First Impressions: Riding the 2015 Yamaha YZ450F 5

We grabbed our cameras and met Michael Leib out at Cahuilla Creek MX to check out the 2015 Yamaha YZ450F. Click play to hear his thoughts on the bike.

To see the technical changes on the 2015 YZ450F, you can click here: http://www.vitalmx.com/features/First-Look-2015-YZ-and-YZF-Model-Lineup…
Credit: ML512
Related:
First Impressions
YZ450F
2015
Yamaha YZ450F
5 comments

View replies to: First Impressions: Riding the 2015 Yamaha YZ450F

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bvm111
9 years ago
Never thought I would say it, but, I really am liking the yamadog from what I am reading and seeing in the videos. I thought I had decided on the KX450 but the fact they are sticking with standard KYB SSS forks makes me lean this way since I know how to work on them and set them up!
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Darryl916
9 years ago
I'm confused by this review. His statements are totally contradictory to the review from Brendan Lutes from the same bike on the same day on the same track. Mike says the thing needs more top end. Brendan says the over rev is great but it's flat off the corner down low and even could use a stab of clutch. Mike says Yamaha's are always heavy in the front like a Honda. Everyone else in the world seems to feel like Yamaha has had a vague light feeling in the front since they rotated the motor rearward and is now, as of 14 starting to put feel back in the front. For what it's worth I think this review is a little confusing. This is a year I'm looking for a new bike, and frankly this didn't help clear up my stance on the YZF.
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ML512
9 years ago
I rode the bike directly after Michael, I would agree with his comments on the motor. Personally the 14 was quite abrupt from low to mid range transition. Yamaha's ECU changes for 15 smoothed out the transition but gave up a bit of the aggressiveness up top. The bike feels very "electric" down low and can be a bit deceiving on how much punch it really has. I had no need for the clutch, I was rolling off the throttle a bit to try to eliminate it from packing the front end out of almost every corner.
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