Rocket robin tried to help me out the day I was pissy at briarcliff on my 450 by tellin me to chill out and lug it around. But for some stupid reason my mind-to-wrist nervous system blatantly will not allow me to ride like that when I'm racing. Sold the bike at 10.1 hours.


Weren't you riding a Honda the day we had a pretty good battle going at big game ? That was when I had my 450 a few years ago. Or am I thinking about someone else...?
 
Yes that was me. That was right after my Yamaha. I told myself I was "quitting" and sold that and about 4 months later got a good deal on my 14 kaw. Pretty much had a 14 450 shootout that year haha.
 
As far as 450s go.. In 14 I decided I wanted a new bike. I had only had Honda and Suzuki. So I wanted something different. I couldn't afford or find a deal on a Ktm or husky.. So that made the search for a yz or kx.. I ended up finding a deal on a 14 yz so I bought it.. My first impression was that it was the fastest 450 I've had (and I've had a fully built crf), specially bone stock.. I liked the ability to play with the bar mounts which I moved to the front holes with the clamps turned so it brought the bars back a hair.. Felt comfy, but the bike does have that wide feeling a little bit.. It was nice to have "decent" suspension. Bottoming was good, but it beat me up in the chop. I'm not an sss fanboy like a buddy of mine lol.. A revalve and springs may have cleared that up as I'm a little on the heavy side.. I had 2 issues.. I couldn't get a start on that thing. I think maybe cuz it hit so hard (which is weird, cuz I love a hard hit). Also, the front tire was climbing like Georgie has mentioned.. As soon as I junked the stock mx51f and put a mx32 on it, it was a totally different bike in corners.. I then trusted it.. It was also perfectly reliable. Never feared any type of failure.

However, I'd still like to own a kawi 450 once. This year I'll be trying the new Ktm 450..

Don't know if this helps, but that's my brief opinion of the yz. Overall great bike. If I planned to keep it longer I would have added a pipe, gearing change, suspension, and maybe play with the gytr tuner..
 
I should also add that all last year I rode a Ktm 250sx with stock 4cs suspension. Adjusted some clickers and it worked pretty good considering the horror stories. I'm fat so I did bottom here and there on big hits. Worked as decent for me as the stock sss stuff..
 
Ryan598 said:
You can't hurt a YZ450. I put 200 hours on an 08. Replaced the top end once just for good measure.
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You rode that bike forever like I did with my 450, hell I think you and I battled at marysville in 2013 in 14-24 and I was still on the ole 07...
 
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