Yamaha WR450F

Let’s take a moment to celebrate one of the great models in dirtbike history. Is it the XR you ask? Or perhaps the mighty Pee Wee 50? Both great bikes no doubt, but as you can probably see from the photos surrounding this text; we are going to celebrate the WR450F because, well damn it, the bike deserves it.  

Yamaha’s WR-F is the best off-road bike since Honda’s XR250. It’s loved for almost the same reasons. It’s reliable and it performs at or above its competitions level. The WR-F rewrote the book on what a high performance four-stroke enduro bike can achieve, and it’s adding new chapters every year.

DIFFERENT BUT SAME
With many test bikes, you have to allow yourself time to get comfortable with the ergonomics. Some bikes, like the BMW for example, feel completely foreign and unfamiliar at first. Some, like the CRF, take a little time to get used to because it’s uniquely Honda.

Not so the Yamaha. We feel right at home every time we jump on the WRF. The ergos are so well thought out that you literally click it into gear and blast away. No easing into it and no familiarising process needed.

This hasn’t changed since its release. It’s always been a well thought-out bike and that’s what’s kept it ahead of the competition. A 2003 model WR450F would still be a good bike if it was released today.

The competition has been busy though. Honda and KTM both have brilliant 450s which are hard to not love. Kawasaki is back in the ring and Gas Gas has always been in there. These are the top four contenders for Yamaha’s mantle of ‘King of the 450s.’

But how do you topple such a perennial favourite? How could Pepsi ever hope to outsell Coca-Cola? When one brand is as universally regarded as Yamaha is and it’s backed up with great products and dealer support, what hope is there?

Well of course nothing is ever permanent. We could have had this same conversation about Husqvarna motocross bikes many years ago. The same could’ve been said for the XR range for that matter. There’s always a better bike on the horizon, but right now there isn’t anything that offers the whole package.

Genuine and aftermarket spares supply, resale value, long-term reliability and modest maintenance requirements are all hallmarks of the WR-F, and at this point it’s the only bike that ticks all the boxes.

SAME BUT DIFFERENT
The 2009 WR450F, priced at $12,999, is familiar partly because its three years old. It hasn’t really changed, aside from the BNG kit (Bold New Graphics), since 2007 when it received the funky aluminium frame and a whole bunch of other upgrades. We were initially nervous about so many wholesale changes to a bike that was so well loved, but the fears were unfounded. The WR-F is a different bike (some prefer the old frame), but it’s still brilliant.

We praise Honda’s CRF450X for its mammoth bottom-end and mid-range, but to be honest the Yamaha has just as much and then more up top. It delivers it very differently though and it’s arguably more user-friendly, but get over confident with the throttle and you’ll be looking up at the clouds in a flash.

It’s a more linear delivery that lacks the punch of the CRF, but as a result it’s a lot easier to ride in snotty terrain and up gnarly hills. The exhaust is a masterpiece and it must be said that in general, the manufacturers are doing a great job of keeping the noise down without drowning the power. The Yamaha can and is raced with its stock exhaust. Chris Hollis won the 2008 Australian Off-Road Championship and the Australian Four Day Enduro with the stocker, and it’s probably all you’ll need too.

The Yamaha has an engine that’s versatile and proven to be ultra reliable. Forget race wins, as we don’t all have a team mechanic to hand our bike over to at the end of the day, but consider the last time you heard an owner bitch about the WR-F being in the shop again. Hardly ever. The same can’t be said for a few other brands, believe us.

In the bush the Yamaha’s suspension is a trailrider’s delight. It’s designed to be plush and forgiving and it is. A lot of racers tune it, but trailriders don’t need to. If we were to find one thing to whinge about (we usually do), it was its tendency to headshake on fast sections of choppy terrain. It wasn’t scary but it did have us throttling back a little. The shock is a no brainer; pay it no mind and it’ll go about its business in fine form.

CHANGE A COMIN’?    
There was a time when the WR-F was the clearest and easiest choice for a 450F. That time has past, but the bike remains one of the best bikes on the market and, as we head into a period that will probably see the bike get some more upgrades within the next year or two, it’ll be interesting to see what the Yamaha boys can do to keep the blue bike up the front. Quick hint; it doesn’t need much.

TIME WARP
Let’s jump back in time to check out what we thought of the WR450F back in 2003. What we actually have here is a nice compromise between useable grunt and horsepower. Fast riders will say the suspension is too soft, and for them it probably is, but for anyone who can handle a 450 four-stroke this one is as good as anything the opposition can offer.

The bike suits anyone who rides reasonably well. It has the kind of power delivery that allows non-experts to learn at their own pace. That’s not only a brilliant marketing strategy that attracts new buyers to the F-bike, but it’s a likeable personality trait.

Click on the following link for more information on the Yamaha WR450F.